Section 2.1 - Initial notice; service; and information copies of formal documents(a) Whenever appropriate, publication of an initial notice or order in the FEDERAL REGISTER shall be the primary means of informing interested persons and the general public that the proceeding to which the notice or order relates has been instituted before the Commission. The mailing or e-mailing of individual copies shall be confined to that which is required by law, by the Commission's rules and regulations, or by other considerations deemed valid by the Secretary in specific instances. (1) It is the policy of the Commission to publish notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER upon the institution of the following proceedings before the Commission:(i)Natural gas pipeline companies and public utility rate schedules and tariffs.(A) Initial rate schedule filings and changes in rates schedules proposed by public utilities and changes in rate schedules or tariffs proposed by natural gas pipeline companies, including purchased gas adjustment clauses.(B) Changes in rates proposed by natural gas pipeline companies for field sales.(E) Tracking rate schedule or tariff filings made pursuant to settlement agreements.(F) Rate schedule or tariff filings made by natural gas pipeline companies or public utilities in compliance with Commission orders.(G) Reports of refunds by natural gas pipeline companies and public utilities.(I) Complaints against natural gas pipeline companies and public utilities, unless otherwise directed.(ii)Interconnections, service and exportation pursuant to the Federal Power Act.(A) Applications for interconnection and service under section 202(b).(D) Applications pursuant to section 207.(iii)Hydroelectric, Federal Power Act.(A) Applications for preliminary permits pursuant to section 4(f).(B) Applications for licenses for constructed or unconstructed projects, or notice of declaration of intention, sections 4(e), 23(a)(b).(C) Applications for amendment of license, unless otherwise directed.(D) Application for relicenses or nonpower licenses, or a recommendation for takeover, sections 14 and 15.(E) Applications for transfer of license, section 8.(F) Applications for surrender of license, section 6.(G) Proceeding for revocation or termination of license, sections 6, 13, 26.(H) Issuance of annual licenses, section 15.(I) Lands withdrawn pursuant to an application for preliminary permit or license, and the vacation of such land withdrawals, section 24.(J) Complaints against licensees, unless otherwise directed.(iv)Corporate electric.(A) Applications pursuant to sections 203, 204, of the Federal Power Act, and applications or complaints pursuant to section 305 of the Federal Power Act.(v)Accounting, gas and electric.(A) Applications pursuant to sections 4, 23, 301, and 302 of the Federal Power Act.(B) Applications pursuant to sections 8 and 9 of the Natural Gas Act.(vi)Federal rates.(A) Application for confirmation and approval of rate schedules for Federal hydroelectric projects.(vii)Natural gas pipeline certificates, exportations, and importations, Natural Gas Act.(A) Applications for exemption under section 1(c).(B) Applications for authorization to import and export gas under section 3.(C) Applications for orders directing physical connection of facilities and sale of natural gas under section 7(a).(D) Applications for permission and approval to abandon under section 7(b).(E) Applications for permanent certificates under section 7(c).(G) Complaints against natural gas pipeline companies, filed by individuals and companies, unless otherwise directed.(x)Environmental statements.(A) Notice to be published pursuant to Order series 415.(xi)Miscellaneous, gas and electric.(A) Order instituting an investigation in which hearings are fixed or in which an opportunity is given for filing comments or petitions to intervene.(B) Show cause order, in which hearings are fixed or in which an opportunity is given for filing comments or petitions to intervene.(C) Order or notice consolidating proceedings for hearing purposes or severing a proceeding formerly consolidated for hearing purposes.(D) Applications for declaratory order, disclaimers of jurisdiction, or waiver of Commission regulations, unless otherwise directed.(E) Requests for redesignation, unless otherwise directed.(F) Requests for extension of time pursuant to § 385.2008 of this chapter, unless otherwise directed.(G) Consolidations and severance pursuant to § 375.302(f) of this chapter, unless otherwise directed.(H) Notice of correction of a document in any of the above categories.(I) Notice of meetings of advisory committees established by the Commission.(J) Notices of conferences in docketed rulemaking proceedings.(K) Proposed penalties under section 31 of the Federal Power Act.(L) Such other notices or orders as may be submitted by the Secretary for publication.(2)Otherwise directed, as referred to above, shall be interpreted to mean notice given by the discretion of the Secretary.(b) After notice has been given, the service of formal documents issued in a proceeding shall be confined to the parties of record or their attorneys, and the mailing or e-mailing of information copies shall be confined to that which is required by the Commission's rules and regulations, by courtesy in response to written requests for copies, or by other considerations deemed valid by the Secretary in specific instances.Order 211, 24 FR 1345, Feb. 21, 1959, as amended by Order 463, 37 FR 28054, Dec. 20, 1972; 38 FR 3192, Feb. 2, 1973; 44 FR 34941, June 18, 1979; 45 FR 21224, Apr. 1, 1980; Order 541, 57 FR 21733, May 22, 1992; Order 603, 64 FR 26603, May 14, 1999; Order 2002, 68 FR 51115 , Aug. 25, 2003; Order 737, 75 FR 43402 , July 26, 2010; Order 756, 77 FR 4893 , Feb. 1, 2012 Secs. 308, 309; 49 Stat. 858; 16 U.S.C. 825g , 825h ; secs. 15 , 16 ; 52 Stat. 829, 830; 15 U.S.C. 717n , 717o