(1) If an informal conference has been held pursuant to section 34-33-118 (6), any party thereto may submit additional information or comments to the office for a period of twenty days following the conference. The office shall issue a proposed decision, granting or denying the permit in whole or in part, no earlier than twenty days and no later than sixty days after the informal conference. The office may, for good cause shown, extend the time for the proposed decision up to an additional sixty days if the application is unusually complex or controversial or if significant snow cover prevents adequate on-site inspection. (2) If there has been no informal conference pursuant to section 34-33-118 (6), the office shall issue a proposed decision, granting or denying the permit in whole or in part, within one hundred twenty days of the filing of the application. The office may, for good cause shown, extend the time for the proposed decision up to an additional sixty days if the application is unusually complex or controversial or if significant snow cover prevents adequate on-site inspection. (3) The proposed decision of the office under subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be in writing, and a copy thereof shall be furnished to the applicant and all persons who have objected to or submitted comments on the application. If the proposed decision is to deny the application in whole or in part, the office shall set forth specific reasons for the proposed decision. If the proposed decision is to grant the application in whole or in part or with modifications or stipulations, the modifications and stipulations and reasons for the decision shall accompany the notice of proposed decision. (4) The office shall publish notice of the proposed decision in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the surface coal mining operations once a week for two weeks following issuance of the proposed decision. Any person with an interest which may be adversely affected by the proposed decision may request a formal hearing before the board on the proposed decision. Such request must be made within thirty days of first publication of the proposed decision of the division, be in writing, and state with reasonable specificity the reasons for the request and the objections to the proposed decision. (5) If a formal hearing is requested, the board shall hold such hearing in an appropriate location no later than thirty days after said request and shall notify the applicant and any person requesting said hearing of the date, time, and location of said hearing. The board shall also publish notice of the proposed hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted pursuant to section 24-4-105, C.R.S., and shall be adjudicatory in nature. No person who presided at a conference under section 34-33-118 (6) shall either preside at the hearing or participate in the decision thereon in any administrative appeal therefrom. The board may render its decision at the close of the hearing and must, in any event, render a decision within thirty days after the hearing. The board shall issue and furnish the applicant and all persons who participated in the hearing with a copy of the written decision, reversing, affirming, or modifying the proposed decision of the office, and stating the reasons therefor. The decision of the board shall be implemented by the office within five days after the written decision of the board. (6) If no formal hearing is requested pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, the office shall issue and implement the proposed decision as final within five days after the close of the thirty-day period provided by subsection (4) of this section for filing a request for a formal hearing. (7) When a formal hearing is requested pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, the board may grant such temporary relief as it deems appropriate pending final determination of the proceedings if: (a) All parties to the proceedings have been notified and given an opportunity to be heard on a request for temporary relief; (b) The person requesting such relief shows that there is a substantial likelihood that he will prevail on the merits in the final determination of the proceeding; and (c) Such relief will not adversely affect the public health or safety or cause significant imminent environmental harm to land, air, or water resources. (8) For the purpose of such hearing, the board may administer oaths, subpoena witnesses or written or printed materials, compel attendance of the witnesses or production of the materials, and take evidence including, but not limited to, site inspections of the land to be affected and other surface coal mining operations carried on by the applicant in the general vicinity of the proposed operation. A verbatim record of each formal hearing required by this section shall be made, and a transcript shall be made available on request to any party or by order of the board. (9) If any applicant or any person with an interest which is or may be adversely affected who has participated in the administrative proceedings as an objector is aggrieved by the decision of the board or if the office fails to act within the time limits specified in this article, such applicant or person shall have the right to appeal in accordance with section 34-33-128.
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