SB 1248 - When multiple permits are required from the Department of Natural Resources for a particular project, this act allows a permit applicant to request coordination with the department to develop a unified permit schedule for obtaining the permits. The act lists criteria the department and permit applicant shall use in developing the schedule. The department may contact potential permit applicants in a class of similar activities for the purpose of informing the applicants of the department's intent to use a unified permit schedule.
The department shall make the determination regarding the permits to be required for a proposed activity based on the information provided by the permit applicant. If additional information is subsequently provided, the department's permit determination may be subject to change. A unified permit schedule shall be proposed to any permit applicant under this act. At any time, a permit applicant may decline to follow the schedule.
Upon the development of a unified permit schedule, the director of the department shall notify the applicant in writing of the schedule. The only aspect of the schedule the department may change is the date of the public hearing, which also requires consent by the permit applicant. The department shall post unified permit schedules on its website.
In developing a unified permit schedule, the department shall try to consolidate any required public meetings for the permits into one meeting at a location near the site of the proposed activity for which the permits are being sought. Additionally, the director of the department may waive any procedural requirements related to timing and the issuance of permits that may be required under other applicable environmental laws provided that the required public comment periods are not shortened and the ability of the department or applicant to comply with substantive legal requirements is not impaired by the unified permit schedule.
ERIKA JAQUES