9.1 A public hearing shall be held on all applications involving a significant activity. A public hearing may be held on applications which do not involve significant activities if the Agency determines it is in the public interest. A petition containing the signatures of 25 or more persons shall be considered as adequate public interest for the purposes of scheduling a public hearing. All applications and maps and documents relating thereto shall be open for public inspection. Any person may appear and be heard at any public hearing.

9.2 Notice of the public hearing shall be published at least twice at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days and not fewer than ten days, and the last not less than two days before the date set for the hearing in a newspaper having a general circulation in each town where the affected wetland, and watercourse is located.

9.3 Notice of the public hearing shall be mailed to the owner(s) of record of abutting land no less than 15 days prior to the day of the hearing by the applicant.

9.4 In the case of any application which is subject to the notification provisions of Section 8.3 of these Regulations, a public hearing shall not be conducted until the clerk of the adjoining municipality(ies) has received notice of the pendency of the application. Proof of such notification shall be entered into the hearing record.