lifted from Courthouse News Service; this will be the only time I clip from them in this form
Postal Agency Grants Partial FOIA Requests
WASHINGTON (CN) - The Postal Regulatory Commission adopts final rules related to the Freedom of Information Act. The substantive changes include a declaration of a presumption of openness, a provision to allow partial grants of FOIA requests, a mechanism for requesters to receive a tracking number for each request, a rule barring the collection of fees if the commission does not comply with the 20 working day time limit, and a designation of the FOIA Public Liaison.
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The full press release:
Press Release
October 23, 2009
PRC Issues Updated FOIA Rules Specifying “Presumption of Openness” Standard
Washington, DC – The Postal Regulatory Commission today issued amended regulations for
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that specify the “presumption of openness” policy for Federal agencies articulated earlier this year by President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder. The new rules also incorporate changes in keeping with the OPEN Government Act of 2007. Order No. 322 is available on the Commission’s web site, www.prc.gov, and will be published in the Federal Register.
“The Commission is proud to continue its leadership in promoting transparency by being the first Federal agency to adopt new Freedom of Information Act rules that specifically respond to the President’s call for a presumption of openness and disclosure for all decisions involving FOIA,” said Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway.
The new FOIA rules support the underlying principle of transparency embedded in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. Adoption of updated FOIA rules continues a longstanding Commission policy to provide expansive public access to Commission records and proceedings. The rules also recognize the importance of appropriately protecting confidential Postal Service and third-party information submitted to the Commission, as well as protecting records containing private personal data.
Here is the Postal Regulatory Commission FOIA page, plus a page with all FOIA requests to the PRC over the last few years. This looks to be about as transparent as it gets.
Here's the exact PDF of the rule changes from the Federal Register
http://www.prc.gov/prc-docs/library/fedregis/FOIA_final_rules_ord322_1_307.pdf
I am not certain this link will work since I trimmed out a session id, but let's see.
Posted by: Edward Vielmetti | 11/08/2009 at 06:45 PM