---
kind: "range"
citation: "40 C.F.R. §§ 2.210–2.215"
title: "40"
from: "2.210"
to: "2.215"
count: 6
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/40/2.210..2.215"
---

# §2.210. Nondisclosure for reasons other than business confidentiality or where disclosure is prohibited by other statute.

- (a) Information which is not entitled to confidential treatment under this subpart shall be made available to the public (using the procedures set forth in §§ [2.204](/cfr/40/2.204.md) and [2.205](/cfr/40/2.205.md)) if its release is requested under [5 U.S.C. 552](/usc/5/552.md), unless EPA determines (under [subpart A](/cfr/40/subpartA.md) of this part) that, for reasons other than reasons of business confidentiality, the information is exempt from mandatory disclosure and cannot or should not be made available to the public. Any such determination under [subpart A](/cfr/40/subpartA.md) shall be coordinated with actions taken under this subpart for the purpose of avoiding delay in responding to requests under [5 U.S.C. 552](/usc/5/552.md).
- (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart, if any statute not cited in this subpart appears to require EPA to give confidential treatment to any business information for reasons of business confidentiality, the matter shall be referred promptly to an EPA legal office for resolution. Pending resolution, such information shall be treated as if it were entitled to confidential treatment.

# §2.211. Safeguarding of business information; penalty for wrongful disclosure.

- (a) No EPA officer or employee may disclose, or use for his or her private gain or advantage, any business information which came into his or her possession, or to which he or she gained access, by virtue of his or her official position or employment, except as authorized by this subpart.
- (b) Each EPA officer or employee who has custody or possession of business information shall take appropriate measures to properly safeguard such information and to protect against its improper disclosure.
- (c) Violation of paragraph [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b) of this section shall constitute grounds for dismissal, suspension, fine, or other adverse personnel action. Willful violation of [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section may result in criminal prosecution under [18 U.S.C. 1905](/usc/18/1905.md) or other applicable statute.
- (d) Each contractor or subcontractor with the United States Government, and each employee of such contractor or subcontractor, who is furnished business information by EPA under [§ 2.301(h)](/cfr/40/2.301.md?p=h), [§ 2.302(h)](/cfr/40/2.302.md?p=h), [§ 2.304(h)](/cfr/40/2.304.md?p=h), [§ 2.305(h)](/cfr/40/2.305.md?p=h), [§ 2.306(j)](/cfr/40/2.306.md?p=j), [§ 2.307(h)](/cfr/40/2.307.md?p=h), [§ 2.308(i)](/cfr/40/2.308.md?p=i), or [§ 2.310(h)](/cfr/40/2.310.md?p=h) shall use or disclose that information only as permitted by the contract or subcontract under which the information was furnished. Contractors or subcontractors shall take steps to properly safeguard business information including following any security procedures for handling and safeguarding business information which are contained in any manuals, procedures, regulations, or guidelines provided by EPA. Any violation of this paragraph shall constitute grounds for suspension or debarment of the contractor or subcontractor in question. A willful violation of this paragraph may result in criminal prosecution.

# §2.212. Establishment of control offices for categories of business information.

- (a) The Administrator, by order, may establish one or more mutually exclusive categories of business information, and may designate for each such category an EPA office (hereinafter referred to as a control office) which shall have responsibility for taking actions (other than actions required to be taken by an EPA legal office) with respect to all information within such category.
- (b) If a control office has been assigned responsibility for a category of business information, no other EPA office, officer, or employee may make available to the public (or otherwise disclose to persons other than EPA officers and employees) any information in that category without first obtaining the concurrence of the control office. Requests under [5 U.S.C. 552](/usc/5/552.md) for release of such information shall be referred to the control office.
- (c) A control office shall take the actions and make the determinations required by [§ 2.204](/cfr/40/2.204.md) with respect to all information in any category for which the control office has been assigned responsibility.
- (d) A control office shall maintain a record of the following, with respect to items of business information in categories for which it has been assigned responsibility:
  - (1) Business confidentiality claims;
  - (2) Comments submitted in support of claims;
  - (3) Waivers and withdrawals of claims;
  - (4) Actions and determinations by EPA under this subpart;
  - (5) Actions by Federal courts; and
  - (6) **Related information concerning business confidentiality.**

