[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4770-4771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2735]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Nonproliferation and National Security; Fundamental 
Classification Policy Review

AGENCY: Office of Nonproliferation and National Security; Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability for 
public comment of a draft report of the Fundamental Classification 
Policy Review. Since March 1995, the Fundamental Classification Policy 
Review Group has examined all areas of classified information falling 
under Department of Energy responsibility. By releasing the report for 
comment in draft now, the review panel will be able to give further 
consideration to stakeholder views before the final report is presented 
to the Secretary of Energy in April 1996.

DATES: Public comment is requested in writing not later than February 
29, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The draft report will be made available for downloading from 
the Department of Energy Home Page (http://www.doe.gov) on the 
Internet. Comments and requests for hard copies of the draft report 
should be made to Dr. Glen R. Otey, Deputy Chair, Fundamental 
Classification Policy Review, Post Office Box 5800, Sandia National 
Laboratories, Mail Stop 0517, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0517, phone 
number (505) 844-7006, facsimile number (505) 844-4543.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Glen R. Otey, Deputy Chair, 
Fundamental Classification Policy Review, Post Office Box 5800, Sandia 
National Laboratories, Mail Stop 0517, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-
0517, phone number (505) 844-7006, facsimile number (505) 844-4543.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 16, 1995, the Secretary of Energy 
initiated a year-long review of the Department's classification 
policies. The review is being chaired by Dr. Albert Narath, formerly 
President of Sandia National Laboratories, and currently President of 
Lockheed Martin Corporation's Energy and Environment Sector. Since 
March 1995, the Review Group has examined all areas of classified 
information falling under the purview of the Department of Energy to 
identify which information continues to require protection so as to 
assure the common defense and security, with the objective of promptly 
declassifying and releasing all information no longer warranting 
protection. The Department believes it is critical that the Department 
of Energy's classification policies and practices, which, by 
definition, can and do limit access to the Department's activities, 
reflect the view of the citizens so affected. Throughout the review 
process, the public has been invited to provide comments and 
recommendations for consideration on any aspect of the Department's 
classification policies.
    The Fundamental Classification Policy Review is scheduled for 
completion in April 1996. The report being made available will provide 
a snapshot of the work in progress. It is expected that research and 
coordination on some issues will continue through March. By releasing 
the report in draft now for public comment, the review panel will have 
another opportunity to give full consideration to stakeholder views 
before the final report is submitted to the Secretary of Energy in 
April 1996. The draft report may be revised during interagency review. 

[[Page 4771]]
Specific declassification actions, once approved, will be publicly 
announced and implemented by revision of the Department's 
classification guides. It is anticipated that the implementation 
process will require approximately one year.
    Hard copies of the draft report will be available from the Deputy 
Chair of the Fundamental Classification Policy Review. The draft report 
will also be available for downloading from the Department of Energy 
Home Page (http://www.doe.gov) on the Internet.
A. Bryan Siebert,
Director, Office of Declassification, Office of Security Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-2735 Filed 2-7-96; 8:45 am]
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