97-22636. Federal Open Market Committee; Rules Regarding Availability of Information  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 165 (Tuesday, August 26, 1997)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 45178-45183]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-22636]
    
    
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    FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
    
    12 CFR Part 271
    
    [Docket No. R-0983]
    
    
    Federal Open Market Committee; Rules Regarding Availability of 
    Information
    
    AGENCY: Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve System.
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Open Market Committee (Committee) hereby proposes 
    to amend its Rules Regarding Availability of Information (Rules) to 
    reflect recent changes in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as a 
    result of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (EFOIA).
    
    DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 25, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Comments, which should refer to Docket No. R-0983, may be 
    mailed to Mr. Donald Kohn, Secretary, Federal Open Market Committee, 
    Mail Stop 55, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, 
    D.C. 20551. Comments addressed to Mr. Kohn also may be delivered to the 
    mail room of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
    (Board) between 8:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. and to the Board's security 
    control room outside of those hours. The mail room and the security 
    control room are accessible from the courtyard entrance on 20th Street 
    between Constitution Avenue and C Street, N.W. Comments may be 
    inspected in Room MP-500 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine M. Boutilier, Senior Counsel, 
    (202/452-2418), or Stephen L. Siciliano, Special Assistant to the 
    General Counsel for Administrative Law, (202/452-3920), Legal Division, 
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For the hearing 
    impaired only, contact Diane Jenkins, Telecommunications Device for the 
    Deaf (TDD) (202/452-3544), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
    System, 20th and Constitution, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Last year, Congress passed the Electronic 
    Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996, Pub. L. 104-231, which 
    amends the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. Among other 
    things, EFOIA requires agencies to promulgate regulations that provide 
    for expedited processing of requests for records. In addition to 
    amendments intended to implement EFOIA, the Committee proposes to 
    update the fee schedule and make other changes intended to streamline 
    and clarify the Rules. The following is a section-by-section discussion 
    of the proposed changes.
    
    Section 271.1--Authority and Purpose
    
        This section has been revised simply to state the statutory 
    authority for promulgation of the Rules and the purpose of the Rules.
    
    Section 271.2--Definitions
    
        The definitions have been alphabetized and now include the 
    definitions relating to the fee schedule that were previously in 
    Sec. 271.8.
    
    Section 271.3--Published Information
    
        No substantive changes are proposed for this section.
    
    Section 271.4--Records Available for Public Inspection and Copying
    
        This is a new section that describes the types of Committee records 
    that are available in the reading room of the Board's Freedom of 
    Information (FOI) Office. Pursuant to EFOIA, it also describes the 
    Committee records available on the Board's website.
    
    Section 271.5--Records Available to the Public on Request
    
        This is a revision of existing Sec. 271.4, which describes the 
    types of records available upon request, and the procedures for making 
    such a request.
    
    Section 271.6--Processing Request
    
        This is a new section that describes the Committee's procedures in 
    processing requests for information and appeals of denials of such 
    requests. Some of the procedures described in this proposed section 
    were previously set forth in existing Sec. 271.4. This section also 
    contains the proposed procedures for expedited processing of requests, 
    pursuant to EFOIA.
    
    Section 271.7--Exemptions From Disclosure
    
        This section combines the rules currently found in Secs. 271.5 and 
    271.6, regarding deferred release of information and information that 
    is exempt from release under FOIA.
    
    Section 271.8--Subpoenas
    
        There are no substantive changes to this section, except that it is 
    renumbered from Sec. 271.7 to Sec. 271.8.
    
    Section 271.9--Fee schedules; Waiver of Fees
    
        This section is renumbered from Sec. 271.8 to Sec. 271.9. The 
    Committee proposes to move the definitions that are currently included 
    here to Sec. 271.2, which contains the other definitions for this part. 
    The fee schedule provisions have been revised to clarify that the 
    processing time of a FOIA request does not begin in cases where advance 
    payment is required until payment is received; or, where a person has 
    requested a waiver of the fees, until the person agrees to pay the fees 
    if the waiver request is denied. Additionally, the standards under 
    which the Secretary may grant a request for waiver of fees have been 
    modified to reflect the development of case law in this area. The rule 
    provides for administrative appeal of a denial of a waiver request.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis
    
        Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
    U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Committee certifies that the proposed 
    amendments will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
    number of small entities. These amendments simplify some of the 
    procedures regarding release of information and require disclosure of 
    information in certain instances in
    
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    accordance with law. The requirements to disclose apply to the 
    Committee, therefore they should not have a significant economic impact 
    on a substantial number of small entities.
    
