(A) No rule, regulation or order, or amendment thereof, except in an emergency, shall be made by the department without a public hearing upon at least twenty days' notice, exclusive of the date of service. No permit for the construction of a deep water port shall be granted by the department without a public hearing upon at least twenty days' notice, exclusive of the date of service. At least twenty days prior to the invitation for bids for the leasing of state lands for the purpose of oil and gas exploration and production, a public hearing shall be held. The public hearing shall be held at such time and place as may be prescribed by the department, and any interested person shall be entitled to be heard.

(B) When an emergency requiring immediate action is found to exist, the department may make an emergency order without notice of hearing, which shall be effective when made. No emergency order shall be effective for more than sixty days.

(C) Any notice required by this chapter shall be given by the department. Any such notice, at the election of the department, may be given by any one or more of the following methods: (a) personal service, (b) publication in one or more issues of a newspaper in general circulation in the state capital or of a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the land affected or some part thereof is situated, or (c) by United States mail addressed, postage prepaid, to the last known mailing address of the person or persons affected. The date of service shall be the date on which service was made in the case of personal service, the date of first publication in the case of notice by publication, and the date of mailing in the case of notice by mail. The notice shall be issued in the name of the State, shall be signed by the chairman, secretary or executive director of the department, shall specify the style and number of the proceedings, the time and place of the hearing, and shall briefly state the purpose of the proceeding. Should the department elect to give notice by personal service, such service may be made by an officer authorized to serve process, or by any agent of the department, in the same manner as is provided by law for the service of process in civil action in the courts of the State. Proof of the service by such agent shall be by the affidavit of the agent making personal service.

(D) All rules, regulations and orders made by the Department of Health and Environmental Control shall be in writing, shall be entered in full and indexed in books to be kept by the department for that purpose, and shall be public records open for inspection at all times during office hours. In addition, all rules and regulations shall be filed with the Secretary of State. A copy of any rule, regulation or order, certified by any member of the department or the department, under its seal, shall be received in evidence in all courts of this State with the same effect as the original.

(E) The department may act upon its own motion or upon the application of any interested person. On the filing of an application concerning any matter within the jurisdiction of the department that requires a hearing, the department shall promptly fix a date for a hearing thereon, and shall cause notice of the hearing to be given. The hearing shall be held without undue delay after the filing of the application. The department shall make its order within thirty days after the conclusion of the hearing.

HISTORY: 1977 Act No. 179, Part 1, Section 11; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1236.