(a) The Integrated Interagency Pre-Application (IIP) Process is intended for a project proponent who has identified potential study corridors or potential routes and the proposed locations of any intermediate substations for a proposed electric transmission project. To the extent possible, the project proponent should use the following criteria to identify potential study corridors and potential routes:

(1) Potential environmental, visual, historic, cultural, economic, social, or health effects or harm based on the proposed project or proposed siting, and anticipated constraints (for instance, pole height and corridor width based on line capacity to improve safety and resiliency of the project);

(2) Potential cultural resources, sacred sites, and historic properties that may be eligible for or listed in the National Register of Historic Places;

(3) Areas under (or potentially under) special protection by State or Federal statute and areas subject to a Federal entity or non-Federal entity decision that could potentially increase the time needed for project evaluation and siting a transmission line route. Such areas may include, but are not limited to, properties or sites that may be of traditional religious or cultural importance to Indian Tribes, National Scenic and Historic Trails, National Landscape Conservation System units managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Land and Water Conservation Fund lands, National Wildlife Refuges, national monuments, National Historic Landmarks, units of the National Park System, national marine sanctuaries, and marine national monuments;

(4) Opportunities to site potential routes through designated corridors, previously disturbed lands, and lands with existing infrastructure as a means of potentially reducing impacts and known conflicts as well as the time needed for affected Federal land managers to evaluate an application for a Federal authorization if the route is sited through such areas (e.g., colocation with existing infrastructure or location on previously disturbed lands, in energy corridors designated by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture under section 503 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Pub. L. 94-579) or section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58), existing rights-of-way, National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors designated under Federal Power Act section 216(a), or utility corridors identified in a land management plan);

(5) Potential constraints caused by impacts on military test, training, and operational missions, including impacts on installations, ranges, and airspace;

(6) Potential constraints caused by impacts on the United States' aviation system;

(7) Potential constraints caused by impacts to navigable waters of the United States; and

(8) Potential avoidance, minimization, offsetting, and compensatory (onsite and offsite) measures, developed through a mitigation approach to reduce or offset the potential impact of the proposed project to resources requiring mitigation.

(b) Participation in the IIP Process is a prerequisite for the coordination provided by DOE between relevant Federal entities, relevant non-Federal entities, and the project proponent.

(c) The IIP Process ensures early interaction between the project proponents, relevant Federal entities, and relevant non-Federal entities to enhance early understanding by those entities. Through the IIP Process, the project proponent will provide relevant Federal entities and relevant non-Federal entities with a clear description of the proposed electric transmission project, the project proponent's siting process, and the environmental and community setting being considered by the project proponent for siting the proposed electric transmission facility; and will coordinate with relevant Federal entities to develop resource reports that will serve as inputs, as appropriate, into the relevant Federal analyses and facilitate early identification of project issues.

(d) The IIP Process is an iterative process anchored by three meetings: the initial meeting, review meeting, and close-out meeting. These meetings, defined in §§ 900.5, 900.8 and 900.9, are milestones in the process and do not preclude any additional meetings or communications between the project proponent and the relevant Federal entities. The iterative nature of the process is provided for in procedures for evaluating the completeness of submitted materials and the suitability of materials for the relevant Federal entities' decision-making before each milestone.

(e) DOE, in exercising its responsibilities under this part, will communicate regularly with FERC, electric reliability organizations and electric transmission organizations approved by FERC, relevant Federal entities, and project proponents. DOE will use information technologies to provide opportunities for relevant Federal entities to participate remotely.

(f) DOE, in exercising its responsibilities under this part, will to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with Federal law, coordinate the IIP Process with any relevant non-Federal entities. DOE will use information technologies to provide opportunities and reduce burdens for relevant non-Federal entities to participate remotely.

(g) The Director may at any time require the project proponent to provide additional information necessary to resolve issues raised by the IIP Process.

(h) Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information during the IIP Process that the person believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit two well-marked copies, one marked “confidential” that includes all the information believed to be confidential, and one marked “non-confidential” with the information believed to be confidential deleted or redacted. DOE will make its own determination about the confidential status of the information and treat it according to its determination, in accordance with applicable law. The project proponent must request confidential treatment for all material filed with DOE containing non-public location, character, and ownership information about cultural resources.

(i) Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.13, any person submitting information during the IIP Process that the person believes might contain Critical Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII) should submit a request for CEII designation of information.