    List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 271
    
        Federal Open Market Committee, Freedom of information.
    
        For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Committee proposes 
    to revise 12 CFR part 271 to read as follows:
    
    PART 271--RULES REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION
    
    Sec.
    271.1  Authority and purpose.
    271.2  Definitions.
    271.3  Published information.
    271.4  Records available for public inspection and copying.
    271.5  Records available to the public on request.
    271.6  Processing requests.
    271.7  Exemptions from disclosure.
    271.8  Subpoenas.
    271.9  Fee schedules; waiver of fees.
    
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552; 12 U.S.C. 263.
    
    
    Sec. 271.1  Authority and purpose.
    
        (a) Authority. This part is issued by the Federal Open Market 
    Committee (the Committee) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 
    U.S.C. 552, and also pursuant to the Committee's authority under 
    section 12A of the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. 263, to issue 
    regulations governing the conduct of its business.
        (b) Purpose. This part sets forth the categories of information 
    made available to the public and the procedures for obtaining documents 
    and records.
    
    
    Sec. 271.2  Definitions.
    
        (a) Board means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
    System established by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 (38 Stat. 251).
        (b) Commercial use request refers to a request from or on behalf of 
    one who seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers the 
    commercial, trade, or profit interests of the requester or the person 
    on whose behalf the request is made.
        (c) Direct costs mean those expenditures that the Committee 
    actually incurs in searching for, reviewing, and duplicating documents 
    in response to a request made under Sec. 271.5.
        (d) Duplication refers to the process of making a copy of a 
    document in response to a request for disclosure of records or for 
    inspection of original records that contain exempt material or that 
    otherwise cannot be inspected directly. Among others, such copies may 
    take the form of paper, microform, audiovisual materials, or machine-
    readable documentation (e.g., magnetic tape or disk).
        (e) Educational institution refers to a preschool, a public or 
    private elementary or secondary school, or an institution of 
    undergraduate higher education, graduate higher education, professional 
    education, or an institution of vocational education that operates a 
    program of scholarly research.
        (f) Federal Reserve Bank means one of the district Banks authorized 
    by the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. 222, including any branch of any 
    such Bank.
        (g) Information of the Committee means all information coming into 
    the possession of the Committee or of any member thereof or of any 
    officer, employee, or agent of the Committee, the Board, or any Federal 
    Reserve Bank, in the performance of duties for, or pursuant to the 
    direction of, the Committee.
        (h) Noncommercial scientific institution refers to an institution 
    that is not operated on a ``commercial'' basis (as that term is used in 
    this section) and which is operated solely for the purpose of 
    conducting scientific research, the results of which are not intended 
    to promote any particular product or industry.
        (i) Records of the Committee includes rules, statements, decisions, 
    minutes, memoranda, letters, reports, transcripts, accounts, charts, 
    and other written material, as well as any materials in machine 
    readable form that constitute a part of the Committee's official files.
        (j) Representative of the news media refers to any person actively 
    gathering news for an entity that is organized and operated to publish 
    or broadcast news to the public.
        (1) The term ``news'' means information about current events or 
    that would be of current interest to the public.
        (2) Examples of news media entities include, but are not limited 
    to, television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large, 
    and publishers of newspapers and other periodicals (but only in those 
    instances when they can qualify as disseminators of ``news'') who make 
    their products available for purchase or subscription by the general 
    public.
        (3) ``Freelance'' journalists may be regarded as working for a news 
    organization if they can demonstrate a solid basis for expecting 
    publication through that organization, even though not actually 
    employed by it.
        (k)(1) Review refers to the process of examining documents, located 
    in response to a request for access, to determine whether any portion 
    of a document is exempt information. It includes doing all that is 
    necessary to excise the documents and otherwise to prepare them for 
    release.
        (2) Review does not include time spent resolving general legal or 
    policy issues regarding the application of exemptions.
        (l)(1) Search means a reasonable search, by manual or automated 
    means, of the Committee's official files and any other files containing 
    records of the Committee as seem reasonably likely in the particular 
    circumstances to contain documents of the kind requested. For purposes 
    of computing fees under Sec. 271.9, search time includes all time spent 
    looking for material that is responsive to a request, including line-
    by-line identification of material within documents. Such activity is 
    distinct from ``review'' of material to determine whether the material 
    is exempt from disclosure.
        (2) Search does not mean or include research, creation of any 
    document, or extensive modification of an existing program or system 
    that would significantly interfere with the operation of the 
    Committee's automated information system.
    
