PART 3c—STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Authority: 15 U.S.C. 717g; 16 U.S.C. 825(b); 42 U.S.C. 7171, 7172. Source: Order 589, 61 FR 43415, Aug. 23, 1996, unless otherwise noted. § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject to the executive branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635, the Commission regulations at 5 CFR part 3401 which supplement the Standards of Ethical Conduct, and the executive branch-wide employee responsibilities and conduct regulation at 5 CFR part 735. § 3c.2 Nonpublic information. (a) Section 1264(d) (42 U.S.C. 16452(d)) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, section 301(b) (16 U.S.C. 825(b)) of the Federal Power Act, and section 8(b) (15 U.S.C. 717g) of the Natural Gas Act prohibit any employee, in the absence of Commission or court direction, from divulging any fact or information which may come to his or her knowledge during the course of examination of books or other accounts. (b) The nature and time of any proposed action by the Commission are confidential and shall not be divulged to anyone outside the Commission. The Secretary of the Commission has the exclusive responsibility and authority for authorizing the initial public release of information concerning Commission proceedings. [Order 589, 61 FR 43415, Aug. 23, 1996, as amended by Order 699, 72 FR 45323, Aug. 14, 2007] § 3c.3 Reporting fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption and cooperation with official inquiries. (a) Employees shall, in fulfilling the obligation of 5 CFR 2635.101(b)(11), report fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption in Commission programs, including on the part of Commission employees, contractors, subcontractors, grantees, or other recipients of Commission financial assistance, to the Office of Inspector General or other appropriate Federal authority. (b) All alleged violations of the ethical restrictions described in § 3c.1 that are reported in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section to an appropriate authority within the Commission shall in turn be referred by that authority to the Designated Agency Ethics Official or his or her designee, or the Inspector General. (c) Employees shall cooperate with official inquiries by the Inspector General; they shall respond to questions truthfully under oath when required, whether orally or in writing, and must provide documents and other materials concerning matters of official interest. An employee is not required to respond to such official inquiries if answers or testimony may subject the employee to criminal prosecution.