(a)(1) The NRC will collect fees for searching for, reviewing, and duplicating agency records, except as provided in § 9.39, unless a requester submits a request in writing for a waiver or reduction of fees. To ensure that there will be no delay in the processing of Freedom of Information Act requests, the request for a waiver or reduction of fees should be included in the initial Freedom of Information Act request letter.

(2) Each request for a waiver or reduction of fees should be addressed to the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and sent using an appropriate method listed in § 9.6.

(b) A person requesting the NRC to waive or reduce search, review, or duplication fees will—

(1) Describe the purpose for which the requester intends to use the requested information;

(2) Explain the extent to which the requester will extract and analyze the substantive content of the agency record;

(3) Describe the nature of the specific activity or research in which the agency records will be used and the specific qualifications the requester possesses to utilize information for the intended use in such a way that it will contribute to public understanding;

(4) Describe the likely impact on the public's understanding of the subject as compared to the level of public understanding of the subject before disclosure;

(5) Describe the size and nature of the public to whose understanding a contribution will be made;

(6) Describe the intended means of dissemination to the general public;

(7) Indicate if public access to information will be provided free of charge or provided for an access fee or publication fee; and

(8) Describe any commercial or private interest the requester or any other party has in the agency records sought.

(c) The NRC will waive or reduce fees, without further specific information from the requester if, from information provided with the request for agency records made under § 9.23(b), it can determine that disclosure of the information in the agency records is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the Federal Government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.

(d) In making a determination regarding a request for a waiver or reduction of fees, the NRC will consider the following factors:

(1) How the subject of the requested agency records concerns the operations or activities of the Federal Government;

(2) How the disclosure of the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of Federal Government operations or activities;

(3) The extent to which, the requester has a commercial interest that would be furthered by the disclosure of the requested agency records; and whether that commercial interest exceeds the public interest in disclosure.

(e) The Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will make an initial determination whether a request for a waiver or reduction of fees meets the requirements of this section. The Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Officer will inform requesters whenever their request for a waiver or reduction of fees is denied and will inform them of their appeal rights under § 9.29.