A. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, no person shall begin the construction of any transmission line requiring a width for right of way of greater than one hundred feet without first obtaining from the commission a determination of the necessary right-of-way width to construct and maintain the transmission line. For the purposes of this subsection, "construction" does not include acquisition of rights of way, preparation of surveys or ordering of equipment.

B. For the purposes of this section, "transmission line" means any electric transmission line and associated facilities requiring a width for right of way of greater than one hundred feet.

C. Application for the right-of-way width determination shall contain all information required by the commission to make its determination, be made in writing, setting forth the facts involved, and be filed with the commission.

D. The applicant shall cause notice of the time and place of hearing on the application for the right-of-way determination to be given to any owner of property proposed to be taken and, if applicable, to the person in actual occupancy of the property. Notice shall be given by mailing a copy by ordinary first class mail at least twenty days before the time set for hearing. Proof of the giving of notice shall be made on or before the hearing and filed in the proceeding.

E. The commission shall, after public hearing, act upon the application.

F. The commission shall issue its order granting or denying the application within six months from the date the application is filed with the commission. Failure to issue its order within six months is deemed to be approval of the application.

History: Laws 1980, ch. 20, § 18; 1993, ch. 282, § 37; 2001, ch. 303, § 2.

Compiler's notes. — Sections 62-9-1 to 62-9-7 of the Public Utility Act are still effective as the repeal of Chapter 62, Article 6 by Laws 1998, Chapter 108, Section 82, effective July 1, 2003 Chapter 108, Section 82 was repealed prior to taking effect by Chapter 23, Section 1, Laws 2003. Although Laws 2003, Chapter 336, Section 8, amended Laws 1998, Chapter 82, as amended, an amendment of a repealed section is ineffective. See Quintana v. N.M. Dep't of Corrs., 100 N.M. 224, 668 P.2d 1101 (1983). Laws 2003, Chapter 416, Section 5 also repealed Laws 1998, Chapter 108, Section 82, as amended, a second time, however, that repeal is of no effect as the section had previously been repealed by Chapter 23, Section 1, Laws 2003.

The 2001 amendment, effective June 15, 2001, deleted former Subsection C, concerning application by a person regulated by the commission; redesignated the subsequent subsections; in current Subsection C, deleted language concerning application by persons not regulated by the commission, and inserted the "all information" requirement; and added Subsection F.

The 1993 amendment, effective June 18, 1993, deleted "public service" preceding "commission" in the first sentence of Subsection A; and made minor stylistic changes in Subsections A and E.

Law reviews. — For article, "Survey of New Mexico Law, 1979-80: Property," see 11 N.M.L. Rev. 203 (1981).