CFR > Title 43 - Public Lands: Interior > SUBTITLE A—Office of the Secretary of the Interior > PART 45—CONDITIONS AND PRESCRIPTIONS IN FERC HYDROPOWER LICENSES > SUBPART B—Hearing Process (§45.10 to §45.60) > 45.23—When will hearing requests be consolidated?

45.23—When will hearing requests be consolidated?

(a) Initial Department coordination. Any bureau that has received a copy of a hearing request must contact the other bureaus and Departments within 10 days after the deadline for filing hearing requests under § 45.21 and determine:
(1) Whether any of the other bureaus or Departments has also filed a preliminary condition or prescription relating to the license with FERC; and
(2) If so, whether the other bureau or Department has also received a hearing request with respect to the preliminary condition or prescription.
(b) Decision on consolidation. Within 25 days after the deadline for filing hearing requests under § 45.21, any bureau or Department that has received a hearing request must:
(1) Consult with any other bureau or Department that has also received a hearing request; and
(2) Decide jointly with the other bureau or Department:
(i) Whether to consolidate the cases for hearing under paragraphs (c)(3)(ii) through (c)(3)(iv) of this section; and
(ii) If so, which Department will conduct the hearing on their behalf.
(c) Criteria. Cases will or may be consolidated as follows:
(1) All hearing requests with respect to any conditions from the same Department will be consolidated for hearing.
(2) All hearing requests with respect to any prescriptions from the same Department will be consolidated for hearing.
(3) Any or all of the following may be consolidated for hearing, if the bureaus and Departments involved determine that there are common issues of material fact or that consolidation is otherwise appropriate:
(i) Two or more hearing requests with respect to any condition and any prescription from the same Department;
(ii) Two or more hearing requests with respect to conditions from different Departments;
(iii) Two or more hearing requests with respect to prescriptions from different Departments; or
(iv) Two or more hearing requests with respect to any condition from one Department and any prescription from another Department.