2023 Florida Statutes › Title XXIX - Public Health › Chapter 403 - Environmental Control › Part II - Electrical Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting (Ss. 403.501-403.539) › 403.507 - Preliminary statements of issues, reports, project analyses, and studies.

403.507 Preliminary statements of issues, reports, project analyses, and studies.—
(1) Each affected agency identified in paragraph (2)(a) shall submit a preliminary statement of issues to the department, the applicant, and all parties no later than 40 days after the certification application has been determined complete. The failure to raise an issue in this statement shall not preclude the issue from being raised in the agency’s report.
(2)(a) No later than 100 days after the certification application has been determined complete, the following agencies shall prepare reports as provided below and shall submit them to the department and the applicant, unless a final order denying the determination of need has been issued under s. 403.519:
1. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall prepare a report containing recommendations which address the impact upon the public of the proposed electrical power plant, based on the degree to which the electrical power plant is consistent with the applicable portions of the state comprehensive plan, emergency management, and other such matters within its jurisdiction. The Department of Economic Opportunity may also comment on the consistency of the proposed electrical power plant with applicable strategic regional policy plans or local comprehensive plans and land development regulations.
2. The water management district shall prepare a report as to matters within its jurisdiction, including but not limited to, the impact of the proposed electrical power plant on water resources, regional water supply planning, and district-owned lands and works.
3. Each local government in whose jurisdiction the proposed electrical power plant is to be located shall prepare a report as to the consistency of the proposed electrical power plant with all applicable local ordinances, regulations, standards, or criteria that apply to the proposed electrical power plant, including any applicable local environmental regulations adopted pursuant to s. 403.182 or by other means.
4. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall prepare a report as to matters within its jurisdiction.
5. The Department of Transportation shall address the impact of the proposed electrical power plant on matters within its jurisdiction.
(b) Any other agency, if requested by the department, shall also perform studies or prepare reports as to matters within that agency’s jurisdiction which may potentially be affected by the proposed electrical power plant.
(3) Each report described in subsection (2) shall contain:
(a) A notice of any nonprocedural requirements not specifically listed in the application from which a variance, exemption, exception, or other relief is necessary in order for the proposed electrical power plant to be certified. Failure of such notification by an agency shall be treated as a waiver from nonprocedural requirements of that agency. However, no variance shall be granted from standards or regulations of the department applicable under any federally delegated or approved permit program, except as expressly allowed in such program.
(b) A recommendation for approval or denial of the application.
(c) Any proposed conditions of certification on matters within the jurisdiction of such agency. For each condition proposed by an agency in its report, the agency shall list the specific statute, rule, or ordinance which authorizes the proposed condition.
(d) The agencies shall initiate the activities required by this section no later than 15 days after the application is distributed. The agencies shall keep the applicant and the department informed as to the progress of the studies and any issues raised thereby.
(4)(a) No later than 150 days after the application is filed, the Public Service Commission shall prepare a report as to the present and future need for electrical generating capacity to be supplied by the proposed electrical power plant. The report shall include the commission’s determination pursuant to s. 403.519 and may include the commission’s comments with respect to any other matters within its jurisdiction.
(b) Receipt of an affirmative determination of need by the submittal deadline under paragraph (a) shall be a condition precedent to issuance of the department’s project analysis and conduct of the certification hearing.
(5) The department shall prepare a project analysis, which shall be filed with the designated administrative law judge and served on all parties no later than 130 days after the application is determined complete, and which shall include:
(a) A statement indicating whether the proposed electrical power plant and proposed ultimate site capacity will be in compliance and consistent with matters within the department’s standard jurisdiction, including the rules of the department, as well as whether the proposed electrical power plant and proposed ultimate site capacity will be in compliance with the nonprocedural requirements of the affected agencies.
(b) Copies of the studies and reports required by this section.
(c) The comments received by the department from any other agency or person.
(d) The recommendation of the department as to the disposition of the application, of variances, exemptions, exceptions, or other relief identified by any party, and of any proposed conditions of certification which the department believes should be imposed.
(e) If available, the recommendation of the department regarding the issuance of any license required pursuant to a federally delegated or approved permit program.
(6) Except when good cause is shown, the failure of any agency to submit a preliminary statement of issues or a report, or to submit its preliminary statement of issues or report within the allowed time, shall not be grounds for the alteration of any time limitation in this act. Neither the failure to submit a preliminary statement of issues or a report nor the inadequacy of the preliminary statement of issues or report are grounds to deny or condition certification.
History.—s. 1, ch. 73-33; s. 5, ch. 76-76; s. 133, ch. 79-190; s. 8, ch. 81-131; s. 33, ch. 81-169; s. 36, ch. 83-55; s. 25, ch. 86-186; s. 10, ch. 90-331; s. 7, ch. 92-132; s. 8, ch. 93-94; s. 385, ch. 94-356; s. 14, ch. 95-149; s. 139, ch. 96-410; s. 206, ch. 99-245; s. 30, ch. 2006-230; s. 74, ch. 2008-227; s. 287, ch. 2011-142; s. 20, ch. 2015-30.