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

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

- 1 -

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:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Before Commissioners: Pat Wood, III, Chairman;

William L. Massey, and Nora Mead Brownell.

Critical Energy Infrastructure InformationDocket 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. PL02-1-000 ...

For complete details, download the full document: Download

Back to blog