[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7458-7459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3340]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Policy Statement. Solicitation of Comments on the Disclosure 
Limitation Policy for Statistical Information Based on Renewable Fuels 
Survey Data

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Policy Statement. Solicitation of Comments on the Disclosure 
Limitation Policy for Statistical Information Based on Renewable Fuels 
Survey Data.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is requesting comments on the disclosure limitation 
policy for statistical information based on renewables fuels data 
collected on Forms EIA-63A (``Annual Solar Thermal Collector 
Manufacturers Survey''), EIA-63B (``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell 
Manufacturers Survey''), and EIA-902 (``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump 
Manufacturers Survey''). EIA's policy will be to only apply disclosure 
limitation methods to statistics based on financial data reported on 
those forms. For statistics based on nonfinancial data reported on the 
forms, EIA will not apply disclosure limitation methods. EIA will 
continue to protect information collected under a pledge of 
confidentiality by not publicly releasing respondent-level survey data 
directly linked to names or other identifiers. This proposed policy is 
based on EIA's mandate for carrying out a central, comprehensive, and 
unified energy data and information program responsive to users' needs 
for credible, reliable, and timely energy information that will improve 
and broaden understanding of energy in the United States.

DATES: Comments must be filed by March 18, 2004. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this policy should be directed to Fred Mayes, 
Chief of EIA's Renewables Information Team. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-287-1964) or e-mail 
([email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is 
Renewables Information Team (EI-52), Forrestal Building, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0650. Alternatively, Mr. Mayes may be contacted by telephone at 
(202) 287-1750.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Mr. Mayes at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91, 
42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer-term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA provides the public and other Federal agencies with 
opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted 
by EIA. As appropriate, EIA also requests comments on important issues 
relevant to the dissemination of energy information. Comments received 
help the EIA when preparing information collections and information 
products necessary to support EIA's mission.
    EIA sponsors three surveys that collect information about the 
manufacturer and distribution of renewable fuels equipment. Statistics 
based on data from these three surveys are used to analyze the 
renewables fuels situation in the U.S.
    Form EIA-63A collects data on shipments of solar thermal collectors 
by end use and market sector. Collector types include low-temperature, 
medium-temperature air, medium-temperature liquid, high temperature, 
and other. EIA-63A respondents are manufacturers, importers, and 
exporters of solar thermal collectors.
    Form EIA-63B collects data on shipments of photovoltaic modules/
cells by end use and market sector. Module/cell types include 
crystalline silicon, thin film, concentrator, and ``other''. EIA-63B 
respondents are manufacturers, importers, and exporters of photovoltaic 
modules/cells.
    Form EIA-902 collects data on shipments of geothermal heat pumps by 
type, end use, and sector. EIA-902 respondents are geothermal heat pump 
manufacturers.
    Forms EIA-63A, 63B, and 902 are collected under a pledge of 
confidentiality. EIA does not publicly release the names or other 
identifiers of the survey respondents linked to their submitted data. 
For statistics based on financial data (e.g., value of shipments), EIA 
applies disclosure limitation. However, for all statistics based on 
nonfinancial data (e.g., number of units shipped), EIA does not apply 
disclosure limitation.
    When used, disclosure limitation methods are designed to minimize 
the possibility that individually-identifiable information reported by 
a survey respondent may be inferred from published statistics. By not 
using disclosure limitation methods, a statistic based on nonfinancial 
data reported by fewer than three respondents or dominated by 
nonfinancial data from one or two large respondents may be used by a 
knowledgeable person to estimate data reported by a specific 
respondent.
    Data collected on Forms EIA-63A, 63B, and 902 are used to meet 
EIA's mandates and energy data users' needs for credible, reliable, and 
timely energy information on renewable fuels. Adequate evaluation of 
renewable fuels issues requires detailed, comprehensive data. Data 
collected on the three surveys are used to create statistics 
disseminated by EIA in various information products available on EIA's 
Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html.
    EIA's renewable fuels statistics provide Congress, other government 
agencies, businesses, trade associations, and private research and 
consulting organizations with information for analysis, projections, 
and monitoring purposes. To be most effective, EIA's renewable fuels 
statistical information must be available by various breakdowns 
including unit type, customer type, and economic sector categories.
    Given the relatively small number of respondents to each of the 
three surveys, certain statistics based primarily on data reported by a 
few respondents with large operations, and the need for detailed 
renewable fuels statistics, the use of disclosure limitation methods 
would result in a large amount of detailed, nonfinancial statistics 
being suppressed from public dissemination. The suppressed nonfinancial 
statistics would then be

[[Page 7459]]

unavailable to public and private analysts interested in renewable 
fuels. Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and EIA-902 respondents have indicated 
to EIA staff that financial data are sensitive and estimation of 
respondent-level financial data has more potential to cause competitive 
harm than for nonfinancial data.

II. Current Actions

    The EIA is requesting comments on the disclosure limitation policy 
for statistical information based on renewables fuels data collected on 
Forms EIA-63A (``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers 
Survey''), EIA-63B (``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers 
Survey''), and EIA-902 (``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers 
Survey''). EIA proposes to only apply disclosure limitation methods to 
statistics based on financial data reported on those forms. For 
statistics based on nonfinancial data reported on the forms, EIA will 
not apply disclosure limitation methods. EIA will continue to protect 
information collected under a pledge of confidentiality by not publicly 
releasing respondent-level survey data directly linked to names or 
other identifiers. This policy will result in EIA providing the maximum 
amount of renewable fuels information to the public, and will 
facilitate public understanding of the renewable fuels situation in the 
U.S. However, it also means that a knowledgeable person may be able to 
estimate the value of selected nonfinancial data reported by specific 
respondents.

III. Request for Comments

    The public should comment on the actions discussed in item II. The 
questions below are the issues on which EIA is seeking public comments.
    A. Does EIA's proposed policy to only use disclosure limitation 
methods for statistics based on financial data reported on Forms EIA-
63A, EIA-63B, and EIA-902 maximize the utility of the renewable fuels 
statistics to data users?
    B. Is the possibility that a knowledgeable user might be able to 
estimate a respondent's contribution to a nonfinancial statistic an 
acceptable risk to Form EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and EIA-902 respondents?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be considered by 
EIA. The comments will also become a matter of public record.
    After consideration of the comments, EIA will issue its policy 
regarding the use of disclosure limitation methods for renewable fuels 
statistical information based on Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and EIA-902 
survey data. The policy will be announced in a Federal Register notice 
issued by EIA.

    Statutory Authority: Section 52 of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 15 U.S.C. 790a).

    Issued in Washington, DC, February 10, 2004.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-3340 Filed 2-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P