The department shall establish rules for issuing a certificate of capital authorization. Applications for a certificate of capital authorization shall be submitted and approved on a biennial basis. The rules for a certificate of capital authorization shall be consistent with the following principles:

     (1) The certificate of capital authorization shall be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

     (2) Those projects that do not receive approval in one authorization period shall have priority the following biennium should the project be resubmitted.

     (3) The department shall have the authority to give priority for a project that is necessitated by an emergency situation even if the project is not submitted in a timely fashion. The department shall establish rules for determining what constitutes an emergency.

     (4) The department shall establish deadlines for progress and the department shall have the authority to withdraw the certificate of capital authorization where the holder of the certificate has not complied with those deadlines in a good faith manner.

[2001 1st sp.s. c 8 § 16.]

NOTES:

     Severability -- Effective dates -- 2001 1st sp.s. c 8: See notes following RCW 74.46.020.