Designation of presiding officer. The Commission may provide in the notice of hearing that one or more members of the Commission, an administrative law judge, an administrative judge, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, or a named officer who has been delegated final authority in the matter, shall be the presiding officer. The Commission alone shall designate the presiding officer in a hearing conducted under subpart O. If the Commission does not designate the presiding officer for a hearing under subparts G, J, K, L, M, or N of this part, then the Chief Administrative Judge shall issue an order designating:

An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board appointed under Section 191 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or an administrative law judge appointed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105, for a hearing conducted under subparts G, J, K, L, or N of this part; or

An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, an administrative law judge, or an administrative judge for a hearing conducted under subpart M of this part.

Disqualification. (1) If a designated presiding officer or a designated member of an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board believes that he or she is disqualified to preside or to participate as a board member in the hearing, he or she shall withdraw by notice on the record and shall notify the Commission or the Chief Administrative Judge, as appropriate, of the withdrawal.

If a party believes that a presiding officer or a designated member of an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board should be disqualified, the party may move that the presiding officer or the Licensing Board member disqualify himself or herself. The motion must be supported by affidavits setting forth the alleged grounds for disqualification. If the presiding officer does not grant the motion or the Licensing Board member does not disqualify himself, the motion must be referred to the Commission. The Commission will determine the sufficiency of the grounds alleged.

Unavailability. If a presiding officer or a designated member of an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board becomes unavailable during the course of a hearing, the Commission or the Chief Administrative Judge, as appropriate, will designate another presiding officer or Atomic Safety and Licensing Board member. If he or she becomes unavailable after the hearing has been concluded, then:

The Commission may designate another presiding officer;

The Chief Administrative Judge or the Commission, as appropriate, may designate another Atomic Safety and Licensing Board member to participate in the decision;

The Commission may direct that the record be certified to it for decision.

Substitution. If a presiding officer or a designated member of an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board is substituted for the one originally designated, any motion predicated upon the substitution must be made within five (5) days after the substitution.