If you are looking to obtain copies of or access to government records (those held in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District) that are not currently available online or through other public access venues, this is where you start.
The government requires you to submit a request for those records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The FOIA (5 U.S.C. § 552 (b) and 32 CFR 518). Rest assured, while this is a ‘process,’ we do take our responsibilities under the FOIA seriously and with your cooperation will be certain to address your request in a timely manner.
YOU MUST SUBMIT A WRITTEN REQUEST WHICH MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. Your Name (First and Last)
2. Company Name (if applicable)
3. A valid mailing address (where you receive mail)
(Number, Street, City AND ZIP Code)
4. A telephone number (where we can contact you)
5. A detailed description of the records you are seeking (See DESCRIPTION below)
6. a. Agreement to pay fees associated with processing
or b. A request for a fee waiver (See FEES & FEE WAIVERS below)
7. An E-mail address is appreciated but not required. We do not share e-mail addresses. We use them only to aid in effective, expedient communication with you regarding your request.
Click here for a sample FOIA request letter:
Fees & Fee Waivers:
There is always a chance there may be fees associated with processing your request. Regulations require us to classify each requester into one of the following categories: commercial, educational, news/media, or “other.” Our determination of your status will be included in the acknowledgment you will receive after we get your request.
With the exception of requests made in a commercial capacity, requesters can ask for a fee waiver. However, there are specific guidelines that any justification for a fee waiver must include before we can take any fee waiver request into consideration. Click here for a PDF document that includes a basic summary of what a justification for a fee waiver must include.
We will not be able to begin processing any request that does not include either your willingness to pay fees or request a fee waiver that includes the proper justification for consideration.Please not that we do not bill for responses which cost less than $15 to prepare, and will always be contacting you before incurring any bill which may exceed $250, and you can always indicate you are willing to pay up to a certain amount (example $50) to avoid delays.
Still Have Questions?
If the explanations provided on this page do not answer your questions about how to submit a FOIA request, please either E-mail or call us at 251-690-3289.
Click here to view a sample FOIA request: