​BPA Records: Your Rights Under the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act

​Introduction

In this section, you will be provided a brief explanation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act of 1974 and how you can use these laws to access the agency records of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The guidebook explains how to submit a FOIA or Privacy Act request to BPA and provides information about the fees that you may incur when BPA searches for, reviews, and reproduces agency records that are responsive to your request. It also explains how you can use the Privacy Act to request corrections of your Privacy Act records.

To download a copy of the guidebook in PDF, please click here. You will be asked to save the file to your computer.

​About BPA

The Bonneville Power Administration is a federal agency based in the Pacific Northwest. BPA is part of the U.S. Department of Energy, and it markets wholesale electrical power from 31 federal hydro projects in the Columbia River Basin, one nonfederal nuclear plant and several other small nonfederal power plants. The dams are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. About one-third of the electric power used in the Northwest comes from BPA.

BPA also operates and maintains about three-fourths of the high-voltage transmission in its service territory. BPA’s service territory includes Idaho, Oregon, Washington, western Montana and small parts of eastern Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.

As part of its responsibilities, BPA promotes energy efficiency, renewable resources, and new technologies. The agency also funds regional efforts to protect and rebuild fish and wildlife populations affected by hydroelectric power development in the Columbia River Basin.

BPA is committed to providing public service and invites input from all stakeholders. BPA’s vision statement dedicates the agency to providing electrical system reliability, low rates consistent with sound business principles, environmental stewardship and accountability.

For more information about BPA, please visit our website at http://www.bpa.gov.

​About the FOIA Team

BPA’s FOIA team is responsible for processing all FOIA and Privacy Act requests and for establishing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the FOIA. The FOIA team is part of BPA’s Privacy Office.

The FOIA team collaborates with and assists FOIA and Privacy Act requesters in finding the agency records they seek. These records are provided to requesters, to the extent permissible under law, in a timely and professional fashion.

BPA's Public Liaison is responsible for:

• Working collaboratively with requesters to help tailor the scope of their request and guide them through the FOIA process
• Reducing delays associated with FOIA requests
• Increasing transparency and providing status updates as necessary
• Assisting requesters in disputes

Questions can be addressed to either BPA's FOIA Officer or FOIA Public Liaison. BPA’s FOIA Public Liaison can be reached at FOIA@BPA.gov or by calling (503) 230-4753.  BPA's FOIA Officer can be reached at cmfrost@bpa.gov or by calling (503) 230-5602.