Corel PDF Engine Version 9.654 information requests, records, environmental information, library 2005-04-19T17:35:22-04:00 2005-04-19T17:10:29Z POP90 2005-04-19T17:35:22-04:00 uuid:b3b61c29-e19d-4aca-af58-2e33ad933763 xml Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Freedom of Information Report Freedom of Information Act U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

I. BASIC INFORMATION REGARDING REPORT.

A. Name, title, address, and telephone number of person to be contacted with questions about the report.

Larry F. Gottesman
National FOIA Officer
Records, FOIA and Privacy Branch
Office of Environmental Information

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mail Code 2822T
Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 566-1667

B. Electronic address for this report on our Web site.

http://www.epa.gov/foia

C. How to obtain a copy of this report in paper form.

Contact:

Larry F. Gottesman
National FOIA Officer
Records, FOIA and Privacy Branch
Office of Environmental Information

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mail Code 2822T
Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 566-1667

II. HOW TO MAKE A FOIA REQUEST.

For basic information on how to make a FOIA request, visit our Web site at http://www.epa.gov/foia

A. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all individual agency components and offices that receive FOIA requests.

For these names, addresses, and telephone numbers, visit our Web site at

http://www.epa.gov/foia

B. Brief Description of Agency’s Response-Time Ranges (On a Component-by-Component Basis).

The Agency responded to 51% of its requests within the 20-day time limit.

For a detailed breakdown of each component’s response times, see Section VII of this report, Compliance With Time Limits/Status of Pending Requests.

C. Brief Description Why Requests are Not Granted.

Exemption 4 (used 323 times), Exemption 5 (used 394 times), Exemption 6 (used 210 times), and Exemption 7(A) (used 161 times) were used most frequently for not granting requests. These records usually related to confidential business information, privileged inter-agency/intra-agency memoranda, invasion of privacy, or ongoing enforcement proceedings, respectively.

III. DEFINITIONS OF BASIC TERMS AND ACRONYMS USED IN THE REPORT.

A. Agency-specific acronyms or other terms.

Acronym Areas Served

HQ EPA Headquarters Region 1 New England Region Region 2 New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin

Islands and 7 Tribal Nations
Region 3 Mid-Atlantic Region
Region 4 Southeast Region
Region 5 Mid-West Region
Region 6 South Central Region
Region 7 America’s Heartland Region
Region 8 Mountains and Plains Region
Region 9 Pacific Southwest Region
Region 10 Pacific Northwest Region

B. Basic Terms, Expressed in Common Terminology.

  • 1. FOIA Request -- Freedom of Information Act request. A FOIA request is a request for access to records concerning a third party, an organization, or a particular topic of interest, which includes Privacy Act requests.
  • 2. Initial Request -- a request to a federal agency for access to records under the Freedom of Information Act.
  • 3. Appeal -- a request to a federal agency asking that it review at a higher administrative level a full denial or partial denial of access to records under the Freedom of Information Act, or any other FOIA determination such as a matter pertaining to fees.
  • 4. Processed Request or Appeal -- a request or appeal for which an agency has taken a final action on the request or the appeal in all respects.
  • 5. Multi-track processing -- a system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal review are placed in one processing track and more voluminous and complex requests are placed in one or more other tracks. Requests in each track are processed on a first-in/first-out basis. A requester who has an urgent need for records may request expedited processing.
  • 6. Expedited processing -- an agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a requester has shown an exceptional need or urgency for the records which warrants prioritization of his or her request over other requests that were made earlier.
  • 7. Simple Request -- a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in its fastest (non-expedited) track based on the volume and/or simplicity of records requested.
  • 8. Complex Request -- a FOIA request that an agency using multi-track processing places in a slower track based on the volume and/or complexity of records requested.
  • 9. Grant -- the agency decision to disclose all records in full in response to a FOIA request.
  • 10. Partial denial -- the agency decision to disclose a record in part in response to a FOIA request, deleting information determined to be exempt under one or more of the FOIA’s exemptions; or a decision to disclose some records in their entireties, but to withhold others in whole or in part.
  • 11. Denial -- the agency decision not to release any part of a record or records in response to a FOIA request because all the information in the requested records is determined by the agency to be exempt under one or more of the FOIA’s exemptions, or for some procedural reason, such as when no record is located in response to a FOIA request.
  • 12. Time limits -- the time period in the Freedom of Information Act for an agency to respond to a FOIA request (ordinarily 20 working days from proper receipt of the FOIA request).
  • 13. Exemption 3 statute -- a separate federal statute prohibiting the disclosure of a certain type of information and authorizing its withholding under FOIA subsection (b)(3).
  • 14. Median number -- the middle, not average, number of working days.
  • 15. Days -- refers to actual working days, excluding weekends and holidays.

    • IV. EXEMPTION 3 STATUTES.

