1. The commission shall render a decision upon the record either granting or denying the application as filed or granting it upon such terms, conditions, limitations or modifications of the construction or operation of the facility as the commission may deem appropriate. If the commission denies the application, it shall file, with its order, an opinion stating in full its reasons for the denial. Except as provided in subdivision two of this section, the commission may not grant a certificate for the construction or operation of a major utility transmission facility, either as proposed or as modified by the commission, unless it shall find and determine:

1. (a) the basis of the need for the facility;
2. (b) the nature of the probable environmental impact; * (c) that the facility avoids or minimizes to the extent practicable any significant adverse environmental impact, considering the state of available technology and the nature and economics of the various alternatives, and other pertinent considerations including but not limited to, the effect on agricultural lands, wetlands, parklands and river corridors traversed; * NB Effective until December 31, 2030 * (c) that the facility represents the minimum adverse environmental impact, considering the state of available technology and the nature and economics of the various alternatives, and other pertinent considerations including but not limited to, the effect on agricultural lands, wetlands, parklands and river corridors traversed; * NB Effective December 31, 2030 * (d) that the facility avoids or minimizes to the extent practicable any significant adverse impact on active farming operations that produce crops, livestock and livestock products, as defined in section three hundred one of the agriculture and markets law, considering the state of available technology and the nature and economics of various alternatives, and the ownership and easement rights of the impacted property; * NB Effective until December 31, 2030 * (d) that the facility represents a minimum adverse impact on active farming operations that produce crops, livestock and livestock products, as defined in section three hundred one of the agriculture and markets law, considering the state of available technology and the nature and economics of various alternatives, and the ownership and easement rights of the impacted property; * NB Effective December 31, 2030
3. (e) in the case of an electric transmission line, (1) what part, if any, of the line shall be located underground; (2) that such facility conforms to a long-range plan for expansion of the electric power grid of the electric systems serving this state and interconnected utility systems, which will serve the interests of electric system economy and reliability;
4. (f) in the case of a gas transmission line, that the location of the line will not pose an undue hazard to persons or property along the area traversed by the line;
5. (g) that the location of the facility as proposed conforms to applicable state and local laws and regulations issued thereunder, all of which shall be binding upon the commission, except that the commission may refuse to apply any local ordinance, law, resolution or other action or any regulation issued thereunder or any local standard or requirement which would be otherwise applicable if it finds that as applied to the proposed facility such is unreasonably restrictive in view of the existing technology, or of factors of cost or economics, or of the needs of consumers whether located inside or outside of such municipality;
6. (h) that the facility will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity, provided, however, that a determination of necessity made by the power authority of the state of New York pursuant to section ten hundred five of the public authorities law for a major utility transmission facility for which an application has been filed prior to July first, nineteen hundred seventy-eight pursuant to section one hundred twenty-two of this chapter, shall be conclusive on the commission.