On March 19, 2015, FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NOPR") that would eliminate the current requirement that participants in a FERC trial-type evidentiary hearing must provide paper copies of all evidentiary exhibits. Instead, FERC proposes to remove this requirement under the NOPR, stating that it will create a more efficient exhibit filing process through direct electronic submission of all exhibits.
FERC explains that the proposed rule represents FERC's continued efforts to eliminate excessive paperwork through the substitution of electronic means of communication and information storage. FERC also notes in the NOPR that the FERC administrative law judges recently adopted a revised practice for handling exhibits that removes the need for paper copies at hearings as well (see December 18, 2014 edition of the WER).
Comments are due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. A copy of the NOPR is available here.
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