§ 501.7 - General filing requirements.

§ 501.7 General filing requirements.

Except as indicated otherwise, all documents required or permitted to be filed with OFE or DOE in connection with a proceeding under parts 503 and 504 shall be filed in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) Filing of documents.

(1) Documents including, but not limited to, applications, requests, complaints, petitions (including petitions for exemption), and other documents submitted in connection therewith, filed with OFE are considered to be filed upon receipt.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, an application for modification or rescission in accordance with subpart G of this part, a reply to a notice of violation, a response to a denial of a claim of confidentiality, or a comment submitted in connection with any proceeding transmitted by registered or certified mail and addressed to the appropriate office is considered to be filed upon mailing.

(3) Timeliness. Documents are to be filed with the appropriate DOE or OFE office listed in § 501.11. Documents that are to be considered filed upon receipt under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and that are received after regular business hours are deemed filed on the next regular business day. Regular business hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(4) Computation of time. In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by FUA, these regulations or by an order, the day of the act, event, or default from which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included. The last day of the period so computed is to be included unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal legal holiday in which event the period runs until the end of the next day that is neither a Saturday, Sunday, nor a Federal legal holiday.

(5) Additional time after service by mail. Whenever a person is required to perform an act, to cease and desist therefrom, or to initiate a proceeding under this part within a prescribed period of time and the order, notice, interpretation or other document is served by mail, three (3) days shall be added to the prescribed period.

(6) Extension of time. When a document is required to be filed within a prescribed time, an extension of time to file may be granted upon good cause shown.

(7) Signing. All applications, petitions, requests, comments, and other documents that are required to be signed, shall be signed by the person filing the document or a duly authorized representative. Any application, 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 OFE form otherwise requires. (A false certification is unlawful under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1001 (1970).)

(8) Labeling. An application, petition, or other request for action by DOE or OFE should be clearly labeled according to the nature of the action involved, e.g., “Petition for Temporary Exemption;” “Petition for Extension (or Renewal) of Temporary Exemption,” both on the document and on the outside of the envelope in which the document is transmitted.

(9) Obligation to supply information. A person who files an application, petition, complaint, or other request for action is under a continuing obligation during the proceeding to provide DOE or OFE 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, or request for action that is subsequently filed by that person with any DOE office or OFE office.

(10) The same or related matters. In filing a petition or other document requesting OFE action, the person must state whether, to the best of his knowledge, the same or a related issue, act or transaction has been or presently is being considered or investigated by a DOE office, other Federal agency, department or instrumentality, or a State or municipal agency.

(11) Request for confidential treatment.

(i) If any person filing a document with DOE or OFE claims that some or all of 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); is information referred to in 18 U.S.C. 1905; or is otherwise exempt by law from public disclosure, and if such person requests DOE or OFE not to disclose such information, such person shall make a filing in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section. 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 a document is not so filed, OFE may assume that there is no objection to public disclosure of the document in its entirety, unless the person subsequently files a claim of confidentiality prior to public disclosure of the document.

(ii) DOE or OFE retains the right to make its own determination with regard to any claim of confidentiality. Notice of the decision by DOE or OFE to deny such claim, in whole or in part, and an opportunity to respond or take other appropriate action to avoid release shall be given to a person claiming confidentiality of information no less than seven (7) days prior to its public disclosure.

(iii) The above provisions in paragraphs (a)(11) (i) and (ii) of this section do not apply to information submitted on OFE forms that contain their own instructions concerning the treatment of confidential information.

(12) Separate applications, petitions or requests. Each application, petition, or request for DOE or OFE 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.

(b) Number of documents to be filed.

(1) A petitioner must file an executed original and fourteen (14) copies of all exemption requests submitted to DOE. For certification requests, an original and three (3) copies shall be submitted.

(2) Where the petitioner requests confidential treatment of some or all of the information submitted, an original and eleven (11) copies of the confidential document and three

(3) copies of the document with confidential material deleted must be filed.

[46 FR 59889, Dec. 7, 1981, as amended at 47 FR 15314, Apr. 9, 1982; 54 FR 52891, Dec. 22, 1989]