15 CFR § 906.15 - Decisions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t15/s906.15"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "15 CFR § 906.15 - Decisions."
title_number: 15
title_name: "Commerce and Foreign Trade"
section_number: "906.15"
section_name: "Decisions."
chapter_name: "NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL REGULATIONS"
part_number: "906"
part_name: "NATIONAL APPEALS OFFICE RULES OF PROCEDURE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 1801  16 U.S.C. 1374, 1375 and 1416; 16 U.S.C. 1540; 16 U.S.C. 773f; 16 U.S.C. 973f; 16 U.S.C. 1174; 16 U.S.C. 2437; 16 U.S.C. 4013; 16 U.S.C. 5507; 16 U.S.C. 7009; 16 U.S.C. 3637; 16 U.S.C. 5103 and 5106; 16 U.S.C. 5154 and 5158; 16 U.S.C. 6905, and; 16 U.S.C. 5010."
regulatory_source: "79 FR 7060, Feb. 6, 2014, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "906"
---


# 906.15 Decisions.

(a) After an appellate officer closes the evidentiary portion of the NAO case record, NAO will issue a written decision that is based on the NAO case record. In making a decision, NAO shall determine whether the appellant has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the initial administrative determination is inconsistent with the law and regulations governing the initial administrative determination. In making a decision, NAO shall give deference to the reasonable interpretation(s) of applicable ambiguous laws and regulations made by the office issuing the initial administrative determination.

(b) NAO shall serve a copy of its decision upon the appellant and the Regional Administrator. NAO will not provide the case record to the Regional Administrator when issuing its decision.