§9051-A. Notice of environmental agency adjudicatory proceedings

Whenever adjudicatory hearings are held by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Pesticides Control, the hearings shall be held in accordance with the provisions of this section.   [PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]

1.  Notice of opportunity for hearing; license applications with substantial public interest.  When the applicable law or the Constitution of Maine requires that an opportunity for a hearing be provided or an agency deems in any proceeding that a substantial public interest is involved, notice shall be given as follows.

A. Notice of the pending license application shall be provided 30 days next prior to the date of the expected date of an agency decision. Notice shall be provided by mail to:

(1) The person or persons whose legal rights, duties or privileges are at issue;

(2) The municipality or municipalities affected by the license application, as determined by the agency or board to the best of its ability;

(3) The county, if the affected locality as determined by the agency or board to the best of its ability is an unorganized territory;

(4) The Legislators of the geographic area or areas affected by the issue; and

(5) Persons who have made timely requests to be notified of an agency deliberation of a specific license application.

Interested persons may prepare and submit evidence and argument to the agency and request a hearing on the issue.   [PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW).]

[PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW).]

2.  Hearing required.  When a hearing is required by the Constitution of Maine, the applicable law or by agency regulation or has been requested pursuant to subsection 1, notice of the hearing shall be provided 30 days next prior to the scheduled initial hearing.

A. The notice shall be provided by mail to:

(1) The person or persons whose legal rights, duties or privileges are at issue;

(2) The municipality or municipalities affected by the license application, as determined by the agency or board to the best of its ability;

(3) The county, if the affected locality as determined by the agency or board to the best of its ability is an unorganized territory;

(4) The Legislators of the geographic area or areas affected by the issue;

(5) Intervenors;

(6) Persons who have made timely requests to be notified of a specific hearing; and

(7) Persons who have filed a written request, within the calendar year, to be notified of hearings.

In the event that new hearings on a pending license application or an existing license are required, notice shall be provided 30 days next prior to the scheduled hearing as herein provided. When hearings are continued with respect to a license application, this 30 days' notice shall not apply.   [PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW).]

[PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW).]

3.  Notice to the public.  Notice to the public must be given by:

A. Publication twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed activity and in areas affected by the license application as determined by the agency or board to the best of its ability.

(1) Notice must be published in plain and clear English that can be readily understood by the general public.

(2) The notice must be published in the legal notices section in a form readily noticeable by the general public.

(3) With respect to notice of an opportunity for a hearing pursuant to subsection 1, the date of the first publication must be 30 days next prior to the date of the expected agency decision on the license application.

(4) With respect to notice of a hearing pursuant to subsection 2, the date of the first publication must be 30 days next prior to the hearing.

(5) With respect to notice of an opportunity for a hearing pursuant to subsection 1, the date of the 2nd publication must be at least 7 days and no more than 13 days before the date of the expected agency decision on the license application.

(6) With respect to notice of an opportunity for a hearing pursuant to subsection 2, the date of the 2nd publication must be at least 7 days and no more than 13 days before the date of the hearing.   [PL 2013, c. 300, §2 (AMD).]

B. [PL 2013, c. 300, §2 (RP).]

C. [PL 2013, c. 300, §2 (RP).]

[PL 2013, c. 300, §2 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1987, c. 653, §1 (NEW). PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV). PL 2013, c. 300, §2 (AMD).