1307.11—Hearings.
(a) Opportunity for hearing.
Whenever an opportunity for a hearing is required by § 1307.10, reasonable notice shall be given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the affected recipient. This notice shall advise the recipient of the action proposed to be taken, the specific provision under which the proposed action against it is to be taken, and the matters of fact or law asserted as the basis for this action, and shall either (1) fix a date not less than twenty (20) days after the date of such notice within which the recipient may request of TVA that the matter be scheduled for hearing or (2) advise the recipient that the matter in question has been set down for hearing at a stated time and place. The time and place so fixed shall be reasonable and shall be subject to change for cause. The complainant, if any, shall be advised of the time and place of the hearing. A recipient may waive a hearing and submit written information and argument for the record. The failure of a recipient to request a hearing under this subsection or to appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be a waiver of the right to a hearing and a consent to the making of a decision on the basis of such information as is available.
(b) Time and place of hearing.
Hearings shall be held at the time and place fixed by TVA unless it determines that the convenience of the recipient requires that another place be selected. Hearings shall be held before the TVA Board or before a “hearing officer” who shall be either a member of the TVA Board or, at the discretion of the Board, a person designated by the Board who shall not be employed in or under the TVA division through or under which the financial assistance has been extended by TVA to the recipient involved in the hearing.
(c) Right to counsel.
In all proceedings under this section, the recipient and TVA shall have the right to be represented by counsel.
(d) Procedures, evidence, and record.
(1)
The hearing, decision, and any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in accordance with such rules of procedure as are proper (and not inconsistent with this section) relating to the conduct of the hearing, giving of notices subsequent to those provided for in paragraph (a) of this section, taking of testimony, exhibits, arguments and briefs, requests for findings, and other related matters. Both TVA and the recipient shall be entitled to introduce all relevant evidence on the issues as stated in the notice for hearing or as determined by the officer conducting the hearing at the outset of or during the hearing.
(2)
Technical rules of evidence will not apply to hearings conducted pursuant to this part, but rules or principles designed to assure production of the most credible evidence available and to subject testimony to test by cross-examination shall be applied where reasonably necessary by the officer conducting the hearing. That officer may exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence. All documents and other evidence offered or taken for the record shall be open to examination by the parties and opportunity shall be given to refute facts and arguments advanced on either side of the issues. A transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to the extent the substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All decisions shall be based upon the hearing record and written findings shall be made.
(e) Consolidated or joint hearings.
In cases in which the same or related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with this part with respect to two or more Federal statutes, authorities, or other means by which Federal financial assistance is extended and to which this part applies, or noncompliance with this part and the regulations of one or more other Federal agencies issued under section 504, the TVA Board may, by agreement with such other agency, provide for the conduct of consolidated or joint hearings, and for the application to such hearings of rules of procedure not inconsistent with this part. Final decisions in such cases, insofar as this part is concerned, shall be made in accordance with § 1307.12.