On August 23, 2000, the Green Mountain Energy Company (Green Mountain) of Austin, Texas, filed an Application for Exception with the Office of Hearings and Appeals of the Department of Energy (DOE). In its application, Green Mountain requests an exception, pursuant to 10 C.F.R. § 1003, which, if granted, would have the effect of withholding from public release – either through regular publication by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) or through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.