Legalectric

Here’s Bob’s missive, helping folks prep for next week’s meeting:

Last week you received the attached meeting notice and agenda for an upcoming meeting at the Public Utilities Commission offices on August 15Â regarding the State Transmission Plan process, focusing specifically on ways to improve public participation. The following information is provided as further background for those who may not be familiar with how the process has developed since the 2001 enabling legislation. If you have questions, or comments, please contact me directly, either before or after the meeting.

Bob’s contact info is way down there, email is bob.cupit@state.mn.us

FYI, meeting is:

August 15, 2006
9 a.m. to 12 noon
PUC Large Hearing Room
121 – 7th Place E., St. Paul

Link to State Transmission Planning reports for 2003 & 2005 and zone map:

http://minnelectrans.com/Â Includes:

• Links to the public meeting presentations
• Utility Contact Information
• Web links & resources
• Public Meeting Summaries, 2005

216B.2425 State transmission Plan – Public Participation excerpt:

Subd.2c4. (4) provide a summary of public input related to the list of inadequacies and the role of local government officials and other interested persons in assisting to develop the list and analyze alternatives.

Link to transmission planning statute: http://ros.leg.mn/bin/getpub.php?pubtype=STAT_CHAP_SEC&year=2005&section=216B.2425&keyword_type=exact&keyword=state+transmission+plan

The State Transmission Plan is governed by Minnesota rules, Chapter 7848. Link to rule:

http://ros.leg.mn/bin/getpub.php?pubtype=RULE_CHAP&year=current&section=7848&keyword_type=exact&keyword=transmission+plan

Public Participation excerpts:

7848.0700 TRANSMISSION PLANNING ZONES.

To facilitate meaningful public participation in transmission planning, the state is hereby divided into six transmission planning zones: northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, west central, and Twin Cities metropolitan. The boundaries of these transmission planning zones are shown in the map at part 7848.9900.

NOTICE:

7848.0800Â TRANSMISSION PLANNING MAILING LISTS.

Each utility shall maintain a mailing list, called the transmission planning mailing list, of persons who ask to be notified of transmission planning meetings and related matters. Each utility shall post on its Web site a telephone number and e-mail address that members of the public may use to place their names on this list.

7848.0900 TRANSMISSION PLANNING MEETINGS.

Subpart 1. Securing input of the public and local and tribal governments. Jointly or individually, utilities shall seek the assistance and input of local government officials, tribal government officials, and interested members of the public in identifying transmission inadequacies and alternative means of addressing them. To help secure this assistance and input, each utility shall hold transmission planning meetings as

follows:

A. at least one transmission planning meeting each year in each transmission planning zone in which the utility intends to propose a high-voltage transmission line within the next five years; and

B. at least two transmission planning meetings in each affected transmission planning zone in the year in which it files for certification of a proposed high-voltage transmission line.

Utilities may fulfill this obligation by holding joint transmission planning meetings. Transmission planning meetings must be open to the public.

Subp. 2. Issues to address in transmission planning meetings. At transmission planning meetings the utilities shall:

A. answer questions;

B. seek information on local transmission needs and related energy needs;

C. seek input on transmission inadequacies they have identified and input on different ways to address these identified transmission inadequacies;

D. present an overview of:

(1) the Minnesota transmission system;

(2) any inadequacies in the Minnesota transmission system that the utility believes must be addressed within the next

ten years and alternative ways, including nontransmission alternatives, to address these inadequacies; and

(3) the factors that influence transmission needs in the transmission zone, the state, and adjacent states;

E. provide a description of any high-voltage transmission line under serious consideration for construction within the transmission zone in the next five years;

F. provide a general description of each line’s probable social, environmental, and economic effects and an account of all alternatives considered;

G. present information on the best routing information available;

H. provide a description of general right-of-way requirements for a line of the size and voltage proposed and a statement that the utility intends to acquire property rights for the right-of-way that the proposed line will require; and

