Requesting Access to BOEM FOIA Records
The 1967 Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) gives you the right to request access to Bureau of Ocean Energy records. The Department of the Interior regulations implementing this law are located at 43 CFR Part 2.
It is the policy of BOEM to make its records available to the public to the greatest extent possible; therefore, BOEM makes many of its records publicly available and a FOIA request may not be necessary. Take a minute to search BOEM's website to see if the information you want is already available. You may want to check the FOIA Reading Room to see if a document is already there.
If you have any questions about the need for a FOIA request, call one of the FOIA contacts listed below.
How Do I Make a FOIA Request?
- Send a written or email request clearly stating that you are making your request under the FOIA.
- Reasonably describe the records you are requesting.
- State the category of your request for fee purposes (i.e. Commercial, Media, Educational, or Other). See Categories of
Requesters, below, for more information.
- Authorize fees up to the maximum amount you are willing to pay.
- If requesting a fee waiver, indicate how you qualify (see 43 CFR §§ 2.45(a) and 2.48).
- Specify the format in which you want your response (hard copy, diskette, magnetic tape, etc.).
- Provide an address and telephone number where we can reach you should we need additional information.
|
Where Do I Send My Request?
If you know where the records you want are located, you may send your FOIA request directly to that organization. If you do not know where the records you want are located, send your request to the FOIA Officer.
|
BOEM FOIA Contacts
Headquarters
FOIA Officer
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
45600 Woodland Road,
Sterling, Virginia 20166
Telephone: (703) 787-1818
Fax: (703) 787-1209
Email: BOEMFOIA@boem.gov
|
| FOIA Requester Service Center |
(703) 787-1818
-
Natasha Alcantara
(703) 787-1818
|
BSEE
FOIA Officer
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
45600 Woodland Road,
Sterling, Virginia 20166
Telephone: 703-787-1689
Fax: 703-787-1207
Email: BSEEFOIA@bsee.gov
|
ONRR
FOIA Officer
Office of Natural Resources Revenue
Mail
Stop: 61023A
P.O. Box 25165
Denver, CO 80225-0165
Telephone:
303-231-3078
Fax: 303-445-4288
Email: MRMFOIA@onrr.gov or OS_FOIA@ios.doi.gov
|
|
Categories of Requesters
- Commercial Use
- If you are in this category, you are charged for document search, review, and duplication.
- Educational and Noncommercial Scientific Institution
- If you are in this category, you are charged for the cost of duplication alone. Requesters receive the first 100 pages of paper copies free. There is no charge for search or review.
- News Media
- If you are in this category, you are charged for the cost of duplication alone. Requesters receive the first 100 pages of paper copies free. There is no charge for search or review.
- All Others
- If you are in this category, you are charged for search and duplication, except that the first 2 hours of search time and the first 100 pages of paper copies are free. There is no charge for review.
DOI Search and Review Fees
| Service |
Rate |
| Copies (standard size paper up to 8 1/2 x 14)
|
$0.15* per page
|
| Search and Review |
| Managerial
|
$15.00 per 1/4 hour; $60.00 per hour
|
| Professional
|
$10.50 per 1/4 hour; $42.00 per hour
|
| Clerical
|
$6.00 per 1/4 hour; $24.00 per hour
|
| Other |
| Microfiche
|
$0.08 per page
|
| Computer and magnetic tapes
|
$25.00 each
|
| Computer diskettes
|
$1.25 each
|
| Other services (computer time, special mailing)
|
Actual Cost
|
*Duplication fees for requests that were filed before January 30, 2013, will be calculated at the rate of $0.13 per page.
Fees will not be charged if the total amount to process your request is $50.00 or less.
If the Bureau does not comply with any of the FOIA's statutory time limits and unusual or exceptional circumstances do not apply to your request, we cannot assess:
- Search fees to requesters in the All Other or Commercial Use fee categories
- Duplication fees to requesters in the News Media, Educational Institution or Noncommercial Scientific Institution fee categories
For more detailed information about fees, see 43 CFR Part, Subpart G.
FOIA Exemptions
Some documents are protected by the following exemptions:
- Exemption 1 - Matters of National Defense or Foreign Policy
- Exemption 2 - Internal Personnel Rules and Practices
- Exemption 3 - Information Exempted by Other Statutes
- Exemption 4 - Trade Secrets, Commercial or Financial Information (Confidential Business Information)
- Exemption 5 - Privileged Interagency or Intra-agency Memoranda or Letters
- Exemption 6 - Personal Information Affecting an Individual's Privacy
- Exemption 7 - Records Compiled for Law Enforcement Purposes
- Exemption 8 - Records of Financial Institutions
- Exemption 9 - Geological and Geophysical Information Concerning Wells