Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/30/2016-31595/update-to-incorporate-foia-improvement-act-of-2016-requirements
Timestamp: 2017-02-21 19:07:42
Document Index: 234272807

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:: Update To Incorporate FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 Requirements
81 FR 96344
96344-96347
3150-AJ84
II. Discussion of Amendments by Section
Section 2.390 Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding
Section 9.17 Agency Records Exempt From Public Disclosure
Section 9.19 Segregation of Exempt Information and Deletion of Identifying Details
Section 9.21 Publicly-Available Records
Section 9.25 Initial Disclosure Determination
Section 9.27 Form and Content of Responses
Section 9.29 Appeal From Initial Determination
Section 9.30 Contact for Dispute Resolution Services
Section 9.39 Search and Duplication Provided Without Charge
Section 9.43 Processing Requests for a Waiver or Reduction of Fees
Section 9.45 Annual Report to the Attorney General of the United States and Director of the Office of Government Information Services
PART 9 — PUBLIC RECORDS
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2016-31595
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0171 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0171. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher, telephone: 301-415-3463, email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
Stephanie Blaney, telephone: 301-415-6975, email: Stephanie.Blaney@nrc.gov; or Nina Argent, telephone: 301-415-5295, email: Nina.Argent@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
The FOIA was enacted to give the public a right to access records held by the executive branch that, although not classified, were not otherwise available to them. Since its enactment in 1966, the FOIA has been amended on a number of occasions to adapt to the times and changing priorities.
On June 30, 2016, the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, Public Law 114-185, 130 Stat. 538 (the Act) was enacted. The Act specifically requires all agencies to review and update their FOIA regulations in accordance with its provisions. The Act addresses a range of procedural issues, including requiring that agencies establish a minimum of 90 days for requesters to file an administrative appeal and that they provide dispute resolution services at various times throughout the FOIA process. The Act also amends Exemption 5, codifies the foreseeable harm standard, and adds two new elements to agency Annual FOIA Reports.
The NRC has identified the areas where the revisions are necessary in order to comply with the Act and is amending parts 2 and 9 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) accordingly.
The following paragraphs describe the specific changes adopted by this rulemaking.
This final rule revises paragraph (a)(5) to be identical to 10 CFR 9.17(a)(5), which this final rule is also revising to include new criteria for FOIA Exemption 5. The Act amended Exemption 5 of the FOIA to provide that the deliberative process privilege does not apply to records that are 25 years or older before the date on which they are requested.
This final rule revises paragraph (a)(5) to include new criteria for FOIA Exemption 5. The Act amended Exemption 5 of the FOIA to provide that the deliberative process privilege does not apply to records that are 25 years or older before the date on which they are requested. This final rule redesignates paragraph (c) as paragraph (d) without change and adds a new paragraph (c) to incorporate the foreseeable harm standard that the Act codified and to include clarifying language derived from the Act about the FOIA's relationship to laws prohibiting disclosure of information.Start Printed Page 96345
This final rule revises paragraph (b)(1) to change the reference § 9.17(a) to § 9.17, to account for the foreseeable harm threshold standard in the revised § 9.17(c) that applies to the exemptions listed in § 9.17(a).
This final rule revises paragraph (c) introductory text to include available viewing formats. This final rule revises paragraph (c)(5) to include copies of records regardless of format, as well as adding paragraphs (c)(5)(i), (c)(5)(ii), (c)(5)(ii)(A) and (c)(5)(ii)(B). This revision is to codify frequently requested records.
This final rule revises paragraph (c) to include requirements to make the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison available to assist in resolving any disputes and to notify the requester of the right to seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). This final rule revises paragraph (f) to change the reference to § 9.17(a) to § 9.17, to account for the foreseeable harm threshold standard in the revised § 9.17(c) that applies to the exemptions listed in § 9.17(a).
This final rule (1) revises paragraph (a) to include a new requirement to notify the requester of the right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison; (2) revises paragraph (b)(5) to notify the requester they now have 90 calendar days to appeal; (3) adds paragraph (b)(6) to include a new requirement to notify the requester of the right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison; and (4) adds paragraph (b)(7) to include a new requirement to notify the requester of the right to seek dispute resolution services from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison or OGIS.
This final rule revises paragraph (a) to change the length of time to appeal from 30 calendar days to 90 calendar days.
This final rule adds new section 10 CFR 9.30 to include contact information for obtaining dispute resolution services from OGIS and the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison.
This final rule adds new paragraph (f) to include new fee limitations for search and duplication.
This final rule revises paragraph (d) to change the length of time to appeal from 30 calendar days to 90 calendar days.