    
    Sec. 271.3  Published information.
    
        (a) Federal Register. The Committee publishes in the Federal 
    Register, in addition to this part:
        (1) A description of its organization;
        (2) Statements of the general course and method by which its 
    functions are channeled and determined;
        (3) Rules of procedure;
        (4) Substantive rules of general applicability, and statements of 
    general policy and interpretations of general applicability formulated 
    and adopted by the Committee;
        (5) Every amendment, revision, or repeal of the foregoing; and
        (6) General notices of proposed rulemaking.
        (b) Annual Report to Congress. Each annual report made to Congress 
    by the Board includes a complete record of the actions taken by the 
    Committee during the preceding year upon all matters of policy relating 
    to open market operations, showing the reasons underlying the actions, 
    and the votes taken.
        (c) Other published information. From time to time, other 
    information relating to open market operations of the Federal Reserve 
    Banks is published in the Federal Reserve Bulletin, issued monthly by 
    the Board, in the Board's annual report to Congress, and in 
    announcements and statements released to the press. Copies of issues of 
    the
    
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    Bulletin and of annual reports of the Board may be obtained from the 
    Publications Services of the Federal Reserve Board, 20th Street and 
    Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551 (pedestrian entrance 
    is on C Street, N.W.). Subscription or other charges may apply.
    
    
    Sec. 271.4  Records available for public inspection and copying.
    
        (a) Types of records made available. Unless they were published 
    promptly and made available for sale or without charge, certain records 
    shall be made available for inspection and copying at the Board's 
    Freedom of Information Office pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2).
        (b) Reading room procedures. (1) Information available under this 
    section is available for inspection and copying, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 
    p.m. weekdays, at the Freedom of Information Office of the Board of 
    Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution 
    Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551 (the pedestrian entrance is on C 
    Street, N.W.).
        (2) The Committee may determine that certain classes of publicly 
    available filings shall be made available for inspection and copying 
    only at the Federal Reserve Bank where those records are maintained.
        (c) Electronic records. Information available under this section 
    that was created on or after November 1, 1996, shall also be available 
    on the Board's website, found at http://www.bog.frb.fed.us.
        (d) Privacy protection. The Committee may delete identifying 
    details from any record to prevent a clearly unwarranted invasion of 
    personal privacy.
    
    
    Sec. 271.5  Records available to the public on request.
    
        (a) Types of records made available. All records of the Committee 
    that are not available under Secs. 271.3 and 271.4 shall be made 
    available upon request, pursuant to the following procedures and the 
    exceptions in Sec. 271.7.
        (b) Procedures for requesting records. (1) A request for 
    identifiable records shall reasonably describe the records in a way 
    that enables the Committee's staff to identify and produce the records 
    with reasonable effort and without unduly burdening or significantly 
    interfering with any of the Committee's operations.
        (2) The request shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of 
    the Committee, Federal Open Market Committee, 20th & C Street, N.W., 
    Washington, D.C. 20551; or sent by facsimile to the Secretary of the 
    Committee, (202) 452-2921. The request shall be clearly marked FREEDOM 
    OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST.
        (b) Contents of request. The request shall contain the following 
    information:
        (1) The name and address of the requester, and the telephone number 
    at which the requester can be reached during normal business hours;
        (2) Whether the requested information is intended for commercial 
    use, and whether the requester represents an educational or 
    noncommercial scientific institution, or news media;
        (3) A statement agreeing to pay the applicable fees, or a statement 
    identifying any fee limitation desired, or a request for a waiver or 
    reduction of fees that satisfies Sec. 271.9(f).
        (c) Defective requests. The Committee need not accept or process a 
    request that does not reasonably describe the records requested or that 
    does not otherwise comply with the requirements of this section. The 
    Committee may return a defective request, specifying the deficiency. 
    The requester may submit a corrected request, which will be treated as 
    a new request.
    
