§ 325.16 - Protecting confidentiality of information.

§ 325.16 Protecting confidentiality of information.

(a) Any information that is submitted by any person under the Act is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

(b)

(1) Except as authorized under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, no officer or employee of the United States shall disclose commercial or financial information submitted under this Act if the information is privileged or confidential, and if disclosing the information would cause harm to the person who submitted it.

(2) A person submitting information shall designate the documents or information which it considers privileged or confidential and the disclosure of which would cause harm to the person submitting it. The Secretary shall endeavor to notify these persons of any requests or demands before disclosing any of this information.

(3) An officer or employee of the United States may disclose information covered under paragraph (b)(1) of this section only under the following circumstances -

(i) Upon a request made by either House of Congress or a Committee of the Congress,

(ii) In a judicial or administrative proceeding subject to issuance of an appropriate protective order,

(iii) With the written consent of the person who submitted the information,

(iv) When the Secretary considers disclosure of the information to be necessary for determining whether or not to issue, amend, or revoke a certificate, if -

(A) The Secretary determines that a non-confidential summary of the information is inadequate; and

(B) The person who submitted the information is informed of the intent to disclose the information, and has an opportunity to advise the Secretary of the potential harm which disclosure may cause,

(v) In accordance with any requirement imposed by a statute of the United States.

(c) In any judicial or administrative proceeding in which disclosure is sought from the Secretary or the Attorney General of any confidential or privileged documents or information submitted under this Act, the Secretary or Attorney General shall attempt to notify the party who submitted the information of the request or demand for disclosure. In appropriate circumstances the Secretary or Attorney General may seek or support an appropriate protective order on behalf of the party who submitted the documents or information.