14 U.S.C. § 562: Appeals and waivers

Except for the Commandant, any individual adjudicating an appeal or waiver of a decision regarding marine safety, including inspection or manning and threats to the environment, shall—(1) be a qualified specialist with the training, experience, and qualifications in marine safety to effectively judge the facts and circumstances involved in the appeal and make a judgment regarding the merits of the appeal; or (2) have a senior staff member who—(A) meets the requirements of paragraph (1); (B) actively advises the individual adjudicating the appeal; and (C) concurs in writing on the decision on appeal.