Energy Facility Siting Council to Meet Remotely September 25

SALEM — The next regularly scheduled meeting of Oregon’s Energy Facility Siting Council will be held virtually Friday, September 25, 2020. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to adjourn at approximately 1:45 in the afternoon.

The main items on the Council’s agenda are:

  • Initiation of Rulemaking to Ensure Safe Public Meetings and Hearings (Action Item) –Council will consider the initiation of formal rulemaking proceedings to allow Council to waive any provision of rule requiring that a public meeting or public hearing be held in person or in a specific geographical area, if the Council Chair finds that in-person attendance at the meeting or hearing would present a risk to public health or safety. The proposed rules would not apply to public meetings or hearings that are otherwise required to be held in person by law, or to contested case hearings held under ORS chapter 183. The Council will accept public comment on the draft proposed rule language during this agenda item.

  • Montague Wind Power Facility, Council Review of Proposed Order on Request for Amendment 5 of Site Certificate (Action Item) – Council will review the Proposed Order on Amendment 5 and will either adopt, modify, or reject the proposed order as the final order. RFA5 seeks Council approval to split previously approved facility components into three site certificates for the following: Montague Wind Power Facility (201 megawatt (MW) wind), Montague Solar Facility (162 MW solar), and Oregon Trail Solar Facility (41 MW wind and solar) - to be owned by individual limited liability companies created by the current certificate holder owner, Avangrid Renewables, LLC. RFA5 also seeks Council approval to reduce site boundary; increase solar micrositing area; construct and operate new equipment; use an alternative route for a transmission line segment; and modify site certificate conditions.

  • Council Appointment of Klamath County Board of Commissioners as Special Advisory Group for Bonanza Energy Facility (Action Item) – Council will appoint the Klamath County Board of Commissioners as the special advisory group under ORS 469.480(1) for EFSC proceedings related to the Bonanza Energy Facility, a proposed 150 to 300 MW solar photovoltaic energy facility proposed to be located in Klamath County.

There will be opportunities for public comment.

The full meeting agenda and other meeting materials are available on the ODOE website: www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/Council-Meetings.aspx.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oregon Department of Energy and Energy Facility Siting Council are practicing social distancing measures, so this meeting will be made available remotely using the online Webex platform. Please see the meeting agenda for detailed instructions on how to participate.

To request an interpreter for the hearing impaired or accommodations for persons with disabilities, please contact the department at least 72 hours before the meeting at 1-800-221-8035 or fax 503-373-7806. TTY users should call the Oregon Relay Service at 711.