How Do Citizens Participate in the Permitting Process?
There are two types of parties that comment on applications for the Public Service Board (PSB) permits called Certificates of Public Good – “intervernors” (sometimes called groups with "party status") and interested members of the public.
Being an intervenor means participating as a formal party, subject to all procedural rules for submitting evidence, including discovery, cross-examination, Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure and Vermont Rules of Evidence. Most groups need to apply for this type of standing in the hearings. The criteria and process for becoming an intervenor are described on pg. 6 of the Citizen’s Guide.
Members of the public can participate as interested parties without receiving a special intervenor status.
Each Docket will have at least one public hearing. All comments from this hearing are added to the case’s public file. Although these comments cannot be considered as official evidence in evaluating the case, those parties who do have standing to submit official evidence can use the comments to ask new questions or pursue new concerns.
Public hearings and site visits are posted on the PSB calendar. You can read memos on these hearings and other official documents as they become available by visiting the PSB webpage dedicated to Docket 7678.
Written comments submitted to the PSB outside of the public hearing format will also go into the case’s public file. These comments should go to [email protected] or Vermont Public Service Board; 112 State St Drawer 20; Montpelier, VT 05620-2701.
All comments should include the Docket number. For the Beaver Wood Energy proposal this number is 7678.
Even if someone submitting a comment isn’t submitting official evidence, those comments should still relate directly back to the 10 criteria the PSB uses to evaluate a proposal. If the comments do not speak directly to these criteria, it will be difficult for those designing official arguments for or against the proposal to incorporate them into their case.
The public hearings held for Department of Environmental Conservation permits are announced through the Pownal town clerk's office and posting in local newspapers 2-3 weeks prior to the hearing.
Being an intervenor means participating as a formal party, subject to all procedural rules for submitting evidence, including discovery, cross-examination, Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure and Vermont Rules of Evidence. Most groups need to apply for this type of standing in the hearings. The criteria and process for becoming an intervenor are described on pg. 6 of the Citizen’s Guide.
Members of the public can participate as interested parties without receiving a special intervenor status.
Each Docket will have at least one public hearing. All comments from this hearing are added to the case’s public file. Although these comments cannot be considered as official evidence in evaluating the case, those parties who do have standing to submit official evidence can use the comments to ask new questions or pursue new concerns.
Public hearings and site visits are posted on the PSB calendar. You can read memos on these hearings and other official documents as they become available by visiting the PSB webpage dedicated to Docket 7678.
Written comments submitted to the PSB outside of the public hearing format will also go into the case’s public file. These comments should go to [email protected] or Vermont Public Service Board; 112 State St Drawer 20; Montpelier, VT 05620-2701.
All comments should include the Docket number. For the Beaver Wood Energy proposal this number is 7678.
Even if someone submitting a comment isn’t submitting official evidence, those comments should still relate directly back to the 10 criteria the PSB uses to evaluate a proposal. If the comments do not speak directly to these criteria, it will be difficult for those designing official arguments for or against the proposal to incorporate them into their case.
The public hearings held for Department of Environmental Conservation permits are announced through the Pownal town clerk's office and posting in local newspapers 2-3 weeks prior to the hearing.
