§ 205.9 - General filing requirements.

§ 205.9 General filing requirements.

(a) Purpose and scope. The provisions of this section shall apply to all documents required or permitted to be filed with the DOE or with a State Office.

(b) Signing. All applications, petitions, requests, appeals, comments or any other documents that are required to be signed, shall be signed by the person filing the document or a duly authorized representative. Any application, appeal, petition, request, complaint or other document filed by a duly authorized representative shall contain a statement by such person certifying that he is a duly authorized representative, unless an DOE form other wise requires. (A false certification is unlawful under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1001 (1970)).

(c) Labeling. An application, petition, or other request for action by the DOE or a State Office should be clearly labeled according to the nature of the action involved (e.g., “Application for Assignment”) both on the document and on the outside of the envelope in which the document is transmitted.

(d) Obligation to supply information. A person who files an application, petition, complaint, appeal or other request for action is under a continuing obligation during the proceeding to provide the DOE or a State Office with any new or newly discovered information that is relevant to that proceeding. Such information includes, but is not limited to, information regarding any other application, petition, complaint, appeal or request for action that is subsequently filed by that person with any DOE office or State Office.

(e) The same or related matters. A person who files an application, petition, complaint, appeal or other request for action by the DOE or a State Office shall state whether, to the best knowledge of that person, the same or related issue, act or transaction has been or presently is being considered or investigated by any DOE office, other Federal agency, department or instrumentality; or by a State Office, a state or municipal agency or court; or by any law enforcement agency; including, but not limited to, a consideration or investigation in connection with any proceeding described in this part. In addition, the person shall state whether contact has been made by the person or one acting on his behalf with any person who is employed by the DOE or any State Office with regard to the same issue, act or transaction or a related issue, act or transaction arising out of the same factual situation; the name of the person contacted; whether the contact was verbal or in writing; the nature and substance of the contact; and the date or dates of the contact.

(f) Request for confidential treatment.

(1) If any person filing a document with the DOE or a State Office claims that some or all the information contained in the document is exempt from the mandatory public disclosure requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552 (1970)), is information referred to in 18 U.S.C. 1905 (1970), or is otherwise exempt by law from public disclosure, and if such person requests the DOE or a State Office not to disclose such information, such person shall file together with the document a second copy of the document from which has been deleted the information for which such person wishes to claim confidential treatment. The person shall indicate in the original document that it is confidential or contains confidential information and may file a statement specifying the justification for non-disclosure of the information for which confidential treatment is claimed. If the person states that the information comes within the exception in 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) for trade secrets and commercial or financial information, such person shall include a statement specifying why such information is privileged or confidential. If the person filing a document does not submit a second copy of the document with the confidential information deleted, the DOE or a State Office may assume that there is no objection to public disclosure of the document in its entirety.

(2) The DOE or a State Office retains the right to make its own determination with regard to any claim of confidentiality. Notice of the decision by the DOE or a State Office to deny such claim, in whole or in part, and an opportunity to respond shall be given to a person claiming confidentiality of information no less than five days prior to its public disclosure.

(g) Separate applications, petitions or requests. Each application, petition or request for DOE action shall be submitted as a separate document, even if the applications, petitions, or requests deal with the same or a related issue, act or transaction, or are submitted in connection with the same proceeding.