[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 130 (Tuesday, July 8, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 36450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17771]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Parts 1000 and 1017


Removal of Confidential Business Information Regulations

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``Commission'') is 
removing 16 CFR part 1017, Procedures for Safeguarding Confidential 
Business Information Received from EPA, because it is duplicative of 
EPA regulations and procedures that the Commission is obligated to 
follow.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 8, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, DC 20207.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph F. Rosenthal, Office of the 
General Counsel, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 
20207, telephone 301-504-0980.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 16 CFR part 1017 sets forth internal 
procedures for handling confidential business information that the 
Commission receives from time to time from the Environmental Protection 
Agency. It also sets forth internal procedures for handling chemical 
formulation information that the Consumer Product Safety Commission 
obtained from consumer product manufacturers in 1975.
    The procedures described in part 1017 for handling EPA information 
are now obsolete. Moreover, the procedures that the Commission must 
follow in order to obtain confidential business information from EPA 
are procedures that EPA itself mandates. These procedures include an 
annual EPA certification of individual Commission employees as a 
condition of their access to EPA confidential business information.
    The Commission sees no value in replicating those procedures in its 
own volume of regulations in the Code of Federal Regulation. Likewise, 
the chemical formulation information obtained in 1975 has since been 
destroyed and there are no plans to acquire such information in the 
future. Accordingly, the Commission is removing part 1017 in its 
entirety.
    The Commission is also amending 16 CFR 1000.27 to indicate that the 
responsibility for handling and safeguarding confidential business 
information received from EPA, formerly described in 16 CFR part 1017, 
remains with the Commission's Directorate for Epidemiology and Health 
Sciences.
    Since this rule relates solely to internal agency management, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), notice and other public procedures are not 
required and it is effective immediately upon publication in the 
Federal Register. Further, this action is not a rule as defined in the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, and, thus, is exempt from 
the provisions of the Act. This action will have no effect on the 
environment.

List of Subjects

16 CFR Part 1000

    Organization and functions (Government Agencies).

16 CFR Part 1017

    Business and industry, Chemicals, Confidential business 
information, Security measures.

    For the reason stated in the preamble, Chapter II, Title 16 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1000--COMMISSION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS

    1. The authority citation for part 1000 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a).


Sec. 1000.27  [Amended]

    2. Section 1000.27 is amended by adding the following new sentence 
at the end: ``The Directorate is responsible for managing and 
safeguarding confidential business information received from the 
Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with the requirements of 
that agency.''

PART 1017--[REMOVED]

    1. Under authority of 5 U.S.C. 301, part 1017 is removed and 
reserved.

    Dated: July 1, 1997.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 97-17771 Filed 7-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P