The Florida Senate

403.526  Preliminary statements of issues, reports, and studies.--

(1)  Each affected agency which received an application in accordance with s. 403.5251(3) shall submit a preliminary statement of issues to the department and the applicant no later than 60 days after distribution of the complete application. Such statements of issues shall be made available to each local government for use as information for public meetings pursuant to s. 403.5272. The failure to raise an issue in this preliminary statement of issues shall not preclude the issue from being raised in the agency's report.

(2)(a)  The affected agencies shall prepare reports as provided below and shall submit them to the department and the applicant within 90 days after distribution of the complete application:

1.  The department shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor as it relates to matters within its jurisdiction.

2.  Each water management district in the jurisdiction of which a proposed transmission line or corridor is to be located shall prepare a report as to the impact on water resources and other matters within its jurisdiction.

3.  The Department of Community Affairs shall prepare a report containing recommendations which address the impact upon the public of the proposed transmission line or corridor, based on the degree to which the proposed transmission line or corridor is consistent with the applicable portions of the state comprehensive plan and other matters within its jurisdiction. The Department of Community Affairs may also comment on the consistency of the proposed transmission line or corridor with applicable strategic regional policy plans or local comprehensive plans and land development regulations.

4.  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor on fish and wildlife resources and other matters within its jurisdiction.

5.  Each local government shall prepare a report as to the impact of each proposed transmission line or corridor on matters within its jurisdiction, including the consistency of the proposed transmission line or corridor with all applicable local ordinances, regulations, standards, or criteria that apply to the proposed transmission line or corridor, including local comprehensive plans, zoning regulations, land development regulations, and any applicable local environmental regulations adopted pursuant to s. 403.182 or by other means. No change by the responsible local government or local agency in local comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, or other regulations made after the date required for the filing of the local government's report required by this section shall be applicable to the certification of the proposed transmission line or corridor unless the certification is denied or the application is withdrawn.

6.  Each regional planning council shall present a report containing recommendations that address the impact upon the public of the proposed transmission line or corridor based on the degree to which the transmission line or corridor is consistent with the applicable provisions of the strategic regional policy plan adopted pursuant to chapter 186 and other impacts of each proposed transmission line or corridor on matters within its jurisdiction.

(b)  Each report shall contain the information on variances required by s. 403.531(2) and proposed conditions of certification on matters within the jurisdiction of each agency. For each condition proposed by an agency, the agency shall list the specific statute, rule, or ordinance, as applicable, which authorizes the proposed condition.

(c)  Each reviewing agency shall initiate the activities required by this section no later than 15 days after the complete application is distributed. Each agency shall keep the applicant and the department informed as to the progress of its studies and any issues raised thereby.

(3)  The department shall prepare a written analysis which contains a compilation of agency reports and summaries of the material contained therein which shall be filed with the administrative law judge and served on all parties no later than 135 days after the complete application has been distributed to the affected agencies, and which shall include:

(a)  The studies and reports required by this section and s. 403.537.

(b)  Comments received from any other agency or person.

(c)  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.

(4)  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 pursuant to s. 403.528. Neither the failure to submit a preliminary statement of issues or a report nor the inadequacy of the preliminary statement of issues or report shall be grounds to deny or condition certification.

History.--s. 1, ch. 80-65; s. 39, ch. 81-167; s. 41, ch. 83-55; s. 7, ch. 83-222; s. 34, ch. 90-331; s. 390, ch. 94-356; s. 15, ch. 95-149; s. 149, ch. 96-410; s. 209, ch. 99-245.