(a) An interpretation may be issued after consideration of the request for interpretation and other relevant information received or obtained during the proceeding.

(b) The interpretation shall contain a statement of the information upon which it is based and a legal analysis of and conclusions regarding the application of rulings, regulations and other precedent to the situation presented in the request.

(c) Only those persons to whom an interpretation is specifically addressed and other persons upon whom the DOE serves the interpretation and who are directly involved in the same transaction or act may rely upon it. No person entitled to rely upon an interpretation shall be subject to civil or criminal penalties stated in subpart P of this part for any act taken in reliance upon the interpretation, notwithstanding that the interpretation shall thereafter be declared by judicial or other competent authority to be invalid.

(d) An interpretation may be rescinded or modified at any time. Rescission or modification may be effected by notifying persons entitled to rely on the interpretation that it is rescinded or modified. This notification shall include a statement of the reasons for the recision or modification and, in the case of a modification, a restatement of the interpretation as modified.

(e) An interpretation is modified by a subsequent amendment to the regulations or ruling to the extent that it is inconsistent with the amended regulation or ruling.

(f)

(1) Any person aggrieved by an interpretation may submit a petition for reconsideration to the General Counsel within 30 days of service of the interpretation from which the reconsideration is sought. There has not been an exhaustion of administrative remedies until a period of 30 days from the date of service of the interpretation has elapsed without receipt by the General Counsel of a petition for reconsideration or, if a petition for reconsideration of the interpretation has been filed in a timely manner, until that petition has been acted on by the General Counsel. However, a petition to which the General Counsel does not respond within 60 days of the date of receipt thereof, or within such extended time as the General Counsel may prescribe by written notice to the petitioner concerned within that 60 day period, shall be considered denied.

(2) A petition for reconsideration may be summarily denied if—

(i) It is not filed in a timely manner, unless good cause is shown; or

(ii) It is defective on its face for failure to state, and to present facts and legal argument in support thereof, that the interpretation was erroneous in fact or in law, or that it was arbitrary or capricious.

(3) The General Counsel may deny any petition for reconsideration if the petitioner does not establish that—

(i) The petition was filed by a person aggrieved by an interpretation;

(ii) The interpretation was erroneous in fact or in law; or

(iii) The interpretation was arbitrary or capricious. The denial of a petition shall be a final order of which the petitioner may seek judicial review.

(Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973, Pub. L. 93-159, as amended, Pub. L. 93-511, Pub. L. 94-99, Pub. L. 94-133, Pub. L. 94-163, and Pub. L. 94-385, Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, as amended, Pub. L. 94-385, Energy Policy and Conservation Act, Pub. L. 94-163, as amended, Pub. L. 94-385; E.O. 11790, 39 FR 23185; Department of Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91; E.O. 12009, 42 FR 46267)

[39 FR 35489, Oct. 1, 1974, as amended at 43 FR 14437, Apr. 6, 1978]