Organization, Functions, and Procedures; Freedom of Information Act

The Department of Agriculture is revising the Forest Service's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) procedures to permit the Chief of the Forest Service to designate Washington Office staff directors to receive requests for records, extend the reply deadline period, make discretionary releases of records exempt form mandatory disclosure, and deny records pursuant to the Act. The intent is to achieve more efficiency and to balance the assignment of the FOIA workload. Since this rule change relates solely to internal administration and the carrying out of the Secretary's executive function of delegating authority to agency heads, notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule are not necessary.