Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-25-2-5

Affected: IC 4-21.5; IC 14-25-2-2.5

Sec. 3. (a) The division director shall appoint a department employee to serve as hearing officer for any public meeting under IC 14-25- 2-2.5(h).

(b) The public meeting shall include the following:

1. (1) A presentation by the department describing the following:

   1. (A) The nature of the pending request.
   2. (B) The process by which the commission will determine whether to enter into a contract with the person making the request. The process shall reference IC 14-25-2 and this article.
2. (2) An opportunity for public comment on the pending request.

(c) A hearing officer shall conduct the public meeting in a manner that is best suited to the solicitation of public comments in support of fact-finding. Neither the rules of evidence nor IC 4-21.5 apply.

(d) A hearing officer shall maintain a record of the public meeting to assist in providing written recommendations to the advisory council. Any other person may also cause a recording to be made of the public meeting, but the official record is maintained by the hearing officer.

(Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 6.3-3-3; filed Nov 5, 2008, 2:32 p.m.: 20081203-IR- 312080131FRA; readopted filed Jul 17, 2014, 3:47 p.m.: 20140813-IR-312140097RFA; readopted filed May 20, 2020, 9:56 a.m.: 20200617-IR-312200180RFA)