Hearings

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart I
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 110.100 Public hearings.

Hearings under this part will be public unless the Commission directs otherwise.

10 C.F.R. § 110.101 Filing and service.

Filing and service of hearing documents shall be pursuant to § 110.89.

10 C.F.R. § 110.102 Hearing docket.

For each hearing, the Secretary will maintain a docket which will include the hearing transcript, exhibits and all papers filed or issued pursuant to the hearing.

10 C.F.R. § 110.103 Acceptance of hearing documents.

(a) Each document filed or issued must be clearly legible and bear the docket number, license application number, and hearing title. (b) Each document shall be filed in one original and signed by the participant or their authorized representative, with their address and date of signature indicated. The signature is a representation that the document is submitted with full authority, the signer knows its contents, and that, to the best of his knowledge, the statements made in it are true. (c) Filings submitted using the E-filing system must follow the requirements outlined in 10 CFR 2.304. (d) A document not meeting the requirements of this section may be returned with an explanation for nonacceptance and, if so, will not be docketed.

10 C.F.R. § 110.104 Presiding officer.

(a) The full Commission will ordinarily be the presiding officer at a hearing under this part. However, the Commission may provide in a hearing notice that one or more Commissioners, or any other person as provided by law, will preside. (b) A participant may submit a written motion for the disqualification of any person presiding. The motion shall be supported by affidavit setting forth the alleged grounds for disqualification. If the presiding officer does not grant the motion or the person does not disqualify himself, the Commission will decide the matter. (c) If any presiding officer designated by the Commission deems himself disqualified, he shall withdraw by notice on the record after notifying the Commission. (d) If a presiding officer becomes unavailable, the Commission will designate a replacement. (e) Any motion concerning the designation of a replacement presiding officer shall be made within 5 days after the designation. (f) Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, the jurisdiction of a presiding officer other than the Commission commences as designated in the hearing notice and terminates upon certification of the hearing record to the Commission, or when the presiding officer is disqualified.

10 C.F.R. § 110.105 Responsibility and power of the presiding officer in an oral hearing.

(a) The presiding officer in any oral hearing shall conduct a fair hearing, develop a record that will contribute to informed decisionmaking, and, within the framework of the Commission's orders, have the power necessary to achieve these ends, including the power to: (1) Take action to avoid unnecessary delay and maintain order; (2) Dispose of procedural requests; (3) Question participants and witnesses, and entertain suggestions as to questions which may be asked of participants and witnessess; (4) Order consolidation of participants; (5) Establish the order of presentation; (6) Hold conferences before or during the hearing; (7) Establish reasonable time limits; (8) Limit the number of witnesses; and (9) Strike or reject duplicative or irrelevant presentations. (b) Where the Commission itself does not preside: (1) The presiding officer may certify questions or refer rulings to the Commission for decision; (2) Any hearing order may be modified by the Commission; and (3) The presiding officer will certify the completed hearing record to the Commission, which may then issue its opinion on the hearing or provide that additional testimony be presented.

10 C.F.R. § 110.106 Participation in a hearing.

(a) Unless otherwise limited by this part or by the Commission, participants in a hearing may submit: (1) Initial and concluding written statements of position on the issues; (2) Written questions to the presiding officer; and (3) Written responses and rebuttal testimony to the statements of other participants. (b) Participants in an oral hearing may also submit oral statements, questions, responses and rebuttal testimony. (c) A participant in an import licensing hearing establishing that his interest may be affected, may be accorded additional procedural rights under subpart G of part 2 with respect to resolution of domestic factual issues regarding the public health, safety and environment of the United States, and the protection of the United States public against domestic theft, diversion or sabotage, to the extent that such issues are separable from the nondomestic issues associated with the license application.

