(1) Subject to Subsection (2), a person interested may file a protest with the state engineer:
(a) within 20 days after the notice is published, if the adjudicative proceeding is informal; and
(b) within 30 days after the notice is published, if the adjudicative proceeding is formal.
(2) The state engineer shall:
(a) consider a protest only to the extent the protest addresses a basis for which the state engineer may approve or reject the application; and
(b) approve or reject the application.