OAR 345-022-0020: Structural Standard

( 1 ) E x c e p t f o r fa c i l i ti es d e s c r i b e d i n s e c t i o n s ( 2 ) a n d ( 3 ), t o i s s u e a s i t e ce r t i f i ca t e, the C o u n c i l m ust f in d th a t: (a) T h e a p p l i c a nt , t h r o ug h a p p r o p r i a t e s i t e - s p ec i f i c s tu d y , h as a d e qu a t e ly c h ar a c t e r i z ed t h e seismic hazard risk of the s it e. ( b ) T h e a p p l i c a n t c a n d e si gn , e n gi n eer, a n d c o ns t r u ct th e f ac il it y t o a v o i d d a ng e rs t o hu m an s a f e t y and the environment p re s e n t ed b y s e i s m i c h azar d s affe c t i n g th e s i t e, as identified in subsection (1)(a). (c) T h e a p p l i c a nt , t h r o ug h a p p r o p r i a t e s i t e - s p ec i f i c s tu d y , h as a d e qu a t e ly c h ar a c t e r i z ed t h e p o t e n t i a l g e o l o g i cal a n d s o i l s h a z ar d s o f t h e s i t e a n d i t s vi c i n i t y th at c o u l d , i n t h e a bs e n c e o f a s e i s m i c e v e n t , a d v e r s e l y affec t , o r b e a gg r a v a t e d b y , the c o n s t r u c ti o n a n d o p e r a t io n o f t h e p r o p o s e d fac i l i t y ; a n d ( d ) T h e a p p l i c a n t c a n d e si gn , e n gi n eer a n d c o n s t r u ct t h e fa c i l it y t o a vo i d d a n g ers t o hu m an s a f e t y and the environment p re s e nt e d b y th e h a z a r d s i d e n t i f i ed i n s ub s e c t io n (c). ( 2 ) T h e C o u n c i l m a y not impose the Structural Standard in section (1) to approve or deny an application for an energy fa c i li t y th at wo u l d p r od u ce p o w er fr o m w ind , s ol a r o r g e o t h er m al e n e r g y. H o w e v er, th e C o un c i l m a y, to the extent it determines appropriate, a p p l y th e re qu i re m e nt s o f s e c t i o n ( 1 ) t o i m po s e c o n d i ti o n s o n a si t e c er t i f i c a t e i ss u e d f o r s u c h a fa c i l it y . ( 3 ) T h e C o u n c i l m a y not impose the Structural Standard in section (1) to deny an application f o r a s p e c i a l c r it e r i a fac i l i t y un d er OA R 3 4 5 - 0 1 5 - 0 3 1 0. H o w e v er, t he C o un c i l m a y, to the extent it determines appropriate, a ppl y t h e re q ui r e m e nt s o f s e c t i o n ( 1 ) t o i m pos e c o n d i ti o n s o n a s i te cer t i f i ca t e i s s u e d f o r su c h a f a c i l i t y . (4) To assist the Council in determining whether the standard outlined in (1) through (3) has been met, the Applicant must submit information from reasonably available sources regarding the geological and soil stability within the analysis area, including: (a) A geologic report meeting the Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners geologic report guidelines. Current guidelines must be determined based on consultation with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, as described in subsection (b); (b) A summary of consultation with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries regarding the appropriate methodology and scope of the seismic hazards and geology and soil-related hazards assessments, and the appropriate site-specific geotechnical work that must be performed before submitting the application for the Department to determine that the application is complete; (c) A description and schedule of site-specific geotechnical work that will be performed before construction for inclusion in the site certificate as conditions; (d) For all transmission lines, and for all pipelines that would carry explosive, flammable or hazardous materials, a description of locations along the proposed route where the applicant proposes to perform site specific geotechnical work, including but not limited to railroad crossings, major road crossings, river crossings, dead ends (for transmission lines), corners (for transmission lines), and portions of the proposed route where geologic reconnaissance and other site specific studies provide evidence of existing landslides, marginally stable slopes or potentially liquefiable soils that could be made unstable by the planned construction or experience impacts during the facility's operation; (e) An assessment of seismic hazards, in accordance with standard-of-practice methods and best practices, that addresses all issues relating to the consultation with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries described in paragraph (B) of this subsection, and an explanation of how the applicant will design, engineer, construct, and operate the facility to avoid dangers to human safety and the environment from these seismic hazards. Furthermore, an explanation of how the applicant will design, engineer, construct and operate the facility to integrate disaster resilience design to ensure recovery of operations after major disasters. The applicant must include proposed design and engineering features, applicable construction codes, and any monitoring and emergency measures for seismic hazards, including tsunami safety measures if the site is located in the DOGAMI-defined tsunami evacuation zone; and (f) An assessment of geology and soil-related hazards which could, in the absence of a seismic event, adversely affect or be aggravated by the construction or operation of the facility, in accordance with standard-of-practice methods and best practices, that address all issues relating to the consultation with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries described in paragraph (B) of this subsection. An explanation of how the applicant will design, engineer, construct and operate the facility to adequately avoid dangers to human safety and the environment presented by these hazards, as well as: (A) An explanation of how the applicant will design, engineer, construct and operate the facility to integrate disaster resilience design to ensure recovery of operations after major disasters; and (B) An assessment of future climate conditions for the expected life span of the proposed facility and the potential impacts of those conditions on the proposed facility.