A person may request access to records routinely made available by the NRC under § 9.21 in person, by telephone, by e-mail, facsimile, or U.S. mail from the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738.

Each record requested must be described in sufficient detail to enable the NRC Public Document Room staff to locate the record.

To obtain copies of records expeditiously, a person may open an account with the NRC Public Document Room reproduction contractor. Payment for reproduction services will be made directly to the contractor.

[Reserved]

A person may request agency records by submitting a request authorized by 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3) to the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer by an appropriate method listed in § 9.6 of this chapter. The request must be in writing and clearly state on the envelope and in the letter that it is a “Freedom of Information Act request.” The NRC does not consider a request as received until the date it is actually received by the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer.

A Freedom of Information Act request covers only agency records that are in existence on the date the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer receives the request. A request does not cover agency records destroyed or discarded before receipt of a request or which are created after the date of the request.

All Freedom of Information Act requests for copies of agency records must reasonably describe the agency records sought in sufficient detail to permit the NRC to identify the requested agency records. Where possible, the requester should provide specific information regarding dates, titles, docket numbers, file designations, and other information which may help identify the agency records. If a requested agency record is not described in sufficient detail to permit its identification, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will contact the requester within 10 working days after receipt of the request and inform the requester of the additional information or clarification needed to process the request.

Upon receipt of a request made under paragraph (b) of this section, the NRC will provide written notification to the requester that indicates the request has been received, the name and telephone number of the NRC point of contact to find out the status of the request, and other pertinent matters regarding the processing of the request.

The NRC shall advise a requester that fees will be assessed if—

A request involves anticipated costs in excess of the minimum specified in § 9.39; and

Search and duplication is not provided without charge under § 9.39; or

The requester does not specifically state that the cost involved is acceptable or acceptable up to a specified limit.

The NRC has discretion to discontinue processing a request made under this paragraph until—

A required advance payment has been received;

The requester has agreed to bear the estimated costs;

A determination has been made on a request for waiver or reduction of fees; or

The requester meets the requirements of § 9.39.

If a requested agency record that has been reasonably described is located at a place other than at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, the NRC Public Document Room, or the NRC headquarters, the NRC may, at its discretion, make the record available for inspection and copying at either of the locations.

Except as provided in § 9.39—

If the record requested under paragraph (b) of this section is a record available through the National Technical Information Service, the NRC shall refer the requester to the National Technical Information Service; and

If the requested record has been placed on the NRC Internet Web site, under § 9.21, the NRC may inform the requester that the record is available at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and/or at the NRC Public Document Room, and that the record may be obtained in accordance with the procedures set forth in paragraph (a) of this section.

The Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will promptly forward a Freedom of Information Act request made under paragraph (b) of this section for an agency record to the head of the office(s) primarily concerned with the records requested, as appropriate. The responsible office will conduct a search for the agency records responsive to the request and compile those agency records to be reviewed for initial disclosure determination and/or identify those that have already been made publicly available at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov, and/or at the NRC Public Document Room.