Administrative Fire Inquiry USFS
| Tracking # |
FOIA 2022-FS-WO-00603-F |
| Submitted | Nov. 2, 2021 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Jimmy Tobias
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
All records, emails, interview transcripts, email attachments and other documents related to or stemming from the administrative inquiry into complaint # PS-0801-00118-20 , which was referred to the Forest Service by USDA OIG in October 2020. Attached is a document obtained from USDA OIG with more details about the administrative inquiry in question.
I am a reporter with The Guardian and other outlets, and request that this FOIA request be expedited.
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 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Tobias
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: U.S. Forest Service
Hello Mr. Tobias:
Your FOIA request submitted on November 2, 2021, was acknowledged by email on November 4, 2021. You were provided tracking number 2022-FS-WO-00603-F and given the contact information of the assigned FOIA Specialist, Melani Gonzalez.
Your request is being processed at this time but currently Mrs. Gonzalez has over 100 open FOIA cases. Typically, we work on a first in/first out basis; however, we do our best to make progress on all of our open requests as workload allows. We understand that you - and our many other FOIA requesters - are eager to receive responses.
Please know that we are doing our best to manage this workload, and apologize for the delayed response.
Respectfully,
FOIA Service Center Team
FOREST SERVICE
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: U.S. Forest Service
Hello Mr. Tobias:
Your FOIA request, 2022-FS-WO-00603-F, was assigned to FOIA Specialist Melani Gonzalez for processing. She currently has approximately 75 requests ahead of yours in her individual processing queue while the Washington Office collectively has over 600 open FOIA cases. We typically work on a first in/first out basis; however, we do our best to make progress on all of our open requests as workload allows.
Even with records that seem like they should be easy to locate and release, with a large number of cases ahead of this one to be processed, unfortunately, it may continue to be some time before you receive a response. Please know we are doing our best to manage our workload and apologize for the delayed response.
Respectfully,
WO FOIA Service Center
USDA Forest Service
-
~WRD0003
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: U.S. Forest Service
Hello Mr. Tobias,
I know you are a seasoned FOIA requester and these delays in processing are frustrating but you have always been truly professional and we very much appreciate that. I can report that the search for responsive records is underway. Considering the number of requests currently in my processing queue received ahead of yours and given the fact we are currently focusing on backlogged requests from 2018-2020, it may be some time before a final response to this FOIA request will be completed. Overall, the Washington Office FOIA Service Center currently has close to 600 open cases. We typically work on a first in/first out basis; however, we do our best to make progress on all of our open requests as workload allows.
While you have asked for a specific set of records from a fairly short time period, those Staff offices have to search for the documents and then provide the results of that search for FOIA review. Even if a search returns records that seem like they should be easy to review and release, it often takes some time for the correct custodians to receive the search request, to perform the search on top of their regular daily duties, and provide the records to our office. However, we will do everything possible to get a response to you as quickly as possible.
To address your question about when you may expect to receive a final response to this FOIA, it is difficult to pin down an exact date given the current volume of cases. We are estimating a response time of one year for our 2022 requests but, as previously mentioned, we will do everything we reasonably can to provide a final response to you before then.
Under the FOIA, all federal agencies have 20 days to respond to a FOIA request with the possibility of a 10 day extension if certain circumstances arise. However, there is no cap on how long we will process records for. In other words, just because it will take longer than 20 days, it doesn't mean we will stop processing nor process with any less expediency.
Thank you for your continued patience.
Respectfully,
Melani
[Forest Service Shield]
Melani R. Gonzalez
Government Information Specialist (FOIA)
Forest Service
Office of Regulatory & Management Services
WO Detached in Pacific NW Region (R6)
Hours: 7:00 - 3:30 PST
Melani.Gonzalez@usda.gov<mailto:Melani.Gonzalez@usda.gov>
201 14th Street SW
Washington, DC 20250
www.fs.fed.us<https://www.fs.fed.us/>
[USDA Logo]<https://usda.gov/> [Forest Service Twitter] <https://twitter.com/forestservice> [USDA Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/pages/US-Forest-Service/1431984283714112>
Caring for the land and serving people
To learn more about the Forest Service FOIA program, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/foia/
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 2, 2021. 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
Hello Mr. Tobias:
This email is being sent to provide you with the attached final response to your FOIA request, 2022-FS-WO-00603-F. If you have any trouble opening the attachment please contact me directly.
Thank you,
Melani
Melani Gonzalez
Government Information Specialist (FOIA)
Forest Service - Washington Office
melani.gonzalez@usda.gov
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