# §2.213. Designation by business of addressee for notices and inquiries.

- (a) A business which wishes to designate a person or office as the proper addressee of communications from EPA to the business under this subpart may do so by furnishing in writing to the Headquarters Freedom of Information Operations (1105), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, the following information: The name and address of the business making the designation; the name, address, and telephone number of the designated person or office; and a request that EPA inquiries and communications (oral and written) under this subpart, including inquiries and notices which require reply within deadlines if the business is to avoid waiver of its rights under this subpart, be furnished to the designee pursuant to this section. Only one person or office may serve at any one time as a business's designee under this subpart.
- (b) If a business has named a designee under this section, the following EPA inquiries and notices to the business shall be addressed to the designee:
  - (1) Inquiries concerning a business's desire to assert a business confidentiality claim, under [§ 2.204(c)(2)(i)(A)](/cfr/40/2.204.md?p=c-2-i-A);
  - (2) Notices affording opportunity to substantiate confidentiality claims, under [§ 2.204(d)(1)](/cfr/40/2.204.md?p=d-1) and [§ 2.204(e)](/cfr/40/2.204.md?p=e);
  - (3) Inquires concerning comments, under [§ 2.205(b)(4)](/cfr/40/2.205.md?p=b-4);
  - (4) Notices of denial of confidential treatment and proposed disclosure of information, under [§ 2.205(f)](/cfr/40/2.205.md?p=f);
  - (5) Notices concerning shortened comment and/or waiting periods under [§ 2.205(g)](/cfr/40/2.205.md?p=g);
  - (6) Notices concerning modifications or overrulings of prior determinations, under [§ 2.205(h)](/cfr/40/2.205.md?p=h);
  - (7) Notices to affected businesses under §§ [2.301(g)](/cfr/40/2.301.md?p=g) and [2.301(h)](/cfr/40/2.301.md?p=h) and analogous provisions in §§ [2.302](/cfr/40/2.302.md), [2.303](/cfr/40/2.303.md), [2.304](/cfr/40/2.304.md), [2.305](/cfr/40/2.305.md), [2.306](/cfr/40/2.306.md), [2.307](/cfr/40/2.307.md), and [2.308](/cfr/40/2.308.md); and
  - (8) Notices to affected businesses under [§ 2.209](/cfr/40/2.209.md).
- (c) The Freedom of Information Officer shall, as quickly as possible, notify all EPA offices that may possess information submitted by the business to EPA, the Regional Freedom of Information Offices, the Office of General Counsel, and the offices of Regional Counsel of any designation received under this section. Businesses making designations under this section should bear in mind that several working days may be required for dissemination of this information within EPA and that some EPA offices may not receive notice of such designations.

# §2.214. Defense of Freedom of Information Act suits; participation by affected business.

- (a) In making final confidentiality determinations under this subpart, the EPA legal office relies to a large extent upon the information furnished by the affected business to substantiate its claim of confidentiality. The EPA legal office may be unable to verify the accuracy of much of the information submitted by the affected business.
- (b) If the EPA legal office makes a final confidentiality determination under this subpart that certain business information is entitled to confidential treatment, and EPA is sued by a requester under the Freedom of Information Act for disclosure of that information, EPA will:
  - (1) Notify each affected business of the suit within 10 days after service of the complaint upon EPA;
  - (2) Where necessary to preparation of EPA's defense, call upon each affected business to furnish assistance; and
  - (3) Not oppose a motion by any affected business to intervene as a party to the suit under [rule 24(b)](/cfr/40/24.md?p=b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
- (c) EPA will defend its final confidentiality determination, but EPA expects the affected business to cooperate to the fullest extent possible in this defense.

# §2.215. Confidentiality agreements.

- (a) No EPA officer, employee, contractor, or subcontractor shall enter into any agreement with any affected business to keep business information confidential unless such agreement is consistent with this subpart. No EPA officer, employee, contractor, or subcontractor shall promise any affected business that business information will be kept confidential unless the promise is consistent with this subpart.
- (b) If an EPA office has requested information from a State, local, or Federal agency and the agency refuses to furnish the information to EPA because the information is or may constitute confidential business information, the EPA office may enter into an agreement with the agency to keep the information confidential, notwithstanding the provisions of this subpart. However, no such agreement shall be made unless the General Counsel determines that the agreement is necessary and proper.
- (c) To determine that an agreement proposed under [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section is necessary, the General Counsel must find:
  - (1) The EPA office requesting the information needs the information to perform its functions;
  - (2) The agency will not furnish the information to EPA without an agreement by EPA to keep the information confidential; and
  - (3) **Either—**
    - (i) EPA has no statutory power to compel submission of the information directly from the affected business, or
    - (ii) While EPA has statutory power to compel submission of the information directly from the affected business, compelling submission of the information directly from the business would—
      - (A) Require time in excess of that available to the EPA office to perform its necessary work with the information,
      - (B) Duplicate information already collected by the other agency and overly burden the affected business, or
      - (C) **Overly burden the resources of EPA.**
- (d) To determine that an agreement proposed under [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section is proper, the General Counsel must find that the agreement states—
  - (1) The purpose for which the information is required by EPA;
  - (2) The conditions under which the agency will furnish the information to EPA;
  - (3) The information subject to the agreement;
  - (4) That the agreement does not cover information acquired by EPA from another source;
  - (5) The manner in which EPA will treat the information; and
  - (6) That EPA will treat the information in accordance with the agreement subject to an order of a Federal court to disclose the information.
- (e) EPA will treat any information acquired pursuant to an agreement under [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section in accordance with the procedures of this subpart except where the agreement specifies otherwise.