Opinion ID: 166190
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: FOIA Fee Waiver Standard

Text: 9 Under the FOIA, government agencies are directed to provide documents for no charge or at a reduced rate if disclosure of the information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(A)(iii); see also 43 C.F.R. § 2.19 (setting out the same two-part test under DOI regulations). Because the BLM has never claimed that the requested documents are in Forest Guardians' commercial interest, the resolution of this case turns on whether the information sought by Forest Guardians would contribute significantly to the public's understanding of the operations or activities of the BLM. 10 Fee waiver requests must be made with reasonable specificity and contain more than conclusory allegations. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Rossotti, 326 F.3d 1309, 1312 (D.C.Cir.2003) (quotations omitted). Legislative history shows that the FOIA fee waiver provision `is to be liberally construed in favor of waivers for noncommercial requesters.' McClellan Ecological Seepage Situation v. Carlucci, 835 F.2d 1282, 1284 (9th Cir.1987) (quoting 132 Cong. Rec. S14,298 (Sept. 30, 1986) (statement of Sen. Leahy)); see also Judicial Watch, Inc., 326 F.3d at 1312 (agreeing with liberal construction). Despite this liberal construction, noncommercial public interest groups must still satisfy the statutory standard to obtain a fee waiver. McClellan Ecological Seepage Situation, 835 F.2d at 1284.