FEDERAL OPERATING PERMIT: HEARING.

(a) Public hearings on applications for issuance, revision, reopening, or renewal of a federal operating permit shall be conducted under this section only and not under Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(b) On determination that an application for a federal operating permit under Sections 382.054-382.0542 or a renewal of a federal operating permit under Section 382.0543 is administratively complete and before the beginning of the public comment period, the commission or its designee shall prepare a draft permit.

(c) The commission or its designee shall hold a public hearing on a federal operating permit, a reopening of a federal operating permit, or renewal application before granting the permit or renewal if within the public comment period a person who may be affected by the emissions or a member of the legislature from the general area in which the facility is located requests a hearing. The commission or its designee is not required to hold a hearing if the basis of the request by a person who may be affected is determined to be unreasonable.

(d) The following shall be available for public inspection in at least one location in the general area where the facility is located:

(1) information submitted by the application, subject to applicable confidentiality laws;

(2) the executive director's analysis of the proposed action; and

(3) a copy of the draft permit.

(e) The commission or its designee shall hold a public comment period on a federal operating permit application, a federal operating permit reopening application, or a federal operating permit renewal application under Sections 382.054-382.0542 or 382.0543. Any person may submit a written statement to the commission during the public comment period. The commission or its designee shall receive public comment for 30 days after the date on which notice of the public comment period is published. The commission or its designee may extend or reopen the comment period if the executive director finds an extension or reopening to be appropriate.

(f) Notice of the public comment period and opportunity for a hearing under this section shall be published in accordance with Section 382.056.

(g) Any person may submit an oral or written statement concerning the application at the hearing. The individual holding the hearing may set reasonable limits on the time allowed for oral statements at the hearing. The public comment period extends to the close of the hearing and may be further extended or reopened if the commission or its designee finds an extension or reopening to be appropriate.

(h) Any person, including the applicant, who believes that any condition of the draft permit is inappropriate or that the preliminary decision of the commission or its designee to issue or deny a permit is inappropriate must raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available arguments supporting that position by the end of the public comment period.

(i) The commission or its designee shall consider all comments received during the public comment period and at the public hearing in determining whether to issue the permit and what conditions should be included if a permit is issued.