(a) AmeriCorps records will be made available to the public unless it determines that such records should be withheld from disclosure under subsection 552(b) of the Act and/or in accordance with this part. Section 552(b) of the FOIA contains nine exemptions to the mandatory disclosure of records.

(b) AmeriCorps will:

(1) Withhold information under the FOIA only if disclosure is prohibited by law or it reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption.

(2) Consider whether partial disclosure of information is possible whenever it determines that a full disclosure of a requested record is not possible.

(3) Take reasonable steps necessary to segregate and release nonexempt information.

(4) Note in the record and response letter the basis for a redaction when it withholds information in a record, or an entire record.

(c) To the extent it properly can under an exemption, AmeriCorps will withhold information it obtains from any submitter that gave it to the agency in reliance on a statutory or regulatory provision for confidentiality. This section does not authorize the giving of any pledge of confidentiality by any officer or employee of AmeriCorps.

(d) The deliberative process privilege of Exemption 5 of the FOIA will not apply to records created 25 years or more before the date when the records were requested.