30 V.S.A. § 248a(e) Statement of Rights and Opportunities
(also Exhibit A)

Pursuant to §§ 248a(c)(2), (e)(2), (m), (n), (o), and (p), for members of the public, as well as the Town of Williston, Vermont (“Town”) and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (“CCRPC”), this statement is intended to inform recipients that the Town Selectboard, Town Planning Commission, CCRPC, and members of the public have the rights and opportunities summarized below as part of the telecommunications facility approval process before the Vermont Public Utility Commission (“PUC”).

• The PUC affords substantial deference to recommendations from the Town Selectboard, Town Planning Commission, and/or CCRPC concerning the facility’s compliance with duly adopted municipal or regional plans.
  
  
• The Town Selectboard and Town Planning Commission may also base any recommendation(s) on an ordinance adopted pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 2291(19) or a bylaw adopted under 24 V.S.A., chapter 117.
  
  
• A letter from the Town Selectboard, the Town Planning Commission, and/or the CCRPC will create a rebuttable presumption with the PUC respecting compliance with the applicable plans / ordinance / bylaw.
  
  
• Municipal officials have the option to convene a public meeting within the 60-day notice period, before the Petition is submitted, with an official from the Vermont Department of Public Service (“Department”) to attend the meeting.  The Department thereafter considers any comments made and information obtained at the meeting in making its recommendation to the PUC on the petition, and on whether to retain additional personnel to evaluate the project.
  
  
• CCRPC and the Town Planning Commission have an automatic right to appear and participate in this proceeding, exercisable at their option.
  
  
• The PUC is required to consider Town and CCRPC comments or recommendations when deciding to issue or deny a certificate of public good for the project, with a detailed written response to any rejected recommendation.
  
  
• Members of the public may learn more about the § 248a process from the Guide to the 248a process for Siting and Construction of Telecommunications Facilities, published pursuant to 248a(p), maintained by the Vermont Department of Public Service, 112 State Street, Montpelier, available at http://publicservice.vermont.gov/telecom/ or by calling the Department at (802) 828-2811.
  
  
• Additional documents available on the PUC’s website to assist members of the public with the Section 248a process include the following:
  
  
• A Citizen’s Guide to the Public Utility Commission, available at: https://puc.vermont.gov/document/citizen-guide-public-utility-commission.
  
  
• Public Participation and Intervention in Proceedings Before the Public Utility Commission, available at: https://puc.vermont.gov/document/public-participation-and-intervention-proceedings-public-utility-commission.
  
  
• http://puc.vermont.gov/document/section-248a-procedures