Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Enhanced Energy Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Panel considers syncing enhanced energy planning reviews with Land Use Review Board
Summary
Legislative Council and the Department of Public Service discussed amending enhanced energy planning rules to allow regional planning commissions to submit regional energy plans to the Commissioner of Public Service for an affirmative determination at the same time those plans are submitted to the Land Use Review Board, with testimony requested from DPS, the LURB and regional planning commissions.
Committee staff described a draft amendment to the enhanced energy planning statute that would allow regional planning commissions to submit a draft regional plan to the Commissioner of Public Service for an energy-compliance determination when the draft regional plan is submitted to the Land Use Review Board for review and adoption.
Ellen Jankowski of Legislative Council outlined the purpose: syncing the timing so that regional plans can receive an affirmative determination that they meet statutory energy requirements and "allow for the siting in the region of all types of renewable energy generation technologies." She said municipalities within a region could then adopt similar components in their municipal plans and receive deference at the Public Utilities Commission if those elements are in place.
Staff and the committee said they would want more detail from the Department of Public Service about the department's preferred drafting, and requested testimony from the Land Use Review Board and regional planning commissions to understand how the coordination would operate in practice.
Representative Kathleen James and other members emphasized the need to hear from all affected bodies to ensure the timing and process align and that the proposal does not change the Land Use Review Board's responsibilities but rather synchronizes review timing.
