(a) A group or association may request a contested case hearing only if the group or association meets all of the following requirements:(1) one or more members of the group or association would otherwise have standing to request a hearing in their own right;(2) the interests the group or association seeks to protect are germane to the organization's purpose; and(3) neither the claim asserted nor the relief requested requires the participation of the individual members in the case.(b) The executive director, the public interest counsel, or the applicant may request that a group or association provide an explanation of how the group or association meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. The request and response shall be filed according to the procedure in §55.254 of this title (relating to Hearing Request Processing).