Pennsylvania Statutes Title 35 P.S. Health and Safety § 4007. Public hearings

(a) Public hearings shall be held by the board or by the department, acting on behalf and at the direction or request of the board, in any region of the Commonwealth affected before any rules or regulations with regard to the control, abatement, prevention or reduction of air pollution are adopted for that region or subregion. When it becomes necessary to adopt rules and regulations for the control, abatement, prevention or reduction of air pollution for more than one region of the Commonwealth, the board may hold one hearing for any two contiguous regions to be affected by such rules and regulations. Such hearing may be held in either of the two contiguous regions. In the case where it becomes necessary to adopt rules and regulations for the control, abatement, prevention or reduction of air pollution for any area of the Commonwealth which encompasses more than one region or parts of more than one region, public hearings shall be held in the area concerned. Full stenographic transcripts shall be taken of all public hearings and shall be made available by the department to any party concerned with the subject matter of the hearing upon the payment of prevailing rates for such transcripts.

(b) In addition to the matters discussed at the public hearings, the board may, in its discretion, solicit the views, in writing, of persons who may be affected by, or interested in, proposed rules and regulations.

(c) Notice to the public of the time and place of any public hearing shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled date of the hearing by public advertisement in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in the region of the Commonwealth affected.

(d) The persons designated to conduct the hearing shall have the power to issue notices of hearings in the name of the board.

(e) Full opportunity to be heard with respect to the subject of the hearing shall be given to all persons in attendance, in addition to which persons, whether or not in attendance, may, within thirty (30) days, submit their views to the department, which the department shall transmit to the board with its report.