(a) The Commission may hold a public hearing or may conduct such investigation or proceeding, including a public meeting, as it deems appropriate to determine whether a petition should be granted.

(b) If the Commission decides that a public hearing on a petition, or any portion thereof, would contribute to its determination of whether to grant or deny the petition, it shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of a hearing on the petition and invite interested persons to submit their views through an oral or written presentation or both. The hearings shall be informal, nonadversary, legislative-type proceedings in accordance with 16 CFR part 1052.