[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 2, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29614-29615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13898]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 385

[Docket No. PL98-1-001]


Public Access to Information and Electronic Filing; Technical 
Conference

May 26, 1999.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of technical conference on electronic filing.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) notifies 
interested persons that the Commission Staff will conduct a technical 
conference for the purpose of discussing: the phasing plan and schedule 
for implementing electronic filings; the proposed policies and 
procedures for electronic filings; the changes to the Commission's 
regulations that will be required to accommodate electronic filing; a 
prototype for submitting certain electronic filings to the Commission; 
the profile of capabilities that the Commission plans to pilot by 
October 1, 1999; and other electronic filing-related issues of concern 
to those in attendance.

DATES: The conference will be held on Thursday, June 24, 1999, 
beginning at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The technical conference will be held in the Commission 
Meeting Room at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Brooks Carter, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 42-29, Washington, 
D.C. 20426, (202) 501-8145, FAX: (202) 208-2425, E-Mail: 
[email protected]
Wilbur Miller, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 91-17, Washington, D.C. 20426, 
(202) 208-0953

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In addition to publishing the full text of 
this document in the Federal Register, the Commission also provides all 
interested persons an opportunity to inspect or copy the contents of 
this document during normal business hours in the Public Reference Room 
at 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426.
    The Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS) provides access to 
the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission. CIPS can be 
accessed via Internet through FERC's Home Page (http://www.fed.us) 
using the CIPS link or the Energy Information Online icon. The full 
text of this document will be available on CIPS in ASCII and 
WordPerfect 6.1 format. User assistance is available at 202-208-2474 or 
by E-mail to CipsM[email protected].
    This document is also available through the Commission's Records 
and Information Management System (RIMS), an electronic storage and 
retrieval system of documents submitted to and issued by the Commission 
after November 16, 1981. Documents from November 1995 to the present 
can be viewed and printed. RIMS is available in the Public Reference 
Room or remotely via Internet through FERC's Homepage using the RIMS 
link or the Energy Information Online icon. User assistance is 
available at 202-208-2222, or by E-mail to RimsM[email protected].
    Finally, the complete text on diskette in WordPerfect format may be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, RVJ International, 
Inc. RVJ International, Inc., is located in the Public Reference Room 
at 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20436.

Technical Conference

    Take notice that the Commission Staff (Staff) will convene a 
technical conference to discuss issues related to the Commission's 
Electronic Filing Initiative (EFI). The conference will be held on 
Thursday, June 24, 1999, and will commence at 9:30 a.m. in the

[[Page 29615]]

Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426. The conference is open 
to all interested persons.
    Staff is convening the conference to discuss: the phasing plan and 
schedule for implementing electronic filings; the proposed policies and 
procedures for electronic filing; the changes to the Commission's 
regulations that will be required to accommodate electronic filing; a 
prototype for submitting certain electronic filings to the Commission; 
the profile of capabilities that the Commission plans to pilot by 
October 1, 1999; and other electronic filing-related issues of concern 
to those in attendance.
    The main conference discussion topics are attached to this notice. 
To facilitate discussion, Staff will post proposed electronic filing 
policies and procedures, and information on the other topics to be 
discussed, on the Commission's website (www.ferc.fed.us) in advance of 
the conference. Staff will publish a subsequent notice when the 
information is available. These proposals are based in part on comments 
received in response to a request for comments issued in Docket No. 
PL98-1-000 on May 13, 1998.\1\
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    \1\ The comments are available on the Commission's website 
through the Records and Information Management System (RIMS) link. A 
summary of the comments and additional materials from conference on 
electronic filing held on October 22, 1998, are also available on 
the Commission's website via the ``Rulemaking Comments'' link on the 
main page.
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    We urge persons planning to attend the conference to review the 
materials in advance and be prepared to discuss them at the conference.
    In order that we can develop a mailing list and contact persons 
interested in prototype testing, please contact Brooks Carter via e-
mail ([email protected]), FAX (202-208-2425) or telephone (202-
501-8145) and provide: your name, title, company, mailing address, the 
industry or industries you work with (natural gas, oil, electric, or 
hydropower), voice and FAX numbers, and your Internet e-mail address if 
you have one.
    Although this is an informal technical conference, a court reporter 
will transcribe the proceedings and make a transcript available for 
interested parties.
    The Capitol Connection offers all Open and special FERC meetings 
live over the Internet as well as via telephone and satellite. For a 
reasonable fee, you can receive these meetings in your office, at home 
or anywhere in the world. To find out more about The Capitol 
Connection's live Internet, phone bridge or satellite coverage, contact 
David Reininger or Julia Morelli at (703) 993-3100 or visit Capitol 
Connection's website at (www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu). The Capitol 
Connection also offers FERC Open Meetings through its Washington, D.C. 
area television service.
    In addition, National Narrowcast Network's Hearing-On-The-Line 
service covers all FERC meetings live by telephone so that interested 
persons can listen at their desks, from their homes, or from any phone, 
without special equipment. Billing is based on time on-line. Call 202-
966-2211.
    Anyone interested in purchasing videotapes of the meeting should 
call VISCOM at (703-715-7999).
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.

Topics for Discussions at Electronic Filing Technical Conference 
June 24, 1999

Current Process for Electronic Filing Rulemaking Comments via e-mail
 Filing and processing issues
 Posting of comments
Description of ``FERC Doorway'': Discussion
 Conceptual Diagram
 Proposed Phases for Electronic Filing Implementation
 Profile of Interventions, Comments, and Protests to be 
Included in the October, 1999 pilot (Phase1)
 Y2K Docket Number format
Proposed Policies and Procedures (by Function)
Submit Function:
    1. Filing Formats
    2. Use of Interactive Forms for simple motions
    3. Signature, User ID/Password, Certificate of Service
    4. Citation rules to ensure consistent citation to submitted 
documents
    5. Joint and Several Motions to Intervene
    6. File retraction or correction

Receive Function:
    1. Date/Time of Receipt and Filing Date
    2. Session and File Control numbers
    3. Docketing and Docket No. Validation
    4. Acknowledgment of Receipt
    5. System availability/delays

Inspect Function:
    1. Virus scan
    2. Check for completeness and file integrity

Return Function (if filng is not accepted):
    1. Notification with reason (e.g., virus, corruption)
    2. Resubmission procedures /Impact on Filing Date

Document Management Function:
    1. File Conversion Issues
    2. Load Databases (Service List, Docket Sheet, RIMS Index, Daily 
Filings List, CIPS)

Prototype: Screens for Phase 1 Filings
(Motions to Intervene, Comments, and Protests)

[FR Doc. 99-13898 Filed 6-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M