The rules of this part prescribe procedures relating to Secretarial review of any decision, report, order or action of the Maritime Subsidy Board (Board) pursuant to Department Order 117-A (31 FR 8087, 15331). Section 6 of Department Order 117-A is reprinted here for the convenience of the public.

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Sec. 6. Review and finality of actions by Maritime Subsidy Board. .01 The Secretary of Transportation (hereinafter referred to as “Secretary”) may, on his own motion or on the basis of a petition filed as hereinafter provided, review any decision, report and/or order of the Maritime Subsidy Board based on a hearing held pursuant to (a) statutory requirements or (b) Board order, by entering a written order stating that he elects to review the action of the Board. Copies of all orders for review shall be served on all parties of record (which phrase includes the Board). Petitions for review under this paragraph may be filed by parties of record, shall be in writing, and shall state the grounds upon which petitioner relies. Ten (10) copies of such petitions for review, together with proof of service thereof on all parties of record, shall be filed with the Secretary within fifteen (15) days after the date of the service of the Board’s decision, report or order. Parties of record may file replies in writing thereto. Ten (10) copies of such replies, together with proof of service thereof on the petitioner and all other parties of record, shall be filed with the Secretary within ten (10) days after the date the petition for review is timely filed. Petitions for review and replies thereto shall be limited to the record before the Board. If a petition for review is filed within the time prescribed, a decision, report or order of the Board shall be final fifteen (15) days after expiration of the time prescribed for filing a reply thereto unless the Secretary, prior to expiration of the fifteen (15) days, enters a written order granting the petition for review. If no petition for review is filed within the time prescribed, a decision, report or order of the Board shall be final twenty (20) days after the date of service of the decision unless the Secretary, prior to expiration of the twenty (20) days, enters a written order stating that he elects to review the action of the Board. If upon any review the decision of the Secretary rests on official notice of a material fact not appearing in the evidence in the record, any party of record shall, if request is made within ten (10) days after the date of service of the Secretary’s decision on said party, be afforded an opportunity to show the contrary. The said ten (10) days shall constitute the period for a “timely request” within the meaning of section 7(d) of the Administrative Procedure Act.

.02 The Secretary may on his own motion review all actions of the Maritime Subsidy Board other than those referred to in paragraph .01 of this section by entering a written order stating that he elects to review the action of the Board. Any person having an interest in any action of the Board under this paragraph shall have the privilege of submitting to the Secretary within ten (10) days after the date of such Board action, a request that the Secretary undertake such review. Such request shall be in writing and shall state the grounds upon which the person submitting the same relies and his interest in the action for which review is requested. Ten (10) copies of such requests shall be submitted to the Secretary. Any other person having an interest in such matter shall have the privilege of submitting within fifteen (15) days after the date of the Board’s action, a written request that the Secretary not exercise such review. Copies of request that the Secretary undertake or not exercise review will be open for public inspection at the office of the Secretary of the Board. If either a request that the Secretary undertake review or a request that he not exercise review is submitted within the time prescribed, an action of the Board shall be final in ten (10) days after expiration of the time prescribed for submission of a request that review not be exercised unless the Secretary, prior to the expiration of the ten (10) days, enters a written order stating that he elects to review the action of the Board. If neither a request that the Secretary undertake review nor a request that he not exercise review is submitted within the time prescribed, an action of the Board shall be final in twenty (20) days after the date of such action unless the Secretary, prior to expiration of the twenty (20) days, enters a written order stating that he elects to review the action of the Board. Copies of all orders for review shall be served upon the Board, and upon all persons filing requests as herein described.

.03 If a timely petition for reconsideration is filed under the rules prescribed by the Board, the time for filing a petition or request for review by the Secretary under paragraph .01 or .02 of this section, respectively, or the entry of an order by the Secretary on his own motion electing to review an action of the Board under paragraph .01 or .02 of this section, shall, in the case of actions under paragraph .01 of this section run from the date of service of the Board’s action and, in the case of actions under paragraph .02 of this section, run from the date of the Board’s action, finally disposing of the issues presented by the petition for reconsideration.

.04 In computing any period of time under this section, the time begins with the day following the act, event, or default, and includes the last day of the period unless it is Saturday, Sunday, or national legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or such holiday. The prescribed time for action by the Secretary in a proceeding in which additional days have been added pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be extended by the total of such additional days.

.05 Petitions and requests for review by the Secretary shall not be filed:

a. Unless the petitioner shall have first exhausted his administrative remedies (other than a petition for reconsideration) before the Maritime Subsidy Board; nor

b. With respect to interlocutory decisions of the Maritime Subsidy Board in actions or proceedings referred to in paragraphs .01 and .02 of this section.

.06 The Secretary may, for good cause and/or in order to prevent undue hardship in any particular case, waive or modify any procedural provision of this section by written order.