§ 1.12 Notice of informal hearing and designations.

(a) Initial notice of informal hearing. If an informal hearing has been requested under § 1.11(e), a notice of informal hearing will be published in the Federal Register. The initial notice of informal hearing will include:

(1) The designation of a presiding officer, pursuant to § 1.13(a)(1);

(2) The time and place of the informal hearing;

(3) A final list of disputed issues of material fact necessary to be resolved during the hearing, if any;

(4) A list of the interested persons who will make oral presentations;

(5) A list of the groups of interested persons determined by the Commission to have the same or similar interests in the proceeding;

(6) An invitation to interested persons to submit requests to conduct or have conducted cross-examination or to present rebuttal submissions, pursuant to § 1.13(b)(2), if desired; and

(7) Any other procedural rules necessary to promote the efficient and timely determination of the disputed issues to be resolved during the hearing.

(b) Requests to conduct cross-examination or present rebuttal submissions. Cross-examination and rebuttal submissions at an informal hearing are available only to address disputed issues of material fact necessary to be resolved. Requests for an opportunity to cross-examine or to present rebuttal submissions must be accompanied by a specific justification therefor. In determining whether to grant such requests, the presence of the following circumstances indicate that such requests should be granted:

(1) An issue for cross-examination or the presentation of rebuttal submissions, is an issue of specific fact in contrast to legislative fact;

(2) A full and true disclosure with respect to the issue can be achieved only through cross-examination rather than through rebuttal submissions or the presentation of additional oral submissions; and

(3) The particular cross-examination or rebuttal submission is required for the resolution of a disputed issue.

(c) Final notice of informal hearing. Based on requests submitted in response to the initial notice of public hearing, the Commission will publish a final notice of informal hearing in the Federal Register. The final notice of public hearing will include:

(1) A list of the interested persons who will conduct cross-examination regarding disputed issues of material fact;

(2) A list of any groups of interested persons with the same or similar interests in the proceeding who will be required to choose a single representative to conduct cross-examination on behalf of the group, as provided in paragraph (d) of this section; and

(3) A list of the interested persons who will be permitted to make rebuttal submissions regarding disputed issues of material fact.

(d) Designation of group representatives for cross-examination. After consideration of any submissions under § 1.11(e), the Commission will, if appropriate, identify groups of interested persons with the same or similar interests in the proceeding. The Commission may require any group of interested persons with the same or similar interests in the proceeding to select a single representative to conduct cross-examination on behalf of the group.

[86 FR 38548, July 22, 2021]