[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 250 (Friday, December 27, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68117-68119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32865]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
week.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 250 / Friday, December 27, 1996 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 68117]]
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER
1 CFR Parts 5, 11 and 18
Prices and Availability of Federal Register Publications;
Acceptance of Digital Signatures
AGENCY: Administrative Committee of the Federal Register.
ACTION: Final rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Administrative Committee of the Federal Register (ACFR)
announces changes to the prices charged for Federal Register
publications. The price changes apply to the daily Federal Register,
the Federal Register Index and LSA (List of CFR Sections Affected), the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the Weekly Compilation of
Presidential Documents. These price changes are necessary to accurately
reflect certain increases and decreases in the Government Printing
Office's (GPO) current cost of production and distribution of these
publications.
These regulations also make certain technical amendments to
acknowledge the official status and availability of the Administrative
Committee's online editions of the Federal Register and The United
States Government Manual on the GPO Access service. In addition, the
regulations are amended to permit original Federal Register documents
to be authenticated by digital signatures. This action will enable the
Office of the Federal Register (OFR) to participate in selected pilot
projects.
DATES: These regulations are effective January 27, 1997. Comments will
be accepted through February 25, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by U.S. Mail: Office of the
Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration,
Washington, DC 20408; by private delivery services: Office of the
Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 700, Washington,
DC 20002; by fax: 202-523-6866; by electronic mail:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael White at 202-523-4534.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Administrative Committee of the Federal
Register, which establishes prices for Federal Register publications,
has determined that it must make price adjustments to certain Federal
Register publications to accurately reflect the current costs of
production and distribution. These regulations will increase the
subscription rates for the paper editions of the daily Federal
Register, the Federal Register Index and LSA (List of CFR Sections
Affected), the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the Weekly
Compilation of Presidential Documents. The subscription rate and the
single copy price charged for the microfiche edition of the daily
Federal Register will decrease and the subscription rate for the
microfiche edition of the CFR will decrease.
On September 1, 1992, the Administrative Committee announced that
it had adopted a policy for requiring full cost recovery to ensure that
revenues from subscriptions and single issue sales would keep pace with
increased costs attributable to printing and labor expenses at the GPO
plant and postal rate increases (57 FR 40024). The Administrative
Committee resolved to adjust prices over a period of several years and
to conduct an annual review to determine the rate of increase necessary
to gradually bring prices into alignment with costs. Since 1992, the
Administrative Committee has periodically adjusted the prices of
Federal Register publications pursuant to its annual pricing review. In
1995, the Administrative Committee found it unnecessary to make any
price adjustments, based on GPO's cost estimates.
After reviewing GPO's current analysis of its production and
distribution costs over the past two years and estimates for calendar
year 1997, the Administrative Committee has determined that increases
in the prices to be charged for the paper editions of Federal Register
publications ranging from 4 to 12 per cent are necessary to achieve
full cost recovery. The increased prices reflected in amendments to 1
CFR part 11 in this final rule are primarily attributable to labor
charges, paper prices, equipment costs and postal rate increases.
Production of the microfiche editions of the Federal Register and
CFR are subject to a competitive bidding process that determines the
prices to be charged. As a result of that process, subscription rates
for the microfiche edition of the Federal Register will decrease by
nearly 50 per cent and single copy prices will decrease by 33 per cent,
and CFR subscription rates will decrease by 6.5 per cent.
The following rates are effective as of January 1, 1997. The annual
subscription rates for the Federal Register paper edition are increased
to $555, or $607 for a combined Federal Register, Federal Register
Index and LSA (List of CFR Sections Affected) subscription. The annual
subscription price of the microfiche edition of the Federal Register,
including the Federal Register Index and LSA, is decreased to $220. The
price for single copies of the daily Federal Register microfiche
edition is decreased to $1. The annual subscription price for the
Federal Register Index is increased to $25. The annual subscription
price for the monthly LSA is increased to $27. The annual subscription
rates for a full set of the Code of Federal Regulations are increased
to $951 for the paper edition and decreased to $247 for the microfiche
edition. The annual subscription rates for the Weekly Compilation of
Presidential Documents are increased to $80 for delivery by non-
priority mail, and $137 for delivery by first-class mail.
