Opinion ID: 454902
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Overbreadth of the Order

Text: 28 Finally, Zemansky attacks those portions of the ruling requiring that his future requests be in a separate document which is clearly defined as an FOIA request and not intertwined with non-FOIA matters. Although this is a sensible requirement to avoid future controversies of this nature between the parties and could well serve as a voluntary pattern for the future, the district court did exceed its judicial authority in requiring Zemansky's requests to be in a form different from that of any other person requesting information under the FOIA. The FOIA requires only that the request (1) reasonably describe the records and (2) comply with agency criteria for requests. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(a)(3). The EPA regulation prescribing the form that FOIA requests are to take states: A request shall be made in writing, shall reasonably describe the records sought in a way that will permit their identification and location, and should be addressed to one of the addresses set forth in Sec. 2.106, but otherwise need not be in any particular form. 40 C.F.R. Sec. 2.108. The method for seeking information under the FOIA is prescribed by Congress in the statute and by the EPA in its regulations; if more specific requirements are to be placed on the form of request, they must be made applicable to all by appropriate regulations by the EPA. The district court exceeded its authority in mandating special requirements for Zemansky. III