(a) The purpose of this subpart is to implement the requirements of the Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017 (the Act), Public Law 115-59, 42 U.S.C. 405 note, September 15, 2017.

(b) The Act:

(1) Prohibits Federal agencies from including any individual's Social Security account number (SSN) on any document sent by mail unless the head of the agency determines that such inclusion is necessary; and

(2) Requires agencies to issue regulations that specify the circumstances under which such inclusion is necessary.

(a) This subpart describes how DOI, including all its bureaus and offices, handles the use and protection of individuals' SSNs in documents that are mailed. SSNs may only be included in documents that are mailed when authorized and necessary, and where appropriate safeguards are employed to protect individual privacy in accordance with the Act.

(b) This subpart includes the circumstances under which inclusion of an individual's SSN on a document is authorized to be mailed;

(c) This subpart requires SSNs to be safeguarded when mailed by:

(1) Requiring the partial redaction of SSNs where feasible; and

(2) Prohibiting the display of SSNs on the outside of any package or mailing envelope sent by mail or through the window of an envelope or package.

Act means the Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017, Public Law 115-59.

Bureau is any component or constituent bureau or office of DOI, including the Office of the Secretary and any other Departmental office.

Department or DOI means the Department of the Interior.

Document means a piece of written or printed matter that provides information or evidence or that serves as an official record.

Individual means a natural person who is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence as defined by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a.

Mail means artifacts used to assemble letters and packages that are sent or delivered by means of an authorized carrier of postal delivery or United States Postal Service (USPS) postal system. (For purposes of the subpart, the postal system that is managed by the U.S. Postal Service.)

Social Security number or Social Security account number means the nine-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2).

Truncated or partial SSN means the shortened or partial Social Security account number.

(a) DOI bureaus and offices may not include the full or partial SSN of an individual on any document sent via mail unless:

(1) The inclusion of an SSN on a document sent by mail is required or authorized by law;

(2) The responsible program office has conducted the proper assessment and taken steps to mitigate the use of the SSN and any impacts to individual privacy; and

(3) The Secretary of the Interior has determined that the inclusion of the SSN on the document is necessary and appropriate to meet legal and mission requirements in accordance with this subpart.

(b) Bureaus and offices shall partially redact or truncate SSNs in documents sent by mail where feasible to reduce the unnecessary use of SSNs and mitigate risk to individuals' privacy.

(c) In no case shall any complete or partial SSN be visible on the outside of any envelope or package sent by mail or displayed on correspondence that is visible through the window of an envelope or package.

(a) Definitions. As used in the section:

(1) Exploration license means a license issued by the Secretary of the Interior to conduct coal exploration operations on land subject to the Mineral Leasing Act, under 30 U.S.C. 201(b), or subject to the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, under 30 U.S.C. 351-360.

(2) Fair-market value of coal to be leased means the minimum amount of a bid the Secretary is willing to accept in leasing coal within leasing tracts offered in general lease sales or reserved and offered for lease to public bodies, including Federal agencies, rural electric cooperatives, or non-profit corporations controlled by any of such entities, under 30 U.S.C. 201(a)(1) or 30 U.S.C. 351-360.

(3) Information means data, statistics, samples and other facts, whether analyzed or processed or not, pertaining to Federal coal resources.

(b) Applicability. This Appendix applies to the following categories of information:

(1) Category A. Information provided to or obtained by a bureau under 30 U.S.C. 201(b)(3) (and corresponding information under 30 U.S.C. 351-360) from the holder of an exploration license;

(2) Category B. Information acquired from commercial or other sources under service contract with United States Geological Survey (USGS) under 30 U.S.C. 208-1(b) (and corresponding information under 30 U.S.C. 351-360), and information developed by USGS under an exploratory program authorized by 30 U.S.C. 208-1 (and corresponding information under 30 U.S.C. 351-360);

(3) Category C. Information obtained from commercial sources which the commercial source acquired while not under contract with the United States Government;

(4) Category D. Information provided to the Secretary by a Federal department or agency under 30 U.S.C. 208-1(e) (and corresponding information under 30 U.S.C. 351-360); and

(5) Category E. The fair-market value of coal to be leased and comments received by the Secretary with respect to such value.

(c) Availability of information. Information obtained by the Department from various sources will be made available to the public as follows:

(1) Category A—Information. Category A information must not be disclosed to the public until after the areas to which the information pertains have been leased by the Department, or until the Secretary determines that release of the information to the public would not damage the competitive position of the holder of the exploration license, whichever comes first.

(2) Category B—Information. Category B information must not be withheld from the public; it will be made available by means of and at the time of open filing or publication by USGS.

(3) Category C—Information. To the extent Category C information is proprietary, such information must not be made available to the public until after the areas to which the information pertains have been leased by the Department.

(4) Category D—Information. To the extent Category D information is proprietary, the Department will withhold the information from the public for the length of time the department or agency providing the information agreed to when it obtained the information.

(5) Category E—Information. Category E information must not be made public until the lands to which the information pertains have been leased, or until the Secretary has determined that its release prior to the issuance of a lease is in the public interest.