(a) Deficient applications.

(1) If an applicant believes that its application conforms adequately to the pre-filing consultation and filing requirements of this part without containing certain required materials or information, it must explain in detail why the material or information is not being submitted and what steps were taken by the applicant to provide the material or information.

(2) Within 30 days of the filing date of any application for a license under this part, the Director of the Office of Energy Projects will notify the applicant if, in the Director's judgment, the application does not conform to the prefiling consultation and filing requirements of this part, and is therefore considered deficient. An applicant having a deficient application will be afforded additional time to correct the deficiencies, not to exceed 90 days from the date of notification. Notification will be by letter or, in the case of minor deficiencies, by telephone. Any notification will specify the deficiencies to be corrected. Deficiencies must be corrected by submitting an a filing pursuant to the requirements of subpart T of part 385 of this chapter within the time specified in the notification of deficiency.

(3) If the revised application is found not to conform to the prefiling consultation and filing requirements of this part, or if the revisions are not timely submitted, the revised application will be rejected. Procedures for rejected applications are specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(b) Patently deficient applications.

(1) If, within 30 days of its filing date, the Director of the Office of Energy Projects determines that an application patently fails to substantially comply with the prefiling consultation and filing requirements of this part, or is for a project that is precluded by law, the application will be rejected as patently deficient with the specification of the deficiencies that render the application patently deficient.

(2) If, after 30 days following its filing date, the Director of the Office of Energy Projects determines that an application patently fails to comply with the prefiling consultation and filing requirements of this part, or is for a project that is precluded by law:

(i) The application will be rejected by order of the Commission, if the Commission determines that it is patently deficient; or

(ii) The application will be considered deficient under paragraph (a)(2) of this Section, if the Commission determines that it is not patently deficient.

(3) Any application for an original license that is rejected may be submitted if the deficiencies are corrected and if, in the case of a competing application, the resubmittal is timely. The date the rejected application is resubmitted will be considered the new filing date for purposes of determining its timeliness under §4.36 of this chapter and the disposition of competing applications under §4.37 of this chapter.

[Order 2002, 68 FR 51121, Aug. 25, 2003; 68 FR 61743, Oct. 30, 2003]