(a) Request for reconsideration. Any person may request reconsideration of an action under this part if that person is one of the following:

(1) An applicant for a permit who has received written notice of denial;

(2) An applicant for renewal who has received written notice that a renewal is denied;

(3) A permittee who has a permit amended, suspended, or revoked, except for those actions which are required by changes in statutes or regulations, or are emergency changes of limited applicability for which an expiration date is set within 90 days of the permit change; or

(4) A permittee who has a permit issued or renewed but has not been granted authority by the permit to perform all activities requested in the application, except when the activity requested is one for which there is no lawful authority to issue a permit.

(b) Method of requesting reconsideration. Any person requesting reconsideration of an action under this part must comply with the following criteria:

(1) Any request for reconsideration must be in writing, signed by the person requesting reconsideration or by the legal representative of that person, and must be submitted to the issuing officer.

(2) The request for reconsideration must be received by the issuing officer within 45 calendar days of the date of notification of the decision for which reconsideration is being requested.

(3) The request for reconsideration shall state the decision for which reconsideration is being requested and shall state the reason(s) for the reconsideration, including presenting any new information or facts pertinent to the issue(s) raised by the request for reconsideration.

(4) The request for reconsideration shall contain a certification in substantially the same form as that provided by §13.12(a)(5). If a request for reconsideration does not contain such certification, but is otherwise timely and appropriate, it shall be held and the person submitting the request shall be given written notice of the need to submit the certification within 15 calendar days. Failure to submit certification shall result in the request being rejected as insufficient in form and content.

(c) Inquiry by the Service. The Service may institute a separate inquiry into the matter under consideration.

(d) Determination of grant or denial of a request for reconsideration. The issuing officer shall notify the permittee of the Service's decision within 45 days of the receipt of the request for reconsideration. This notification shall be in writing, shall state the reasons for the decision, and shall contain a description of the evidence which was relied upon by the issuing officer. The notification shall also provide information concerning the right to appeal, the official to whom an appeal may be addressed, and the procedures for making an appeal.

(e) Appeal. A person who has received an adverse decision following submission of a request for reconsideration may submit a written appeal to the Regional Director for the region in which the issuing office is located, or to the Director for offices which report directly to the Director. An appeal must be submitted within 45 days of the date of the notification of the decision on the request for reconsideration. The appeal shall state the reason(s) and issue(s) upon which the appeal is based and may contain any additional evidence or arguments to support the appeal.

(f) Decision on appeal.

(1) Before a decision is made concerning the appeal the appellant may present oral arguments before the Regional Director or the Director, as appropriate, if such official judges oral arguments are necessary to clarify issues raised in the written record.

(2) The Service shall notify the appellant in writing of its decision within 45 calendar days of receipt of the appeal, unless extended for good cause and the appellant notified of the extension.

(3) The decision of the Regional Director or the Director shall constitute the final administrative decision of the Department of the Interior.

[54 FR 38149, Sept. 14, 1989]