Filing Guidelines

Please include the following information in writing (fax, email or mailed letter):

1. When you make your request be as specific as possible.
   1. Include as many relevant names, dates, places, events, subjects, etc.; and
   2. Do you want records associated with a particular proceeding? Provide the docket number.


2. Include a statement of your willingness to pay a reasonable fee (the cost of duplication of records not available in the Public Reference Room will depend on the number of documents requested, the time necessary to locate the documents requested, and the category of the persons requesting the records), or
   1. The maximum fee you are willing to pay; or
   2. A request for a waiver or reduction of fees.


3. Your request must identify your interests. Are you requesting information for commercial interests, press/educational interests, or other interests?


4. Clearly mark your request (email, fax or letter) and your (subject line, cover letter or envelope, respectively) with the statement "Freedom of Information Act Request."


5. Email your request directly to FOIA's Public Liaison at [email protected]. Even if you want information from a regional office, do not send it to their address.

Service Center
The Commission's FOIA Service Center is the first place a FOIA requester may come to seek information concerning the status of their FOIA request and appropriate information about the agency's FOIA response. Service Center number: 202-502-6088.

• FOIA Public Liaison
  In compliance with the December 14, 2005 Executive Order, the Chief FOIA Office has designated Toyia Johnson as the FOIA Public Liaison. A requester can raise concerns about the service the FOIA requester has received from the Center and/or the FOIA response from the Commission by contacting Toyia Johnson via email: [email protected] or phone: 202-502-8004.
  
  Chief FOIA Officer
  In further compliance with Executive Order 13,292 issued December 14, 2005, the Commission has designated Leonard Tao, Director of the Office of External Affairs, as Chief FOIA Officer.

Please include the following information in writing (fax, email or mailed letter):
 

1. When you make your request be as specific as possible.
   1. Include as many relevant names, dates, places, events, subjects, etc.; and
   2. Do you want records associated with a particular proceeding? Provide the docket number.


2. Include a statement of your willingness to pay a reasonable fee or
   1. The maximum fee you are willing to pay; or
   2. A request for a waiver or reduction of fees.


3. Your request must identify your interests. Are you requesting information for commercial interests, press/educational interests, or other interests? You must specify.
    
4. Clearly mark your request (email, fax or letter) and your (subject line, cover letter or envelope, respectively) with the statement "Freedom of Information Act Request."
    
5. A statement setting forth the reasons why your request should be expedited.
    
6. Certify that the reasons you give are true and correct.
    
7. Send your request to FERC's FOIA Officer. 
    

   FOIA Officer:
   Leonard Tao, Director Office of External Affairs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Room 11H-1 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 FAX: 202-208-2106 Email: [email protected]

   
   Note: The FOIA office will notify you of its decision about whether to grant expedited processing within ten days of receiving your letter.
   
   If the Commission denies your request for expedited processing, you will be advised of your right to submit an administrative appeal, which will be handled expeditiously.

Please include the following information in writing (email, fax or mailed letter):
 

1. Write a brief statement that addresses what action you are appealing;
    
2. Include your name, your initial request number and the date of the Commission's action;
   1. If for some reason a number was not assigned, include a copy of the determination letter; and
   2. Please do not attach copies of the released documents unless they pertain to some specific point you are raising in your appeal.
       
3. If you believe that there are additional records that have not been located in response to your request, include why you think they exist and perhaps, where you believe they may be located;
    
4. Clearly mark your request (email, fax or mailed letter) and your subject line, cover letter or envelope respectively with the statement "Freedom of Information Act Appeal;" and
    
5. Send your appeal to FERC Headquarters in Washington, DC.

   Send to:
   James Danly General Counsel Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Room 10A-01 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 Fax: 202-208-2115 Email: [email protected]

   
   Note: Under FOIA, the General Counsel's Office is required to make a determination on your administrative appeal within 20 business days.

Please include the following information in writing (fax, email or mailed letter):
 

1. Be specific as possible. In your request include all relevant names, places and dates.
    
2. Your contact and identifying information:
   1. Your name
   2. Your title (attorney, private citizen etc.)
   3. Your address
   4. Your telephone number
       
3. If you are filing the CEII request on behalf of a person or entity other then yourself, you must also include that person or entity's contact information:
   1. Name
   2. Address
   3. Telephone number
       
4. Provide a detailed statement explaining the particular need for and intended use of the information.
    
5. Provide an executed non-disclosure agreement requiring the adherence to limitations on the use and disclosure of the information requested.
    
6. A requester who seeks the information on behalf of all employees of an organization should clearly state that the information is sought for the organization, that the requester is authorized to seek the information on behalf of the organization, and that all the requesters agree to be bound by a non-disclosure agreement that must be executed by and will be applied to all individuals who have access to the CEII.
    
