50 CFR § 221.30 - What will the Department of Commerce's designated ALJ office do with a case referral?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t50/s221.30"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "50 CFR § 221.30 - What will the Department of Commerce's designated ALJ office do with a case referral?"
title_number: 50
title_name: "Wildlife and Fisheries"
section_number: "221.30"
section_name: "What will the Department of Commerce's designated ALJ office do with a case referral?"
chapter_name: "NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "C"
subchapter_name: "MARINE MAMMALS"
part_number: "221"
part_name: "CONDITIONS AND PRESCRIPTIONS IN FERC HYDROPOWER LICENSES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 797(e), 811, 823d."
regulatory_source: "80 FR 17207, Mar. 31, 2015, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "221"
---


# 221.30 What will the Department of Commerce's designated ALJ office do with a case referral?

Within 5 days after the effective date stated in the referral notice under § 221.26(c)(4), 43 CFR 45.26(c)(4), or 7 CFR 1.626(c)(4):

(a) The Department of Commerce's designated ALJ office must:

(1) Docket the case;

(2) Assign an ALJ to preside over the hearing process and issue a decision; and

(3) Issue a docketing notice that informs the parties of the docket number and the ALJ assigned to the case; and

(b) The ALJ must issue a notice setting the time, place, and method for conducting an initial prehearing conference under § 221.40. This notice may be combined with the docketing notice under paragraph (a)(3) of this section.