(a) The Assistant Secretary may, prior to a hearing under §98.91 of this part, notify the Lead Agency in writing of additional issues which will be considered at the hearing. Such notice shall be published in the Federal Register. If such notice is received by the Lead Agency less than 20 days before the date of the hearing, a postponement of the hearing shall be granted at the request of the Lead Agency or any other party. The hearing shall be held on a date 20 days after such notice was received, or on such later date as agreed to by the Assistant Secretary.

(b) If, as a result of negotiations between the Department and the Lead Agency, the submittal of a Plan amendment, a change in the Lead Agency program, or other action by the Lead Agency, any issue is resolved in whole or in part, but new or modified issues are presented, as specified by the Assistant Secretary, the hearing shall proceed on such new or modified issues. A notice of such new or modified issues shall be published in the Federal Register. If such notice is received by the Lead Agency less than 20 days before the date of the hearing, a postponement of the hearing shall be granted at the request of the Lead Agency or any other party. The hearing shall be held on a date 20 days after such notice was received, or on such later date as agreed to by the Assistant Secretary.

(c)

(1) If, at any time, the Assistant Secretary finds that the Lead Agency has come into compliance with Federal statutes and regulations on any issue, in whole or in part, the Assistant Secretary shall remove such issue from the proceedings, in whole or in part, as may be appropriate. If all issues are removed, the Assistant Secretary shall terminate the hearing.

(2) Prior to the removal of any issue from the hearing, in whole or in part, the Assistant Secretary shall provide all parties other than the Department and the Lead Agency (see §99.15(b)) with written notice of the intention, and the reasons for it. Such notice shall include a copy of the proposed CCDF Plan provision on which the Lead Agency and Assistant Secretary have settled. The parties shall have 15 days from the receipt of such notice to file their views or any information on the merits of the proposed Plan provision and the merits of the Assistant Secretary's reasons for removing the issue from the hearing.

(d) The issues considered at the hearing shall be limited to those issues of which the Lead Agency is notified, as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, and new or modified issues described in paragraph (b) of this section; they shall not include issues or parts of issues removed from the proceedings pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.