69-3-1205. Public comment -- public meetings.
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69-3-1205 . Public comment -- public meetings.
(1)When developing a plan in accordance with this part and prior to submitting a plan to the commission, a public utility shall hold at least four public meetings in the utility's Montana service territory to ensure a plan best meets the diverse goals of shareholders, ratepayers, and society.
(2)The public utility shall consider written and oral comments respecting the proposed plan received during public meetings or meetings of the resource planning advisory committee held pursuant to 69-3-1208 . The public utility shall summarize and respond to substantive comments received and file those as part of the plan.
(3)After a plan is submitted, the commission shall conduct two public meetings for the purpose of receiving comment on a plan. The commission or the department of public service regulation may comment on the plan. A comment by the commission or the department may not be construed as preapproval by the commission of rate treatment for any proposed resource.
(4)The department of environmental quality:
(a)shall review a plan submitted to the commission and comment on the need for new resources, the alternatives evaluated to meet the need, the environmental implications of the resource choices, and other related issues that it considers important. The department shall coordinate and deliver all comments from other executive branch agencies.
(b)may use a plan in the development of studies for a specific energy facility for which an application for a certificate of compliance is submitted under Title 75, chapter 20.
(5)The consumer counsel shall review and may comment on a submitted plan.