withheld from public disclosure for any of the reasons provided in §503.79, and whether or not the public interest requires that the information be disclosed notwithstanding the applicability of the reasons provided in § 503.79 permitting the withholding from public disclosure of the information pertaining to a meeting.

per

(d) In the case of a vote on a request under this section to withhold from public disclosure information taining to a portion or portions of a meeting, no such information shall be withheld from public disclosure unless, by a vote on the issues described in paragraph (c) of this section, a majority of the entire membership of the agency shall vote to withhold such information by recorded vote.

(e) In the case of a vote on a request under this section to withhold information pertaining to a portion or portions of a series of meetings, no such information shall be withheld unless, by a vote on the issues described in paragraph (c) of this section, a majority of the entire membership of the agency shall vote to withhold such information. A determination to withhold information pertaining to a portion or portions of a series of meetings from public disclosure may be accomplished by a single vote on the issues described in paragraph (c) of this section, provided that the vote of each member of the agency shall be recorded and the vote shall be cast by each member and not by proxy vote.

[49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984; 49 FR 47395, Dec. 4, 1984]

§ 503.81 Effect of vote to withhold information pertaining to meeting.

(a) Where the agency votes as provided in § 503.80 to withhold from public disclosure information pertaining to a portion or portions of a meeting or portion or portions of a series of meetings, such information shall be excepted from the requirements of §§ 503.78,

503.82 and 503.83.

(b) Where the agency votes as provided in § 503.80 to permit public disclosure of information pertaining to a portion of portions of a meeting or portion or portions of a series of meetings, such information shall be disclosed to

the public as required by §§ 503.78, 503.82 and 503.83.

(c) Not later than the day following the date on which a vote is taken under § 503.80, by which the information pertaining to a meeting is determined to be disclosed, the Secretary shall make available to the public a written copy of such vote reflecting the vote of each member of the agency on the question. [49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984; 49 FR 47395, Dec. 4, 1984]

§ 503.82 Public announcement of agency meeting.

(a) Except as provided in §§ 503.80 and 503.81 regarding a determination to withhold from public disclosure any information pertaining to a portion or portions of a meeting or portion or portions of a series of meetings, or as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the Secretary of the agency shall make public announcement of each meeting of the agency.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, public announcement of each meeting of the agency shall be accomplished not later than one week prior to commencement of a meeting or the commencement of the first meeting in a series of meetings, and shall disclose:

(1) The time of the meeting;

(2) The place of the meeting;

(3) The subject matter of each portion of each meeting or series of meetings;

(4) Whether any portion or portions of a meeting or portion or portions of any series of meetings shall be open or closed to public observation; and

(5) The name and telephone number of the Secretary of the agency who shall respond to requests for information about a meeting.

(c) The announcement described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section may be accomplished less than one week prior to the commencement of any meeting or series of meetings, provided the agency determines by recorded vote that the agency business requires that any such meeting or series of meetings be held at an earlier date. In the event of such a determination by the agency, public announcement as described in paragraph (b) of

this section shall be accomplished at the earliest practicable time.

(d) Immediately following any public announcement accomplished under the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the agency shall submit a notice for publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER disclosing:

(1) The time of the meeting; (2) The place of the meeting;

(3) The subject matter of each portion of each meeting or series of meetings;

(4) Whether any portion or portions of a meeting or portion or portions of any series of meetings is open or closed to public observation; and

(5) The name and telephone number of the Secretary of the agency who shall respond to requests for information about any meeting.

(e) No comments or further information relating to a particular item scheduled for an agency meeting will be accepted by the Secretary for consideration subsequent to public announcement of such meeting; except that the Commission, on its own initiative, or pursuant to a written request, may in its discretion, permit a departure from this limitation for exceptional circumstances.

[49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984, as amended at 52 FR 27002, July 17, 1987]

$503.83 Public announcement

changes in meeting.

of

(a) Except as provided in §§ 503.80 and 503.81, under the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the time or place of a meeting or series of meetings may be changed by the agency following accomplishment of the announcement and notice required by § 503.82, provided the Secretary of the agency shall publicly announce such change at the earliest practicable time.

