(a) As used in this part:

Action means an affirmative act by DOE that carries the force of law.

Aggrieved, with respect to a person, means adversely affected by an action of the DOE.

Alternative Dispute Resolution means any technique for resolving disputes and managing conflict without resorting to litigation in either an administrative or judicial forum. Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques include, but are not limited to, mediation, facilitation, and shuttle diplomacy.

Decision and Order means the OHA's final decision on a petition brought under this part.

Director means the Director of the Office of Hearings and Appeals or duly authorized delegate.

DOE means the Department of Energy, created by the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

Duly authorized representative means a person who has been designated to appear before the Office of Hearings and Appeals in connection with a proceeding on behalf of a person interested in or aggrieved by an action of the DOE. Such appearance may consist of the submission of a written document, a personal appearance, verbal communication, or any other participation in the proceeding.

Federal legal holiday means any calendar day designated as a federal holiday by federal statute or Executive order.

Final disposition of DOE means a DOE rule, order, or other action in any matter other than:

(i) A rulemaking;

(ii) An internal DOE order or directive issued by the Secretary of Energy or his delegate in the management and administration of departmental elements and functions; or

(iii) Any decision or order issued under 41 U.S.C. 4712 or under part 708, part 710, part 712, or part 1004 of this title.

OHA means the Office of Hearings and Appeals of the Department of Energy.

Participant means a non-party entity that submits a comment, briefing, or other filing in a proceeding.

Party means the petitioner and any adverse entity, which may include the DOE, which assumes the role of defendant or respondent in the proceeding.

Person means any individual, firm, estate, trust, sole proprietorship, partnership, association, company, joint-venture, corporation, governmental unit or instrumentality thereof, or a charitable, educational or other institution, and includes any officer, director, owner or duly authorized representative thereof.

Petition means a written submission to the OHA requesting that the OHA grant the petitioner relief.

Petitioner means any person filing a petition with the OHA.

Proceeding means the process and activity, and any part thereof, instituted by the OHA—either on its own initiative or in response to a petition submitted by a person—that may lead to an action by the OHA.

Verified email address means an email address that is publicly published or available upon request, or, if no such address exists, an email address through which the sender has communicated with the recipient in the previous 12 months.

(b) Throughout this part the use of a word or term in the singular includes the plural, and the use of the male pronoun is gender neutral.