Or. Admin. Code § 690-077-0033 - Public Interest Presumption

(1) The Department shall presume that a proposed water use will not impair or be detrimental to the public interest if:

(a) The proposed use is allowed in the applicable basin program established pursuant to ORS 536.300 and 536.340 or given a preference under 536.310(12);

(b) Water is available;

(c) The proposed use will not injure other water rights; and

(d) The proposed use complies with the rules of the Commission.

(2) The public interest presumption described in Section (1) of this rule is a rebuttable presumption and may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence that either:

(a) One or more of the criteria for establishing the public interest presumption are not satisfied; or

(b) The proposed use will impair or be detrimental to the public interest as demonstrated in comments, protests or a finding of the Department that shows:

(A) The specific public interest under ORS 537.170(8) that would be impaired or detrimentally affected; and

(B) Specifically how the identified public interest would be impaired or detrimentally affected.

Notes

Or. Admin. Code § 690-077-0033

WRD 1-1996, f. & cert. ef. 1-31-96; WRD 4-2006, f. & cert .ef. 10-2-06

Stat. Auth.: ORS 536.025, 536.027, 537.153 & 537.338

Stats. Implemented: ORS 537.332 - 537.360