(a) Initiation of meetings. (1) Committee meetings may be called by:

(i) The Director or the head of the office most directly concerned with the committee's activities;

(ii) The agency officer referred to in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, and the committee chairman, jointly; or

(iii) The committee chairman, with the advance approval of the officer referred to in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) The Service's committee management officer shall be promptly informed that a meeting has been called.

(b) Agenda. Committee meetings shall be based on agenda approved by the officer referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Such agenda shall note those items which may involve matters which have been determined by the Office of the General Counsel as coming within the exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b).

(c) Notice of meetings. (1) Notice of advisory committee meetings shall be published in the Federal Register at least 7 days before the date of the meeting, irrespective of whether a particular meeting will be open to the public. Notice to interested persons shall also be provided in such other reasonable ways as are appropriate under the circumstances, such as press release or letter. Responsibility for preparation of Federal Register and other appropriate notice shall be with the officer referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Notice in the Federal Register shall state all pertinent information related to a meeting and shall be published at least 7 days prior to a meeting.

(d) Presence of agency officer or employee at meetings. No committee shall meet without the presence of the officer referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, or his delegate. At his option the officer or employee may elect to chair the meeting.

(e) Minutes. Detailed minutes shall be kept of all committee meetings and shall be certified by the chairman of the advisory committee as being accurate.

(f) Adjournment. The officer or employee referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section may adjourn a meeting at any time he determines it in the public interest to do so.

(g) Public access to committee meetings. All advisory committee meetings shall be open to the public, except when the Office of the General Counsel determines, in writing, and states his reasons therefor prior to Federal Register notice, that a meeting or any part thereof, is concerned with matters related to the exemptions provided in the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b). In such instances, those portions of a committee meeting which come within the section 552(b) exemptions may be closed to the public.

(h) Public participation in committee procedures. Interested persons shall be permitted to file statements with advisory committees. Subject to reasonable committee procedures, interested persons may also be permitted to make oral statements on matters germane to the subjects under consideration at the committee meeting.