1. (a) If the staff for the commission or a person who may serve as a petitioner under 3 AAC 110.410(a) believes that a petition accepted for filing under 3 AAC 110.440 was prepared using defective procedures, that the petition lacks certain information needed to determine and fully evaluate the merits of the petition, or that a reasonable probability exists that the petition fails to meet the standards applicable to the petition, that person may request a summary determination of the petition in accordance with this section. If the person requesting a summary determination is the commissioner, a department subdivision, or a department employee not assigned under AS 44.33.020(a)(4) to the commission's advisory staff, and that person is making the request in an official capacity, the limitations of 3 AAC 110.435(b) apply.
2. (b) Not later than 21 days after the initial publication of notice of the petition under 3 AAC 110.450(a)(1), the person seeking a summary determination must file an original and five copies of a request that the petition be rejected or be returned to the petitioner for substantial correction or modification.

3. (c) A request for summary determination must include

   1. (1) the name of the person requesting a summary determination and that person's representative;
   2. (2) the physical address of place of residence and mailing address of the representative designated under (1) of this subsection and the telephone number, facsimile number, and electronic mail address, if any, for that representative;
   3. (3) if a person other than the staff of the commission seeks a summary determination, documentation demonstrating that the person may serve as a petitioner under 3 AAC 110.410(a);
   4. (4) a description of the proposed summary determination action;
   5. (5) a statement of reasons for the request for summary determination;

   6. (6) a supporting brief that provides a detailed explanation of how

      1. (A) the petition accepted for filing was prepared using defective procedures, or lacks certain information needed to determine and fully evaluate the merits of the petition; or
      2. (B) a reasonable probability exists that the petition fails to meet constitutional, statutory, and regulatory standards that apply to the petition;
   7. (7) legal metes and bounds descriptions, maps, and plats needed to assess the proposed determination; and

   8. (8) an affidavit by the representative designated under (1) of this subsection that

      1. (A) to the best of the representative's knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry, the information in the request for summary determination is true and accurate:
      2. (B) the request for summary determination is not submitted to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless expense in the cost of processing the petition; and
      3. (C) three copies of the request for summary determination have been served on the petitioner by mail, postage prepaid, or hand delivery, or one copy has been delivered by facsimile or electronic mail, unless prohibited under (d) of this section.
4. (d) Copies of the request for summary determination, including maps and other exhibits, provided to the department and the petitioner under this section must conform to the original in color, size, and other distinguishing characteristics. If the request, including attachments, contains colored materials or materials larger than 11 inches by 17 inches, the person requesting a summary determination may not serve the request and copies by facsimile or electronic mail. The person shall provide the department with a copy of the request for summary determination in an electronic format, unless the department waives this requirement because the person lacks a readily accessible means or the capability to provide items in an electronic format.
5. (e) Within 24 hours after receipt of a request for summary determination, the petitioner shall place a copy of the request with the petition documents available for review under 3 AAC 110.460(b).
6. (f) Within two days after the receipt of a request for summary determination, the department shall determine whether the request is complete, filed in a timely manner, groundless, or filed for purposes of delay. The department shall immediately notify the person who filed the request, the petitioner, and the commission of the department's determination. If the department determines that the request for summary determination was incomplete or untimely, the person who filed the request may appeal the department's determination to the commission. If the department determines that a request for summary determination was complete and timely, the provisions of (g) - (p) of this section apply. If the department determines that the request was filed for the purpose of delay or is groundless, the provisions of (q) of this section apply.
7. (g) If the department determines that a request for summary determination is complete and timely, the deadline for filing responsive briefs and comments under 3 AAC 110.480 is suspended pending a decision by the commission regarding the request for summary determination.
8. (h) If it determines that the request is complete and timely, the department shall issue public notice of the request in accordance with 3 AAC 110.450(a)(1), except that publication of the notice is required only one time. The department shall issue public notice of the commission hearing under (k) of this section in accordance with 3 AAC 110.550, except that the first date of publishing must occur at least 20 days before the date of the hearing. The person who filed the request shall bear the cost of publication of the public notices.
9. (i) Within 10 days after receipt of notice under (f) of this section that the request is complete and timely, the petitioner shall file with the department an original and five copies of a brief responding to the request for summary determination. At the same time the petitioner files its responsive brief with the department, the petitioner shall serve a copy of that responsive brief by mail, postage prepaid, or by electronic mail, facsimile transmission, or hand delivery on the person who filed the request, and shall file an affidavit of service to that effect. The petitioner shall provide the department with a copy of the responsive brief in an electronic format, unless the department waives that requirement because the petitioner lacks a readily accessible means or the capability to provide items in an electronic format.
10. (j) Within 10 days after receipt of the petitioner's responsive brief under (i) of this section, the department shall provide the commission with a written report of the department's analysis, findings, and recommendation regarding the request for summary determination. The report must include a summary of the request, petitioner's responsive brief, and public comments, if any. A copy of the report must be provided to the person who filed the request and the petitioner at the same time the report is provided to the commission. The chair may, for good cause, grant additional time, not to exceed five days, for the department to file the report required under this subsection.
11. (k) After service of the report under (j) of this section, the commission will hold a public hearing on the request for summary determination.

12. (l) As part of the hearing conducted under (k) of this section, the commission will include

    1. (1) a summary of the analysis and recommendation by the department;
    2. (2) an opening statement by the person who filed the request, not to exceed 10 minutes;
    3. (3) an opening statement by the petitioner, not to exceed 10 minutes;
    4. (4) oral argument by the person who filed the request, on the merits of the request;
    5. (5) oral argument by the petitioner on its opposition to the request;
    6. (6) a period of public comment by interested persons, not to exceed three minutes for each person;
    7. (7) a closing statement by the person who filed the request, not to exceed 10 minutes;
    8. (8) a closing statement by the petitioner, not to exceed 10 minutes; and
    9. (9) a reply by the person who filed the request, not to exceed five minutes.
13. (m) Within three days after the public hearing under (k) of this section, the commission will hold a decisional meeting in accordance with 3 AAC 110.570(a), (b), and (d) - (f) and either grant the request for summary determination or deny the request.
14. (n) If a request for summary determination seeking rejection of a petition is granted, the petitioner may not submit a substantially similar petition for at least three years after the date of commission's decision on the request. If a request for summary determination seeking substantial correction or modification of a petition is granted, the petitioner may modify the petition and resubmit it as a new petition, with no restriction as to the time of filing.
15. (o) If the request for summary determination is denied, the chair of the commission shall determine a new schedule for the filing of responsive briefs and comments on the petition in accordance with 3 AAC 110.640.
16. (p) The person who filed the request or the petitioner may seek reconsideration of a commission decision on a request for summary determination under this section.
17. (q) The commission will deny, without hearing, a request for summary determination under this section if the commission concludes that the request is filed for purposes of delay or is groundless.

(Eff. 1/9/2008, Register 185)