Electric utilities (Federal Power Act): Public access; information and electronic filing,

[Federal Register: June 2, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 105)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 29614-29615]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr02jn99-25]

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.

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: brooks.carter@ferc.fed.us 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 CipsMaster@ferc.fed.us.

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 RimsMaster@ferc.fed.us.

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\

\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.

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 (brooks.carter@ferc.fed.us), 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 ‹bullet› Filing and processing issues ‹bullet› Posting of comments Description of ``FERC Doorway'': Discussion ‹bullet› Conceptual Diagram ‹bullet› Proposed Phases for Electronic Filing Implementation ‹bullet› Profile of Interventions, Comments, and Protests to be Included in the October, 1999 pilot (Phase1) ‹bullet› 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. 99-13898Filed6-1-99; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 6717-01-M