Public notices; requirements.

(1)(a) The applicant shall arrange for the publication of the notices specified in paragraph (b).

1. The notices shall be published in newspapers of general circulation within counties crossed by the transmission line corridors proper for certification. The required newspaper notices shall be published in a section of the newspaper other than the section for legal notices. A newspaper of general circulation shall be the newspaper within a county crossed by a transmission line corridor proper for certification which newspaper has the largest daily circulation in that county and has its principal office in that county. If the newspaper having the largest daily circulation has its principal office outside the county, the notices must appear in both the newspaper having the largest circulation in that county and in a newspaper authorized to publish legal notices in that county.

2. The department shall adopt rules specifying the content of the newspaper notices.

3. All notices published by the applicant shall be paid for by the applicant and shall be in addition to the application fee.

(b) Public notices that must be published under this section include:

1. The notice of the filing of an application, which must include a description of the proceedings required by this act. The notice must describe the provisions of s. 403.531(1) and (2) and give the date by which notice of intent to be a party or a petition to intervene in accordance with s. 403.527(2) must be filed. This notice must be published no more than 21 days after the application is filed. The notice shall, at a minimum, be one-half page in size in a standard size newspaper or a full page in a tabloid size newspaper. The notice must include a map generally depicting all transmission corridors proper for certification.

2. The notice of the certification hearing and any public hearing held under s. 403.527(4). The notice must include the date by which a person wishing to appear as a party must file the notice to do so. The notice of the originally scheduled certification hearing must be published at least 65 days before the date set for the certification hearing. The notice shall meet the size and map requirements set forth in subparagraph 1.

3. The notice of the cancellation of the certification hearing under s. 403.527(6), if applicable. The notice must be published at least 3 days before the date of the originally scheduled certification hearing. The notice shall, at a minimum, be one-fourth page in size in a standard size newspaper or one-half page in a tabloid size newspaper. The notice shall not require a map to be included.

4. The notice of the deferment of the certification hearing due to the acceptance of an alternate corridor under s. 403.5271(1)(b)2. The notice must be published at least 7 days before the date of the originally scheduled certification hearing. The notice shall, at a minimum, be one-eighth page in size in a standard size newspaper or one-fourth page in a tabloid size newspaper. The notice shall not require a map to be included.

5. If the notice of the rescheduled certification hearing required of an alternate proponent under s. 403.5271(1)(c) is not timely published or does not meet the notice requirements such that an alternate corridor is withdrawn under the provisions of s. 403.5271(1)(c), the notice of the rescheduled hearing and any local hearings shall be provided by the applicant at least 30 days prior to the rescheduled certification hearing.

6. The notice of the filing of a proposal to modify the certification submitted under s. 403.5315, if the department determines that the modification would require relocation or expansion of the transmission line right-of-way or a certified substation.

(2)(a) Each proponent of an alternate corridor shall arrange for newspaper notice of the publication of the filing of the proposal for an alternate corridor. If there is more than one alternate proponent, the proponents may jointly publish notice, so long as the content requirements below are met and the maps are legible.

(b) The notice shall specify the revised time schedules, the date by which newly affected persons or agencies may file the notice of intent to become a party, the date of the rescheduled hearing, and the date of any public hearing held under s. 403.5271(1)(b)1.

(c) A notice listed in this subsection must be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the county or counties crossed by the proposed alternate corridor and comply with the content, size, and map requirements set forth in this section.

(d) The notice of the alternate corridor proposal must be published not less than 45 days before the rescheduled certification hearing.

(3) The department shall arrange for the publication of the following notices in the manner specified by chapter 120:

(a) The notice of the filing of an application and the date by which a person intending to become a party must file a petition to intervene or a notice of intent to be a party. The notice must be published no later than 21 days after the application has been filed.

(b) The notice of any administrative hearing for certification, if applicable. The notice must be published not less than 65 days before the date set for a hearing, except that notice for a rescheduled certification hearing after acceptance of an alternative corridor must be published not less than 50 days before the date set for the hearing.

(c) The notice of the cancellation of a certification hearing under s. 403.527(6), if applicable. The notice must be published not later than 7 days before the date of the originally scheduled certification hearing.

(d) The notice of the deferment of the certification hearing due to the acceptance of an alternate corridor under s. 403.5271(1)(b)2. The notice must be published at least 7 days before the date of the originally scheduled certification hearing.

(e) The notice of the hearing before the siting board, if applicable.

(f) The notice of stipulations, proposed agency action, or a petition for modification.

(4) A local government or regional planning council that proposes to conduct an informational public meeting pursuant to s. 403.5272 must publish notice of the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation within the county or counties in which the proposed electrical transmission line will be located no later than 7 days prior to the meeting. A newspaper of general circulation shall be the newspaper that has the largest daily circulation in that county and has its principal office in that county. If the newspaper with the largest daily circulation has its principal office outside the county, the notices shall appear in both the newspaper having the largest circulation in that county and in a newspaper authorized to publish legal notices in that county.

(5)(a) A good faith effort shall be made by the applicant to provide direct notice of the filing of an application for certification by United States mail or hand delivery no later than 45 days after filing of the application to all local landowners whose property, as noted in the most recent local government tax records, and residences are located within one-quarter mile of the proposed boundaries of a transmission line corridor that only includes a transmission line as defined by s. 403.522(22).

(b) No later than 60 days after the filing of an application for certification, the applicant shall file a list with the department’s Siting Coordination Office of landowners and residences that were notified.

(6)(a) A good faith effort shall be made by the proponent of an alternate corridor that includes a transmission line, as defined by s. 403.522(22), to provide direct notice of the filing of an alternate corridor for certification by United States mail or hand delivery of the filing no later than 30 days after filing of the alternate corridor to all local landowners whose property, as noted in the most recent local government tax records, and residences are located within one-quarter mile of the proposed boundaries of a transmission line corridor that includes a transmission line as defined by s. 403.522(22).

(b) No later than 45 days after the filing of an alternate corridor for certification, the proponent of an alternate corridor shall file a list with the department’s Siting Coordination Office of landowners and residences that were notified.