4VAC25-130-700.12. Petitions to initiate rule making

(a) Any person may petition to initiate a proceeding for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of any regulation under the Act. The petition shall be addressed to either the director of the division or the director of the department and mailed or submitted to the division office at Big Stone Gap.

(b) The petition shall be a concise statement of the facts, technical justification, and law which requires issuance, amendment, or repeal of a regulation under the Act and shall indicate whether the petitioner desires a public hearing.

(c) Upon receipt of the petition, the division shall make a preliminary determination whether the petition sets forth facts, technical justification and law which may provide a reasonable basis for issuance, amendment or repeal of a regulation. Facts, technical justification or law previously considered in a petition or rule making on the same issue shall not provide a reasonable basis. The division shall send the preliminary determination to the director, who may hold a public hearing, conduct an investigation or take other action to determine whether the petition should be granted.

(d) Within 90 days of receipt of the petition, the director shall issue a written decision to either grant or deny the petition.

(e) If the director grants the petition, he shall initiate a rule making proceeding pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). If the director denies the petition, he shall notify the petitioner in writing, setting forth the reasons for the denial.

(f) Nothing herein shall be construed as preventing the director from initiating any rule making proceeding on his own motion.