3 68

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 178

Article - Natural Resources

3-30 3.

(a) The Secretary in cooperation with the
secretaries of Health and Cental Hygiene, AGRICULTURE,
STATE PLANNING, and Economic and Community Development[,]
and electric company representatives shall implement a
continuing research program for electric power plant site
evaluation and related environmental and land use
considerations. The Secretary shall seek from additional
sources recommendations for related research to be
included in the program. The additional sources shall
include[, but not be limited to] appropriate federal and
state agencies, electric companies and technical,
scientific or educational institutions or organizations.
An initial program shall be documented on or about
January 1, 1972. The Secretary shall institute effective
procedures for coordinating environmental research
assignments to prevent dissipation of money, time, and
effort. To this end, the state's electric companies
shall be reimbursed from the fund for environmental
research specifically required to satisfy application and
permit requirements for any federal, state, or local
regulatory agencies, if the electric company has
requested reimbursement in advance and furnishes an
outline of the program and its estimated cost so that the
Secretary can budget it in advance.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section
54B(a) of Article 78 — Public Service Commission Law, of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1975 Replacement Volume
and 1975 Supplement) be and it is hereby repealed and
reenacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

Article 78 — Public Service Commission Law

54B.

(a) After July 1, 1972, an electric company, as
defined in Article 78, § 2(f), in order to obtain the
certificate of public convenience and necessity as
required by § 54A of this article for construction to
begin after July 1, 1974, shall file the application for
the certificate with the Public Service Commission at
least two [(2)] years prior to commencement of
construction of an electric generating station and its
associated overhead transmission lines designed to carry
a voltage in excess of 69,000 volts, or exercising the
right of eminent domain in connection [therewith; said]
TO IT. THIS two [(2)] year provision may be waived by
the Commission for good cause shown[; such], THE
application shall contain such information as the
Commission [shall request] REQUESTS and the company shall
also furnish the Commission such information as it may
further request from time to time[; upon], ON receipt of
[such] THE application and information, the Commission
shall notify all interested persons including[, but not