Notice2026-03822
Agency Information Collection Request for Comments
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 26, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentEnergy Information Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register on December 18, 2025, and no comments were received. EIA is forwarding the proposed Data Security Requirements for Accessing Confidential Data information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9607-9608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03822]
[[Page 9607]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Request for Comments
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has submitted
the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal
Register on December 18, 2025, and no comments were received. EIA is
forwarding the proposed Data Security Requirements for Accessing
Confidential Data information collection to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of
this second notice.
DATES: Comments on this information collection must be received no
later than March 30, 2026. Written comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of
publication of this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find
this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under
30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search
function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debra Coaxum, EIA Clearance Officer,
at (202) 586-7876 or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c7828e86ea819589a4a8aaaaa2a9b3b487a2aea6e9a0a8b1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d6939f97fb908498b5b9bbbbb3b8a2a596b3bfb7f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request
contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1905-New;
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Data Security
Requirements for Accessing Confidential Data;
(3) Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to collect information
from the public to fulfill the EIA security requirements allowing
individuals to access confidential data assets for the purposes of
building evidence.
(4) Purpose: Title III of the Foundations for Evidence-Based
Policymaking Act of 2018 (44 U.S.C. 3583; hereafter referred to as the
Evidence Act) mandates that OMB establish a Standard Application
Process (SAP) for requesting access to certain confidential data
assets. While the adoption of the SAP is required for statistical
agencies and units designated under the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018 (CIPSEA), it is
recognized that other agencies and organizational units within the
Executive Branch may benefit from the adoption of the SAP to accept
applications for access to confidential data assets. The SAP is to be a
process through which agencies, the Congressional Budget Office, State,
local, and Tribal governments, researchers, and other individuals, as
appropriate, may apply to access confidential data assets held by a
Federal statistical agency or unit for the purposes of developing
evidence. With the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP) as
advisors, the entities upon whom this requirement is levied are working
with the SAP Project Management Office (PMO) and with OMB to implement
the SAP.
The SAP Portal is to be a single web-based common application
designed to collect information from individuals requesting access to
confidential data assets from Federal statistical agencies and units.
When an application for confidential data is approved through the SAP
Portal, EIA will collect information to fulfill its data security
requirements. This is a required step before providing the individual
with access to restricted use microdata for the purpose of evidence
building. EIA's data security agreements and other paperwork, along
with the corresponding security protocols, allow EIA to maintain
careful controls on confidentiality and privacy, as required by law.
EIA's collection of data security information will occur outside of the
SAP Portal.
The following bullets outline the major components and processes in
and around the SAP Portal, leading up to EIA's collection of security
requirements.
The SAP Portal
The SAP Portal is an application interface connecting applicants
seeking data with a catalog of data assets owned by the Federal
statistical agencies and units. The SAP Portal is not a new data
repository or warehouse; confidential data assets will continue to be
stored in secure data access facilities owned and hosted by the Federal
statistical agencies and units. The Portal will provide a streamlined
application process across agencies, reducing redundancies in the
application process. This single SAP Portal will improve the process
for applicants, tracking and communicating the application process
throughout its lifecycle. This reduces redundancies and burden on
applicants that request access to data from multiple agencies. The SAP
Portal will automate key tasks to save resources and time and will
bring agencies into compliance with the Evidence Act statutory
requirements.
Data Discovery
Individuals begin the process of accessing restricted use data by
discovering confidential data assets through the SAP data catalog,
maintained by Federal statistical agencies at <a href="http://www.researchdatagov.org">www.researchdatagov.org</a>.
Potential applicants can search by agency, topic, or keyword to
identify data of interest or relevance. Once they have identified data
of interest, applicants can view metadata outlining the title,
description or abstract, scope and coverage, and detailed methodology
related to a specific data asset to determine its relevance to their
research. While statistical agencies and units shall endeavor to
include metadata in the SAP data catalog on all confidential data
assets for which they accept applications, it may not be feasible to
include metadata for some data assets (e.g., potential curated versions
of administrative data). A statistical agency or unit may still accept
an application through the SAP Portal even if the requested data asset
is not listed in the SAP data catalog.
SAP Application Process
Individuals who have identified and wish to access confidential
data assets will be able to apply for access through the SAP Portal.
Applicants must create an account and follow all steps to complete the
application. Applicants begin by entering their personal, contact, and
institutional information, as well as the personal, contact, and
institutional information of all individuals on their research team.
Applicants proceed to provide summary information about their proposed
project, to include project title, duration, funding, timeline, and
other details including the data asset(s) they are requesting and any
proposed linkages to data not listed in the SAP data catalog, including
non-Federal data sources. Applicants then proceed to enter detailed
information regarding their proposed project, including a project
abstract, research question(s), literature review, project scope,
research methodology, project products, and anticipated output.
Applicants must demonstrate a need for confidential data, outlining why
their research question cannot be answered using publicly available
information.
Submission for Review
Upon submission of their application, applicants will receive a
notification that their application has been received
[[Page 9608]]
and is under review by the data owning agency or agencies (in the event
where data assets are requested from multiple agencies). At this point,
applicants will also be notified that application approval does not
alone grant access to confidential data, and that, if approved,
applicants must comply with the data-owning agency's security
requirements outside of the SAP Portal, which may include a background
check.
In accordance with the Evidence Act and the direction of the ICSP,
agencies will approve or reject an application within a prompt
timeframe. In some cases, agencies may determine that additional
clarity, information, or modification is needed and request the
applicant to ``revise and resubmit'' their application. Data discovery,
the SAP application process, and the submission for review are planned
to take place within the web-based SAP Portal. As noted above, the
notice announcing plans to collect information through the SAP Portal
has been published separately (87 FR 53793).
Access to Confidential Data
In the event of a positive determination, the applicant will be
notified that their proposal has been accepted. The positive or final
adverse determination concludes the SAP Portal process. In the instance
of a positive determination, the data-owning agency (or agencies) will
contact the applicant to provide instructions on the agency's security
requirements that must be completed to gain access to the confidential
data. The completion and submission of the agency's security
requirements will take place outside of the SAP Portal.
Collection of Information for Data Security Requirements
In order for researchers to access confidential data onsite at
EIA's headquarters in Washington, DC, they must fulfill all
requirements for becoming temporary agents of EIA. To fulfill these
requirements, a Data Access Agreement (DAA) must be signed between EIA
and the researcher's employing institution, and the team members must
complete EIA's CIPSEA training and sign a Non-disclosure Agreement,
affirming their U.S. citizenship and their commitment not to disclose
confidential data to unauthorized parties.
(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 20;
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 20;
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 100;
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: The amount
of time to complete the DAA and training will vary based on the
confidential data assets requested and the access modality. To obtain
access to EIA confidential data assets, it is estimated that the
average time to complete and submit EIA's data security agreements is
100 minutes (5 hours) per applicant. This estimate does not include the
time needed to complete and submit an application within the SAP
Portal. All efforts related to SAP Portal applications occur prior to
and separate from EIA's effort to collect information related to data
security requirements.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 772(b) and 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.
Signed in Washington, DC, on February 23, 2026.
Debra Coaxum,
Assistant Administrator for Energy Statistics, U.S. Energy Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-03822 Filed 2-25-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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