Opinion ID: 483234
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Agency's Explanation

Text: 22 The union relies on Eudey v. CIA, 478 F.Supp. at 1177, for the proposition that an agency's refusal to waive fees is arbitrary and capricious when the agency's explanation contains no indication that furnishing the requested information will not primarily benefit the general public. We agree that an agency must explain its refusal to waive fees. However, when, as here, a public interest is not specifically presented and the requester's own purposes are unexplained, an agency need not consider hypothetical interests and purposes. The Service's explanation noted proper factors for consideration and drew a reasonable inference that NTEU's unexplained purposes were greater than the unexplained public interest. 3 In the cir cumstances, the agency's failure to give a fuller explanation was not arbitrary or capricious.