    
    Sec. 271.6  Processing requests.
    
        (a) Receipt of requests. The date of receipt for any request, 
    including one that is addressed incorrectly or that is referred to the 
    Committee by another agency or by a Federal Reserve Bank, is the date 
    the Secretary of the Committee actually receives the request.
        (b) Priority of responses. The Committee shall normally process 
    requests in the order they are received. However, in the Secretary's 
    discretion, or upon a court order in a matter to which the Committee is 
    a party, a particular request may be processed out of turn.
        (c) Expedited processing. Where a person requesting expedited 
    access to records has demonstrated a compelling need for the records, 
    or where the Committee has determined to expedite the response, the 
    Committee shall process the request as soon as practicable.
        (1) To demonstrate a compelling need for expedited processing, the 
    requester shall provide a certified statement, a sample of which may be 
    obtained from the Board's Freedom of Information Office. The statement, 
    certified to be true and correct to the best of the requester's 
    knowledge and belief, shall demonstrate that:
        (i) The failure to obtain the records on an expedited basis could 
    reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or 
    physical safety of an individual; or
        (ii) The requester is a representative of the news media, as 
    defined in Sec. 271.2, and there is urgency to inform the public 
    concerning actual or alleged Committee activity.
        (2) In response to a request for expedited processing, the 
    Secretary of the Committee shall notify a requester of the 
    determination within ten working days of receipt of the request. If the 
    Secretary of the Committee denies a request for expedited processing, 
    the requester may file an appeal pursuant to the procedures set forth 
    in paragraph (i) of this section, and the Committee shall respond to 
    the appeal within ten working days after the appeal was received by the 
    Committee.
        (d) Time limits. The time for response to requests shall be 20 
    working days, except:
        (1) In the case of expedited treatment under paragraph (c) of this 
    section;
        (2) Where the running of such time is suspended for payment of fees 
    pursuant to Sec. 271.9(b)(2);
        (3) In unusual circumstances, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B). 
    In such circumstances, the time limit may be extended for a period of 
    time not to exceed:
        (i) 10 working days as provided by written notice to the requester, 
    setting forth the reasons for the extension and the date on which a 
    determination is expected to be dispatched; or
        (ii) Such alternative time period as mutually agreed to by the 
    Secretary of the Committee and the requester when the Secretary of the 
    Committee notifies the requester that the request cannot be processed 
    in the specified time limit.
        (e) Response to request. In response to a request that satisfies 
    Sec. 271.5, an appropriate search shall be conducted of records of the 
    Committee in existence on the date of receipt of the request, and a 
    review made of any responsive information located. The Secretary shall 
    notify the requester of:
        (1) The Committee's determination of the request;
        (2) The reasons for the determination;
        (3) The amount of information withheld;
        (4) The right of the requester to appeal to the Committee any 
    denial or partial denial, as specified in paragraph (i) of this 
    section; and
        (5) In the case of a denial of a request, the name and title or 
    position of the person responsible for the denial.
        (f) Referral to another agency. To the extent a request covers 
    documents that were created by, obtained from, or classified by another 
    agency, the Committee may refer the request to that agency for a 
    response and inform the requester promptly of the referral.
        (g) Providing responsive records. (1) Copies of requested records 
    shall be sent
    
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    to the requester by regular U.S. mail to the address indicated in the 
    request, unless the requester elects to take delivery of the documents 
    at the Board's Freedom of Information Office or makes other acceptable 
    arrangements, or the Committee deems it appropriate to send the 
    documents by another means.
        (2) The Committee shall provide a copy of the record in any form or 
    format requested if the record is readily reproducible by the Committee 
    in that form or format, but the Committee need not provide more than 
    one copy of any record to a requester.
        (h) Appeal of denial of request. Any person denied access to 
    Committee records requested under Sec. 271.5 may file a written appeal 
    with the Committee, as follows:
        (1) The appeal shall prominently display the phrase FREEDOM OF 
    INFORMATION ACT APPEAL on the first page, and shall be addressed to the 
    Secretary of the Committee, Federal Open Market Committee, 20th & C 
    Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551; or sent by facsimile to the 
    Secretary of the Committee, (202) 452-2921.
        (2) An initial request for records may not be combined in the same 
    letter with an appeal.
        (3) The Committee, or such member of the Committee as is delegated 
    the authority, shall make a determination regarding any appeal within 
    20 working days of actual receipt of the appeal by the Secretary, and 
    the determination letter shall notify the appealing party of the right 
    to seek judicial review of such denial.
    
