§ 24.11 Hearing; oral presentations and written submissions by the parties.
The Presiding Officer shall conduct the hearing in a fair and impartial way, taking action as needed to avoid unnecessary delay, exclude redundant material and maintain order during the proceedings. Representatives of EPA shall introduce the administrative record and be prepared to summarize the basis for the order. The respondent shall have a reasonable opportunity to address relevant issues and present its views through legal counsel or technical advisors. The Presiding Officer may also allow technical and legal discussions and interchanges between the parties, including responses to questions to the extent deemed appropriate. It is not the Agency's intent to provide EPA or respondent an opportunity to engage in direct examination or cross-examination of witnesses. The Presiding Officer may address questions to the respondent's or EPA's representative(s) during the hearing. Each party shall insure that a representative(s) is (are) present at the hearing, who is (are) capable of responding to questions and articulating that party's position on the law and facts at issue. Where respondent can demonstrate that through no fault of its own certain documents supportive of its position could not have been submitted before hearing in accordance with the requirements of § 24.10(b), it may submit such documents at the hearing. Otherwise no new documentary support may be submitted at hearing. The Presiding Officer may upon request grant petitioner leave to respond to submissions made by respondent pursuant to this section or § 24.10(b). The Presiding Officer shall have the discretion to order either party to submit additional information (including but not limited to posthearing briefs on undeveloped factual, technical, or legal matters) in whatever form he deems appropriate either at or after the hearing.