CHAPTER 49-22ENERGY CONVERSION AND TRANSMISSION FACILITY SITING ACT49-22-01.Short title.This chapter may be cited as the "North Dakota EnergyConversion and Transmission Facility Siting Act".49-22-02. Statement of policy. The legislative assembly finds that the construction ofenergy conversion facilities and transmission facilities affects the environment and the welfare of the citizens of this state. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the location, construction, and operation of energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will produce minimal adverse effects on the environment and upon the welfare of the citizens of this state by providing that no energy conversion facility or transmission facility shall be located, constructed, and operated within this state without a certificate of site compatibility or a route permit acquired pursuant to this chapter. The legislative assembly hereby declares it to be the policy of this state to site energy conversion facilities and to route transmission facilities in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and the efficient use of resources.In accordance with thispolicy, sites and routes shall be chosen which minimize adverse human and environmental impact while ensuring continuing system reliability and integrity and ensuring that energy needs are met and fulfilled in an orderly and timely fashion.49-22-03. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwiserequires:1."Certificate" means the certificate of site compatibility or the certificate of corridor compatibility issued under this chapter.2."Commission" means the North Dakota public service commission.3."Construction" includes any clearing of land, excavation, or other action that would affect the environment of the site after April 9, 1975, but does not include activities:a.Conducted wholly within the geographic location for which a utility has previously obtained a certificate or permit under this chapter or on which a facility was constructed before April 9, 1975, if:(1)The activities are within the boundaries of:(a)A previously issued certificate or permit;(b)For an energy conversion facility constructed before April 9, 1975, the geographic location on which the facility was built; or(c)For a transmission facility constructed before April 9, 1975, a width of three hundred fifty feet [106.68 meters] on either side of the centerline;(2)Except as provided in subdivision b, the activities do not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area; and(3)Before conducting any activities, the utility certifies in writing to the commission that the activities will not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area and the utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility.b.Otherwise qualifying for exclusion under subdivision a, except that the activities are expected to affect a known avoidance area and the utility before conducting any activities:Page No. 1(1)Certifies in writing to the commission that:(a)The activities will not affect any known exclusion area; and(b)The utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility;(2)Notifies the commission in writing that the activities are expected to impact an avoidance area and provides information on the specific avoidance area expected to be impacted and the reasons why impact cannot be avoided; and(3)Receives the commission's written approval for the impact to the avoidance area, based on a determination that there is no reasonable alternative to the expected impact. If the commission does not approve impacting the avoidance area, the utility must obtain siting authority under this chapter for the affected portion of the site or route.If thecommission fails to act on the notification required by this subdivision within thirty days of the utility's filing the notification, the impact to the avoidance area is deemed approved.c.Incident to preliminary engineering or environmental studies.4."Corridor" means the general location of a transmission facility.5."Energy conversion facility" means any plant, addition, or combination of plant and addition, designed for or capable of:a.Generation exceeding sixty megawatts of electricity;b.Manufacture or refinement of one hundred million cubic feet [2831684.66 cubic meters] or more of gas per day, regardless of the end use of the gas;c.Manufacture or refinement of fifty thousand barrels [7949.36 cubic meters] or more of liquid hydrocarbon products per day; ord.Enrichment of uranium minerals.6."Facility" means an energy conversion facility, transmission facility, or both.7."Permit" means the permit for the construction of a transmission facility within a designated corridor issued under this chapter.8."Person" includes any individual, firm, association, partnership, cooperative, corporation, limited liability company, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of a state or of the federal government, or any subdivision thereof.9."Power emergency" means an electric transmission line and associated facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by natural or manmade causes resulting in a loss of power supply to consumers of the power.10."Route" means the specific location of a transmission facility within a designated corridor.11."Site" means the location of an energy conversion facility.12."Transmission facility" means any of the following:Page No. 2a.An electric transmission line and associated facilities with a design in excess of one hundred fifteen kilovolts. "Transmission facility" does not include:(1)A temporary transmission line loop that is:(a)Connected and adjacent to an existing transmission facility that was sited under this chapter;(b)Within the corridor of the sited facility and does not cross known exclusion or avoidance areas; and(c)In place for less than one year; or(2)A transmission line that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.b.A gas or liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, liquid hydrocarbon products, or carbon dioxide. This subdivision does not apply to:(1)An oil or gas pipeline gathering system;(2)A pipeline with an outside diameter of four and one-half inches [11.43 centimeters] or less that will not be trenched and will be plowed in with a power mechanism having a vertical knife or horizontally directionally drilled, and its associated facilities; or(3)A pipeline that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.For purposes of this chapter, a gathering system includes the pipelines and associated facilities used to collect oil from the lease site to the first pipeline storage site where pressure is increased for further transport, or pipelines and associated facilities used to collect gas from the well to the gas processing facility at which end-use consumer-quality gas is produced, with or without the addition of odorant.c.A liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting water from or to an energy conversion facility.13."Utility" means any person engaged in and controlling the generation, manufacture, refinement, or transmission of electric energy, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, including electric power generation or transmission, coal gasification, coal liquefaction, petroleum refinement, uranium enrichment, and the transmission of coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, or the transmission of water from or to any energy conversion facility.49-22-04. Ten-year plans - Contents. Every utility that owns or operates, or planswithin the next ten years to own, operate, or start construction on any facility shall annually develop a ten-year plan as specified in this section. On or before July first of each year, the utility shall submit its ten-year plan to the commission. The ten-year plan may be appropriate portions of a single regional plan or may be jointly prepared and submitted by two or more utilities and must contain the following information:1.A description of the general location, size, and type of all facilities to be owned or operated by the utility during the ensuing ten years, as well as those facilities to be removed from service during the ten-year period.2.An identification of the location of the tentative preferred site for all energy conversion facilities and the tentative location of all transmission facilities on which construction is intended to be commenced within the ensuing five years and suchPage No. 3other information as may be required by the commission. The site and corridor identification shall be made in compliance with the criteria published by the commission pursuant to section 49-22-05.1.3.A description of the efforts by the utility to coordinate the plan with other utilities so as to provide a coordinated regional plan for meeting the utility needs of the region.4.A description of the efforts to involve environmental protection and land-use planning agencies in the planning process, as well as other efforts to identify and minimize environmental problems at the earliest possible stage in the planning process.5.A statement of the projected demand for the service rendered by the utility for the ensuing ten years and the underlying assumptions for the projection, with that information being as geographically specific as possible, and a description of the manner and extent to which the utility will meet the projected demands.6.Any other relevant information as may be requested by the commission.Upon receipt of the ten-year plans the commission shall proceed to assess the impact of the development proposed within the state to ensure that energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will be sited in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and efficient use of resources.49-22-05.Inventory of potential sites - Criteria - Public hearings.Repealed byS.L. 1977, ch. 447,
CHAPTER 49-22ENERGY CONVERSION AND TRANSMISSION FACILITY SITING ACT49-22-01.Short title.This chapter may be cited as the "North Dakota EnergyConversion and Transmission Facility Siting Act".49-22-02. Statement of policy. The legislative assembly finds that the construction ofenergy conversion facilities and transmission facilities affects the environment and the welfare of the citizens of this state. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the location, construction, and operation of energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will produce minimal adverse effects on the environment and upon the welfare of the citizens of this state by providing that no energy conversion facility or transmission facility shall be located, constructed, and operated within this state without a certificate of site compatibility or a route permit acquired pursuant to this chapter. The legislative assembly hereby declares it to be the policy of this state to site energy conversion facilities and to route transmission facilities in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and the efficient use of resources.In accordance with thispolicy, sites and routes shall be chosen which minimize adverse human and environmental impact while ensuring continuing system reliability and integrity and ensuring that energy needs are met and fulfilled in an orderly and timely fashion.49-22-03. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwiserequires:1."Certificate" means the certificate of site compatibility or the certificate of corridor compatibility issued under this chapter.2."Commission" means the North Dakota public service commission.3."Construction" includes any clearing of land, excavation, or other action that would affect the environment of the site after April 9, 1975, but does not include activities:a.Conducted wholly within the geographic location for which a utility has previously obtained a certificate or permit under this chapter or on which a facility was constructed before April 9, 1975, if:(1)The activities are within the boundaries of:(a)A previously issued certificate or permit;(b)For an energy conversion facility constructed before April 9, 1975, the geographic location on which the facility was built; or(c)For a transmission facility constructed before April 9, 1975, a width of three hundred fifty feet [106.68 meters] on either side of the centerline;(2)Except as provided in subdivision b, the activities do not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area; and(3)Before conducting any activities, the utility certifies in writing to the commission that the activities will not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area and the utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility.b.Otherwise qualifying for exclusion under subdivision a, except that the activities are expected to affect a known avoidance area and the utility before conducting any activities:Page No. 1(1)Certifies in writing to the commission that:(a)The activities will not affect any known exclusion area; and(b)The utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility;(2)Notifies the commission in writing that the activities are expected to impact an avoidance area and provides information on the specific avoidance area expected to be impacted and the reasons why impact cannot be avoided; and(3)Receives the commission's written approval for the impact to the avoidance area, based on a determination that there is no reasonable alternative to the expected impact. If the commission does not approve impacting the avoidance area, the utility must obtain siting authority under this chapter for the affected portion of the site or route.If thecommission fails to act on the notification required by this subdivision within thirty days of the utility's filing the notification, the impact to the avoidance area is deemed approved.c.Incident to preliminary engineering or environmental studies.4."Corridor" means the general location of a transmission facility.5."Energy conversion facility" means any plant, addition, or combination of plant and addition, designed for or capable of:a.Generation exceeding sixty megawatts of electricity;b.Manufacture or refinement of one hundred million cubic feet [2831684.66 cubic meters] or more of gas per day, regardless of the end use of the gas;c.Manufacture or refinement of fifty thousand barrels [7949.36 cubic meters] or more of liquid hydrocarbon products per day; ord.Enrichment of uranium minerals.6."Facility" means an energy conversion facility, transmission facility, or both.7."Permit" means the permit for the construction of a transmission facility within a designated corridor issued under this chapter.8."Person" includes any individual, firm, association, partnership, cooperative, corporation, limited liability company, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of a state or of the federal government, or any subdivision thereof.9."Power emergency" means an electric transmission line and associated facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by natural or manmade causes resulting in a loss of power supply to consumers of the power.10."Route" means the specific location of a transmission facility within a designated corridor.11."Site" means the location of an energy conversion facility.12."Transmission facility" means any of the following:Page No. 2a.An electric transmission line and associated facilities with a design in excess of one hundred fifteen kilovolts. "Transmission facility" does not include:(1)A temporary transmission line loop that is:(a)Connected and adjacent to an existing transmission facility that was sited under this chapter;(b)Within the corridor of the sited facility and does not cross known exclusion or avoidance areas; and(c)In place for less than one year; or(2)A transmission line that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.b.A gas or liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, liquid hydrocarbon products, or carbon dioxide. This subdivision does not apply to:(1)An oil or gas pipeline gathering system;(2)A pipeline with an outside diameter of four and one-half inches [11.43 centimeters] or less that will not be trenched and will be plowed in with a power mechanism having a vertical knife or horizontally directionally drilled, and its associated facilities; or(3)A pipeline that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.For purposes of this chapter, a gathering system includes the pipelines and associated facilities used to collect oil from the lease site to the first pipeline storage site where pressure is increased for further transport, or pipelines and associated facilities used to collect gas from the well to the gas processing facility at which end-use consumer-quality gas is produced, with or without the addition of odorant.c.A liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting water from or to an energy conversion facility.13."Utility" means any person engaged in and controlling the generation, manufacture, refinement, or transmission of electric energy, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, including electric power generation or transmission, coal gasification, coal liquefaction, petroleum refinement, uranium enrichment, and the transmission of coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, or the transmission of water from or to any energy conversion facility.49-22-04. Ten-year plans - Contents. Every utility that owns or operates, or planswithin the next ten years to own, operate, or start construction on any facility shall annually develop a ten-year plan as specified in this section. On or before July first of each year, the utility shall submit its ten-year plan to the commission. The ten-year plan may be appropriate portions of a single regional plan or may be jointly prepared and submitted by two or more utilities and must contain the following information:1.A description of