In addition to the price changes contained in this document, the
Administrative Committee is updating its regulations to acknowledge the
official status and availability of the Administrative Committee's
online editions of the Federal Register and The United States
Government Manual. The Administrative Committee has resolved that the
American public should have greater access to essential information on
the structure, functions and actions of its Government through the
Federal Register system. The Administrative Committee has general
authority under 44 U.S.C. section 1506 to determine the manner and form
for publishing the Federal Register and its special editions. The
Government Printing
[[Page 68118]]
Office Electronic Information Access Enhancement Act of 1993 (GPO
Access), 44 U.S.C. 4101, provided additional authority for the
Administrative Committee to expand public access to Federal Register
publications, beginning with the inauguration of online Federal
Register service on June 8, 1994.
Accordingly, 1 CFR part 5 is amended by adding a section to state
that the Administrative Committee publishes the daily Federal Register
in three official formats, including the online edition on GPO Access.
In part 11, a reference to subscription prices for the online edition
of the Federal Register, which is now available to the public at no
charge, is eliminated. It is replaced by a paragraph citing the
availability of the online service. Part 11 is further revised to cite
the availability of the online edition of The United States Government
Manual on GPO Access to reflect the Administrative Committee's
commitment to provide access to the Manual in electronic form.
In addition, the regulations in 1 CFR part 18 are amended to permit
original Federal Register documents to be submitted in electronic form
and to be authenticated by digital signatures. The Federal Register
Act, at 44 U.S.C. 1503, requires agencies to submit original documents
to the OFR for publication in the Federal Register but does not define
the term ``original'' document. Original documents are currently
defined in ACFR regulations by provisions that require originals to be
submitted in manuscript form and to be authenticated by ink signatures.
The amendments to part 18 expand the definition of an original document
to include electronic documents submitted by telecommunication that are
authenticated by digital signatures.
This action establishes the legal basis for OFR to accept documents
in electronic form so that the OFR and GPO may participate in selected
pilot programs currently under development. If the pilot programs are
successful in establishing a government-wide Public Key Infrastructure
for Federal agencies and a consensus on technical standards and
specifications, the OFR and GPO will adapt their production processes
to permit certain electronic documents to be published on a regular
basis. However, during the pilot phase, the OFR will only accept
electronic documents for publication in the Federal Register from
agencies participating in selected pilot programs.
The Administrative Committee's last price change regulation,
published at 59 FR 48989 on September 26, 1994, invited public comment
on the pricing structure of Federal Register publications. No pricing
related comments were received. Customers who called to inquire about
the online Federal Register, published daily on the GPO Access service
since June 8, 1994, as referenced in the September 26, 1994 final rule,
were referred to the GPO Access User Support Team. Complete information
on free public access to the online editions of the Federal Register,
The United States Government Manual and other Federal Register
publications on the GPO Access service Wide Area Information Server
(WAIS) may be obtained by consulting introductory page II of the paper
edition of the daily Federal Register; by Internet e-mail at
[email protected]; by telephone at 202-512-1530; or by fax at 202-512-
1262. Internet users can access the database by using the World Wide
Web. The GPO's home page address for Federal Register publications is:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs/aces/aces140.html. The OFR home page
address is: http://www.nara.gov/nara/fedreg/fedreg.html. The
Administrative Committee continues to welcome comments on Federal
Register publications and prices.
The Administrative Committee has not published a notice of proposed
rulemaking on the revised price schedule, as permitted by 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B) when there is good cause not to publish a proposed rule and
obtain comments from interested persons. The Administrative Committee
has determined that publication of a proposed rule is unnecessary. The
Administrative Committee has authority under 44 U.S.C. 1506 to set the
prices to be charged for Federal Register subscriptions and individual
copies. To the extent possible, the Administrative Committee sets
prices to recover only the actual cost of producing and distributing
Federal Register publications. The revised prices are based on an in-
depth cost study conducted by GPO for the Administrative Committee.
Because only actual prior costs and conservative estimates of
future costs were considered in setting the revised price schedule, and
because of the requirement that GPO must recover its production and
distribution costs, the Administrative Committee has determined that
there is good cause for promulgating this final rule without a prior
notice of proposed rulemaking. The changes to ACFR regulations relating
to submission of electronic documents are procedural rules which are
not subject to notice and comment under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).
This regulatory action has been reviewed by the Office of
Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
under Executive Order 12866. The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.
601 et seq.) does not apply to rate increases necessary to recover the
costs of the Government of printing and distributing these
publications.
