(a) Any appeal by a licensee of any Department determination subject to the requirements of this part, shall invoke the appeals process specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) A licensee shall file an appeal of any Department determination subject to the requirements of this part with the Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585. Any appeal must be filed within 45 days from the date the licensee received notice, actual or constructive (i.e., publication in the Federal Register), of the Department's determination. Appeals must comply with the procedures set forth in 10 CFR part 1003, subpart C. The decision of the Office of Hearings and Appeals shall be the final decision of the Department. A licensee must file an appeal in order to exhaust its administrative remedies, and the receipt of an appellate decision is a prerequisite to seeking judicial review of any determination made under this part.