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(a) Trade Secrets Act ( (1) General. The Trade Secrets Act provides criminal penalties for unauthorized government disclosure of trade secrets and other specified confidential commercial information. The Freedom of Information Act authorizes withholding of such information; however, the Independent Safety Board Act, at 49 U.S.C. 1114(b), provides that the Board may, under certain circumstances, disclose information related to trade secrets.

(2) Procedures. Information submitted to the Board that the submitter believes qualifies as a trade secret or confidential commercial information subject either to the Trade Secrets Act or FOIA Exemption 4 shall be so identified by the submitter on each and every page of such document. The Board shall give the submitter of any information so identified, or information the Board has substantial reason to believe qualifies as a trade secret or confidential commercial information subject either to the Trade Secrets Act or FOIA Exemption 4, the opportunity to comment on any contemplated disclosure, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 1114(b). In all instances where the Board determines to disclose pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 1114(b) and/or 5 U.S.C. 552, at least 10 days' notice will be provided the submitter. Notice may not be provided the submitter when disclosure is required by a law other than FOIA if the information is not identified by the submitter as qualifying for withholding, as is required by this paragraph, unless the Board has substantial reason to believe that disclosure would result in competitive harm.

(3) Voluntarily-provided safety information. It is the policy of the Safety Board that commercial, safety-related information provided to it voluntarily and not in the context of particular accident/incident investigations will not be disclosed. Reference to such information for the purposes of safety recommendations will be undertaken with consideration for the confidential nature of the underlying database(s).

(b) Other. Any person may make written objection to the public disclosure of any other information contained in any report or document filed, or otherwise obtained by the Board, stating the grounds for such objection. The Board, on its own initiative or if such objection is made, may order such information withheld from public disclosure when, in its judgment, the information may be withheld under the provisions of an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, see part 801 of this chapter ), and its release is found not to be in the public interest.