    Statute/Rule (A.1.) Type of Information Case Citation (A.2.)
    Withheld
    Procurement Integrity Act, Contract Proposal Hornbostel v. Dept. of
    41 U.S.C. 253b(m) Interior, 305 F. Supp. 2d 21
    (D.D.C 2003) as amended
    (2004), aff’d on other
    grounds, 2004 WL 1900562
    (D.C. Cir. 2004)
    Chemical Safety Information, Site Security, and Offsite consequence analysis
    Fuels Regulatory Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412 sections of risk management None
    plans
    Federal Rule of Criminal Procedures, Rule 6(e) Records relating to Grand Jury Investigations or Proceedings Fund for Constitutional Government v. National Archives and Records
    Service 656 F. 2d 856 (D.C.
    Cir. 1981).
    Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodentcide Act Prohibits registrants from
    (FIFRA) 7 U.S.C. 136h disclosing information to None
    foreign competitors.
    Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 1433 (a)(3) Community Water, systems
    concerning vulnerability None
    assessments

    V. INITIAL FOIA/PA ACCESS REQUESTS.

    A. Numbers of Initial Requests.

    NUMBER OF REQUESTS PENDING AS OF END OF PRECEDING YEAR (A.1.) NUMBER OF REQUESTS RECEIVED IN CURRENT YEAR (A.2.) NUMBER OF REQUESTS PROCESSED IN CURRENT YEAR (A.3.) NUMBER OF REQUESTS PENDING AS OF END OF CURRENT YEAR (A.4.)
    HQ 634 2204 2195 643
    REGION 1 75 302 317 60
    REGION 2 1187 2368 2957 598
    REGION 3 103 1756 1749 110
    REGION 4 122 1019 1040 101
    REGION 5 121 2052 2013 160
    REGION 6 165 896 861 200
    REGION 7 52 692 651 93
    REGION 8 49 394 387 56
    REGION 9 47 744 726 65
    REGION 10 46 470 456 60
    TOTALS 2601 12897 13352 2146

    B. Disposition of Initial Requests. EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

    TOTAL GRANTS (B.1.) PARTIAL GRANTS (B.2.) DENIALS (B.3.)
    HQ 1418 296 62
    REGION 1 173 3 3
    REGION 2 887 9 1
    REGION 3 1425 24 6
    REGION 4 479 115 15
    REGION 5 1088 62 10
    REGION 6 566 28 5
    REGION 7 522 16 1
    REGION 8 272 8 8
    REGION 9 421 34 2
    REGION 10 289 40 7
    TOTALS 7540 635 120

    (B.3.a)

    (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)(A) (7)(B) (7)(C) (7)(D) (7)(E) (7)(F) (8) (9)
    HQ 0 28 20 187 108 49 31 0 28 20 14 1 1 0 487
    REGION 1 0 0 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
    REGION 2 0 0 0 0 5 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11
    REGION 3 0 1 0 10 22 11 9 1 2 2 1 0 0 1 60
    REGION 4 0 9 2 73 97 106 38 0 39 0 1 0 0 0 365
    REGION 5 0 0 1 16 43 9 31 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 105
    REGION 6 0 1 0 7 21 13 4 0 3 4 3 1 0 0 57
    REGION 7 0 0 2 2 17 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 34
    REGION 8 0 1 0 2 12 2 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 23
    REGION 9 3 2 1 13 25 3 11 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 63
    REGION 10 0 2 0 12 38 9 23 0 8 1 0 0 0 0 93
    TOTALS 3 44 26 323 394 210 161 3 82 28 25 2 1 4 1306

    EXPLANATION OF DISPOSITION OF FOIA/PA INITIAL REQUESTS:

    OTHER REASONS FOR NONDISCLOSURE

    (B.4.)

    NO RECORDS REFERRALS REQUEST WITHDRAWN FEERELATED REASON RECORDS NOT REASONABLY DESCRIBED NOT AN AGENCY RECORD DUPLICATE REQUESTS NOT A PROPER FOIA REQUEST OTHER
    HQ 169 1 202 10 1 1 33 2 0
    REGION 1 75 2 27 1 0 1 31 1 0
    REGION 2 1788 0 251 1 12 0 6 2 0
    REGION 3 236 0 40 0 0 0 18 0 0
    REGION 4 286 2 113 24 0 2 4 0 0
    REGION 5 745 0 86 5 2 1 11 3 0
    REGION 6 220 0 39 0 0 0 3 0 0
    REGION 7 73 0 35 0 1 0 3 0 0
    REGION 8 61 1 31 0 0 0 3 3 0
    REGION 9 203 10 32 8 5 0 7 4 0
    REGION 10 83 1 34 1 0 0 1 0 0
    TOTALS 3939 17 890 50 21 5 120 15 0

    VI. APPEALS OF INITIAL DENIALS OF FOIA/PA REQUESTS.*

    A. Numbers of appeals.

  • 1. Number of appeals received during fiscal year 117
  • 2. Number of appeals processed during fiscal year 105

    • B. Disposition of appeals.

