46-743.

Public hearing; requirements.

Any public hearing required under the Nebraska Ground Water Management and Protection Act shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) The hearing shall be located within or in reasonable proximity to the area proposed for designation as a management area or affected by the proposed rule or regulation;

(2) Notice of the hearing shall be published in a newspaper published or of general circulation in the affected area at least once each week for three consecutive weeks, the last publication of which shall be not less than seven days prior to the hearing;

(3) As to the designation of a management area, adoption or amendment of an action plan or integrated management plan, or adoption or amendment of controls, the notice shall provide, as applicable, a general description of (a) the contents of the plan, (b) the geographic area which will be considered for inclusion in the management area, and (c) a general description of all controls proposed for adoption or amendment and shall identify all locations where a copy of the full text of the proposed plan or controls may be obtained;

(4) For all other rules and regulations, the notice shall provide a general description of the contents of the rules and regulations proposed for adoption or amendment and shall identify all locations where a copy of the full text of the proposed rules and regulations may be obtained;

(5) The full text of all controls, rules, or regulations shall be available to the public upon request not later than the date of first publication;

(6) All interested persons shall be allowed to appear and present testimony; and

(7) The hearing shall include testimony of a representative of the Department of Natural Resources and, if the primary purpose of the proposed management area is protection of water quality, testimony of a representative of the Department of Environment and Energy and shall include the results of any relevant water quality studies or investigations conducted by the district.