OH COVID-19 wastewater surveillance
It is a clone of this request.
| Submitted | May 6, 2022 |
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Communications
From: Betsy Ladyzhets
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Ohio Open Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1) Any applications and/or related documents submitted by the Ohio Department of Health to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) for funding to conduct COVID-19 surveillance in Ohio wastewater/sewersheds.
2) For all sewersheds/wastewater treatment plants that are conducting COVID-19 surveillance in the state, all documentation that describes the endpoint of that information, e.g. a database, and all documentation about the layout of the database’s tables and fields, and that provides the definitions of any field names, codes, and abbreviations used in the database.
The Documenting COVID-19 project, housed at MuckRock, is a nonprofit organization working on behalf of news organizations, academics and other public bodies to provide clear, timely information for public dissemination. We have recently published our findings in The New York Times, The Washington Post and other publications.
This information is in the public interest as COVID-19 remains a threat to public health. If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than the required amount of time, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.
If you have any questions about this request, you are welcome to reach me at 860-805-4995.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days.
Sincerely,
Betsy Ladyzhets
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Ohio Open Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2022. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Health
Hello Betsy Ladyzhets,
Thank you for the inquiry. Our office is responsible for the certification and licensure of a variety of health care settings (i.e., nursing homes, hospice, ambulatory surgery) in Ohio so this office would not have any responsive records for this request. We have copied our response to our Bureau of Environmental Health for an appropriate for response. Here is the contact information for future inquiries.
Mailing Address:
Ohio Department of Health
BEHRP/Private Water Systems Program
246 N. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-644-7558
Email: BEH@odh.ohio.gov
-
~WRD3909
From: Department of Health
Ms. Betsy Ladyzhets
This email is to acknowledge your below records request. Pursuant to Ohio law, the Ohio Department of Health will review the request and respond within a reasonable time.
Sincerely,
Socrates H. Tuch
Socrates H. Tuch, MA, JD, CPM
Senior Counsel/Privacy Officer
Ohio Department of Heath
246 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 314-9663
[cid:image001.jpg@01D8711C.A41FA570] For information about COVID-19:
coronavirus.ohio.gov<https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/%22>
1-833-4-ASK-ODH
From: Betsy Ladyzhets
Hi Socrates,
Thank you for the update about my request! Please let me know if there are any further updates or questions for me; you can also reach me at 860-805-4995.
Best,
Betsy
From: Department of Health
Hi Betsy, here is our reply, thanks!
On May 6, 2022, you made the following request pursuant to the Ohio Open Records Act:
“Pursuant to the Ohio Open Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1) Any applications and/or related documents submitted by the Ohio Department of Health to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) for funding to conduct COVID-19 surveillance in Ohio wastewater/sewersheds.
2) For all sewersheds/wastewater treatment plants that are conducting COVID-19 surveillance in the state, all documentation that describes the endpoint of that information, e.g. a database, and all documentation about the layout of the database’s tables and fields, and that provides the definitions of any field names, codes, and abbreviations used in the database.”
Your initial request was advanced to the ODH team that reviews records requests on May 25, 2022.
Attached are documents the Ohio Department of Health believes are responsive to your first request. As to your second request, the Department is providing a list of abbreviations used. No other record will be provided.
“[A] record that discloses the configuration of critical systems including, but not limited to, communication, computer, electrical, mechanical, ventilation, water, and plumbing systems, security codes, or the infrastructure or structural configuration of a building” is an “infrastructure record” and not subject to the Open Records Act. R.C. 149.433(B)(2).
Additionally, “Records that would disclose or may lead to the disclosure of records or information that would jeopardize the state's continued use or security of any computer or telecommunications devices or services associated with electronic signatures, electronic records, or electronic transactions are not public records….” R.C. 1306.23.
You will not be billed for reproducing the records. With this communication, the Department of Health considers your request fulfilled and will close its file.
Ken Gordon
Public Information Officer
Office of Public Affairs and Communications
Ohio Department of Health
246 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Cell: (614) 915-6695
For information about COVID-19:
coronavirus.ohio.gov
1-833-4-ASK-ODH
This e-mail is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient and may contain privileged, sensitive, or protected health information. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that the unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, distribution, or action taken in reliance on the contents of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender via telephone or return e-mail and immediately delete this e-mail.
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