ORS 470.080 Standards for small scale local energy projects; rules; review of applications; referral to committee; committee criteria

After consultation with the Small Scale Local Energy Project Advisory Committee, the Director of the State Department of Energy shall establish by rule standards and criteria for small scale local energy projects to be funded under this chapter other than projects funded through energy efficiency and sustainable technology loans. The standards and criteria shall operate to encourage diversity in projects funded, give preference to the maximum extent practical to projects proposed by individuals and small businesses, ensure acceptability of environmental impacts and shall require consideration of the potential contribution of a project if developed at other suitable locations to meeting the energy needs of this state. The standards and criteria shall give the least preference to projects proposed by an eligible federal agency.

All applications submitted under ORS 470.060 shall be reviewed by the State Department of Energy. The department may request that the applicant submit additional information or revise the application. The department shall:

Determine whether the application meets the standards and criteria adopted under subsection (1) of this section; and

Recommend approval or denial of the loan application, and if approval is recommended in what amount the loan should be made.

After concluding its review, unless the application meets the criteria established by the committee under subsection (4) of this section, the department shall refer the application and its findings and recommendation to the committee for its review. The department shall notify the applicant of the date, time and place of any oral presentation to the committee on the application. The committee shall review the application and the department’s findings and recommendations and advise the director whether the proposed small scale local energy project meets the criteria established by the director under subsection (1) of this section, whether the project should be financed with moneys from the Small Scale Local Energy Project Loan Fund and in what amount the loan should be made if approved.

The committee may provide for direct referral of an application by the department to the director if the application meets criteria established by the committee.