20. a. Under the jurisdiction and at the discretion of the authority, there may be a public hearing on each project, the cost of which is estimated to exceed $250,000, within the municipality in which the project is to be located. In the event that a hearing is to be conducted, the authority shall cause notice of the hearing to be published in at least two newspapers of general circulation within the municipality at least 15 days prior to the date of the hearing and shall also file the notice at least 15 days prior to the date of the hearing with the governing body of the county and municipality in which the project is to be located.

The notice shall summarize the project and specify where and how additional information may be obtained.

b. All testimony presented at the hearing and all material submitted to the authority within 15 days following the hearing shall be included in a hearing record to be prepared and made available to the public by the authority.

c. The governing body of the county or municipality in receipt of the notice prescribed in subsection a. of this section may file with the authority, within 15 days following the hearing, a written objection to the project, stating in detail the nature of the objection.

d. The authority shall respond in writing to any objection filed pursuant to subsection c. of this section, including specific responses to the data, views, and arguments contained in the objection.

L.1996,c.62,s.20.