KRS 77.310: Proceedings for alleged violations of chapter or regulations and for petitions

for a hearing on board orders or determinations -- Hearing officers.

(1) If there is reason to believe that a violation of this chapter or of a regulation

promulgated under this chapter has occurred within an air pollution control district,

the district shall issue and mail to or serve upon the person complained against a

written notice of the provision of this chapter or the regulation allegedly violated.

The district may sc hedule a settlement conference before the air pollution control

officer or a designee at which the person complained against may appear to answer

the charges set out in the notice. The conference shall be scheduled at a time not

less than thirty (30) days after the date of notice unless the person complained

against waives in writing the thirty (30) day period. Alleged violations that remain

unresolved may be scheduled for a hearing under subsection (3) of this section at a

time not less than thirty (30) da ys after a determination that the violation is

unresolved unless the person complained against waives in writing the thirty (30)

day period. The scheduling of a settlement conference or hearing shall not prevent

the negotiation of a settlement of a violati on prior to the conference or hearing. At

any time, the air pollution control board may determine that a violation shall be

resolved as a civil or criminal action in an appropriate court or referred for action to

either the United States Environmental Prot ection Agency or the Energy and

Environment Cabinet instead of being resolved as a district action.

(2) When permittees or persons not previously heard in connection with the issuance of

an order or the making of a determination including, but not limited to, the issuance,

denial, modification, or revocation of a permit, consider themselves aggrieved, they

may file with the district a petition for a hearing. The petition shall allege that the

order or determination is contrary to law or fact and is injuriou s to the petitioner,

stating the grounds and reasons, and demanding a hearing. Unless the board

considers the petition frivolous, the air pollution control officer shall serve written

notice of the petition on each person named therein and shall schedule a hearing not

less than sixty (60) days after the date of the petition unless the person complained

against waives in writing the sixty (60) day period. The right to demand a hearing

under this section shall be limited to a period of thirty (30) days after the petitioner

has had actual notice, or could reasonably have had notice, of the order or

determination complained of. Prior to the hearing, the air pollution control officer

may require the parties to meet for settlement purposes.

(3) Hearings of unresol ved violations or petitions for a hearing on orders or

determinations shall be held before a qualified hearing officer who, in the discretion

of the district, may serve by contract, be paid on a per diem basis, or be a full -time

employee of the county not assigned to the district. The district shall provide written

notice of the hearing to the person alleged to be in violation or to the petitioner.

After the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall, within thirty (30) days,

make a report and rec ommended order, which shall contain findings of fact and

conclusions of law, to the secretary -treasurer. If the secretary -treasurer finds upon

written request of the hearing officer that additional time is needed, the secretary -

treasurer may grant an extension. The hearing officer shall serve a copy of the report

and recommended order upon all parties of record to the proceedings, and the

parties shall be granted the right to file exceptions within fourteen (14) days of

receipt. The secretary -treasurer shal l schedule a time for the air pollution control

board to consider the report, exceptions, and recommended order and to decide the

case. The decision shall be served by mail upon all parties and shall be a final order

of the board. No order of the board on a Title V permit shall become final for appeal

purposes until it is approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency

under the Federal Clean Air Act of 1963 as amended by the Clean Air Act

Amendments of 1990.

(4) The hearing officer shall pres ide at the hearing, shall keep order, and shall conduct

the hearing in accordance with reasonable administrative practices. A party to a

hearing under this section may be represented by counsel, make oral or written

argument, offer testimony, cross -examine witnesses, or take any combination of

these actions. The record of the hearing shall be open to public inspection, and

copies thereof shall be made available to a person upon payment of the actual cost

of reproducing the original, except as otherwise provided in district regulations.