(a) When the NRC has located a requested agency record and has determined to disclose the agency record, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will promptly furnish the agency record or notify the requester where and when the agency record will be available for inspection and copying. The NRC's response will notify the requester of the requester's right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison. The NRC will also advise the requester of any applicable fees under §§ 9.35 and 9.37. The NRC will routinely make copies of non-sensitive records disclosed in response to Freedom of Information Act requests publicly available through the Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) located in the NRC Library that can be accessed via the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/reading-rm/adams.html. Records that contain information personal to the requester, involve matters that are not likely to be of public interest to anyone other than the requester or contain privileged or confidential information that should only be disclosed to the requester will not be made publicly available on the NRC Web site.
(b) When the NRC denies access to a requested agency record or denies a request for expedited processing or for a waiver or reduction of fees, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will notify the requester in writing. The denial will include as appropriate -
(1) The reason for the denial;
(2) A reference to the specific exemption under the Freedom of Information Act, or other appropriate reason, and the Commission's regulations authorizing the denial;
(3) The name and title or position of each person responsible for the denial of the request, including the head of the office recommending denial of the record;
(4) A statement stating why the request does not meet the requirements of § 9.41 if the request is for a waiver or reduction of fees; and
(5) A statement that the denial may be appealed within 90 calendar days from the date of the denial to the Executive Director for Operations, to the Secretary of the Commission, or to the Inspector General, as appropriate.
(6) A statement that the requester has a right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison; and
(7) A statement that the requester has a right to seek dispute resolution services from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison or the Office of Government Information Services within the National Archives and Records Administration.
(c) The Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will maintain a copy of each letter granting or denying requested agency records, denying a request for expedited processing, or denying a request for a waiver or reduction of fees in accordance with the NRC Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule.
[63 FR 2876, Jan. 20, 1998, as amended at 70 FR 34307, June 14, 2005; 76 FR 72084, Nov. 22, 2011; 81 FR 96346, Dec. 30, 2016]