(b) The subject matter of a portion or portions of a meeting or a portion or portions of a series of meetings, the time and place of such meeting, and the determination that the portion or portions of a series of meetings shall be open or closed to public observation may be changed following accomplishment of the announcement required by § 503.82, provided:

(1) The agency, by recorded vote of the majority of the entire membership

of the agency, determines that agency business so requires and that no earlier announcement of the change was possible; and

(2) The Secretary of the agency publicly announces, at the earliest practicable time, the change made and the vote of each member upon such change. (c) Immediately following any public announcement of any change accomplished under the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the agency shall submit a notice for publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER disclosing:

(1) The time of the meeting; (2) The place of the meeting;

(3) The subject matter of each portion of each meeting or series of meetings;

(4) Whether any portion or portions of any meeting or any portion or portions of any series of meetings is open or closed to public observation;

(5) Any change in paragraphs (c) (1), (c) (2), (c) (3), or (c) (4) of this section; and

(6) The name and telephone number of the Secretary of the agency who shall respond to requests for information about any meeting.

(a) In the case of any portion or portions of a meeting or portion or portions of a series of meetings determined by the agency to be closed to public observation under the provisions of this subpart, the following records shall be maintained by the Secretary of the agency:

(1) The certification of the General Counsel f the agency required by § 503.77;

(2) A statement from the officer presiding over the portion or portions of the meeting or portion or portions of a series of meetings setting forth the time and place of the portion or portions of the meeting or portion or portions of the series of meetings, the persons present at those times; and

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a complete transcript or electronic recording fully recording the proceedings at each portion of each meeting closed to public observation.

194-187 D-01--5

(b) In case the agency determines to close to public observation any portion or portions of any meeting or portion or portions of any series of meetings because public observation of such portion or portions of any meeting is likely to specifically concern the agency's issuance of a subpena, or the agency's participation in a civil action or proceeding, an action in a foreign court or international tribunal, or an arbitration, or the initiation, conduct, or disposition by the agency of a particular case of formal agency adjudication pursuant to the procedures in 5 U.S.C. 554 or otherwise involving a determination on the record after opportunity for a hearing, the agency may maintain a set of minutes in lieu of the transcript or recording described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section. Such minutes shall contain:

(1) A full and clear description of all matters discussed in the closed portion of any meeting;

(2) A full and accurate summary of any action taken on any matter discussed in the closed portion of any meeting and the reasons therefor;

(3) A description of each of the views expressed on any matter upon which action was taken as described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(4) The record of any rollcall vote which shall show the vote of each member on the question; and

(5) An identification of all documents considered in connection with any action taken on a matter described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(c) All records maintained by the agency as described in this section shall be held by the agency for a period of not less than two (2) years following any meeting or not less than one (1) year following the conclusion of any agency proceeding with respect to which that meeting or portion of a meeting was held.

[49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984; 49 FR 47395, Dec. 4, 1984]

§ 503.86 Public access to records.

(a) All transcripts, electronic recordings or minutes required to be maintained by the agency under the provisions of §§ 503.85(a)(3) and 503.85(b) shall be promptly made available to the public by the Secretary of the agency, ex

cept for any item of discussion or testimony of any witnesses which the agency determines to contain information which may be withheld from public disclosure because its disclosure is likely to disclose matters which are:

(1)(i) specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and (ii) in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order;

(2) Related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agen

су;

(3) Specifically exempted from disclosure by any statute other than 5 U.S.C. 552 (FOIA), provided that such statute

(i) Requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue,

or

(ii) Establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld;

(4) Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;

(5) Involved with accusing any person of a crime, or formally censuring any person;

(6) Of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

(7) Investigatory records compiled for law enforcement purposes, or information which, if written, would be contained in such records, but only to the extent that the production of such records or information would

(i) Interfere with enforcement proceedings,

(ii) Deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, (iii) Constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,

(iv) Disclose the identity of a confidential source and, in the case of a record compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation, or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, confidential information furnished only by the confidential source,

(v) Disclose investigative techniques and procedures or

(vi) Endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel;

(8) Contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions;

(9) Information, the premature disclosure of which would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action, unless the agency has already disclosed to the public the content or nature of its proposed action, or where the agency is required by law to make such disclosure on its own initiative prior to taking final agency action on such proposal;

or

(10) Specifically concerned with the agency's issuance of a subpena, or the agency's participation in a civil action or proceeding, an action in a foreign court or international tribunal, or an arbitration, or the initiation, conduct, or disposition by the agency of a particular case of formal agency adjudication pursuant to the procedures in 5 U.S.C. 554 or otherwise involving a determination on the record after opportunity for a hearing.

(b) Requests for access to the records described in this section shall be made in accordance with procedures described in subparts C and D of this part.

(c) Records disclosed to the public under this section shall be furnished at the expense of the party requesting such access at the actual cost of duplication or transcription.

[49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984, as amended at 64 FR 23549, May 3, 1999]

$503.87 Effect of provisions of this

subpart on other subparts.

