Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

Title 22 - Foreign Relations last revised: Oct 28, 2024
§ 401.12 - Presentation to Commission.

(a) Where one or the other of the Governments on its own initiative seeks the approval of the commission for the use, obstruction or diversion of waters with respect to which under Articles III or IV of the Treaty the approval of the Commission is required, it shall present to the Commission an application setting forth as fully as may be necessary for the information of the Commission the facts upon which the application is based and the nature of the order of approval desired.

(b) Where a person seeks the approval of the Commission for the use, obstruction or diversion of waters with respect to which under Articles III or IV of the Treaty the approval of the Commission is required, he shall prepare an application to the Commission and forward it to the Government within whose jurisdiction such use, obstruction or diversion is to be made, with the request that the said application be transmitted to the Commission. If such Government transmits the application to the Commission with a request that it take appropriate action thereon, the same shall be filed by the Commission in the same manner as an application presented in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. Transmittal of the application to the Commission shall not be construed as authorization by the Government of the use, obstruction or diversion proposed by the applicant. All applications by persons shall conform, as to their contents, to the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Where the Commission has issued an Order approving a particular use, obstruction or diversion, in which it has specifically retained jurisdiction over the subject matter of an application and has reserved the right to make further orders relating thereto, any Government or person entitled to request the issuance of such further order may present to the Commission a request, setting forth the facts upon which it is based and the nature of the further order desired. On receipt of the request, the Commission shall proceed in accordance with the terms of the Order in which the Commission specifically retained jurisdiction. In each case the secretaries shall notify both Governments and invite their comments before the request is complied with.

§ 401.13 - Copies required.

(a) Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, two duplicate originals and fifty copies of the application and of any supplemental application, statement in response, supplemental statement in response, statement in reply and supplemental statement in reply shall be delivered to either secretary. On receipt of such documents, the secretary shall forthwith send one duplicate original and twenty-five copies to the other secretary.

(b) Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, two copies of such drawings, profiles, plans or survey, maps and specifications as may be necessary to illustrate clearly the matter of the application shall be delivered to either secretary and he shall send one copy forthwith to the other secretary.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, such additional copies of the documents mentioned therein as may be requested by the Commission shall be provided forthwith.

§ 401.14 - Authorization by Government.

(a) Where the use, obstruction or diversion of waters for which the Commission's approval is sought has been authorized by or on behalf of a Government or by or on behalf of a State or Province or other competent authority, two copies of such authorization and of any plans approved incidental thereto shall accompany the application when it is presented to the Commission in accordance with § 401.12.

(b) Where such a use, obstruction or diversion of waters is authorized by or on behalf of a Government or by or on behalf of a State or Province or other competent authority after an application has been presented to the Commission in accordance with § 401.12, the applicant shall deliver forthwith to the Commission two copies of such authorization and of any plans approved incidental thereto.

§ 401.15 - Notice of publication.

(a) As soon as practicable after an application is presented or transmitted in accordance with § 401.12, the secretary of the section of the Commission appointed by the other Government shall send a copy of the application to such Government.

(b) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to § 401.19, the secretaries, as soon as practicable after the application is received, shall cause a notice to be published in the Canada Gazette and the Federal Register and once each week for three successive weeks in two newspapers, published one in each country and circulated in or near the localities which, in the opinion of the Commission, are most likely to be affected by the proposed use, obstruction or diversion. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, the notice shall state that the application has been received, the nature and locality of the proposed use, obstruction or diversion, the time within which any person interested may present a statement in response to the Commission and that the Commission will hold a hearing or hearings at which all persons interested are entitled to be heard with respect thereto.

(c) If the Commission so directs, the notice referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, appropriately modified, may be combined with the notice of hearing referred to in § 401.24 and published accordingly.

§ 401.16 - Statement in response.

(a) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to § 410.19, a Government and any interested person, other than the applicant, may present a statement in response to the Commission within thirty days after the filing of an application. A statement in response shall set forth facts and arguments bearing on the subject matter of the application and tending to oppose or support the application, in whole or in part. If it is desired that conditional approval be granted, the statement in response should set forth the particular condition or conditions desired. An address for service of documents should be included in the statement in response.

(b) When a statement in response has been filed, the secretaries shall send a copy forthwith to the applicant and to each Government except the Government which presented the said statement in response. If so directed by the Commission, the secretaries shall inform those who have presented statements in response, of the nature of the total response.

§ 401.17 - Statement in reply.