    
    Sec. 271.7  Exemptions from disclosure.
    
        (a) Types of records exempt from disclosure. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
    552(b), the following records of the Committee are exempt from 
    disclosure under this part:
        (1) National defense. Any information that is specifically 
    authorized under criteria established by an Executive Order to be kept 
    secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and is in 
    fact properly classified pursuant to the Executive Order.
        (2) Internal personnel rules and practices. Any information related 
    solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of the Board.
        (3) Statutory exemption. Any information specifically exempted from 
    disclosure by statute (other than 5 U.S.C. 552b), if the statute:
        (i) Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a 
    manner as to leave no discretion on the issue; or
        (ii) Establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to 
    particular types of matters to be withheld.
        (4) Trade secrets; commercial or financial information. Any matter 
    that is a trade secret or that constitutes commercial or financial 
    information obtained from a person and that is privileged or 
    confidential.
        (5) Inter- or intra-agency memorandums. Information contained in 
    inter- or intra-agency memorandums or letters that would not be 
    available by law to a party (other than an agency) in litigation with 
    an agency, including, but not limited to:
        (i) Memorandums;
        (ii) Reports;
        (iii) Other documents prepared by the staffs of the Committee, 
    Board or Federal Reserve Banks; and
        (iv) Records of deliberations of the Committee and of discussions 
    at meetings of the Committee or its staff.
        (6) Personnel and medical files. Any information contained in 
    personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which 
    would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
        (7) Information compiled for law enforcement purposes. Any records 
    or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, to the extent 
    permitted under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7).
        (8) Examination, inspection, operating, or condition reports, and 
    confidential supervisory information. Any matter that is contained in 
    or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, 
    on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the 
    regulation or supervision of financial institutions, including a state 
    financial institution supervisory agency.
        (b) Segregation of nonexempt information. The Committee shall 
    provide any reasonably segregable portion of a record that is requested 
    after deleting those portions that are exempt under this section.
        (c) Discretionary release. Except where disclosure is expressly 
    prohibited by statute, regulation, or order, the Committee may 
    authorize the release of records that are exempt from mandatory 
    disclosure whenever the Committee or designated Committee members 
    determines that such disclosure would be in the public interest.
        (d) Delayed release. Publication in the Federal Register or 
    availability to the public of certain information may be delayed if 
    immediate disclosure would likely:
        (1) Interfere with accomplishing the objectives of the Committee in 
    the discharge of its statutory functions;
        (2) Interfere with the orderly conduct of the foreign affairs of 
    the United States;
        (3) Permit speculators or others to gain unfair profits or other 
    unfair advantages by speculative trading in securities or otherwise;
        (4) Result in unnecessary or unwarranted disturbances in the 
    securities markets;
        (5) Interfere with the orderly execution of the objectives or 
    policies of other government agencies; or
        (6) Impair the ability to negotiate any contract or otherwise harm 
    the commercial or financial interest of the United States, the 
    Committee, the Board, any Federal Reserve Bank, or any department or 
    agency of the United States.
        (e) Prohibition against disclosure. Except as provided in this 
    part, no officer, employee, or agent of the Committee or any Federal 
    Reserve Bank shall disclose or permit the disclosure of any unpublished 
    information of the Committee to any person (other than Committee 
    officers, employees, or agents properly entitled to such information 
    for the performance of official duties).
    
    
    Sec. 271.8  Subpoenas.
    
