Or. Admin. Code § 690-054-0040 - Proposed Final Order: Final Determinations and Findings of Fact

Following the close of the comment period under OAR 690-054-0030, the Director shall prepare a proposed final order. The proposed final order shall recommend either to approve or to deny the conversion of the Hydroelectric Water Right to an Instream Water Right. The Director shall make the following determinations and findings of fact for inclusion in the proposed final order:

(1) The Director shall determine whether the Hydroelectric Water Right is eligible for conversion to an Instream Water Right pursuant to the preliminary eligibility determination of OAR 690-054-0020 and the requirements of ORS 543A.305;

(2) The Director shall determine the amount, expressed in cfs, of the Hydroelectric Water Right that is eligible for conversion to an Instream Water Right pursuant to the eligibility determination of OAR 690-054-0020 and the requirements of ORS 543A.305;

(3) If the full amount of the Hydroelectric Water Right is not proposed for conversion to an Instream Water Right, the Director shall include an explanation of how the amount proposed for conversion was determined;

(4) The Director shall determine the priority date of the Instream Water Right, in accordance with the requirements of ORS 543A.305;

(5) The Director shall determine the point of diversion of the Instream Water Right, in accordance with the requirements of ORS 543A.305;

(6) The Director shall determine whether conversion of a Hydroelectric Water Right to an Instream Water Right will result in Injury. In making this determination, the Director shall consider:

(a) The Actual Use of the Project. To determine the Actual Use of the Project, the Director shall consider available documentation including, but not limited to: meter records of flow through a turbine, stream gage records, records of electricity production, seasonal restrictions on use, records of water historically supplied from storage, evidence that storage capacity has or has not been decommissioned, and other evidence of use by the Project;

(b) The resulting impacts on Actual Use by Other Existing Water Rights as of October 23, 1999. To determine the resulting impacts on Actual Use by Other Existing Water Rights as of October 23, 1999, the Director may consider:

(A) Whether Other Existing Water Rights as of October 23, 1999 are junior to and upstream of the Hydroelectric Water Right;

(B) Whether new regulation under Chapter 690, Division 250 would likely be required for the proposed conversion to an Instream Water Right, based upon historic streamflow records, regulation actions historically taken by the watermaster, or other data;

(C) Whether the Hydroelectric Water Right is Subordinated to Other Existing Water Rights as of October 23, 1999. If Subordinated, there is a rebuttable presumption that no Injury will occur and that no Mitigation Measures are required to ensure the Continuation of Authorized Water Uses; or

(D) Any other available evidence that may assist the Director to make a finding on Injury;

(7) In order to avoid Injury and to ensure the Continuation of Authorized Water Uses the Director may include Mitigation Measures as a condition to the Instream Water Right. In determining whether to include Mitigation Measures the Director may consider:

(a) Whether Mitigation Measures were proposed during the comment period pursuant to OAR 690-054-0030, and if so, may:

(A) Share Mitigation Measures proposed by interested persons during the comment period of OAR 690-054-0030 with other interested persons who responded during the comment period;

(B) Meet and confer with those interested persons who proposed Mitigation Measures during the comment period;

(C) Extend the comment period of OAR 690-054-0030, via notice in the Department's weekly notice publication, to allow discussion of Mitigation Measures, if interested persons demonstrate reasonable progress towards agreement on Mitigation Measures; or

(D) Obtain affidavits consenting to the relevant Mitigation Measure from each holder of an Other Existing Water Right as of October 23, 1999 that is potentially subject to new regulation under Chapter 690, Division 250; and

(b) Whether the conversion of a Hydroelectric Water Right to an Instream Water Right would result in Injury pursuant to the findings in section (6);

(8) If the Director determines Mitigation Measures are necessary to avoid Injury and to ensure the Continuation of Authorized Water Uses, the Director shall condition the Instream Water Right to state: "Authorized water uses by Other Existing Water Rights as of October 23, 1999, shall not be subject to regulation under Chapter 690, Division 250 to satisfy this Instream Water Right." If the Director chooses to include other Mitigation Measures as a condition to an Instream Water Right, the Director shall condition the Instream Water Right according to the Mitigation Measures agreed-upon pursuant to section (7);

(9) No Mitigation Measures other than in section (8) above shall be included as conditions of the Instream Water Right without an affidavit consenting to the relevant Mitigation Measure from each holder of a water right that is potentially subject to new regulation under Chapter 690, Division 250; and

(10) The Director shall determine whether the conversion, together with any recommended Mitigation Measures to avoid Injury and to ensure the Continuation of Authorized Water Uses, is consistent with ORS 543A.305 and shall either approve or deny the conversion. If the Director approves the conversion to an Instream Water Right, then the proposed final order shall include a draft certificate, including any proposed Mitigation Measures.

Notes

Or. Admin. Code § 690-054-0040

WRD 2-2022, adopt filed 07/14/2022, effective 7/14/2022

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 536.027

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 543A.305