Letter to Ms. J. McLane Layton, Director Office of External Affairs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Letter to Ms. J. McLane Layton, Director Office of External Affairs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
May 1, 2006
Ms. J. McLane Layton, Director
Office of External Affairs
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Room 11H-1
888 First Street, NE.
Washington, DC 20426
Re: Freedom of Information Act Request
Dear Ms. Layton,
In accordance with provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C §552) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC's) FOIA regulations (18 C.F.R. §388.108), we are submitting a request for documents related to FERC's ongoing investigation of the Enron Corporation. Specifically, we are requesting the following materials filed by the Commission's Trial Staff within Docket Nos. EL03-180-ooo, et al:
1.) Exhibit Nos. S-5, S-6, S-13, S-18, S-19, S-21, S-22, S-25, S-27, S-32, S-33, S-34, S-35, S-39, S-43, S-44, S-85, S-86, S-89, S-90, S-91, S-92, S-93, S-94, S-95, S-96, S-97, S-100, S-101, S-136, S-137, S-138, S-139, S-140, S-142, S-143, S-145, and S-146.
2.) We are making this request in our official capacity as United States Senators representing the citizens of Washington state and the State of California, who have been impacted by the Commission's past and future policy- and decision-making efforts in the area of energy market transparency. In addition, as members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, we are particularly concerned about the implications of this material in ongoing efforts to assess the impacts of speculation in energy commodity markets on the costs of physical energy supplies necessary to power the American economy. This FOIA request is designed to further the understanding of policymakers and the public in general as to the factors and trading strategies impacting volatility in U.S. energy commodity markets.
3.) We are requesting a waiver of fees related to this FOIA request, pursuant to 18 C.F.R. §388.109. Specifically, FERC's regulations provide for a waiver of these fees in instances in which disclosure is "in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government" and is "not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester".
Thank you for your attention to this request. With questions, please contact Angela Becker-Dippmann in Sen. Cantwell's office, at (202) 224-3441, or Rachel Miller in Sen. Feinstein's office, at (202) 224-3841.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
Diane Feinstein
http://cantwell.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=255005&&days=30&