MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                      545

ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION FACILITIES ON THE LAND USES
OF THE STATE. ]]

3-304. LONG-RANGE POWER PLANT SITE EVALUATION.

IN COOPERATION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE, THE
SECRETARY SHALL IMPLEMENT A LONG-RANGE ENVIRONMENTAL
EVALUATION OF POWER PLANT BUILDING SITES PROJECTED FOR
AT LEAST 10 YEARS. TO FACILITATE PROVIDING ADEQUATE
ELECTRIC POWER ON REASONABLE SCHEDULES AT REASONABLE
COSTS WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE DEPRECIATION OF THE
QUALITY OF MARYLAND'S ENVIRONMENT, THE FOLLOWING
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES ARE SET FORTH:

(1)   THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SHALL ASSEMBLE
AND EVALUATE ANNUALLY THE LONG-RANGE PLANS OF
MARYLAND'S PUBLIC ELECTRIC COMPANIES REGARDING
GENERATING NEEDS AND MEANS FOR MEETING THOSE NEEDS.
BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1972, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSION SHALL FORWARD ANNUALLY TO THE
SECRETARY A TEN-YEAR PLAN OF POSSIBLE AND PROPOSED
SITES, INCLUDING ASSOCIATED TRANSMISSION ROUTES, FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS WITHIN
THE STATE AND EXTENSIONS OF EXISTING PLANTS.

(2)   UPON RECEIPT OF A TEN-YEAR PLAN FROM THE
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, THE SECRETARY WITH THE
ADVICE OF THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE
AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (1) AND ARTICLE 78, §
54B (b), SHALL PREPARE ANE SUBMIT, WITHIN 180 DAYS A
PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT ON EACH POSSIBLE
AND PROPOSED SITE, INCLUDING ASSOCIATED TRANSMISSION
ROUTES. THE STATEMENT, ON THE BASIS OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROGRAM, SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT
BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS:

(I) THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AT THE PROPOSED
SITE.

(II) ANY ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS WHICH
CANNOT BE AVOIDED IF THE PROPOSED SITE IS ACCEPTED.

(III)    POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED
SITE.

(IV)       ANY IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE
COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES WHICH WOULD BE INVOLVED AT
THE PROPOSED SITE IF IT IS APPROVED.

(V)    WHERE APPROPRIATE, A DISCUSSION OF PROBLEMS