Appropriate costs and expenses including attorneys' fees may be awarded—

(a) To any person from the permittee, if—

(1) The person initiates or participates in any administrative proceeding reviewing enforcement actions upon a finding that a violation of the Act, regulations, or permit has occurred, or that an imminent hazard existed, and the administrative law judge or Board determines that the person made a substantial contribution to the full and fair determination of the issues, except that a contribution of a person who did not initiate a proceeding must be separate and distinct from the contribution made by a person initiating the proceeding; or

(2) The person initiates an application for review of alleged discrimina- tory acts, pursuant to 30 CFR part 830, upon a finding of discriminatory discharge or other acts of discrimination.

(b) From OSM to any person, other than a permittee or his representative, who initiates or participates in any proceeding under the Act, and who prevails in whole or in part, achieving at least some degree of success on the merits, upon a finding that such person made a substantial contribution to a full and fair determination of the issues.

(c) To a permittee from OSM when the permittee demonstrates that OSM issued an order of cessation, a notice of violation or an order to show cause why a permit should not be suspended or revoked, in bad faith and for the purpose of harassing or embarrassing the permittee; or

(d) To a permittee from any person where the permittee demonstrates that the person initiated a proceeding under section 525 of the Act or participated in such a proceeding in bad faith for the purpose of harassing or embarrassing the permittee.

(e) To OSM where it demonstrates that any person applied for review pursuant to section 525 of the Act or that any party participated in such a proceeding in bad faith and for the purpose of harassing or embarrassing the Government.

[43 FR 34386, Aug. 3, 1978, as amended at 50 FR 47224, Nov. 15, 1985]