        (a) Advice by person served. If any person, whether or not an 
    officer or employee of the Committee, of the Board of Governors of the 
    Federal Reserve System, or of a Federal Reserve Bank, has information 
    of the Committee that may not be disclosed by reason of Sec. 271.7 and 
    in connection therewith is served with a subpoena, order, or other 
    process requiring his personal attendance as a witness or the 
    production of documents or information upon any proceeding, he should 
    promptly inform the Secretary of the Committee of such service and of 
    all relevant facts, including the documents and information requested 
    and any facts that may be of assistance in determining whether such 
    documents or information should be made available; and he should take 
    action at the appropriate time to inform the court or tribunal that 
    issued the process, and the attorney for the party at whose instance 
    the process was issued, if known, of the substance of this part.
        (b) Appearance by person served. Except as disclosure of the 
    relevant information is authorized pursuant to this part, any person 
    who has information of the Committee and is required to respond to a 
    subpoena or other legal process shall attend at the time and place 
    therein mentioned and decline to disclose such information or give any 
    testimony with respect thereto,
    
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    basing his refusal upon this part. If, notwithstanding, the court or 
    other body orders the disclosure of such information, or the giving of 
    such testimony, the person having such information of the Committee 
    shall continue to decline to disclose such information and shall 
    promptly report the facts to the Committee for such action as the 
    Committee may deem appropriate.
    
    
    Sec. 271.9  Fee schedules; waiver of fees.
    
        (a) Fee schedules. The fees applicable to a request for records 
    pursuant to Secs. 271.4 and 271.5 are set forth in Appendix A to this 
    section. These fees cover only the full allowable direct costs of 
    search, duplication, and review. No fees will be charged where the 
    average cost of collecting the fee (calculated at $5.00) exceeds the 
    amount of the fee.
        (b) Payment procedures. The Secretary may assume that a person 
    requesting records pursuant to Sec. 271.5 will pay the applicable fees, 
    unless the request includes a limitation on fees to be paid or seeks a 
    waiver or reduction of fees pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section.
        (1) Advance notification of fees. If the estimated charges are 
    likely to exceed $100, the Secretary of the Committee shall notify the 
    requester of the estimated amount, unless the requester has indicated a 
    willingness to pay fees as high as those anticipated. Upon receipt of 
    such notice, the requester may confer with the Secretary to reformulate 
    the request to lower the costs.
        (2) Advance payment. The Secretary may require advance payment of 
    any fee estimated to exceed $250. The Secretary may also require full 
    payment in advance where a requester has previously failed to pay a fee 
    in a timely fashion. The time period for responding to requests under 
    Sec. 271.6(d), and the processing of the request shall be suspended 
    until the Secretary receives the required payment.
        (3) Late charges. The Secretary may assess interest charges when 
    fee payment is not made within 30 days of the date on which the billing 
    was sent. Interest is at the rate prescribed in 31 U.S.C. 3717 and 
    accrues from the date of the billing.
        (c) Categories of uses. The fees assessed depend upon the intended 
    use for the records requested. In determining which category is 
    appropriate, the Secretary shall look to the intended use set forth in 
    the request for records. Where a requester's description of the use is 
    insufficient to make a determination, the Secretary may seek additional 
    clarification before categorizing the request.
        (1) Commercial use. The fees for search, duplication, and review 
    apply when records are requested for commercial use.
        (2) Educational, research, or media use. The fees for duplication 
    apply when records are not sought for commercial use, and the requester 
    is a representative of the news media or an educational or 
    noncommercial scientific institution, whose purpose is scholarly or 
    scientific research. The first 100 pages of duplication, however, will 
    be provided free.
        (3) All other uses. For all other requests, the fees for document 
    search and duplication apply. The first two hours of search time and 
    the first 100 pages of duplication, however, will be provided free.
        (d) Nonproductive search. Fees for search and review may be charged 
    even if no responsive documents are located or if the request is 
    denied.
        (e) Aggregated requests. A requester may not file multiple requests 
    at the same time, solely in order to avoid payment of fees. If the 
    Secretary reasonably believes that a requester is separating a request 
    into a series of requests for the purpose of evading the assessment of 
    fees, the Secretary may aggregate any such requests and charge 
    accordingly. It is considered reasonable for the Secretary to presume 
    that multiple requests of this type made within a 30-day period have 
    been made to avoid fees.
        (f) Waiver or reduction of fees. A request for a waiver or 
    reduction of the fees, and the justification for the waiver, shall be 
    included with the request for records to which it pertains. If a waiver 
    is requested and the requester has not indicated in writing an 
    agreement to pay the applicable fees if the waiver request is denied, 
    the time for response to the request for documents, as set forth in 
    Sec. 271.6(d), shall not begin until a determination has been made on 
    the request for a waiver or reduction of fees.
        (1) Standards for determining waiver or reduction. The Secretary 
    shall grant a waiver or reduction of fees where it is determined both 
    that disclosure of the information is in the public interest because it 
    is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the 
    operation or activities of the government, and that the disclosure of 
    information is not primarily in the commercial interest of the 
    requester. In making this determination, the following factors shall be 
    considered:
        (i) Whether the subject of the records concerns the operations or 
    activities of the government;
        (ii) Whether disclosure of the information is likely to contribute 
    significantly to public understanding of government operations or 
    activities;
        (iii) Whether the requester has the intention and ability to 
    disseminate the information to the public;
        (iv) Whether the information is already in the public domain;
        (v) Whether the requester has a commercial interest that would be 
    furthered by the disclosure; and, if so,
        (vi) Whether the magnitude of the identified commercial interest of 
    the requester is sufficiently large, in comparison with the public 
    interest in disclosure, that disclosure is primarily in the commercial 
    interest of the requester.
        (2) Contents of request for waiver. A request for a waiver or 
    reduction of fees shall include:
        (i) A clear statement of the requester's interest in the documents;
        (ii) The use proposed for the documents and whether the requester 
    will derive income or other benefit for such use;
        (iii) A statement of how the public will benefit from such use and 
    from the Committee's release of the documents;
        (iv) A description of the method by which the information will be 
    disseminated to the public; and
        (v) If specialized use of the information is contemplated, a 
    statement of the requester's qualifications that are relevant to that 
    use.
        (3) Burden of proof. The burden shall be on the requester to 
    present evidence or information in support of a request for a waiver or 
    reduction of fees.
        (4) Determination by Secretary. The Secretary shall make a 
    determination on the request for a waiver or reduction of fees and 
    shall notify the requester accordingly. A denial may be appealed to the 
    Committee in accordance with Sec. 271.6(h).
        (g) Employee requests. In connection with any request by an 
    employee, former employee, or applicant for employment, for records for 
    use in prosecuting a grievance or complaint of discrimination against 
    the Committee, fees shall be waived where the total charges (including 
    charges for information provided under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 
    U.S.C. 552a) are $50 or less; but the Secretary may waive fees in 
    excess of that amount.
        (h) Special services The Secretary may agree to provide, and set 
    fees to recover the costs of, special services not covered by the 
    Freedom of Information Act, such as certifying records or information 
    and sending records by special methods such as express mail or 
    overnight delivery.
    
