(a) Upon receipt of a State plan submitted by an Assistant Regional Director under § 1902.10 whenever the Assistant Secretary proposes to approve the plan, or to give notice that such approval is an issue before him, he shall publish in the Federal Register a notice meeting the requirements of the remaining paragraphs of this section. No later than 5 days following the publication of the notice in the Federal Register, the applying State agency shall publish, or cause to be published, within the State reasonable notice containing the same information.

(b) The notice shall indicate the submission of the plan and its contents, and any proposals, subjects, or issues involved.

(c) The notice shall provide that the plan, or copies thereof, shall be available for inspection and copying at the office of the Director, Office of State Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, office of the Assistant Regional Director in whose region the State is located, and an office of the State which shall be designated by the State for this purpose.

(d) The notice shall afford interested persons an opportunity to submit in writing, data, views, and arguments on the proposal, subjects, or issues involved within 30 days after publication of the notice in the Federal Register. Thereafter the written comments received or copies thereof shall be available for public inspection and copying at the office of the Director, Office of State Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, office of the Assistant Regional Director in whose region the State is located, and an office of the State which shall be designated by the State for this purpose.

(e) Upon his own initiative, the Assistant Secretary may give notice of an informal or formal hearing affording an opportunity for oral comments concerning the plan.

(f) In the event no notice of hearing is provided under paragraph (e) of this section it shall be provided that any interested person may request an informal hearing concerning the proposed plan, or any part thereof, whenever particularized written objections thereto are filed within 30 days following publication of the notice in the Federal Register. If the Assistant Secretary finds that substantial objections have been filed, he shall afford a formal or informal hearing on the subjects and issues involved under § 1902.13 or § 1902.14, or shall commence a proceeding under § 1902.17.