The presiding officer will determine the issues to be resolved in the proceeding and will give notice thereof to the participants. The presiding officer may require additional information from the participants and convene a prehearing conference for the purpose of determining the issues to be considered at a hearing, if one is to be held. The presiding officer may also specify the time available for oral argument and determine the nature of the hearing to be held.
The presiding officer may determine, upon request by a participant, whether to permit the participant to raise new facts or issues not raised in prior proceedings on the contested order. Such a request may be granted if the facts or issues are facts or issues that:
Were not known and could not, with the exercise of due care, have been known to the participant at the time they could have been raised in prior proceedings; or
Are facts or issues that the participant was not permitted to raise in prior proceedings on the contested order due to an adverse procedural ruling alleged to be erroneous; and
Are necessary for a full and true disclosure of the facts.
The petitioner must file a request to raise new facts or issues simultaneously with its petition for review. The Secretary must file such a request simultaneously with its reply to the petition for review. A third party must make such a request by the filing deadline set by the presiding officer.