(a) Nothing in this subpart shall limit or expand the ability of any person to seek access to agency records under subpart D (§§ 503.31 to 503.36) of this part except that the exceptions of $503.86 shall govern requests to copy or inspect any portion of any transcript, electronic recordings or minutes required to be kept under this subpart.

(b) Nothing in this subpart shall permit the withholding from any individual to whom a record pertains any record required by this subpart to be maintained by the agency which record is otherwise available to such an indi

vidual under the provisions of subpart G of this part.

[49 FR 44401, Nov. 6, 1984; 49 FR 47395, Dec. 4, 1984]

PART 504-PROCEDURES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSIS

Sec.

504.1

504.2

504.3

504.4

504.5

Purpose and scope.

Definitions.

General information.

Categorical exclusions.

Environmental assessments.

504.6 Finding of no significant impact. 504.7 Environmental impact statements. 504.8 Record of decision.

504.9 Information required by the Commission.

504.10 Time constraints on final administrative actions.

504.91 OMB control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act. AUTHORITY: 5 U.S.C. 552, 553; 46 U.S.C. app. 1712 and 1716; 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(b), and 42 U.S.C. 6362.

SOURCE: 49 FR 44415, Nov. 6, 1984, unless otherwise noted.

$504.1 Purpose and scope.

(a) This part implements the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Executive Order 12114 and incorporates and complies with the Regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (40 CFR part 1500 et seq.).

(b) This part applies to all actions of the Federal Maritime Commission (Commission). To the extent possible, the Commission shall integrate the requirements of NEPA with its obligations under section 382(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. 6362.

(c) Information obtained under this part is used by the Commission to assess potential environmental impacts of proposed Federal Maritime Commission actions. Compliance is voluntary but may be made mandatory by Commission order to produce the information pursuant to section 15 of the Shipping Act of 1984. The penalty for violation of a Commission order under section 13 of the Shipping Act of 1984 may not exceed $5,000 for each violation, unless the violation was willfully and knowingly committed, in which case the amount of the civil penalty may

(a) Shipping Act of 1984 means the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. app. 1701-1720).

(b) Common carrier means any common carrier by water as defined in section 3 of the Shipping Act of 1984, including a conference of such carriers.

(c) Environmental impact means any alteration of existing environmental conditions or creation of a new set of environmental conditions, adverse or beneficial, caused or induced by the action under consideration.

(d) Potential action means the range of possible Commission actions that may result from a Commission proceeding in which the Commission has not yet formulated a proposal.

(e) Proposed action means that stage of activity where the Commission has determined to take a particular course of action and the effects of that course of action can be meaningfully evaluated.

(f) Environmental assessment means a concise document that serves to "provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or a finding of no significant impact" (40 CFR 1508.9).

(g) Recyclable means any secondary material that can be used as a raw material in an industrial process in which it is transformed into a new product replacing the use of a depletable natural

resource.

(h) Marine Terminal Operator means a person engaged in the United States in the business of furnishing wharfage, dock, warehouse or other terminal facilities in connection with a common carrier, or in connection with a common carrier and a water carrier subject to subchapter II of chapter 135 of Title 49, United States Code.

(i) Commission means the Federal Maritime Commission, including any office or bureau to which the Commis

sion may delegate its environmental policy analysis responsibilities.

[49 FR 44415, Nov. 6, 1984, as amended at 64 FR 23549, May 3, 1999]

$504.3 General information.

(a) All comments submitted pursuant to this part shall be addressed to the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20573-0001.

(b) A list of recent Commission actions, if any, for which a finding of no significant impact has been made or for which an environmental impact statement is being prepared will be maintained by the Commission in the Office of the Secretary and will be available for public inspection.

(c) Information or status reports on environmental statements and other elements of the NEPA process can be obtained from the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20573-0001.

[64 FR 23549, May 3, 1999]

$504.4 Categorical exclusions.

(a) No environmental analyses need be undertaken or environmental documents prepared in connection with actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment because they are purely ministerial actions or because they do not increase or decrease air, water or noise pollution or the use of fossil fuels, recyclables, or energy. The following Commission actions, and rulemakings related thereto, are therefore excluded: (1) Issuance, modification, denial and revocation of ocean transportation intermediary licenses.

(2) Certification of financial responsibility of passenger vessels pursuant to 46 CFR part 540.

(3) Receipt of surety bonds submitted by ocean transportation intermediaries.

(4) Promulgation of procedural rules pursuant to 46 CFR part 502.

(5) Receipt of service contracts. (6) Consideration of special permission applications pursuant to part 520 of this chapter.

(7)-(8) [Reserved]