[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: 43CFR2.12]

[Page 15]
 
                    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. 2.12  When can I expect the response?

    (a) Basic time limit. Ordinarily, a bureau has 20 workdays from the 
date of receipt to determine whether to grant or deny your FOIA request 
(see paragraph (b) of this section). The bureau will notify you 
immediately upon reaching its decision. If you have not received a 
response within 20 workdays, or 30 workdays if an extension has been 
taken (see Sec. 2.13) (be sure to allow for mailing time), you may 
contact the bureau to ask about the delay (see Appendix A to this part). 
You also have the right to consider any nonresponse within these time 
limits as a denial of records and file a formal appeal (see 
Sec. 2.28(a)(3)) or lawsuit. These time limits do not apply to requests 
for expedited processing (see Sec. 2.14).
    (b) Running of basic time limit. The 20 workday time limit begins to 
run when a request complying with the procedures in Secs. 2.8 and 2.10 
is received by the FOIA contact at the bureau office that has the 
records you are seeking. This means that all issues regarding fees and 
the scope of your request must be resolved before the bureau will begin 
processing your request.