General rule. A participant may not appeal to the Commission any ruling of a presiding officer during a proceeding, unless the presiding officer under paragraph (b) of this section, or the motions Commissioner, under paragraph (c) of this section, finds extraordinary circumstances which make prompt Commission review of the contested ruling necessary to prevent detriment to the public interest or irreparable harm to any person.

Motion to the presiding officer to permit appeal. (1) Any participant in a proceeding may, during the proceeding, move that the presiding officer permit appeal to the Commission from a ruling of the presiding officer. The motion must be made within 15 days of the ruling of the presiding officer and must state why prompt Commission review is necessary under the standards of paragraph (a) of this section

Upon receipt of a motion to permit appeal under subparagraph (a)(1) of this section, the presiding officer will determine, according to the standards of paragraph (a) of this section, whether to permit appeal of the ruling to the Commission. The presiding officer need not consider any answer to this motion.

Any motion to permit appeal to the Commission of an order issued under Rule 604, or appeal of a ruling under paragraph (a) or (b) of Rule 905, must be granted by the presiding officer.

A presiding officer must issue an order, orally or in writing, containing the determination made under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, including the date of the action taken.

If the presiding officer permits appeal, the presiding officer will transmit to the Commission:

A memorandum which sets forth the relevant issues and an explanation of the rulings on the issues; and

the participant's motion under paragraph (b)(1) of this section and any answer permitted to the motion.

If the presiding officer does not issue an order under paragraph (b)(1) of this section within 15 days after the motion is filed under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the motion is denied.

Appeal of a presiding officer's denial of motion to permit appeal. (1) If a motion to permit appeal is denied by the presiding officer, the participant who made the motion may appeal the denial to the Commissioner who is designated Motions Commissioner, in accordance with this paragraph. For purposes of this section, “Motions Commissioner” means the Chairman or a member of the Commission designated by the Chairman to rule on motions to permit interlocutory appeal. Any person filing an appeal under this paragraph must serve separate copies of the appeal on the Motions Commissioner and on the General Counsel by Express Mail or by hand delivery.

A participant must submit an appeal under this paragraph not later than 7 days after the motion to permit appeal under paragraph (b) of this section is denied. The appeal must state why prompt Commission review is necessary under the standards set forth in paragraph (c)(5) of this section. The appeal must be labeled in accordance with § 385.2002(b) of this chapter.

A participant who appeals under this paragraph must file with the appeal a copy of the written order denying the motion or, if the denial was issued orally, the relevant portions of the transcript.

The Motions Commissioner may, in considering an appeal under this paragraph, order the presiding officer or any participant in the proceeding to provide additional information.

The Motions Commissioner will permit an appeal to the Commission under this paragraph only if the Motions Commissioner finds extraordinary circumstances which make prompt Commission review of the contested ruling necessary to prevent detriment to the public interest or to prevent irreparable harm to a person. If the Motions Commissioner makes no determination within 7 days after filing the appeal under this paragraph or within the time the Motions Commissioner otherwise provides to receive and consider information under this paragraph, the appeal to the Commission under paragraph (b) of this section will not be permitted.

If appeal under paragraph (b) of this section is not permitted, the contested ruling of the presiding officer will be reviewed in the ordinary course of the proceeding as if the appeal had not been made.

If the Motions Commissioner permits an appeal to the Commission, the Secretary will issue an order containing that decision.

Commission action. Unless the Commission acts upon an appeal permitted by a presiding officer under paragraph (b) of this section, or by the Motions Commissioner under paragraph (c) of this section, within 15 days after the date on which the presiding officer or Motions Commissioner permits appeal, the ruling of the presiding officer will be reviewed in the ordinary course of the proceeding as if the appeal had not been made.

Appeal not to suspend proceeding. Any decision by a presiding officer to permit appeal under paragraph (b) of this section or by the Motions Commissioner to permit an appeal under paragraph (c) of this section will not suspend the proceeding, unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer or the Motions Commissioner.