Requests for records are to be submitted in accordance with 7 CFR 1.3 and may be made to the appropriate Community Development Manager, Rural Development Manager, State Administrative Management Program Director (formerly, State Administrative Officer), State Director, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Specialist, or Freedom of Information Officer. The last two positions are located in the Rural Development Support Services Division, Washington, DC 20250. The phrase “FOIA REQUEST” should appear on the outside of the envelope in capital letters. The FOIA requests under the Farm Credit Programs (formally FmHA Farmer Programs) should be forwarded to the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Freedom of Information Officer, Room 3624, South Agriculture Building, 14th & Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0506. Requests should be as specific as possible in describing the records being requested. The FOIO, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Specialist, each State Administrative Management Program Director, each State Director, each Rural Development Manager, and each Community Development Manager are delegated authority to act respectively at the national, state, district, or county level on behalf of Rural Development to:
(a) Deny requests for records determined to be exempt under one or more provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552(b);
(b) Make discretionary releases (unless prohibited by other authority) of such records when it is determined that the public interests in disclosure outweigh the public and/or private ones in withholding; and
(c) Reduce or waive fees to be charged where determined to be appropriate.