Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that gives the public the right to make requests for federal agency records unless OSM reasonably foresees that the release of the information in those records would harm an interest protected by one or more of the nine exemptions (reasons an agency may withhold records from a requester) or release is prohibited by law.

For more information about the FOIA, please contact Dele Awoniyi, OSM FOIA Officer, at (202) 208-5840. Please visit our OSM FOIA Contacts page to contact regional and field FOIA staff.

Filing a FOIA Request

If the information you are seeking is not available online, you can file a FOIA request in any of the following ways:

1. Submitting a written request to the FOIA contact at the office where you believe the records are maintained (see the OSM FOIA Contacts page);

2. Sending an e-mail to foia@osmre.gov; or

3. Using the Department of the Interior's Electronic Request Form and selecting "Office of Surface Mining" in the drop down menu.

The Guide for Obtaining Information provides information on the procedures for making a FOIA request to DOI and any of its bureaus and offices.

OSM FOIA Electronic Reading Room

• DOI FOIA Electronic Reading Room
• DOI FOIA Library
• DOI FOIA Annual Reports to Congress
• Final Opinions
• OSM Directives
• OSM Organizational Chart
• OSM Significant Guidance Documents

Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines

• DOI FOIA Policy and Guidance
• DOI Privacy Policy and Guidance
• OSM FOIA Policy
• OSM Information Quality Guidelines
• OSM Privacy Policy