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

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to revise its regulations requiring that companies 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 to restrict availability of information that could be used in a terrorist attack against the nation's energy infrastructure, Order No. 630 explained that the Commission believed 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 proposed in this rulemaking address instances in which the Commission's rules and regulations require companies to make information available directly to the public. Revisions will be necessary to ensure that protection of CEII is consistent in both contexts.