Virginia Law

A. Prior to the decision of the department, permit applications for permits containing provisions that are necessary for the permit to be federally enforceable shall be subject to a public comment period of at least 30 days.

B. When a public comment period is required, the department shall notify the public, by advertisement in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the affected air quality control region, of the opportunity for public comment on the information available for public inspection under the provisions of subsection A of this section. The notification shall be published at least 30 days prior to the day of the public hearing.

1. Information on the permit application (exclusive of confidential information under 9VAC5-170-60), as well as the preliminary review and analysis and preliminary determination of the department, shall be available for public inspection during the entire public comment period in at least one location in the affected air quality control region.

2. A copy of the notice shall be sent to all affected local air pollution control agencies, to all states sharing the affected air quality control region, to the regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to any other governmental entity required to be notified under state or federal law or regulation.

C. Following the initial publication of the notice required under subsection B of this section, the department will receive written requests for a public hearing to contest the preliminary determination of the department pursuant to the requirements of 9VAC5-80-35. In order to be considered, the request shall be submitted no later than the end of the comment period. Requests for a public hearing shall contain the following information:

1. The name and postal mailing or email address of the requester;

2. The names and addresses of all persons for whom the requester is acting as a representative; for the purposes of this requirement, "person" includes an unincorporated association;

3. The reason for the request for a public hearing;

4. A brief, informal statement setting forth the factual nature and the extent of the interest of the requester or of the persons for whom the requester is acting as representative in the application or tentative determination, including an explanation of how and to what extent such interest would be directly and adversely affected by the issuance, denial, amendment, modification, or revocation of the permit in question; and

5. Where possible, specific references to the terms and conditions of the permit in question, together with suggested revisions and alterations of those terms and conditions that the requester considers are needed to conform the permit to the intent and provisions of the Virginia Air Pollution Control Law.

D. The department will review any request made under subsection C of this section, and will take final action on the request as provided in 9VAC5-80-860 C.