Order 630 Final Rule re Critical Energy Infrastructure Information under RM02-4 et al.

102 FERC 61, 190

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

18 CFR Parts 375 and 388

(Docket Nos. RM02-4-000, PL02-1-000; Order No. 630)

Critical Energy Infrastructure Information

(Issued February 21, 2003)

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final Rule.

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is issuing this

final rule establishing a procedure for gaining access to critical energy infrastructure

information (CEII) that would otherwise not be available under the Freedom of

Information Act (FOIA). These restrictions and the final rule were necessitated by the

terrorist acts committed on September 11, 2001 and the ongoing terrorism threat. The

final rule adopts a definition of critical infrastructure that explicitly covers proposed

facilities, and does not distinguish among projects or portions of projects. The rule also

details which location information is excluded from the definition of CEII and which is

included. The rule addresses some issues that are specific to state agencies, and clarifies

that energy market consultants should be able to get access to the CEII they need.

Finally, the rule modifies the proposed CEII process and delegates responsibility to the

CEII Coordinator to process requests for CEII and to determine what information

qualifies as CEII.

The final rule will affect the way in which companies submit some information,

and will add a new process in addition to the FOIA for requesters to use to request

information that is not already publicly available. These new steps will help keep

sensitive infrastructure information out of the public domain, decreasing the likelihood

that such information could be used to plan or execute terrorist attacks.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The rule will become effective [insert date 30 days after

publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carol C. Johnson

Wilbur T. Miller

Office of the General Counsel

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

888 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20426

(202) 502-6457

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Docket Nos. RM02-4-000 and PL02-1-000 -1 -

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Before Commissioners: Pat Wood, III, Chairman;

William L. Massey, and Nora Mead Brownell.

Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Docket Nos. RM02-4-000-000

PL02-1-000-000

ORDER NO. 630

FINAL RULE

(Issued February 21, 2003)

1. In this final rule, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission)

amends its regulations to address the appropriate treatment of critical energy

infrastructure information (CEII) in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist

attacks on the United States of America. Under the Policy Statement issued in Docket

No. PL02-1...

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