[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 75 (Monday, April 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20867-20868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8769]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Policy Statement; Disclosure Limitation Policy for Statistical 
Information Based on Survey Data for Renewable Fuels, Alternative 
Fueled Vehicles, and Alternative Transportation Fuels

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

ACTION: Policy statement; disclosure limitation policy for statistical 
information based on survey data for renewable fuels, alternative 
fueled vehicles, and alternative transportation fuels.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is announcing its disclosure limitation policy for 
statistical information based on survey data collected on Forms EIA-63A 
(``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey''), EIA-63B 
(``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers Survey''), EIA-886 
(``Annual Survey of Alternative Fueled Vehicle Suppliers and Users''), 
and EIA-902 (``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey''). The 
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: This policy becomes effective April 19, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Requests for additional information or questions about this 
policy should be directed to Fred Mayes, Chief of EIA's Renewables 
Information Team. Contact by e-mail ([email protected]) or FAX 
(202-287-1964) is recommended to expedite response. 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.

[[Page 20868]]


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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background
II. Discussion of Comments
III. Current Actions

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 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.
    On February 17, 2004, EIA issued two Federal Register notices. The 
first notice (69 FR 7459) requested public comments on EIA's disclosure 
limitation policy for statistical information based on alternative 
fueled vehicles and alternative transportation fuels survey data 
collected on Form EIA-886. The second notice (69 FR 7460) requested 
comments on EIA's disclosure limitation policy for renewable fuels 
survey data collected on Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and EIA-902. In the 
notices, EIA discussed the proposed policies as well as EIA's reasons 
for proposing it.
    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. The use 
of disclosure limitation methods would result in numerous renewable 
fuels, alternative fueled vehicles, and alternative transportation 
fuels statistics being suppressed from public dissemination and 
unavailable to public and private analysts. However, by not using 
disclosure limitation methods, a published statistic based on survey 
data from fewer than three respondents or dominated by data from one or 
two large respondents may be used by a knowledgeable person to estimate 
the data reported by a specific respondent.
    While the specific forms and data elements in the renewable fuels, 
alternative fueled vehicles, and alternative transportation fuels 
surveys are expected to change over time to reflect the industry, the 
disclosure limitation policy will apply to all survey information 
collected under a pledge of confidentiality for Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, 
EIA-886, and EIA-902. The overall purpose of the these surveys is to 
provide credible, reliable, and timely information.

II. Discussion of Comments

    EIA received no comments in response to the requests for public 
comments.

III. Current Actions

    The EIA is announcing its disclosure limitation policy for 
statistical information based on survey data collected on Forms EIA-63A 
(``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey''), EIA-63B 
(``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers Survey''), EIA-886, 
(``Annual Survey of Alternative Fueled Vehicle Suppliers and Users)'', 
and EIA-902 (``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey'').
    For renewable fuels survey data collected on Forms EIA-63A, EIA-
63B, and EIA-902, EIA's policy is 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.
    For alternative fueled vehicles and alternative transportation 
fuels data collected on Form EIA-886, EIA's policy is to only apply 
disclosure limitation methods to statistics based on projected data 
reported on Form EIA-886. For statistics based on historical data 
reported on Form EIA-886, 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 of the survey 
respondents. The 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.

    Statutory Authority: Section 52 of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 U.S.C. 790a).

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 12, 2004.
Guy F. Caruso,
Administrator, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-8769 Filed 4-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P