(a) General. Procedures for requesting confidential treatment of information submitted to, reported to, or collected by the Administrator pursuant to this part and 15 CFR part 970 shall be in accordance with 15 CFR part 4. Procedures for requesting records and handling requests for records containing information submitted to, reported to, or collected by the Administrator pursuant to this part and 15 CFR part 970 shall also be in accordance with 15 CFR part 4.

(b) Protection of confidential information transmitted by the Administrator to other agencies. Each copy of information for which confidential treatment has been requested which is transmitted by the Administrator to other Federal agencies will be accompanied by a cover letter containing:

(1) A request that the other Federal agency maintain the information in confidence in accordance with applicable law (including the Trade Secret Act, 18 U.S.C. 1905) and any applicable protective agreement entered into by the Administrator and the Federal agency receiving the information;

(2) A request that the other Federal agency notify the Administrator immediately upon receipt of any request for disclosure of the information; and

(3) A request that all copies of the information be returned to the Administrator for secure storage or disposal promptly after the Federal agency determines that it no longer needs the information for its official use.

(c) When satisfied that adequate protection against public disclosure exists, applicants should provide the State agency with confidential and proprietary information which the State agency maintains is necessary to make a reasoned decision on the consistency of the proposal. State agency requests for such information must be related to the necessity of having such information to assess adequately the coastal zone effects of the proposal.