    [[Page 45183]]
    
    
    
         Appendix A to Sec.  271.9--Freedom of Information Fee Schedule     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Duplication                                                             
      Photocopy, per standard page.................................    $ .10
      Paper copies of microfiche, per frame........................      .10
      Duplicate microfiche, per microfiche.........................      .35
    Search and Review                                                       
      Clerical/Technical, hourly rate..............................    20.00
      Professional/Supervisory, hourly rate........................    38.00
      Manager/Senior Professional, hourly rate.....................    65.00
    Computer Search and Production                                          
      Computer operator search, hourly rate........................    32.00
      Tapes (cassette) per tape....................................     6.00
      Tapes (cartridge), per tape..................................     9.00
      Tapes (reel), per tape.......................................    18.00
      Diskettes (3\1/2\''), per diskette...........................     4.00
      Diskettes (5\1/4\''), per diskette...........................     5.00
      Computer Output (PC), per minute.............................      .10
      Computer Output (mainframe)..................................    (\1\)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Actual cost.                                                        
    
        By order of the Federal Open Market Committee, August 20, 1997.
    Donald Kohn,
    Secretary of the Federal Open Market Committee.
    [FR Doc. 97-22636 Filed 8-25-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6210-10-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
08/26/1997
Department:
Federal Reserve System
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
97-22636
Dates:
Comments must be submitted on or before September 25, 1997.
Pages:
45178-45183 (6 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. R-0983
PDF File:
97-22636.pdf
CFR: (10)
12 CFR 271.6(d)
12 CFR 271.1
12 CFR 271.2
12 CFR 271.3
12 CFR 271.4
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