Initial determinations. For agency records located in the Office of the Inspector General, the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations shall determine whether access to the record is available under the Privacy Act. For all other agency records, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer with the advice of the system manager having control of the record to which access is requested, shall determine whether access to the record is available under the Privacy Act. The Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer shall notify the requesting individual in person or in writing of the determination. Unless the request presents unusual difficulties or involves extensive numbers of records, individuals shall be notified of determinations to grant or deny access within 30 working days after receipt of the request.

Notices granting access shall inform the individual when and where the requested record may be seen, how copies may be obtained, and of any fees or anticipated charges which may be incurred pursuant to § 9.85 of this subpart.

Notices denying access must state the reasons for the denial, and advise the individual that the denial may be appealed to the Inspector General, for agency records located in the Office of Inspector General, or the Executive Director for Operations, for all other agency records, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section.

Appeals from denials of access. If an individual has been denied access to a record the individual may request a final review and determination of that individual's request by the Inspector General or the Executive Director for Operations, as appropriate. A request for final review of an initial determination must be filed within 60 calendar days of the receipt of the initial determination. For agency records denied by the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, the appeal must be in writing directed to the Inspector General and sent to the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer by an appropriate method listed in § 9.6. For agency records denied by the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer, the appeal must be in writing directed to the Executive Director for Operations and sent to the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer by an appropriate method listed in § 9.6. The appeal should clearly state on the envelope and in the letter “Privacy Act Appeal-Denial of Access.” The NRC does not consider an appeal received until the date it is actually received by the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer.

Final determinations. (1) The Inspector General, or the Executive Director for Operations or the EDO's designee, shall make a final determination within 30 working days of the receipt of the request for final review, unless the time is extended for good cause shown such as the need to obtain additional information, the volume of records involved, or the complexity of the issue. The extension of time may not exceed 30 additional working days. The requester shall be advised in advance of any extension of time and of the reasons therefor.

If the Inspector General, or the Executive Director for Operations or the EDO's designee, determines that access was properly denied because the information requested has been exempted from disclosure, the Inspector General, or the Executive Director for Operations or the EDO's designee shall undertake a review of the exemption to determine whether the information should continue to be exempt from disclosure. The Inspector General, or the Executive Director for Operations or the EDO's designee, shall notify the individual in writing of the final agency determination to grant or deny the request for access. Notices denying access must state the reasons therefor and must advise the individual of his/her right to judicial review pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(g).