Title 40

SECTION 89.128

89.128 Hearing procedures.

§ 89.128 Hearing procedures.

(a)(1) After granting a request for a hearing the Administrator shall designate a Presiding Officer for the hearing.

(2) The hearing will be held as soon as practicable at a time and place determined by the Administrator or by the Presiding Officer.

(3) The Administrator may, at his or her discretion, direct that all argument and presentation of evidence be concluded within a specified period established by the Administrator. Said period may be no less than 30 days from the date that the first written offer of a hearing is made to the manufacturer. To expedite proceedings, the Administrator may direct that the decision of the Presiding Officer (who may, but need not, be the Administrator) shall be the final EPA decision.

(b)(1) Upon appointment pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, the Presiding Officer will establish a hearing file. The file shall consist of the following:

(i) The determination issued by the Administrator under § 89.126(d);

(ii) The request for a hearing and the supporting data submitted therewith;

(iii) All documents relating to the request for certification and all documents submitted therewith; and

(iv) Correspondence and other data material to the hearing.

(2) The hearing file will be available for inspection by the applicant at the office of the Presiding Officer.

(d)(1) The Presiding Officer, upon the request of any party or at his or her discretion, may arrange for a prehearing conference at a time and place he/she specifies. Such prehearing conference will consider the following:

(i) Simplification of the issues;

(ii) Stipulations, admissions of fact, and the introduction of documents;

(iii) Limitation of the number of expert witnesses;

(iv) Possibility of agreement disposing of any or all of the issues in dispute; and

(v) Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the hearing, including such additional tests as may be agreed upon by the parties.

(2) The results of the conference shall be reduced to writing by the Presiding Officer and made part of the record.

(e)(1) Hearings shall be conducted by the Presiding Officer in an informal but orderly and expeditious manner. The parties may offer oral or written evidence, subject to the exclusion by the Presiding Officer of irrelevant, immaterial, and repetitious evidence.

(2) Witnesses will not be required to testify under oath. However, the Presiding Officer shall call to the attention of witnesses that their statements may be subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1001 which imposes penalties for knowingly making false statements or representations or using false documents in any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States.

(3) Any witness may be examined or cross-examined by the Presiding Officer, the parties, or their representatives.

(4) Hearings shall be reported verbatim. Copies of transcripts of proceedings may be purchased by the applicant from the reporter.

(5) All written statements, charts, tabulations, and similar data offered in evidence at the hearings shall, upon a showing satisfactory to the Presiding Officer of their authenticity, relevancy, and materiality, be received in evidence and shall constitute a part of the record.

(6) Oral argument may be permitted at the discretion of the Presiding Officer and shall be reported as part of the record unless otherwise ordered by the Presiding Officer.

(f)(1) The Presiding Officer shall make an initial decision which shall include written findings and conclusions and the reasons or basis regarding all the material issues of fact, law, or discretion presented on the record. The findings, conclusions, and written decision shall be provided to the parties and made a part of the record. The initial decision shall become the decision of the Administrator without further proceedings, unless there is an appeal to the Administrator or motion for review by the Administrator within 20 days of the date the initial decision was filed. If the Administrator has determined under paragraph (a) of this section that the decision of the Presiding Officer is final, there is no right of appeal to the Administrator.

(2) On appeal from or review of the initial decision, the Administrator shall have all the powers which he or she would have in making the initial decision, including the discretion to require or allow briefs, oral argument, the taking of additional evidence, or the remanding to the Presiding Officer for additional proceedings. The decision by the Administrator may adopt the original decision or shall include written findings and conclusions and the reasons or basis therefor on all the material issues of fact, law, or discretion presented on the appeal or considered in the review.

[59 FR 31335, June 17, 1994. Redesignated at 63 FR 56995, Oct. 23, 1998]