Application for site certificate; comment and recommendation

(1) Applications for site certificates shall be made to the Energy Facility Siting Council in a form prescribed by the council and accompanied by the fee required by ORS 469.421. (2) Copies of the notice of intent and of the application shall be sent for comment and recommendation within specified deadlines established by the council to the Department of Environmental Quality, the Water Resources Commission, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Water Resources Director, the State Geologist, the State Forestry Department, the Public Utility Commission of Oregon, the State Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land Conservation and Development, the Oregon Department of Aviation, any other state agency that has regulatory or advisory responsibility with respect to the facility and any city or county affected by the application. (3) Any state agency, city or county that is requested by the council to comment and make recommendations under this section shall respond to the council by the specified deadline. If a state agency, city or county determines that it cannot respond to the council by the specified deadline because the state agency, city or county lacks sufficient resources to review and comment on the application, the state agency, city or county shall contract with another entity to assist in preparing a response. A state agency, city or county that enters into a contract to assist in preparing a response may request funding to pay for that contract from the council pursuant to ORS 469.360. (4) The State Department of Energy shall notify the applicant whether the application is complete. When the department determines an application is complete, the department shall notify the applicant and provide notice to the public.