1. A. Informational Meeting Requirement.

   1. (1) An owner, an operator, and a person in charge of a proposed OCS facility applying for an Individual Oil Operations Permit shall hold an informational meeting.

   2. (2) The Department may require an owner, an operator, and a person in charge of the OCS facility to hold an informational meeting before:

      1. (a) Renewing an Individual Oil Operations Permit;
      2. (b) Reinstating a suspended or revoked Individual Oil Operations Permit; and
      3. (c) Modifying an Individual Oil Operations Permit.

2. B. A person responsible for holding an informational meeting shall:

   1. (1) Secure an approved meeting venue located in the political subdivision and in close proximity to the OCS facility; and

   2. (2) At least 15 days but not more than 30 days before the date of the meeting, publish a notice advertising the informational meeting:

      1. (a) At least once a week for two consecutive weeks in a daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation in the geographical area in which the OCS facility is or will be located; and

      2. (b) That includes the following information:

         1. (i) The name and address of the owner of the OCS facility;
         2. (ii) A description of where the OCS facility would be located;
         3. (iii) The nature of the proposed activity to be performed under the Individual Oil Operations Permit;
         4. (iv) A reference to the applicable statutes or regulations governing the application process;
         5. (v) The time and place of the meeting or a description of where this information can be found;
         6. (vi) A description of where further information about the Individual Oil Operations Permit application or the revoked or suspended Individual Oil Operations Permit can be found; and
         7. (vii) Any other information that the Department determines is necessary.
3. C. The Department may consolidate an informational meeting provided in accordance with this regulation with other informational meetings for the OCS facility.

Authority: Environment Article, §§4-401, 4-402, 4-405, 4-407—4-411, and 4-415—4-418, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.15 adopted as an emergency provision effective January 18, 1993 (20:3 Md. R. 256); adopted permanently effective July 18, 1993 (20:13 Md. R. 1050)

Regulation .03D amended effective February 18, 2002 (29:3 Md. R. 224)

Regulation .04A amended effective February 18, 2002 (29:3 Md. R. 224)

Regulations .01—.15 repealed and new Regulations .01—.16 adopted effective June 13, 2022 (49:12 Md. R. 642)