Freedom of Information Act

<RULE> POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION <CFR>39 CFR Part 3006</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. RM2024-5; Order No. 7331]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 3211-AA38</RIN> <SUBJECT>Freedom of Information Act</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Postal Regulatory Commission. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The Commission adopts amendments to its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations. The final rules: improve readability and clarity for the public; better align the Commission's existing FOIA regulations with the practices of other agencies subject to the FOIA (as necessarily adapted to the Commission's size and area of regulatory oversight); and improve the efficiency of the Commission's FOIA administration. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective September 9, 2024. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> For additional information, Order No. 7331 can be accessed electronically through the Commission's website at <E T="03">https://www.prc.gov.</E> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 202-789-6820. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Basis and Purpose of the Final Rules</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Final Rules</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Background</HD> The Commission is a micro agency with fewer than 100 employees and is also subject to the FOIA. Generally, most FOIA requests received by the Commission are intended for the Postal Service and the requester is therefore directed to the Postal Service, as a best practice. On April 18, 2024, the Commission issued Order No. 7052, which served as a notice of proposed rulemaking that proposed amendments to its FOIA regulations in existing 39 CFR part 3006. <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> In response to Order No. 7052, only the Public Representative filed comments. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend Rules Regarding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), April 18, 2024 (Order No. 7052). <E T="03">See also</E> 89 FR 31670 (May 23, 2024). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  Public Representative Comments on Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend Rules Regarding The Freedom of Information Act, May 23, 2024. </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">II. Basis and Purpose of the Final Rules</HD> The Public Representative generally supports the proposed amendments and suggests some revisions. After considering the comments, the Commission adopts the rules as proposed in Order No. 7052, with slight revisions to improve typographical consistency and to better aid readers regarding the FOIA's exemptions. <HD SOURCE="HD1">III. Final Rules</HD> The Commission adopts final rules in 39 CFR part 3006 that: improve readability and clarity for the public; better align the Commission's existing FOIA regulations with the practices of other agencies subject to the FOIA (as necessarily adapted to the Commission's size and area of regulatory oversight); and improve the efficiency of the Commission's FOIA administration. <LSTSUB> <HD SOURCE="HED">List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 3006</HD> Administrative practice and procedure, Freedom of information, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Sunshine Act. </LSTSUB> <REGTEXT TITLE="39" PART="3006"> For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Commission revises 39 CFR part 3006 to read as follows: <HD SOURCE="HED">PART 3006—PUBLIC RECORDS AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT</HD> <CONTENTS> <SUBPART> <HD SOURCE="HED">Subpart A—General Provisions</HD> <SECHD>Sec.</SECHD> <SECTNO>3006.100</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Applicability and scope.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.101</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Commission policy.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.102</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Proactive disclosures.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.103</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Reading room.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.104</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.105</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Freedom of Information Act Public Liaison.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.106</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Commission procedure when served a subpoena.</SUBJECT> </SUBPART> <SUBPART> <HD SOURCE="HED">Subpart B—Procedures for Freedom of Information Act Requests</HD> <SECTNO>3006.200</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Procedures for submitting requests.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.201</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Timing of responses to requests.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.202</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Responses to requests.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.203</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Appeals.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.204</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Relationship among the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, and the Commission's procedures for according appropriate confidentiality.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.205</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Consultations, referrals, and coordinations.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.206</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Submission of non-public materials by a person other than the Postal Service.</SUBJECT> </SUBPART> <SUBPART> <HD SOURCE="HED">Subpart C—Fees for Freedom of Information Act Requests</HD> <SECTNO>3006.300</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Definitions applicable to this subpart.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.301</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Request category.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.302</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>General provisions.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.303</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Fee schedule.</SUBJECT> <SECTNO>3006.304</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Procedure for assessing and collecting fees.</SUBJECT> </SUBPART> </CONTENTS> <HD SOURCE="HED">Authority: </HD> 5 U.S.C. 552; 39 U.S.C. 407, 503, 504. <SUBPART> <HD SOURCE="HED">Subpart A—General Provisions</HD> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.100</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Applicability and scope.</SUBJECT> (a) The rules in this part apply to requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552. These rules should be read in conjunction with the text of the FOIA and the Uniform Freedom of Information Act Fee Schedule and Guidelines published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Guidelines). (b) Requests made by individuals for records about themselves under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, are processed in accordance with the Commission's Privacy Act regulations appearing in part 3005 of this chapter and § 3006.204. </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.101</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Commission policy.</SUBJECT> (a) The Commission shall be proactive and timely in identifying and posting public records and other frequently requested records to its website. (b) It is the stated policy of the Commission that FOIA requests shall be administered with a clear presumption of openness. The Commission will only withhold information if it reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by a FOIA exemption, such as information specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (for example 39 U.S.C. 410(c)), or disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law. Publicly available information regarding exemptions and examples of exempt information are available at the Department of Justice's FOIA website, <E T="03">https://www.foia.gov.</E> (c) This Commission policy does not create any right enforceable in court. </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.102</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Proactive disclosures.</SUBJECT> (a) Except as provided in § 3006.101(b) and in part 3011 of this chapter, Commission records, required by the FOIA to be made available, will be made available on the Commission's website, <E T="03">https://www.prc.gov.</E> (b) Descriptions of the Commission's organization, its methods of operation, statements of policy and interpretations, and procedural and substantive rules, are published in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> publication system, and are available on the Commission's website, <E T="03">https://www.prc.gov.</E> </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.103</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Reading room.</SUBJECT> (a) The Commission maintains an electronic reading room at <E T="03">https://www.prc.gov.</E> (b) The records available for public inspection include, for example, decisions; reports; opinions; orders; notices; findings; determinations; statements of policy; copies of selected records released under FOIA; indexes required to be maintained under FOIA; and records relating to any matter or proceeding before the Commission. (c) The Commission shall make available, in an electronic form, records previously released under FOIA and which the Commission determines are or are likely to become of significant public interest. (d) Commission records that have been requested three or more times will be made available on the Commission's website, <E T="03">https://www.prc.gov.</E> </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.104</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer.</SUBJECT> The Commission designates the General Counsel of the Commission as the Chief FOIA Officer. The Chief FOIA Officer shall be responsible for the administration of and reporting on the Commission's Freedom of Information Act program. The Chief FOIA Officer (and any individual(s) designated by the Chief FOIA Officer to communicate with FOIA requesters) may be contacted via email at <E T="03">FOIA@prc.gov</E> or telephone at 202-789-6800. </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.105</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Freedom of Information Act Public Liaison.</SUBJECT> The Commission designates the Director of the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations or the individual's designee as the FOIA Public Liaison who shall assist in the resolution of any dispute between a requester and the Commission. The FOIA Public Liaison may be contacted via email at <E T="03">PRC-PAGR@prc.gov</E> or telephone at 202-789-6800. </SECTION> <SECTION> <SECTNO>§ 3006.106</SECTNO> <SUBJECT>Commission procedure when served a subpoena.</SUBJECT> If an officer or employee of ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 50k characters. 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