(a) General information.
(1) To make a request for records, a requester should write directly to the FOIA office of the agency that maintains the records sought. A request will receive the quickest possible response if the request is addressed to the FOIA office of the agency that maintains the records sought. If the CSB is the agency that maintains the records sought, then the contact information for the CSB's FOIA office is listed at http://www.foia.gov/report-makerequest.html, and any additional requirements for submitting a request can be found herein. Additionally, requesters who have questions or concerns about making a request, and those who have made a request who have questions or concerns, may discuss their request(s) with the CSB's FOIA Contact or FOIA Public Liaison.
(2) A requester who is making a request for records about himself or herself must comply with the verification of identity requirements described in this section. Requesters must provide either a notarized statement or a statement signed under penalty of perjury stating that the requester is the person they claim to be. This certification is required in order to protect the requester's privacy and to ensure that private information about the requester is not disclosed inappropriately to another individual.
(3) Where a request for records pertains to a third party, a requester may receive greater access by submitting either a notarized authorization signed by that individual or a declaration made in compliance with the requirements set forth in 28 U.S.C. 1746 by that individual authorizing disclosure of the records to the requester, or by submitting proof that the individual is deceased (e.g., a copy of a death certificate or an obituary). As an exercise of administrative discretion, the CSB can require a requester to supply additional information, if necessary, in order to verify that a particular individual has consented to disclosure.
(b) Addressing requests.
(1) All requests for records to the CSB must be made in writing.
(2) For hard copy requests: The envelope and the request both should be clearly marked “FOIA Request” and addressed to: Chief FOIA Officer - FOIA Request, Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 1750 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Suite 910, Washington, DC 20006.
(3) For electronic requests: The subject line of the request should be marked “FOIA Request” and the request may be submitted by email to [email protected].
(4) A request that is improperly addressed will be deemed to have been received by the CSB on the date that it is actually received by the CSB, or would have been received with the exercise of due diligence, by the FOIA Officer.
(c) Description of records sought.
(1) Requesters must describe the records sought in sufficient detail to enable the CSB's personnel to locate them with a reasonable amount of effort.
(2) To the extent possible, requesters should include specific information that may help the CSB identify the requested records, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient, subject matter of the record, case number, file designation, or reference number. In general, requesters should include as much detail as possible about the specific records or the types of records that they are seeking. Before submitting their requests, requesters may contact the CSB's FOIA Contact or FOIA Public Liaison to discuss the records they seek and to receive assistance in describing the records.
(3) If, after receiving a request, the CSB determines that the request does not reasonably describe the records sought, then the CSB must inform the requester what additional information is needed or why the request is otherwise insufficient. Requesters who are attempting to reformulate or modify such a request may discuss their request with the CSB's FOIA Contact or with the CSB's FOIA Public Liaison. If a request does not reasonably describe the records sought, the CSB's response to the request may be delayed.
(d) Form of records. Requests may specify the preferred form or format (including electronic formats) for the records that the requester seeks. The CSB must accommodate requests if the record is readily reproducible in that form or format. If a person seeks information from the CSB in a format that does not currently exist, then the CSB must make reasonable efforts to provide the information in the format requested. The CSB will not create a new record of information to satisfy a request.
(e) Contact information. Requesters must provide their first and last name along with their contact information, such as their phone number, email address, and/or mailing address, to assist the CSB in communicating with them and providing released records.
(f) Agreement to pay fees. The CSB considers a FOIA request an agreement by the requester to pay all applicable fees charged unless the requester seeks a waiver of fees. The CSB ordinarily will confirm this agreement in an acknowledgement letter. The CSB will not charge any fee if the total cost of the response is less than $25.00. See § 1601.40 [discussing fees in more detail]. If the fee will be greater than $25.00, then the CSB must contact the requester to discuss how the requester wants to proceed.
(g) Types of records not available. The FOIA does not require the CSB to:
(1) Compile or create records solely for the purpose of satisfying a request for records;
(2) Provide records not yet in existence, even if such records may be expected to come into existence at some future time; or
(3) Restore records destroyed or otherwise disposed of, except that the FOIA Officer must notify the requester that the requested records have been destroyed or otherwise disposed of.