A Surgical Approach To Applying CIPSEA [email protected] (202) 586-5562.

A Surgical Approach To Applying CIPSEA

[email protected](202) 586-5562

Legislative BackgroundConfidential Information Protection and Statistical

Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA)

• Sets a uniform policy across federal agencies about how confidential information would be treated.

• Provides strong confidentiality protection to statistical surveys and other activities.

• Limits the use of the reported information to statistical uses only.

Energy Information Administration

• Official source of energy statistics for the U.S. Department of Energy.

• Mandate to analyze and disseminate information on energy resources, production, demand, and related statistical information.

• Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 requires the sharing of company level information with other federal agencies that is consistent with their official use and purpose.

– Official use ≠ Statistical Use

1) Review existing data sharing agreements to determine if any nonstatistical uses exist, if so STOP.

2) Review survey for any potential future data sharing needs that may be nonstatistical in nature, if so STOP.

3) Has the survey been the subject of multiple requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act?

4) If data are sensitive, can some, if any, of the data elements be collected under CIPSEA? If so, apply the surgical approach.

PROCESS FOR REVIEWING SURVEYS TO COLLECT INFORMATION UNDER CIPSEA

12 out of 70 Surveys Use CIPSEAPetroleum

(4 yr) Petroleum Product Sales Identification Survey (EIA-863) (1/1/07)Weekly Motor Gasoline Price Survey (EIA-878) (6/7/04)Weekly On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price Survey (EIA-888) (6/7/04)

Natural GasMonthly Natural Gas Marketers Survey (EIA-910) ( 4/1/04)Weekly Underground Natural Gas Storage Report (EIA-912) (4/1/04) Monthly Natural Gas Production Report (EIA-914) (1/1/05)

Nuclear Quarterly Domestic Uranium Production Report (EIA-851Q) (1/1/04)Annual Domestic Uranium Production Report (EIA-851A) (1/1/04)Annual Uranium Marketing Survey (EIA-858) (1/1/04)

Energy Consumption and Financial Surveys(4 yr) Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (EIA-871) (2004) (4 yr) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (EIA-457) (2005)Annual Financial Reporting System (EIA-28) (2004)

Methods of Measuring Impacts of Changing Confidentiality Provisions

• Reviewed response rates and other metrics on the survey operations before, at the time, and after the change in confidentiality provisions occurred.

• Underlying assumption: Changing to CIPSEA would reduce pubic confusion and uncertainty over federal agencies applying different safeguards and restrictions to protect confidential information.

Surveys That Showed No Change

• No change – Response rates = 100%

1) Domestic Uranium Production Report Quarterly

2) Domestic Uranium Production Report Annual

3) Uranium Marketing Annual Survey

4) Financial Reporting System

All small size surveys (n < 75).

Notice of change in confidentiality sent by mail.

Residential Energy Consumption SurveyResponse Rates Increased

Fuel Type 1997 2001 2005 (n=7,249)

Change

Electricity 81.4 % 76.1 % 87.7 % +11.6

Natural Gas 74.5 % 69.5 % 85.6 % +16.1

Fuel Oil 62.7 % 59.5 % 74.0 % +14.5

Kerosene 16.2 % 21.5 % 50 % +28.5

LPG 71.4 % 60.4 % 67.5 % +7.1

Natural Gas Surveys• Notice sent by mail for all 3 surveys.

• EIA-912 Weekly Underground Natural Gas Storage Report. Report electronically.

• Response Rates fell from 100% to 96% on 4/1/04, however:

• 52 week average before 4/1/04 – 95%

• 52 week average after 4/1/04 – 97%

• Response rates on EIA-910 (96%/97%) and EIA-914 (98% new survey) remained stable.

Diesel (EIA-888) and Gasoline (EIA-878) Retail Price Surveys used oral notification.Impacts show:higher collection costslower response rateshigher operation costs

Confidentiality Pledge for a Telephone Survey IS TOO LONG!

“The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions in Public Law 107-347, your responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form. By law, everyone working on this EIA survey is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both if he or she discloses ANY information that could identify any confidential survey response.”

Response Rates on Weekly Retail Gasoline Price Survey

0.8

0.84

0.88

0.92

0.96

1

Res

pon

se R

ate

June 7, 2004 – 88%

Number of Prices Imputed on Weekly Retail Gasoline Price Survey

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

June 7, 2004 - 273

Average Operation Cost for Collecting Price Information

Date Ave. Call Time Per Station

Ave. Email

Time Per Station

Ave. Fax Time Per Station

Ave. time Per

Station

Estimated Cost Per Station

2004 Annual Average

1.64 0.79 0.85 1.41 $2.01

6/7/04 2.03 2.44 2.53 2.40 $3.40

Source: EIA-878 Gasoline Retail Price Survey

Average Cost per Station 2004 vs. 2005

1.50

1.70

1.90

2.10

2.30

2.50

2.70

2.90

3.10

3.30

3.50

Do

llars

2004 2005

June 7, 2004

Lessons Learned • Shorten the oral CIPSEA Confidentiality Pledge

or eliminate it for telephone surveys.• Provide notice of confidentiality pledge in writing. • Using CIPSEA helps maintain high response rates

and reduces uncertainty among respondents on the agency’s pledge to protect the confidentiality of the survey responses.

• Partially applying CIPSEA to some data elements on a survey requires close examination of that survey uses and activities and its relationship to other surveys.