15 CFR § 971.211 - Consultation and cooperation with Federal agencies.

(a) Promptly after receipt of an application that the Administrator has determined pursuant to § 971.210 is complete, the Administrator will distribute a copy of the application to every Federal agency or department which, pursuant to section 103(e) of the Act, has identified programs or activities within its statutory responsibilities which would be affected by the activities proposed in the application (e.g., the Departments of State, Transportation, Justice, Interior, Defense, Treasury and Labor, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Trade Commission, International Trade Administration and National Science Foundation). Based on its legal responsibilities and authorities, each such agency or department may, not later than 60 days after it receives a copy of the application, recommend certification of the application, issuance or transfer of the permit, or denial of such certification, issuance or transfer. The advice or recommendation by the Attorney General or Federal Trade Commission on antitrust review, pursuant to section 103(d) of the Act, must be submitted within 90 days after their receipt of a copy of the application.

(b) NOAA will use this process of consultation and cooperation to facilitate necessary Federal decisions on proposed commercial recovery activities, pursuant to the mandate of section 103(e) of the Act to reduce the number of separate actions required to satisfy Federal agencies' statutory responsibilities. The Administrator will not issue or transfer the permit during the 90 day period after receipt by the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission except upon written confirmation of the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission that neither intends to submit further comments or recommendations with respect to the application.

(c) In any case in which a Federal agency or department recommends a denial, it must set forth in detail the manner in which the application does not comply with any law or regulation within its area of responsibility and how the application may be amended, or how TCRs might be added to the permit, to assure compliance with such law or regulation.

(d) NOAA will cooperate with such agencies and with the applicant with the goal of resolving any concerns raised and satisfying the statutory responsibilities of these agencies.

(e) If the Administrator decides to issue or transfer a permit with respect to which denial of the issuance or transfer has been recommended by the Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission, or to issue or transfer a permit without imposing TCRs recommended by the Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission, as appropriate, the Administrator will, before or at issuance or transfer of the permit, notify the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission of the reasons for his decision.