ORS 517.977: Preparation of draft permits; public hearing; determination of completeness of consolidated application.

(1) When all members of the technical review team concur that the permitting agencies and the cooperating agencies are ready to begin preparing draft permits, the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries shall conduct a public hearing and accept written comments on whether the information contained in the consolidated application is complete and sufficient to allow the permitting agencies to determine whether to issue a permit. The date and location of the public hearing and the period allowed for written comment shall be established by the department. Notice of the public hearing and comment period shall be given in accordance with ORS 517.959. (2) At the conclusion of the public hearing and comment period under subsection (1) of this section and within 90 days after the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries receives a consolidated application for a mining operation, the department, in conjunction with all permitting and cooperating agencies, shall make a determination of whether the application is complete. On the basis of the determination the department shall either: (a) If the permitting and cooperating agencies determine that the consolidated application is complete, issue a notice to proceed with the permitting process and the preparation of draft permits; or (b) If the permitting and cooperating agencies determine that additional information is necessary, notify the applicant of the additional information that is required. (3) If the permitting and cooperating agencies do not require the applicant to provide additional information as suggested at the public hearing or comment period under subsection (1) of this section, the agencies shall prepare a written response explaining why the additional information is not being requested from the applicant. (4) Upon receipt of any additional information requested, the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries shall accept public comments related to the additional information for a period of two weeks. Except as provided in ORS 517.978, the department shall not conduct additional public hearings. [1991 c.735 §15; 2013 c.371 §19]