Final disposition of application.

(1)(a) If the administrative law judge has granted a request to cancel the certification hearing and has relinquished jurisdiction to the department under s. 403.527(6), within 40 days thereafter, the secretary of the department shall act upon the application by written order in accordance with the terms of this act and state the reasons for issuance or denial.

(b) If the administrative law judge does not grant a request to cancel the certification hearing under the provisions of s. 403.527(6) within 60 days after receipt of the administrative law judge’s recommended order, the board shall act upon the application by written order, approving in whole, approving with such conditions as the board deems appropriate, or denying the certification and stating the reasons for issuance or denial.

(2) The issues that may be raised in any hearing before the board shall be limited to matters raised in the certification proceeding before the administrative law judge or raised in the recommended order of the administrative law judge. All parties, or their representatives, or persons who appear before the board shall be subject to s. 120.66.

(3) If certification is denied, the board, or secretary if applicable, shall set forth in writing the action the applicant would have to take to secure the approval of the application.

(4) In determining whether an application should be approved in whole, approved with modifications or conditions, or denied, the board, or secretary when applicable, shall consider whether, and the extent to which, the location of the transmission line corridor and the construction, operation, and maintenance of the transmission line will:

(a) Ensure electric power system reliability and integrity;

(b) Meet the electrical energy needs of the state in an orderly, economical, and timely fashion;

(c) Comply with applicable nonprocedural requirements of agencies;

(d) Be consistent with applicable provisions of local government comprehensive plans, if any; and

(e) Effect a reasonable balance between the need for the transmission line as a means of providing reliable, economically efficient electric energy, as determined by the commission, under s. 403.537, and the impact upon the public and the environment resulting from the location of the transmission line corridor and the construction, operation, and maintenance of the transmission lines.

(5)(a) Any transmission line corridor certified by the board, or secretary if applicable, shall meet the criteria of this section. When more than one transmission line corridor is proper for certification under s. 403.522(10) and meets the criteria of this section, the board, or secretary if applicable, shall certify the transmission line corridor that has the least adverse impact regarding the criteria in subsection (4), including costs.

(b) If the board, or secretary if applicable, finds that an alternate corridor rejected pursuant to s. 403.5271 meets the criteria of subsection (4) and has the least adverse impact regarding the criteria in subsection (4), including cost, of all corridors that meet the criteria of subsection (4), the board, or secretary if applicable, shall deny certification or shall allow the applicant to submit an amended application to include the corridor.

(c) If the board, or secretary if applicable, finds that two or more of the corridors that comply with subsection (4) have the least adverse impacts regarding the criteria in subsection (4), including costs, and that the corridors are substantially equal in adverse impacts regarding the criteria in subsection (4), including costs, the board, or secretary if applicable, shall certify the corridor preferred by the applicant if the corridor is one proper for certification under s. 403.522(10).

(6) The issuance or denial of the certification is the final administrative action required as to that application.