Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2021
Abstract
Agencies conducting informal rulemaking proceedings increasingly confront conflicting duties with respect to protected materials included in information submitted in public rulemaking dockets. They must reconcile the broad commitment to openness and transparency reflected in federal law with the duty to protect confidential business information (CBI) and personally identifiable information (PII) against improper disclosure.
This Article presents an analysis of how agencies can best balance these often-countervailing considerations. Part I explores the statutory duties to disclose and withhold information submitted in public rulemaking dockets placed on agencies. It also examines judicial decisions and other legal interpretations regarding the proper way to tradeoff these opposing concerns. Part II explores current agency practices with respect to protected materials, based on both a survey of notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs), system of records notices (SORNs), and other notices issued by agencies along with interviews, a roundtable with agency officials, and a confidential survey sent to selected federal agencies. Part III recommends possible changes to agency practices and procedures.
Keywords
Administrative law & procedure, disclosure of sensitive information, trade secrets, personal privacy, notice-&-comment process, public dockets, e-Rulemaking Program
Publication Title
Indiana Law Journal
Repository Citation
Yoo, Christopher S. and McCoy, Kellen, "Privacy vs. Transparency: Handling Protected Materials in Agency Rulemaking" (2021). All Faculty Scholarship. 2242.
https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_scholarship/2242
Included in
Administrative Law Commons, Internet Law Commons, Law and Society Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Privacy Law Commons, Public Administration Commons, Public Law and Legal Theory Commons
Publication Citation
96 Ind. L. J. 1259 (2021)