Electronic Reading Room

SLSDC Electronic Reading Room:
A Guide for Finding and Requesting Seaway Records

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

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

Under the PA, if the SLSDC files information about an individual under his/her name, or any other means that identifies that individual (e.g. social security number), that individual has certain rights, including:

• to see the information
• to keep other people from seeing it
• to correct it if it is wrong.

To file a request for information, please contact the SLSDC at its Massena, N.Y. offices:

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
P.O. Box 520
180 Andrews Street
Massena, NY 13662-0520
Phone: 315-764-3200
Fax: 315-764-3235
Email: slsdc@dot.gov

The request should include a summary of the information requested, must be in writing, and should be identified as either a FOIA or a PA request. Providing the SLSDC with as much detail as possible about the records sought and with either a return email address and/or a phone number allows the SLSDC to respond in a timely and sufficient manner. Some fees may be required, and all requestors should state the maximum amount he/she is willing to pay as advance authorization. Obtaining sensitive, personal, commercial, and governmental records may be protected from disclosure.

Upon receipt of your request, the SLSDC will:

• Acknowledge the request promptly
• Contact the requestor by phone or in writing to clarify any uncertainties in the request
• Search all offices likely to have documents, review documents for release, coordinate with internal and external sources, and response as soon as possible
• Notify the requestor of projected costs over $.00 before incurring expenses
• Provide clear, detailed responses to every request, including an explanation of fees, exemptions, and administrative appeal rights
• Ensure that any submitted appear is reviewed independent of the initial decision
• Ensure that any final decision is approved by the SLSDC 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:

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:

• FOIA Appeal Decision
• Petition for Rulemaking Decision

Category 2: Specific Agency Policy Statements
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, as published and distributed by the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation
• SLSDC Policy Statement on the Prevention of Harassment
• SLSDC Policy Statement on Non-Discrimination
• SLSDC Policy Statement on Diversity and Inclusion
• SLSDC Policy Statement on Workplace Violence

Category 3: Staff Manuals and Instructions to Staff Affecting the Public
Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public:

• Not applicable

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:
  Contracting Officer, Contract Specialist, Purchasing Agent, and/or Chief of Facility Maintenance Branch
  Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
  P.O. Box 520
  Massena, NY 13662-0520
  Phone: 315-764-3200
   
• FY 2014 SLSDC FOIA Log*
• FY 2015 SLSDC FOIA Log*
• FY 2016 SLSDC FOIA Log*
• FY 2017 SLSDC FOIA Log*
• FY 2018 SLSDC FOIA Log*
• FY 2019 SLSDC FOIA Log (through 8/16/19)

*Personal privacy information has been redacted based on FOIA Exemption 6.

Note: Only Reading Room records created on/after November 1, 1996 are required to be made available electronically. Other Reading Room records maintained by the SLSDC can be accessed from the following:

• DOT Dockets Office
  1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
  Room W12-140
  Washington, DC 20590
  Phone: 202-366-9322 // 202-366-9826 // 800-647-5527
  Computer terminal and printer equipment available for accessing Reading Room Records