the general location, size, and type of all facilities to be owned or operated by the utility during the ensuing ten years, as well as those facilities to be removed from service during the ten-year period.2.An identification of the location of the tentative preferred site for all energy conversion facilities and the tentative location of all transmission facilities on which construction is intended to be commenced within the ensuing five years and suchPage No. 3other information as may be required by the commission. The site and corridor identification shall be made in compliance with the criteria published by the commission pursuant to section 49-22-05.1.3.A description of the efforts by the utility to coordinate the plan with other utilities so as to provide a coordinated regional plan for meeting the utility needs of the region.4.A description of the efforts to involve environmental protection and land-use planning agencies in the planning process, as well as other efforts to identify and minimize environmental problems at the earliest possible stage in the planning process.5.A statement of the projected demand for the service rendered by the utility for the ensuing ten years and the underlying assumptions for the projection, with that information being as geographically specific as possible, and a description of the manner and extent to which the utility will meet the projected demands.6.Any other relevant information as may be requested by the commission.Upon receipt of the ten-year plans the commission shall proceed to assess the impact of the development proposed within the state to ensure that energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will be sited in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and efficient use of resources.49-22-05.Inventory of potential sites - Criteria - Public hearings.Repealed byS.L. 1977, ch. 447,
CHAPTER 49-22ENERGY CONVERSION AND TRANSMISSION FACILITY SITING ACT49-22-01.Short title.This chapter may be cited as the "North Dakota EnergyConversion and Transmission Facility Siting Act".49-22-02. Statement of policy. The legislative assembly finds that the construction ofenergy conversion facilities and transmission facilities affects the environment and the welfare of the citizens of this state. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the location, construction, and operation of energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will produce minimal adverse effects on the environment and upon the welfare of the citizens of this state by providing that no energy conversion facility or transmission facility shall be located, constructed, and operated within this state without a certificate of site compatibility or a route permit acquired pursuant to this chapter. The legislative assembly hereby declares it to be the policy of this state to site energy conversion facilities and to route transmission facilities in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and the efficient use of resources.In accordance with thispolicy, sites and routes shall be chosen which minimize adverse human and environmental impact while ensuring continuing system reliability and integrity and ensuring that energy needs are met and fulfilled in an orderly and timely fashion.49-22-03. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwiserequires:1."Certificate" means the certificate of site compatibility or the certificate of corridor compatibility issued under this chapter.2."Commission" means the North Dakota public service commission.3."Construction" includes any clearing of land, excavation, or other action that would affect the environment of the site after April 9, 1975, but does not include activities:a.Conducted wholly within the geographic location for which a utility has previously obtained a certificate or permit under this chapter or on which a facility was constructed before April 9, 1975, if:(1)The activities are within the boundaries of:(a)A previously issued certificate or permit;(b)For an energy conversion facility constructed before April 9, 1975, the geographic location on which the facility was built; or(c)For a transmission facility constructed before April 9, 1975, a width of three hundred fifty feet [106.68 meters] on either side of the centerline;(2)Except as provided in subdivision b, the activities do not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area; and(3)Before conducting any activities, the utility certifies in writing to the commission that the activities will not affect any known exclusion or avoidance area and the utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility.b.Otherwise qualifying for exclusion under subdivision a, except that the activities are expected to affect a known avoidance area and the utility before conducting any activities:Page No. 1(1)Certifies in writing to the commission that:(a)The activities will not affect any known exclusion area; and(b)The utility will comply with all applicable conditions and protections in siting laws and rules and commission orders previously issued for any part of the facility;(2)Notifies the commission in writing that the activities are expected to impact an avoidance area and provides information on the specific avoidance area expected to be impacted and the reasons why impact cannot be avoided; and(3)Receives the commission's written approval for the impact to the avoidance area, based on a determination that there is no reasonable alternative to the expected impact. If the commission does not approve impacting the avoidance area, the utility must obtain siting authority under this chapter for the affected portion of the site or route.If thecommission fails to act on the notification required by this subdivision within thirty days of the utility's filing the notification, the impact to the avoidance area is deemed approved.c.Incident to preliminary engineering or environmental studies.4."Corridor" means