Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/04/08/02-8437/rules-implementing-the-government-in-the-sunshine-act
Timestamp: 2018-07-19 00:39:43
Document Index: 42954216

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 804', 'art 1704', 'art 1603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603']

A Proposed Rule by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board on 04/08/2002
67 FR 16670
16670-16673 (4 pages)
02-8437
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-8437 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-8437
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board proposes new regulations establishing the agency's procedures for implementing the Government in the Sunshine Act.
Address all comments concerning this proposed rule to Christopher Kirkpatrick, Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2175 K Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20037.
This proposed rule is designed to implement the requirements of the Sunshine Act. This proposed rule mirrors the Sunshine Act regulations of many other agencies, most specifically, those of the National Transportation Safety Board (49 CFR part 804) and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (10 CFR part 1704).
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board proposes to add a new 40 CFR part 1603 to read as follows:
(a) This part implements the provisions of the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b. These procedures apply to meetings, as defined in this part, of the Members of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (“CSB” or “Board”).
It is the policy of the CSB to provide the public with the fullest practicable information regarding the decisionmaking processes of the Board, while protecting the rights of individuals and the ability of the Board to discharge its statutory functions and responsibilities. The public is invited to Start Printed Page 16671attend but not to participate in open meetings. For any open meeting, the Board, by majority vote, may decide to allow for a public comment period immediately following the close of that meeting.
(e) Reporter means a CSB employee designated by the General Counsel, under section 1603.5(c), to attend and prepare a written summary of all briefings described in paragraphs (c)(3) and (c)(4) of this section and all informal preliminary discussions described in paragraph (c)(5) of this section.
(2) Are, in fact, properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order. In making the determination that this exemption applies, the Board shall rely upon the classification assigned to a document by the Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or other originating agency;
(e) Involve accusing any person of a crime, or formally censuring any person; Start Printed Page 16672
(h) Disclose information the premature disclosure of which would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed action of the CSB, except that this paragraph (h) shall not apply in any instance where the Board has already disclosed to the public the content or nature of its proposed action or is not required by law to make such disclosure on its own initiative prior to taking final action on such proposal;
(b) Any person whose interest may be directly affected if a portion of a meeting is open may request the Board to close that portion on any of the grounds referred to in § 1603.7 (e) through (g). Requests, with reasons in support thereof, should be submitted in writing, no later than two days before the meeting in question, to the General Counsel, Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2175 K Street, NW., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20037. On motion of any Member, the Board shall determine by recorded vote whether to grant the request.
(d) Before every closed meeting, the General Counsel of the CSB shall publicly certify that, in his/her opinion, the meeting may be closed to the public and shall state each relevant exemption provision. If the General Counsel invokes the exemption for classified or sensitive unclassified information under § 1603.7(a), he/she shall rely upon the classification or designation assigned to the document containing such information by the Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or other originating agency. A copy of such certification, together with a statement setting forth the time and place of the meeting and the persons present, shall be retained by the Board as part of the transcript, recording, or minutes required by § 1603.11.
(5) The name and business telephone number of the official designated by the CSB to respond to requests for information about the meeting.
(a) Along with the General Counsel's certification referred to in § 1603.8(d), the CSB shall maintain a complete transcript or electronic recording adequate to record fully the proceedings of each meeting, or a portion thereof, closed to the public. The CSB may maintain a set of minutes in lieu of such transcript or recording for meetings closed pursuant to § 1603.7(i). Such minutes shall fully and clearly describe all matters discussed and shall provide a full and accurate summary of any actions taken, and the reasons therefor, including a description of each of the views expressed on any item and the record of any rollcall vote. All documents considered in connection with any actions shall be identified in such minutes. Start Printed Page 16673
The CSB shall make promptly available to the public the transcript, electronic recording, or minutes of the discussion of any item on the agenda or of any testimony received at a meeting, except for such item, or items, of discussion or testimony as determined by the CSB to contain matters which may be withheld under the exemptive provisions of § 1603.7. Copies of the nonexempt portions of the transcript or minutes, or transcription of such recordings disclosing the identity of each speaker, shall be furnished to any person at the actual cost of transcription or duplication. Requests for transcripts, recordings, or minutes shall be made in writing to the General Counsel of the CSB, 2175 K Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20037.
The CSB General Counsel shall annually report to the Congress regarding the Board's compliance with the Government in the Sunshine Act, including a tabulation of the total number of open meetings, the total number of closed meetings, the reasons for closing such meetings and a description of any litigation brought against the Board pursuant to the Government in the Sunshine Act, including any cost assessed against the Board in such litigation (whether or not paid by the Board).
[FR Doc. 02-8437 Filed 4-5-02; 8:45 am]