7. Send your request to our CEII Officer:
    

   CEII Officer:

   Leonard Tao, Director Office of External Affairs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 FAX: 202-208-2106 Email: [email protected]

The following procedures apply to persons filing information that warrants special treatment as Critical Energy/Electric Infrastructure Information (CEII), Privileged, or Protected. The procedures vary depending on whether the material is filed via the Commission's eFiling system, submitted on CD/DVD, or filed on paper. Additional guidelines on information considered to be CEII is available at the link on the bottom of this page.

FERC is not responsible for detecting and correcting filer errors, including those related to security designation. It is the filer's responsibility to file and label the documents correctly and to ensure that each volume and CD/DVD includes only information with the identical security level. If the security level of a document, page, CD/DVD, or file is not marked properly, it may be treated as "public."

• For electronic submission via the eFiling system:
  1. Organize Public, Privileged, and CEII files in different folders or directories according to security classification to minimize errors in selecting and uploading files during eFiling.
      
  2. File names, which can now be up to 60 characters long (including the dot and file extension), should also begin with "Public", "Priv", "CEII" to clearly indicate the security status The file name must contain only one period immediately before the suffix for the file format.
      
  3. Select the appropriate Security tab (Public, Privileged, or CEII) to upload the files for each security level. You may upload as many as 200 files under each tab - all files must be less than 50 Mb. The eFiling system allows the user to correct the security designation for files prior to submission.
      
  4. Protected Material can be uploaded in the Privileged Security tab.
• For filings on CD/DVD:
  1. Each Security (Public, Privileged, CEII, Protected) must be filed on separate CD/DVD’s.
  
  
  2. FERC does not accept filings on other media such as thumb-drives or portable HDD’s ect.
  
  
  3. Filings should be made via express or courier delivery services. Filing using the USPS often renders media unreadable.
  
  
  4. Each CD/DVD will be labeled with the applicant or filer, filing date, docket / sub-docket, a brief description, and security classification.
  
  
  5. For complete instructions, refer to the Submission Guidelines for CD/DVD.
• For paper submissions or any required staff copies of electronic submissions (see the Filing Guide and Qualified Documents List (revised February 21, 2017) for eFilings that require copies for staff):
  1. Separate Public, CEII and Privileged material into clearly-marked binders or volumes.
      
  2. Insert a page in the Public volume at each place where CEII or Privileged material has been removed. The page must identify the volume or binder containing the removed material.
      
  3. The first page of each volume or binder must include the security designation (Public, Privileged, or CEII), and information sufficient to identify the filer, document date, docket and sub-docket no., title of the submission, volume number (e.g., Vol. 1 of 4) and a description of the material contained therein.
      
  4. Stamp or clearly mark all pages with the applicable security designation. The cover sheet for each volume or binder also must be stamped or marked accordingly.
      
  5. For submissions on paper, CD, and DVD, submit the number specified by Table 1 at Submission Guidelines.
      
  6. For required staff copies of electronic submissions, submit copies of each volume or separate section:
      
     1. Public: Original + Required number of copies
     2. CEII: Original + two copies
     3. Privileged: Original only
     
     Refer to the applicable Commission regulation for the required number of copies.

CEII Filing Guide 

See the Submission Guidelines for more information.

• 2018 Annual Report to OMB
• 2017 Annual Report to OMB
• 2016 Annual Report to OMB
• 2015 Annual Report to OMB
• 2014 Annual Report to OMB
• 2013 Annual Report to OMB
• 2012 Annual Report to OMB
• 2011 Annual Report to OMB
• 2010 Annual Report to OMB
• 2009 Annual Report to OMB
• 2008 Annual Report to OMB
• 2007 Annual Report to OMB
• 2006 Annual Report to OMB
• 2005 Annual Report to OMB
• 2004 Annual Report to OMB

What to Submit: Submit one original and two paper copies of the request, along with a text-searchable file (or files) on a 3 1/4" diskette or CD-ROM. Each page of the request and any supporting information or documents should include a header or footer stating "Request for No-Action Letter."

Contact Info: Each request must include the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the person to whom the response should be directed.

Where to Submit: Send your request to:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Office of the General Counsel
Room 10A-01
ATTN: Request for No-Action Letter
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20426

Use express mail or courier services to submit a Request for No-Action Letter to FERC. Regular mail sent through the US Postal Service to the Commission is subject to a 7-10 day delay for scanning. The scanning process also may destroy any diskettes and CD-ROMs included in the submittal.

The Commission determined that when initially filed a Request for No-Action Letter is non-public material. The Commission's eFiling system is not ready to accept non-public material at this time and, therefore, it is not available for the filing of Requests for No-Action Letters.