Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for FOIA and Privacy at the Oak Ridge Office?
The Office of Chief Counsel is responsible for administering policies, programs, and procedures to ensure DOE compliance with the Freedom of Information Act at 5 USC 552 and the Privacy Act at 5 USC 552a.
FOIA/Privacy Act Officer
US Department of Energy
P.O. Box 2001
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
Phone: (865) 57601216 or toll free 1-800-382-6938, option 7
Fax: (865) 576-1556
Email: FOIA@oro.doe.gov
What do the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts do for me?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act of 1974 are statutes enacted by Congress that allow the public to access information about government operations and activities, including information in government files about yourself or other individuals. DOE regulations for the FOIA are 10 CFR Part 1004 and 10 CFR Part 1008 for the Privacy Act.
What information is DOE required to make available through the Electronic Reading Room?
Major Information Systems – Final Opinions - [5 USC 552 (a)(2)](A) final opinions, including concurring and dissenting opinions, as well as orders, made in the adjudication of cases
Office of Hearings and Appeals
Statements of Policy and Interpretation and Administrative Staff Manuals and Instructions - [5 USC 552 (a)(2)](B) those statements of policy and interpretation which have been adopted by the agency and are not published in the Federal Register
Directives, DOE Orders, Headquarters Orders, Secretarial Notices, Technical Standards, Forms, Delegations, Electronic Library
Public Reading Facilities – making information available for public inspection and copying
Other Records of Interest – finding aids, record collections, and other repositories
Frequently Requested Records - [5 USC 552 (a)(2)](D) copies of all records, regardless of form or format, which have been released to any person . . . and which, because of the nature of their subject matter, the agency determines have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent requests for substantially the same record.
How do I make a FOIA or Privacy Act request for other records?
You can submit an electronic Freedom of Information Act Request for general information or by contacting one of the FOIA Requester Service Centers. If the Oak Ridge Office determines that other DOE sites may have some or all of the documents you are requesting, we will forward your request to them for additional processing. A Privacy Act request for information in agency files that is retrievable by your personal identifier can be made by filling out DOE F1800.1 and faxing or mailing a printed copy to one of the FOIA Requester Service Centers.
How do I know what documents are available at the different DOE sites?
DOE continuously gathers site specific information about its facilities and record repositories. Links to DOE sites and major contractors are found at Energy.gov.
What’s available at Oak Ridge?
Oak Ridge has responsibility for program and operational information described on the Oak Ridge Office website regarding the following DOE sites:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education/Oak Ridge Associated Universities
East Tennessee Technology Park (former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant/K-25)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (formerly Clinton Laboratories/Clinton Engineering Works/X-10)
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah, Kentucky
USEC America Centrifuge, Portsmouth, Ohio
Thomas Jefferson Site Office, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab),
Newport News, Virginia
Pacific Northwest Site Office, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington
Stanford Site Office, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Menlo Park, California
What happens when you get my request?
The agency is required to acknowledge your request within 20 business days of receipt. We provide you with a request tracking number and the name and contact information of the analyst assigned to your request usually withiin one week of receipt. Searches for the information you request are initiated at the locations identified as likely to having responsive records. Once the records are retrieved, we review the documents to ensure that all of the records have been brought to our attention, that the information is releasable, and that the information is actually responsive to your request before we issue a final response.
What happens if it isn't releasable? How much will it cost me? How long will it take to get the documents I ask for? What else can you tell me about the process?
Since each request is unique, the analyst assigned to your case can best answer your questions and will keep you informed on the status of searches for documents and any other issues regarding your request until it is completed.
Who else can I contact about the status of my request or the service I am receiving?
If you are not satisfied with any aspect of the processing of your case, you may contact the FOIA Liaison listed for the FOIA Requester Service Center handling your request.
What if I am not satisfied with the final response to my request?
Contact the Office of Hearings and Appeals - A requester of information must receive a written response to each request. These initial agency determinations may be appealed to the Office of Hearings and Appeals. Decisions of the Office of Hearings and Appeals constitute the agency's final determinations on requests made under either statute.
What other FOIA and Privacy Act References are available to me?
DOE Freedom of Information Act Program
Department of Justice FOIA-related Sources
DOE Privacy Act Systems of Records
FOIA Contacts at Other Agencies
Last Revised: February 23, 2007