the general location of a transmission facility.5."Energy conversion facility" means any plant, addition, or combination of plant and addition, designed for or capable of:a.Generation exceeding sixty megawatts of electricity;b.Manufacture or refinement of one hundred million cubic feet [2831684.66 cubic meters] or more of gas per day, regardless of the end use of the gas;c.Manufacture or refinement of fifty thousand barrels [7949.36 cubic meters] or more of liquid hydrocarbon products per day; ord.Enrichment of uranium minerals.6."Facility" means an energy conversion facility, transmission facility, or both.7."Permit" means the permit for the construction of a transmission facility within a designated corridor issued under this chapter.8."Person" includes any individual, firm, association, partnership, cooperative, corporation, limited liability company, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of a state or of the federal government, or any subdivision thereof.9."Power emergency" means an electric transmission line and associated facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by natural or manmade causes resulting in a loss of power supply to consumers of the power.10."Route" means the specific location of a transmission facility within a designated corridor.11."Site" means the location of an energy conversion facility.12."Transmission facility" means any of the following:Page No. 2a.An electric transmission line and associated facilities with a design in excess of one hundred fifteen kilovolts. "Transmission facility" does not include:(1)A temporary transmission line loop that is:(a)Connected and adjacent to an existing transmission facility that was sited under this chapter;(b)Within the corridor of the sited facility and does not cross known exclusion or avoidance areas; and(c)In place for less than one year; or(2)A transmission line that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.b.A gas or liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, liquid hydrocarbon products, or carbon dioxide. This subdivision does not apply to:(1)An oil or gas pipeline gathering system;(2)A pipeline with an outside diameter of four and one-half inches [11.43 centimeters] or less that will not be trenched and will be plowed in with a power mechanism having a vertical knife or horizontally directionally drilled, and its associated facilities; or(3)A pipeline that is less than one mile [1.61 kilometers] long.For purposes of this chapter, a gathering system includes the pipelines and associated facilities used to collect oil from the lease site to the first pipeline storage site where pressure is increased for further transport, or pipelines and associated facilities used to collect gas from the well to the gas processing facility at which end-use consumer-quality gas is produced, with or without the addition of odorant.c.A liquid transmission line and associated facilities designed for or capable of transporting water from or to an energy conversion facility.13."Utility" means any person engaged in and controlling the generation, manufacture, refinement, or transmission of electric energy, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, including electric power generation or transmission, coal gasification, coal liquefaction, petroleum refinement, uranium enrichment, and the transmission of coal, gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or liquid hydrocarbon products, or the transmission of water from or to any energy conversion facility.49-22-04. Ten-year plans - Contents. Every utility that owns or operates, or planswithin the next ten years to own, operate, or start construction on any facility shall annually develop a ten-year plan as specified in this section. On or before July first of each year, the utility shall submit its ten-year plan to the commission. The ten-year plan may be appropriate portions of a single regional plan or may be jointly prepared and submitted by two or more utilities and must contain the following information:1.A description of the general location, size, and type of all facilities to be owned or operated by the utility during the ensuing ten years, as well as those facilities to be removed from service during the ten-year period.2.An identification of the location of the tentative preferred site for all energy conversion facilities and the tentative location of all transmission facilities on which construction is intended to be commenced within the ensuing five years and suchPage No. 3other information as may be required by the commission. The site and corridor identification shall be made in compliance with the criteria published by the commission pursuant to section 49-22-05.1.3.A description of the efforts by the utility to coordinate the plan with other utilities so as to provide a coordinated regional plan for meeting the utility needs of the region.4.A description of the efforts to involve environmental protection and land-use planning agencies in the planning process, as well as other efforts to identify and minimize environmental problems at the earliest possible stage in the planning process.5.A statement of the projected demand for the service rendered by the utility for the ensuing ten years and the underlying assumptions for the projection, with that information being as geographically specific as possible, and a description of the manner and extent to which the utility will meet the projected demands.6.Any other relevant information as may be requested by the commission.Upon receipt of the ten-year plans the commission shall proceed to assess the impact of the development proposed within the state to ensure that energy conversion facilities and transmission facilities will be sited in an orderly manner compatible with environmental preservation and efficient use of resources.49-22-05.Inventory of potential sites - Criteria - Public hearings.Repealed byS.L. 1977, ch. 447,