List of Subjects
1 CFR Part 5
Administrative practice and procedure, Federal Register, Government
publications.
1 CFR Part 11
Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, Government
publications, Organizations and functions (Government agencies)
1 CFR Part 18
Administrative practice and procedure, Federal Register.
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Administrative
Committee of the Federal Register amends parts 5, 11 and 18 of chapter
I of title 1 of the Code of Federal Regulations as set forth below:
PART 5--GENERAL
1. The authority citation for part 5 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 1506; sec. 6, E.O. 10530, 19 FR 2709, 3
CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 189.
2. Amend part 5 by adding Sec. 5.10 to read as follows:
Sec. 5.10 Forms of publication.
Pursuant to section 1506 of title 44, United States Code, the
Administrative Committee publishes the Federal Register in the
following formats: paper; microfiche; and online on GPO Access (44
U.S.C. 4101).
PART 11--SUBSCRIPTIONS
1. The authority citation for part 11 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 1506; sec. 6, E.O. 10530, 19 FR 2709, 3
CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 189.
2. Amend Sec. 11.1 by revising the first sentence to read as
follows:
Sec. 11.1 Subscription by the public.
The Government Printing Office produces the paper and microfiche
editions of the publications described in Sec. 2.5 of this chapter, and
the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402, makes them available for sale to the public.* * *
3. Revise Sec. 11.2 to read as follows:
[[Page 68119]]
Sec. 11.2 Federal Register.
(a) Daily issues are provided to subscribers by mail for $555 per
year in paper form. A combined subscription consisting of the daily
issues, the monthly Federal Register Index, and the monthly LSA (List
of CFR Sections Affected) is provided to subscribers by mail for $607
per year in paper form or $220 per year in microfiche form. Six month
subscriptions to the paper and microfiche editions are also available
at one-half the annual rate. Limited quantities of current or recent
issues may be obtained for $8 per copy in paper form or $1 per copy in
microfiche form.
(b) The online edition of the Federal Register, issued under the
authority of the Administrative Committee, is available on GPO Access,
a service of the Government Printing Office (44 U.S.C. 4101).
4. Revise Sec. 11.3 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.3 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
A complete set is provided to subscribers by mail for $951 per year
for the bound, paper edition or $247 per year for the microfiche
edition. Individual volumes of the bound, paper edition of the Code are
sold at prices determined by the Superintendent of Documents under the
general direction of the Administrative Committee. The price of an
individual volume in microfiche form is $1 per copy.
5. In Sec. 11.4, add a second sentence to read as follows:
Sec. 11.4 The United States Government Manual.
* * * * *
The online edition of the Manual, issued under the authority of the
Administrative Committee, is available on GPO Access, a service of the
Government Printing Office (44 U.S.C. 4101).
6. Revise Sec. 11.6 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.6 Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents.
Copies in paper form are provided to subscribers for $80 per year
by non-priority mail or $137 per year by first-class mail. The price of
an individual copy in paper form is $3.
7. Revise Sec. 11.7 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.7 Federal Register Index.
The annual subscription price for the monthly Federal Register
Index, purchased separately, in paper form, is $25.
8. Revise Sec. 11.8 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.8 LSA (List of CFR Sections Affected).
The annual subscription price for the monthly LSA (List of CFR
Sections Affected), purchased separately, in paper form, is $27.
PART 18--PREPARATION AND TRANSMITTAL OF DOCUMENTS GENERALLY
1. The authority citation for part 18 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 1506; sec. 6, E.O. 10530, 19 FR 2709, 3
CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 189.
2. in Sec. 18.4, add paragraph (c) to read as follows:
Sec. 18.4 Form of document.
* * * * *
(c) Original documents submitted by telecommunication and
authenticated by digital signatures consistent with applicable Federal
standards and Office of the Federal Register technical specifications
may be accepted for publication.\3\
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\3\ At present, submission of documents by telecommunication is
limited to selected pilot projects.
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3. In Sec. 18.7, add a third sentence to read as follows:
Sec. 18.7 Signature.
* * * * *
Documents submitted under Sec. 18.4(c) may be authenticated as
original documents by digital signatures.
John W. Carlin,
Chairman.
Michael F. DiMario,
Member.
Rosemary Hart,
Member.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
John W. Carlin,
Archivist of the United States.
[FR Doc. 96-32865 Filed 12-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1505-02-M