690-054-0060 Filing of Protests (1) All protests and comments must be received by the Director within the time specified in the notice of proposed final order. To become a party to a contested case hearing the fees required under ORS 536.050 must also be submitted by the date specified in the notice. (2) Any person may submit a protest against a proposed final order. A protest shall be in writing and shall include: (a) The name, address, and telephone number of the protestant; (b) A description of the protestant’s interest in the proposed final order and, if the protestant claims to represent the public interest, a precise statement of the public interest represented; (c) A description of how the action proposed in the proposed final order would impair or be detrimental to the protestant’s interest; (d) A detailed description of how the proposed final order is in error or deficient and how to correct the alleged error or deficiency; (e) Any citation of legal authority supporting the protest, if known; and (f) Statements of facts which support the allegation that the proposed conversion instream should not be acted upon as proposed by the proposed final order. (3) Any person who supports the proposed final order may request standing for purposes of participating in any contested case proceeding on the proposed final order or for judicial review of a final order. The request for standing must be in writing, signed by the requester, and include the following: (a) The requester’s name, mailing address, and telephone number; (b) If the requester is representing a group, association or other organization, the name, address, and telephone number of the represented group; (c) A statement that the requester supports the proposed final order as issued; (d) A detailed statement of how the requester would be harmed if the proposed final order is modified; and (e) The fee established under ORS 536.050. (4) Any person who has filed a timely request for standing may later file a petition for party status in any contested case hearing subsequently held on the matter for which standing was requested, in the manner described in OAR 137-003-0535. (5) Each person submitting a protest or a request for standing shall raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available arguments supporting the person’s position by the close of the protest period. (6) Upon receiving a protest, the Director shall: (a) Send a copy of all protests and requests for standing timely filed to the protestant(s), if any, and to each person who requested standing; (b) Evaluate the protest to determine whether significant issues are raised and if so, shall refer the proposed final order, with accompanying protest, to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) established under ORS 183.605 to 183.685 for a contested case hearing consistent with OAR 690-054-0070. If the Director determines the protests do not raise significant issues, the Director shall issue a final order. A final order issued pursuant to this section is a final order in other than a contested case subject to judicial review under ORS 183.484. A final order shall be transmitted to all parties who have filed a protest. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 536.027 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 543A.305 History: WRD 2-2022, adopt filed 07/14/2022, effective 07/14/2022