01-672-5 Me. Code R. § 05
At the request of an applicant, the staff may confer with the applicant concerning the nature and types of information and testimony which the applicant will be expected to present at the hearing. Any conference is held for the benefit of the applicant and does not bind the Commission or Presiding Officer to matters discussed therein, nor limit the ability of the Commission or Presiding Officer to raise further issues at the hearing.
The Presiding Officer or the staff may, upon notice to the applicant, to any parties intervening pursuant to Section 5.03(A) of these regulations and to any other persons the Commission or the Presiding Officer deems appropriate, hold conferences and issue procedural orders for the purpose of formulating or simplifying the issues, obtaining admissions of fact, arranging for the submission of proposed exhibits or written testimony, limiting the numbers of witnesses, consolidating the examination of witnesses, consolidating parties or specifying procedures in connection with the hearing, and such other matters which may expedite the orderly conduct and disposition of the proceedings.
The actions taken at or following any such conference and any agreements or orders arising therefrom must be stated on the record by the Presiding Officer, or detailed in a procedural order, and any person may ask questions about or raise objections to such actions at the time they are stated.
01-672 C.M.R. ch. 5, § 05