This part is issued in accordance with 7 CFR 1.4 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations governing the availability of records (7 CFR 1.1-1.16 and Appendix A) under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). The Department's regulations, as supplemented by the regulations in this part, provide guidance for any person wishing to request records from the Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM).

(a) Background. 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) required that each agency make certain kinds of records available for public inspection and copying.

(b) Procedure. Persons wishing to gain access to OIRM records should contact the Information Access & Disclosure Officer by writing to the address shown in 2710.4(b)(2).

(a) Background. 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) also required that each agency maintain and make available for public inspection and copying current indexes providing identifying information for the public with regard to any records which are made available for public inspection and copying.

(b) Procedure. Persons wishing to get an index may contact the division or center that maintains the records. Publication of these indexes as a separate document is unnecessary and impractical.

(a) Background. The Information Access and Disclosure Officer is authorized to:

(1) Grant or deny requests for OIRM records.

(2) Make discretionary releases of OIRM records when it is determined that the public interests in disclosure outweigh the public and/or private ones in withholding.

(3) Reduce or waive fees to be charged where determined to be appropriate.

(b) Procedure. Persons wishing to request records from the Office of Information Resources Management may do so as follows:

(1) How. Submit each initial request for OIRM records as prescribed in 7 CFR 1.3(a).

(2) Where. Submit each initial request to the Information Access and Disclosure Officer, Office of Information Resources Management, USDA, 14th and Independence Ave., SW., Room 407-W, Washington, DC 20250.

Procedure. Any person whose initial request is denied in whole or in part may appeal that denial, in accordance with 7 CFR 1.3(e) and 1.7, to the Director, Office of Information Resources Management, by sending the appeal to the Information Access and Disclosure Officer, Office of Information Resources Management, USDA, 14th and Independence Ave., SW., Room 407-W, Washington, DC 20250. The Director, Office of Information Resources Management, will make the determination on the appeal.

This list provides the titles and mailing addresses of officials who have custody of OIRM records. This list also identifies the normal working hours, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, during which public inspection and copying of certain kinds of records, and indexes to those records, is permitted.