§ 600.630 Application for reinstatement of state authority.

(a) Application or notice. (1) At any time after the promulgation of regulations under § 600.625(b)(1) to regulate a fishery within a state's boundaries, the affected state may apply to the Secretary for reinstatement of state authority. The Secretary may also serve upon such state a notice of intent to terminate such Federal regulation. A state's application must include a clear and concise statement of: (i) The action taken by the State to correct the action or omission found to have substantially and adversely affected the carrying out of the FMP; or (ii) Any changed circumstances that affect the relationship of the state's action or omission to take action to the carrying out of the FMP (including any amendment to such plan); and (iii) Any laws, regulations, or other materials that the state believes support the application. (2) Any such application received by the Secretary or notice issued to the State will be published in the Federal Register. (b) Informal response. The Secretary has sole discretion to accept or reject the application or response. If the Secretary accepts the application or rejects any responses and finds that the reasons for regulation of the fishery within the boundaries of the state no longer prevail, the Secretary will promptly terminate such regulation and publish in the Federal Register any regulatory amendments necessary to accomplish that end. (c) Hearing. The Secretary has sole discretion to direct the Administrator to schedule hearings for the receipt of evidence by an administrative law judge. Hearings before the administrative law judge to receive such evidence will be conducted in accordance with § 600.620. Upon conclusion of such hearings, the administrative law judge will certify the record and a recommended decision to the Secretary. If the Secretary, upon consideration of the state's application or any response to the notice published under § 600.630(a)(2), the hearing record, the recommended decision, and any other relevant materials finds that the reasons for regulation of the fishery within the boundaries of the state no longer prevail, the Secretary will promptly terminate such regulation and publish in the Federal Register any regulatory amendments necessary to accomplish that end.