  • 1. Number completely upheld 18
  • 2. Number partially reversed 9
  • 3. Number completely reversed 9
  • a. Number of times each FOIA exemption was used (counting each exemption once per appeal):
  • (1) Exemption 1 0
  • (2) Exemption 2 3
  • (3) Exemption 3 0
  • (4) Exemption 4 5
  • (5) Exemption 5 14
  • (6) Exemption 6 3
  • (7) Exemption 7(A) 8
  • (8) Exemption 7(B) 0
  • (9) Exemption 7(C) 6
  • (10) Exemption 7(D) 3
  • (11) Exemption 7(E) 2
  • (12) Exemption 7(F) 0
  • (13) Exemption 8 0
  • (14) Exemption 9 0
  • 4. Other reasons for nondisclosure (total) 69
  • a. No records 6
  • b. Referrals 0
  • c. Request withdrawn 59
  • d. Fee-related reason 4
  • e. Records not reasonably described 0
  • f. Not a proper FOIA request for some other reason 0
  • g. Not an agency record 0
  • h. Duplicate request 0
  • i. Other (expedited) 0

    • *App eals are pro cessed ce ntrally at EPA H eadq uarters.

    VII. COMPLIANCE WITH TIME LIMITS/STATUS OF PENDING REQUESTS.

    A. Median processing time for requests processed during the year. B. Status of pending requests.

    Simple Requests (A.1.) Complex Requests (A.2.) Requests Accorded Expedited Processing (A.3.)
    Number of Requests Processed (A.1.a.) Median Number of Days To Process (A.1.b.) Number of Requests Processed (A.2.a.) Median Number of Days To Process (A.2.b.) Number of Requests Processed (A.3.a.) Median Number of Days To Process (A.3.b.)
    HQ 2188 19 1 170 6 16
    REGION 1 317 19 0 29 0 0
    REGION 2 2949 27 7 49 1 9
    REGION 3 1748 15 0 0 1 7
    REGION 4 1034 21 5 75 1 6
    REGION 5 2011 18 2 70 0 0
    REGION 6 860 18 1 353 0 0
    REGION 7 651 23 0 0 0 0
    REGION 8 387 13 0 0 0 0
    REGION 9 725 16 0 0 1 6
    REGION 10 454 20 1 19 1 27
    TOTALS 13324 N/A 17 N/A 11 N/A
    NUMBER OF REQUESTS PENDING AS OF END OF FISCAL YEAR (B.1.) MEDIAN NUMBER OF DAYS TO PROCESS (B.2.)
    HQ 643 100
    REGION 1 60 283
    REGION 2 598 161
    REGION 3 110 8
    REGION 4 101 12
    REGION 5 160 11
    REGION 6 200 25
    REGION 7 93 18
    REGION 8 56 16
    REGION 9 65 17
    REGION 10 60 24
    TOTAL 2146 N/A
  • VIII. COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS YEAR(S).
  • A. Comparison of numbers of requests received:
  • B. Comparison of numbers of requests processed:
  • C. Comparison of median numbers of days requests were pending as of end of the fiscal year:
  • D. Other statistics significant to the Agency:

    • IX. COSTS/FOIA STAFFING.

    Staffing Levels Total Costs including staff & all resources
    Number of Full Time Personnel (A.1.) Number of Personnel with Part Time or Occasional FOIA Duties (In Total Work-Years) (A.2.) Total Number of Personnel (In Work-Years) (A.3.) FOIA Processing (Including Appeals) (Estimated) (B.1.) Litigation-related activities (Estimated) (B.2.) Total Costs (B.3)
    HQ 21.00 46.77 67.77 $4,848,199.51 $290,309.30 $5,138,508.81
    REGION 1 0.00 6.00 6.00 $780,000.00 $0.00 $780,000.00
    REGION 2 5.00 22.00 27.00 $553,669.13 $0.00 $553,669.13
    REGION 3 8.00 1.37 9.37 $415,032.00 $0.00 $415,032.00
    REGION 4 15.00 0.11 15.11 $943,022.48 $0.00 $943,022.48
    REGION 5 11.00 8.45 19.45 $2,110,928.00 $0.00 $2,110,928.00
    REGION 6 3.00 3.85 6.85 $621,880.00 $0.00 $621,880.00
    REGION 7 2.00 4.26 6.26 $211,878.00 $0.00 $211,878.00
    REGION 8 1.00 1.65 2.65 $104,792.00 $0.00 $104,792.00
    REGION 9 1.00 10.00 11.00 $230,842.88 $0.00 $230,842.88
    REGION 10 1.00 3.00 4.00 $394,946.86 $0.00 $394,946.86
    TOTALS 68.00 107.46 175.46 $11,215,190.86 $290,309.30 $11,505,500.16

    X. FEES.

    Total Fees Collected for Processing requests (A) Percentag e of Total Co sts (B)
    HQ $137,488.60 1.20%
    REGION 1 $5,687.26 0.05%
    REGION 2 $17,987.72 0.16%
    REGION 3 $27,032.72 0.24%
    REGION 4 $49,040.35 0.43%
    REGION 5 $34,639.00 0.30%
    REGION 6 $24,412.20 0.21%
    REGION 7 $14,918.51 0.13%
    REGION 8 $9,792.63 0.09%
    REGION 9 $8,500.80 0.07%
    REGION 10 $21,371.19 0.19%
    TOTALS $350,870.98 3.05%

    XI. FOIA Regulations

    For more information, please consult the EPA FOIA Regulations. They can be found at the following website: http://www.epa.gov/foia/foiaregs.htm.