The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

Your Guide to Finding Seaway Records

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA) grant you the right to access many government records about how the government operates.

Under FOIA, any person has a right to a copy of certain records possessed by the executive offices, agencies, corporations, administrations, commissions, boards and services. However, some records (sensitive, personal, commercial and governmental) are protected from disclosure.

Under the PA, if the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation files information about you by your name, or any other means that identifies you (such as social security number) you have certain rights: (1) to see the information; (2) to keep other people from seeing it; and (3) to correct it if it is wrong.

It helps if you can tell us: (1) in some detail what information you want. The correct address for requesting information is:

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P. O. Box 520
180 Andrews Street
Massena, New York 13662-0520
Phone: (315) 764-3210
Fax: (315) 764-3235

You should submit your request to the address shown above (by mail, facsimile, email: foia.sls@dot.gov, or personal delivery). Your request must be in writing, and should be identified on the envelope as a FOIA or PA request. You should provide as much detail as possible about the records you seek. Please include your telephone number so that we can contact you if we have questions.

Because fees may be required, you should state how much you are willing to pay as advance authorization, and provide information that would enable us to determine your fee category (commercial, news media, scientific or educational institution, or other). You may not always be able to obtain sensitive, personal, commercial and governmental records if they are protected from disclosure.

IN OUR EFFORT TO BEST SERVE YOU:

We will acknowledge your request promptly.
We will contact you by phone or in writing to clarify any uncertainties in your request.
We will search all offices likely to have documents, review documents for release, coordinate with internal and external sources, and respond as soon as possible.
We will notify you of projected costs over $25.00 before incurring expenses.
We will provide clear, detailed responses to your requests, including an explanation of fees, exemptions, and your administrative appeal rights.
If you appeal, we will ensure your appeal is reviewed by someone independent of the initial decision, and that any final decision is approved by the Chief Counsel.

Electronic Reading Room

In accordance with 5 USC 552(a)(2), the following 4 categories of records (“reading room records”) are publicly available without the need for a FOIA request:

Reading Room Records Categories	Reading Room Documents and Links
Category 1: Final Opinions/Orders in Adjudicated Cases – “final opinions, including concurring and dissenting opinions, as well as orders, made in the adjudication of [administrative] cases”	There are currently no applicable SLSDC records under this category.
Category 2: Specific Agency Policy Statements – “those statements of policy and interpretations which have been adopted by the agency and are not published in the Federal Register”	St. Lawrence Seaway Commercial Shipping Handbook This Handbook is produced, published, and distributed by the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation; however, because a vessel transiting the Seaway crosses the Canadian/U.S. border so frequently, Seaway users should be familiar with the contents of this Canadian publication.
Category 3: Staff Manuals/Instructions to Staff Affecting the Public – “administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member [or members] of the public”	There are currently no applicable SLSDC records under this category.
Category 4: Frequently Requested Records – “copies of all records, regardless of form or format, which have been released to any person under [FOIA] and which, because of the nature of their subject matter, the agency determines have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent requests for substantially the same records”	SLSDC Credit Card Holders for Procurement Use

Note that only Reading Room records created on or after November 1, 1996 are required to be made available electronically. Other Reading Room records maintained by the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) can be accessed from the following conventional (paper) Reading Room: DOT Dockets Office, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Room W12-140, Washington, D.C. 20590; Hours of operation: 9:00-5:00 ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To arrange access, telephone (202) 366-9322, (202) 366-9826 or (800) 647-5527. A computer terminal and printer are available at this location for accessing Electronic Reading Room records.

SLSDC Frequently Requested Records
Credit Card Holders for Procurement Use

Contracting Officer
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P. O. Box 520
Massena, New York 13662-0520
Phone 315-764-3236

Purchasing Agent
Procurement and Supply Division
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P. O. Box 520
Massena, New York 13662-0520
Phone 315-764-3252

Contract Specialist
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P O Box 520
Massena, New York 13662-0520
Phone 315-764-3260

Management Support Assistant
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P O Box 520
Massena, New York 13662-0520
Phone 315-764-3206

Additional Information:
The US Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act; Overview of the Privacy Act of 1974, Your Right to Federal Records, FOIA Updates, FOIA Annual Reports.

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Last updated September 2008