(a) In its sole discretion, the Department may schedule a hearing on its own motion if it determines that issues relevant to the exemption can be most fully or expeditiously explored at a hearing. The Department shall publish a notice of such hearing in the Federal Register.

(b) An applicant for an exemption must notify interested persons of any hearing on an exemption scheduled by the Department in the manner described in § 2570.46(c). In addition, the applicant must submit a certification subscribed as true and correct like that required in § 2570.46(d).