(a) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to § 410.19, the applicant and, if he is a person, the Government which transmitted the application on his behalf, one or both may present a statement or statements in reply to the Commission within thirty days after the time provided for presenting statements in response. A statement in reply shall set forth facts and arguments bearing upon the allegations and arguments contained in the statements in response.

(b) When a statement in reply has been filed, the secretary shall send a copy forthwith to each Government except the Government which presented the said statement in reply, and to all persons who presented statements in response.

§ 401.18 - Supplemental or amended applications and statements.

(a) If it appears to the Commission that either an application, a statement in response or a statement in reply is not sufficiently definite and complete, the Commission may require a more definite and complete application, statement in response or statement in reply, as the case may be, to be presented.

(b) Where substantial justice requires it, the Commission with the concurrence of at least four Commissioners may allow the amendment of any application, statement in response, statement in reply and any document or exhibit which has been presented to the Commission.

§ 401.19 - Reducing or extending time and dispensing with statements.

In any case where the Commission considers that such action would be in the public interest and not prejudicial to the right of interested persons to be heard in accordance with Article XII of the Treaty, the Commission may reduce or extend the time for the presentation of any paper or the doing of any act required by these rules or may dispense with the presentation of statements in response and statements in reply.

§ 401.20 - Interested persons and counsel.

Governments and persons interested in the subject matter of an application, whether in favor of or opposed to is, are entitled to be heard in person or by counsel at any hearing thereof held by the Commission.

§ 401.21 - Consultation.

The Commission may meet or consult with the applicant, the Governments and other persons or their counsel at any time regarding the plan of hearing, the mode of conducting the inquiry, the admitting or proof of certain facts or for any other purpose.

§ 401.22 - Attendance of witnesses and production of documents.

(a) Requests for the attendance and examination of witnesses and for the production and inspection of books, papers and documents may be issued over the signature of the secretary of the section of the Commission of the country in which the witnesses reside or the books, papers or documents may be, when so authorized by the Chairman of that section.

(b) All applications for subpoena or other process to compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of books, papers and documents before the Commission shall be made to the proper courts of either country, as the case may be, upon the order of the Commission.

§ 401.23 - Hearings.

(a) The time and place of the hearing or hearings of an application shall be fixed by the Chairmen of the two sections.

(b) The secretaries shall forthwith give written notice of the time and place of the hearing or hearings to the applicant, the Governments and all persons who have presented statements in response to the Commission. Except as otherwise provided by the Commission, the secretaries shall also cause such notice to be published in the Canada Gazette and the Federal Register and once each week for three successive weeks in two newspapers, published one in each country and circulated in or near the localities which, in the opinion of the Commission, are most likely to be affected by the proposed use, obstruction or diversion of water.

(c) All hearings shall be open to the public.

(d) The applicant, the Governments and persons interested are entitled to present oral and documentary evidence and argument that is relevant and material to any issue that is before the Commission in connection with the application.

(e) The presiding chairman may require that evidence to be under oath.

(f) Witnesses may be examined and cross-examined by the Commissioners and by counsel for the applicant, the Governments and the Commission. With the consent of the presiding chairman, cousel for a person other than the applicant may also examine or cross-examine witnesses.

(g) The Commission may require further evidence to be given and may require printed briefs to be submitted at or subsequent to the hearing.

(h) The Commissioners shall be free to determine the probative value of the evidence submitted to it.

(i) A verbatim transcript of the proceedings at the hearing shall be prepared.

(j) The hearing of the application, when once begun, shall proceed at the times and places determined by the Chairmen of the two sections to ensure the greatest practicable continuity and dispatch of proceedings.

§ 401.24 - Expenses of proceedings.

(a) The expenses of those participating in any proceeding under this subpart B shall be borne by the participants.

(b) The Commission, after due notice to the participant or participants concerned, may require that any unusual cost or expense to the Commission shall be paid by the person on whose behalf or at whose request such unusual cost or expense has been or will be incurred.

§ 401.25 - Government brief regarding navigable waters.

When in the opinion of the Commission it is desirable that a decision should be rendered which affects navigable waters in a manner or to an extent different from that contemplated by the application and plans presented to the Commission, the Commission will, before making a final decision, submit to the Government presenting or transmitting the application a draft of the decision, and such Government may transmit to the Commission a brief or memorandum thereon which will receive due consideration by the Commission before its decision is made final.

authority: Art. XII, 36 Stat. 2453
source: 30 FR 3379, Mar. 13, 1965, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 22 CFR 401.14