Section 7-5 - Hearing and Notice (a) The Council shall: - (i) Set the time, date, and location of a hearing on the petition, and
- (ii) Schedule the hearing within the county in which the lands or a major portion thereof are located.
(b) Subject to the review and approval of the form of the public notice by the Council or the hearing officer assigned to the petition, the petitioner shall: - (i) Publish notice of the hearing once per week for four (4) consecutive weeks beginning at least forty-five (45) days before the hearing in a newspaper of statewide circulation and a newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the area proposed for removal;
- (ii) Provide notice of the hearing by personal service or by certified mail, including a copy of the petition, to all surface and mineral owners whose lands or mineral interests are included within the area proposed for removal;
- (iii) Provide notice of the hearing by regular mail to all surface owners whose lands are contiguous to the area proposed for removal; and
- (iv) Provide notice of the hearing by regular mail to the county commissioners of the counties that contain lands proposed to be removed, the Attorney General's Office, and the Governor's Office.
(c) Petitioner shall pay costs of publishing and mailing notices of the proceedings.
(d) A party electing to have the hearing transcribed by a certified court reporter shall make the necessary arrangements and bear the cost.