This final rule (1) revises the section heading to include the Director of OGIS as a recipient of the annual FOIA report; (2) revises paragraph (a) to include the Director of OGIS as a recipient of the annual FOIA report and to replace the incomplete list of required contents of the report found in paragraphs (a)(1)-(8) with a reference to 5 U.S.C. 552(e)(1), which contains the full list of required contents of the report; and (3) revises the link where you can locate the NRC's annual FOIA reports.
Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b)), an agency may waive the normal notice and comment requirements if it finds, for good cause, that they are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. As authorized by 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), the NRC finds good cause to waive notice and opportunity for comment on the amendments. Notice and opportunity for comment are unnecessary, because the NRC is issuing this final rule for the limited purpose of complying with specific direction in the Act requiring agencies to update their FOIA regulations in accordance with the Act, and the final rule updates the NRC's FOIA regulations only as necessary to bring them into compliance with the Act.
For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended; and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553, the NRC is adopting the following amendments to 10 CFR parts 2 and 9:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, secs. 29, 53, 62, 63, 81, 102, 103, 104, 105, 161, 181, 182, 183, 184, 186, 189, 191, 234 (42 U.S.C. 2039, 2073, 2092, 2093, 2111, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2201, 2231, 2232, 2233, 2234, 2236, 2239, 2241, 2282); Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, secs. 201, 206 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5846); Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, secs. 114(f), 134, 135, 141 (42 U.S.C. 10134(f), 10154, 10155, 10161); Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 552, 553, 554, 557, 558); National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332); 44 U.S.C. Start Printed Page 963463504 note. Section 2.205(j) also issued under Sec. 31001(s), Pub. L. 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321-373 (28 U.S.C. 2461 note).
Start Amendment Part2. In § 2.390, revise paragraph (a)(5) to read as follows: End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part3. The authority citation for part 9 continues to read as follows: End Amendment Part
Authority: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, sec. 161 (42 U.S.C. 2201); Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, sec. 201 (42 U.S.C. 5841); 44 U.S.C. 3504 note. Subpart A also issued under 31 U.S.C. 9701. Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552a. Subpart C also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552b.
Start Amendment Part4. In § 9.17, revise paragraph (a)(5), redesignate paragraph (c) as paragraph (d), and add new paragraph (c) to read as follows: End Amendment Part
§ 9.17 Agency records exempt for public disclosure.
§ 9.19
Start Amendment Part5. In § 9.19(b)(1), remove “(a)” after “§ 9.17”. End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part6. In § 9.21, revise the introductory text of paragraph (c) and paragraph (c)(5) to read as follows: End Amendment Part
(i) That have been released to any person under § 9.23; and
Start Amendment Part7. In § 9.25, revise paragraph (c) and in the first sentence in paragraph (f) remove “(a)” after “§ 9.17”. The revision to read as follows: End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part8. In § 9.27, revise add a second sentence to paragraph (a), in paragraph (b)(5) remove the number “30” and add in its place the number “90”, and add paragraphs (b)(6) and (7). End Amendment Part
(a) * * * The NRC's response will notify the requester of the requester's right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison. * * *
Start Amendment Part9. In § 9.29(a) remove the number “30” and add in its place the number “90”. End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part10. Add § 9.30 to read as follows: End Amendment Part
§ 9.30 Contact for dispute resolution services.
(3) By email—FOIA.Resource@nrc.gov.
(3) By email—ogis@nara.gov.
Start Amendment Part11. In § 9.39, add paragraph (f) to read as follows: End Amendment Part
Search and duplication provided without charge.
(f)(1) Except as described in paragraphs (f)(2), (3), and (4) of this section, if the NRC fails to comply with any time limit under §§ 9.25 or 9.29, it may not charge search fees or, in the case of requests from requesters described in § 9.33(a)(2), may not charge duplication fees.
(2) If the NRC has determined that unusual circumstances, as defined in § 9.13, apply and the NRC provided timely written notice to the requester in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, a failure to comply with the time limit shall be excused for an additional 10 days.
(3) If the NRC has determined that unusual circumstances, as defined in § 9.13, apply and more than 5,000 pages are necessary to respond to the request, the NRC may charge search fees or, in the case of requests from requesters described in § 9.33(a)(2), may charge duplication fees, if the NRC has Start Printed Page 96347provided timely written notice to the requester in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and the NRC has discussed with the requester via written mail, email, or telephone (or made not less than three good-faith attempts to do so) how the requester could effectively limit the scope of the request in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B)(ii).
Start Amendment Part12. In § 9.43(d), remove the number “30” and add in its place the number “90”. End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part13. Revise § 9.45 to read as follows: End Amendment Part
§ 9.45 Annual report to the Attorney General of the United States and Director of the Office of Government Information Services.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of December, 2016.
[FR Doc. 2016-31595 Filed 12-29-16; 8:45 am]