10 C.F.R. § 110.107 Presentation of testimony in an oral hearing.

(a) All direct testimony in an oral hearing shall be filed no later than 7 days before the hearing or as otherwise ordered or allowed. (b) Written testimony will be received into evidence in exhibit form. (c) Unless proscribed under § 110.87, members of groups which are designated as participants may testify in their individual capacities. (d) Participants may present their own witnesses. (e) Testimony by the Commission and the Executive Branch will be presented only by persons officially designated for that purpose. (f) Participants and witnesses will be questioned orally or in writing and only by the presiding officer. Questions may be addressed to individuals or to panels of participants or witnesses. (g) The presiding officer may accept written testimony from a person unable to appear at the hearing, and may request him to respond to questions. (h) No subpoenas will be granted at the request of participants for attendance and testimony of participants or witnesses or the production of evidence.

10 C.F.R. § 110.108 Appearance in an oral hearing.

(a) A participant may appear in a hearing on his own behalf or be represented by an authorized representative. (b) A person appearing shall file a written notice stating his name, address and telephone number, and if an authorized representative, the basis of his eligibility and the name and address of the participant on whose behalf he appears. (c) A person may be excluded from a hearing for disorderly, dilatory or contemptuous conduct, provided he is informed of the grounds and given an opportunity to respond.

10 C.F.R. § 110.109 Motions and requests.

(a) Motions and requests shall be addressed to the presiding officer, and, if written, also filed with the Secretary and served on other participants. (b) Other participants may respond to the motion or request. Responses to written motions or requests shall be filed within 5 days after service. (c) When the Commission does not preside, in response to a motion or request, the presiding officer may refer a ruling or certify a question to the Commission for decision and notify the participants. (d) Unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, a motion or request, or the certification of a question or referral of a ruling, shall not stay or extend any aspect of the hearing.

10 C.F.R. § 110.110 Default.

When a participant fails to act within a specified time, the presiding officer may consider him in default, issue an appropriate ruling and proceed without further notice to the defaulting participant.

10 C.F.R. § 110.111 Waiver of a rule or regulation.

(a) A participant may petition that a Commission rule or regulation be waived with respect to the license application under consideration. (b) The sole ground for a waiver shall be that, because of special circumstances concerning the subject of the hearing, application of a rule or regulation would not serve the purposes for which it was adopted. (c) Waiver petition shall specify why application of the rule or regulation would not serve the purposes for which it was adopted. (d) Other participants may, within 10 days, file a response to a waiver petition. (e) When the Commission does not preside, the presiding officer will certify the waiver petition to the Commission, which, in response, will grant or deny the waiver or direct any further proceedings. (f) Regardless of whether a waiver is granted or denied, a separate petition for rulemaking may be filed pursuant to subpart K of this part.

10 C.F.R. § 110.112 Reporter and transcript for an oral hearing.

(a) A reporter designated by the Commission will record an oral hearing and prepare the official hearing transcript. (b) Except for any portions containing classified information, Restricted Data, Safeguards Information, proprietary information, or other sensitive unclassified information, transcripts will be made available at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and/or at the NRC Public Document Room. (c) Corrections of the official transcript may be made only as specified by the Secretary.

10 C.F.R. § 110.113 Commission action.

(a) Upon completion of a hearing, the Commission will issue a written opinion including its decision on the license application, the reasons for the decision and any dissenting views. (b) While the Commission will consider fully the hearing record, the licensing decision will be based on all relevant information, including information which might go beyond that in the hearing record. (c) If the Commission considers information not in the hearing record in reaching its licensing decision, the hearing participants will be informed and, if not classified or otherwise privileged, the information will be made available at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and furnished to the participants. (d) The Commission may issue a license before completion of a hearing if it finds that: (1) Prompt issuance is required in the public interest, particularly the common defense and security; and (2) A participant establishing that his interest may be affected has been provided a fair opportunity to present his views. (e) The Commission may: (1) Defer any hearing; (2) Consolidate applications for hearing; (3) Narrow or broaden the hearing issues; and (4) Take other action, as appropriate.

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