Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 17 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 17.20 - MAJOR FACILITY SITING › Subchapter 17.20.15 - Application Requirements Facility Description and Design › Rule 17.20.1509 - LINEAR FACILITIES, DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) An application must contain an
				engineering description of the facility in detail sufficient to enable the
				department to assess the environmental impacts of construction, operation and
				maintenance and reliability of the proposed facility located on the preferred
				route.
(2) An application must
				contain a list of any reports, documents, studies, or calculations indicating
				that the preliminary design specifications and performance objectives for the
				major components of the facility are adequate and can be maintained in the
				continuous operation of the facility.
(3) An application must identify facility
				design features that were selected in order to reduce adverse environmental
				impacts.
(4) For an electric
				transmission facility, an application must contain an engineering description
				of major facility components, including the following: structure design and
				materials; height range of structures; approximate number of structures per
				mile; ground wire configurations; types and designs of markers and other
				warning devices; number and spacing of conductors; and location, size, and
				overall plan of new and modified substations, including present and future land
				requirements.
(5) For an electric
				transmission facility, an application must contain specifications for design
				peak voltage and amperage under adverse climatic conditions and under expected
				peak loading conditions.
(6) For an
				electric transmission facility, an application must include an estimate of
				radio and television interference, and electric and magnetic field strengths.
				This information on electric and magnetic fields must be provided for
				cross-sections of the right-of-way and must include maximum conditions under
				the conductors and at the edge of the right-of-way or easement, and attenuation
				rates beyond the edge of the right-of-way.
(7) For an electric transmission facility, an
				application must contain a statement certifying that the facility will meet the
				standards of the national electric safety code.
(8) For pipelines, an application must
				contain an engineering description of the facility, including conduit size and
				thickness, tensile strength, test and operating pressure, methods of joining
				sections of conduit, trenching depth, amount of ground cover over the pipeline,
				the location, size and overall plan for new or modified pumping and compressor
				stations, cathodic protection systems, and other safety features. Facility
				design specifications or criteria must also be provided for the normal and
				maximum transmitting or pumping capacity and pressure of compressor stations
				and pump stations.
(9) For
				pipelines, an application must contain a description of quality control and
				testing procedures and the information necessary to demonstrate that the
				facility can meet industry and US department of transportation pipeline
				standards.
(10) For pipeline, an
				application must contain a description of the source of power for pump and
				compressor stations and indicate on maps, in electronic format acceptable to
				the department, the proposed and alternative location of power supply lines for
				these stations.
(11) An application
				must contain a description of communication facilities that will be used to
				control and monitor operation of the facility and their location, including,
				but not limited to, radio, microwave, or satellite antennas, and any fiber
				optic cables. If fiber optic cables are used, the application must describe the
				use of any excess communication capacity.
(12) An application must contain a specific
				engineering or design explanation of the opportunities and constraints for
				paralleling or sharing existing utility or transportation rights-of-way, or
				portions thereof, and if such opportunities were not chosen for part of the
				preferred route, an explanation of the reasons, including insufficient
				right-of-way and/or other land use constraints.
AUTH:
					 75-20-105, MCA; IMP:
					 75-20-211,
					 75-20-213, MCA