I. present a brief description of the regulatory approval processes to which each line is subject.

7848.1000 OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR TRANSMISSION PLANNING MEETINGS.

Subpart 1. Notice to interested persons. Utilities shall conduct outreach efforts to inform local government officials, tribal government officials, and members of the public about the transmission plan meetings required in this part. At a minimum, utilities shall take the following actions:

A. mail to each county government within the transmission planning zone written materials briefly summarizing the transmission plan process; inviting local government input; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting the county to designate someone to serve as a liaison between the county and the utility on transmission issues;

B. mail to each tribal government within the transmission planning zone written materials briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting tribal government input; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting the tribal government to designate someone to serve as a liaison between the tribal government and the utility on transmission issues;

C. mail to the League of Minnesota Cities written materials briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting input from the league and municipalities within the transmission planning zone; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting the league to designate someone to serve as a liaison between the league and the utility on transmission issues;

D. mail to the Association of Minnesota Counties written materials briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting input from the association; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting the association to designate someone to serve as a liaison between the association and the utility on transmission issues;

E. mail to the Minnesota Association of Townships written materials briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting input from the association; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting the association to designate someone to serve as a liaison between the association and the utility on transmission issues;

F. mail to the board, the department, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Park Service written materials briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting input from these agencies; giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and inviting each of these agencies to designate a person to serve as its liaison between the agency and the utility on transmission issues;

G. publish display advertisements in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county seat of each county within the transmission planning zone briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; inviting public input; and giving the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting;

H. mail to all persons who have asked to be on the utility’s transmission planning mailing list and to all persons on the official service list for the previous biennial transmission projects report a notice of the date, time, and place of the transmission planning meeting; and

I. post on the utility’s Web site information about transmission planning meetings briefly summarizing the transmission planning process; identifying utility representatives who can provide further information; inviting public input; providing addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses for public input; and giving the date, time, and place of upcoming transmission planning meetings.

Subp. 2. Timing of mailings. The written materials required under subpart 1, items A through F, must be mailed no later than 15 days before the transmission planning meeting to which they relate. The written materials required under subpart 1, item H, must be mailed no sooner than 30 days or later than ten days before the transmission planning meeting to which they relate. The newspaper advertisements required under subpart 1, item G, must appear no sooner than 30 days and no later than ten days before the transmission planning meeting to which they relate.

7848.1100 FOLLOW-UP ON TRANSMISSION PLANNING MEETINGS.

Utilities shall encourage but not require persons attending transmission planning meetings to sign an attendance register and to list mailing and e-mail addresses to which the utility can send transmission planning updates. Following each transmission planning meeting the utility shall prepare a synopsis of its presentation, public input received, and how the public input has influenced its decision-making process. The utility shall mail or e-mail this synopsis to all persons who signed the attendance register and listed a mailing or e-mail address, all persons who have asked to be on the utility’s transmission planning mailing list, and each transmission liaison designated under part 7848.1000, subpart 1. The utility shall also post the synopsis on its Web site.

7848.1200 KEEPING RECORDS RELATED TO TRANSMISSION PLANNING MEETINGS.

Utilities shall retain the following materials for ten years:

A. attendance registers from transmission planning meetings;

B. copies of written materials mailed or published under part 7848.1000, subpart 1;

C. copies of written materials distributed at, after, or otherwise in connection with transmission planning meetings;

D. mailing and publication lists for materials mailed or published under part 7848.1000, subpart 1, or otherwise in connection with transmission planning meetings;

E. copies of all written and e-mail comments on transmission planning issues received from members of the public, local government officials, and tribal government officials; and

F. copies of notes on telephone comments on transmission planning issues received from members of the public, local government officials, and tribal government officials.

Here’s Bob’s contact info, he’s been around long enough that he knows practically everything about transmission planning in Minnesota! Tell him you saw this on Legalectric!

Bob Cupit    bob.cupit@state.mn.us
Senior Facility Planner
Reliability and Facilities Permitting
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission

Phone: 651-201-2255

121 7th Place East, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101-2147

www.puc.state.mn.us