Section 15-1709. Preliminary permits

1.  The  department  may  issue preliminary permits for the purpose of
  enabling applicants for a license hereunder to secure the  data  and  to
  perform  the  acts  required by section 15-1707, provided, however, that
  upon the filing of any application  for  a  preliminary  permit  by  any
  person  or  public  corporation,  the  department  before  granting such
  application shall at once give notice of such application in writing  to
  any  municipality  which, in its judgment, is likely to be interested in
  or affected by such application. Each such permit shall be for the  sole
  purpose  of  maintaining priority of application for a license under the
  terms of title 17 of this  article  for  such  period  or  periods,  not
  exceeding a total of three years, as in the discretion of the department
  may  be  necessary  for making examinations and surveys, preparing maps,
  plans, specifications and estimates, and making financial arrangements.
    2. The permit shall set forth  the  conditions  under  which  priority
  shall  be  maintained  and  the  license  issued,  and may prescribe any
  condition of issuing the license for the protection of the interests  of
  the  state.  Only  one  preliminary permit at a time shall be issued and
  outstanding for the same project. The same preference shall be  accorded
  by  the  department in considering applications for a preliminary permit
  as  is  accorded  in  considering  applications  for  a  license.   Each
  preliminary permit shall require the permittee to proceed diligently and
  immediately  to  secure  the  data  and  to perform the acts required by
  section 15-1707.
    3. All investigation work in connection with any operations carried on
  under the preliminary permit shall be subject to the inspection  of  the
  department,  its  agents  and employees, and, from time to time upon the
  request of the department, the permittee shall make full reports to  the
  department  of the progress of the work carried on under the preliminary
  permit, but such reports shall be confidential until  final  application
  is  made  for  the  license,  unless the department takes proceedings to
  revoke the preliminary permit.
    4. Permits shall not be transferable  and  may  be  cancelled  by  the
  department  upon  failure of the permittee to comply with the conditions
  thereof.