[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 43, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 43CFR2.10]

[Page 14]
 
                    TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
 
PART 2--RECORDS AND TESTIMONY; FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart C--Requests for Records under the FOIA
 
Sec. 2.10  Where do I send my request?

    (a) DOI does not have a central location where you may submit your 
FOIA request nor does it maintain a central index or database of 
documents in its possession. DOI's files are decentralized and are 
maintained by various bureau offices throughout the country.
    (b) Submit your request in writing to the FOIA Contact at the bureau 
office where you believe the records are maintained. If it is unclear 
where to send your request, seek assistance from the FOIA Contact of the 
bureau that manages the programs whose records you are requesting or the 
Departmental FOIA Officer. You may have to do a little research to find 
the proper office to handle your inquiry, but you will save time in the 
long run if you send your request directly to the FOIA Contact at the 
appropriate bureau office. The bureau will process your request as 
follows:
    (1) A request to a bureau headquarters office may be presumed to 
seek only records from the headquarters office, unless the request 
specifies otherwise.
    (2) A request to a regional/field office of a bureau may be presumed 
to seek only records at that office, unless the request specifies 
otherwise.
    (3) If a request to a bureau states that it seeks records located at 
another specific office of the same bureau, the appropriate FOIA Contact 
will refer the request to the other office. If the request states that 
it seeks records from other unspecified offices within the same bureau, 
the FOIA Contact will send the request to the Bureau FOIA Officer who 
will refer it to those offices that, to the best of his/her knowledge, 
have or are likely to have responsive records.
    (4) If a request to a bureau states that it seeks records of another 
specified bureau, the bureau will refer the request to the appropriate 
bureau for response. If the request states that it seeks records from 
other unspecified bureaus, the FOIA Contact will send the request to the 
Bureau FOIA Officer who will ensure that the request is referred to 
those bureaus which, to the best of his/her knowledge, have or are 
likely to have responsive records. In either case, the Bureau FOIA 
Officer will notify you of the referral in writing and provide the name 
of a contact in the other bureau(s) to which the referral was made.

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