1304.5—Conduct of hearings.
(a)
If a hearing is to be held for any of the reasons described in § 1304.4(c), TVA shall give notice of the hearing to interested persons. Such notice may be given by publication in the Federal Register, publication in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed structure, personal written notice, posting on TVA's Internet website, or by any other method reasonably calculated to come to the attention of interested persons. The notice shall indicate the place, date, and time of hearing (to the extent feasible), the particular issues to which the hearing will pertain, and the manner of becoming a party of record, and shall provide other pertinent information as appropriate. The applicant shall automatically be a party of record.
(b)
Hearings may be conducted by the Vice President and/or such other person or persons as may be designated by the Vice President or the Board for that purpose. Hearings are public and are conducted in an informal manner. Parties of record may be represented by counsel or other persons of their choosing. Technical rules of evidence are not observed although reasonable bounds are maintained as to relevancy, materiality, and competency. Evidence may be presented orally or by written statement and need not be under oath. Cross-examination by parties of witnesses or others providing statements or testifying at a hearing shall not be allowed. After the hearing has been completed, additional evidence will not be received unless it presents new and material matter that in the judgment of the person or persons conducting the hearing could not be presented at the hearing. Where construction of the project also requires the approval of another agency of the Federal Government by or before whom a hearing is to be held, the Vice President may arrange with such agency to hold a joint hearing.