Amendments to Conform Regulations With Order No. 630 (Critical Energy Infrastructure Information Final Rule)

This final rule revises the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulations requiring companies to make information directly available to the public under certain circumstances. The revisions are necessary to conform these regulations to Order No. 630, which established guidelines for the handling of Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII). In Order No. 630, the Commission determined that it must take steps to restrict the availability of sensitive information about the nation's energy infrastructure so as to reduce the possibility of terrorist attacks. In doing so, the Commission explained that CEII would be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The order set out a definition of CEII and established procedures for persons with a legitimate need for such information to follow in seeking access to it. Order No. 630 only covered information submitted to or prepared by the Commission. The revisions in this final rule address instances in which the Commission's rules and regulations require companies to make information available directly to the public. The revisions are necessary to ensure that protection of CEII is consistent in both contexts.