Sec. 1.225  Participation by non-parties; consideration of 
          communications.

    (a) Any person who wishes to appear and give evidence on any matter 
and who so advises the Secretary, will be notified by the Secretary if 
that matter is designated for hearing. In the case of requests bearing 
more than one signature, notice of hearing will be given to the person 
first signing unless the request indicates that such notice should be 
sent to someone other than such person.
    (b) No person shall be precluded from giving any relevant, material, 
and competent testimony at a hearing because he lacks a sufficient 
interest to justify his intervention as a party in the matter.
    (c) When a hearing is held, no communication will be considered in 
determining the merits of any matter unless it has been received into 
evidence. The admissibility of any communication shall be governed by 
the applicable rules of evidence, and no communication shall be 
admissible on the basis of a stipulation unless Commission counsel as 
well as counsel for all of the parties shall join in such stipulation.