(a) If a hearing is to be held for any of the reasons described in § 1304.4(c), TVA shall give notice of the hearing to interested persons. Such notice may be given by publication in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed structure, personal written notice, posting on TVA's Internet Web site, or by any other method reasonably calculated to come to the attention of interested persons. The notice shall provide to the extent feasible the place, date, and time of hearing; the particular issues to which the hearing will pertain; the manner of becoming a party of record; and any other pertinent information as appropriate. The applicant shall automatically be a party of record.

(b) Hearings may be conducted by any such person or persons as may be designated by the Vice President, the Vice President's designee, or the Chief Executive Officer. Hearings are public and are conducted in an informal manner. Parties of record may be represented by counsel or other persons of their choosing. Technical rules of evidence are not observed although reasonable bounds are maintained as to relevancy, materiality, and competency. Evidence may be presented orally or by written statement and need not be under oath. Cross-examination by parties of witnesses or others providing statements or testifying at a hearing shall not be allowed. After the hearing has been completed, additional evidence will not be received unless it presents new and material matter that in the judgment of the person or persons conducting the hearing could not be presented at the hearing. The Vice President may arrange a joint hearing with another federal agency where the subject of an application will require the approval of and necessitate a hearing by or before that other agency. In TVA's discretion, the format of any such joint hearing may be that used by the other agency.