(a) Request for exception or exemption. (1) Any person seeking an exception or exemption from the Essential Agricultural Uses and Requirements regulations in part 2900 shall file a formal written request with the Director. The request shall contain a full and complete statement of all relevant facts pertaining to the circumstance, act, or transaction that is the subject of the request and to the action sought. The request should state the special hardship, inequity or unfair distribution of burdens that will be prevented by making the exception or exemption. The Director shall publish a notice in the Federal Register advising the public that a request for an exception or exemption has been received and that written comments will be accepted with respect thereto if received within 20 days of the notice. The Federal Register notice will provide that copies of the request from which confidential information has been deleted in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section may be obtained from the petitioner. The Petitioner shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to such submissions.

(2) If the petitioner wishes to claim confidential treatment for any information contained in the request or other documents submitted under this part 2901, such person shall file together with the document a second copy of the document from which has been deleted the information for which such person wishes to claim confidential treatment. The petitioner shall indicate in the original document that it is confidential or contains confidential information and may file a statement specifying the justification for non-disclosure of the information for which non-disclosure is sought. The Director shall consider such requests, and subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552 and other applicable laws and regulations, shall treat such information as confidential.

(b) Decision and order. Upon consideration of the request for an exception or exemption and other relevant information received or obtained during the proceedings, the Director shall issue an order granting or denying the request. The Director shall publish a notice in the Federal Register of the issuance of a decision and order on the request. The granting of a request for an exception or exemption shall be considered final agency action for purposes of judicial review under § 2901.8.

(c) Denial of an exception or exemption. A request for an exception or exemption shall be considered denied for purposes of review of such denial under § 2901.7 only if:

(1) The Director has notified the petitioner in writing that the request is denied under paragraph (b) of this section; or

(2) The Director does not respond to a request for an exception or exemption by (i) granting the request for an exception or exemption under paragraph (b) of this section or (ii) giving notice of when a decision will be made within 45 days of the receipt of the request, or with such extended time as the Director may prescribe by written notice within the 45-day period.