Your Name
Return
Address
Tele. No. (business
hours)
Date
<Name of government agency>
<Address
of government agency>
Dear Freedom of Information Officers:
This request is made under the federal Freedom of Information
Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
Please send me copies of ...<In
this portion of the letter, describe as specifically as
possible the information you are requesting, such as names,
dates, locations of reports. You may also attach news
clips, reports, letters or other information that would
help officials locate the data you are requesting.>
The Freedom of Information Act, as you are
aware, provides that if portions of a document are exempt,
the remainder must be segregated and released. Therefore,
I would appreciate your sending me all non-exempt portions
of those records I have requested. Should you elect to
withhold or delete any information, please justify your
decision by referencing specific exemptions under the
act. Under provisions of the FOI Act, I reserve the right
to appeal should you determine to withhold any information
sought in my request.
I agree to pay reasonable search and/or
duplication fees connected with my request. However, should
you estimate the total fees will exceed <insert
here the maximum amount you are willing to pay>,
please notify me so that I may authorize expenditures
of a greater amount.
While I am prepared to pay such reasonable
fees, the FOI Act provides for a waiver or reduction of
fees if disclosure could be considered as "primarily
benefiting the general public." I am a <scholar,
journalist, researcher, etc.>, on the staff
of <name of publication, etc.> and plan to
use the requested information in a planned <article,
book, broadcast, research paper, etc.><Add any argument
here in support of the public interest aspect of your
research.> Therefore, I ask that you waive
all search and/or duplication costs. Should you deny my
request for a waiver of fees, however, and the estimated
fees exceed <insert here the maximum amount you
are willing to pay>, please notify me of the
charges so that I may decide whether to pay the fees or
appeal your denial of my request for a waiver.
<Optional> Since I am
making this request in my capacity as a <scholar,
journalist, researcher, etc.> and because this
information is of a timely nature, I would appreciate
your communicating with me by telephone rather than by
mail if you have any questions regarding the request.
Thank
you for your cooperation. I look forward to receiving
your reply within 20 business days, as provided by law.
Sincerely,
<signature>