EPA calendar 2
| Tracking # |
EPA-HQ-2017-009368 |
| Submitted | July 12, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Ryan Koronowski
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §552 et seq. (“FOIA”), I am requesting copies of the following public records:
(1) all documents, which include but are not necessarily limited to, schedules, calendar invites, Outlook calendar files, day calendars, appointments, meetings, attachments, meeting minutes, notations of conversation, guest lists, agenda sheets, timetables, and other written or electronic documents related to or concerning Administrator Scott Pruitt’s schedule, itinerary, and meetings, dating from April 1, 2017 to the present; and
(2) all documents, which include but are not necessarily limited to, schedules, calendar invites, Outlook calendar files, day calendars, appointments, meetings, attachments, meeting minutes, notations of conversation, guest lists, agenda sheets, timetables, and other written or electronic documents related to or concerning Chief of Staff Ryan Jackson’s, Associate Administrator Samantha Dravis’s, Deputy Chief of Staff Byron Brown’s, Mandy Gunasekara’s, Layne Bangerter’s, and Millan Hupp’s schedule, itinerary, and meetings, dating from February 15, 2017 to the present.
I also request that you state the specific legal and factual grounds for withholding any documents or portions of documents, should you withhold any. Please identify each document that falls within the scope of this request but is withheld from release. If requested documents are located in, or originated in, another installation or bureau, I would request that you please refer this request or any relevant portion of this request to the appropriate installation or bureau.
To the extent that the information is available in electronic format, I would prefer to receive that information via email or CD, particularly if providing the information reduces the time or expense involved. Otherwise, I will expect to receive the information in paper form.
This information is being sought on behalf of ThinkProgress.org (an online news service) for dissemination to the general public and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I am a reporter with ThinkProgress, an online news site with a national audience seeking these documents entirely for news-gathering purposes.
Please waive any applicable fees. Release of the information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the Government and the EPA, which has broad reaching impact on the health, safety, and well-being of the American public and are currently a subject of national news value.
Please provide the records requested above regardless of your fee waiver decision. 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.
Please provide expedited processing of this request which concerns a matter of urgency. As a journalist, I am primarily engaged in disseminating information. The public has an urgent need for information because the schedules of the above individuals will help the public know who these government officials are meeting in order to make public policy decisions which will have broad reaching impacts to the health and well-being of the American public. These meetings are currently a subject of national news value.
I look forward to your reply within 10 business days, or, at the latest, 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Thank you for your cooperation with this request. I am willing to discuss ways to make this request more manageable to your office. Please do not hesitate to contact me at the number above or on my direct line at 202-478-6333 or rkoronowski@thinkprogress.org.
Sincerely,
Ryan Koronowski
From: foia_hq@epa.gov
This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://foiaonline.regulations.gov:443/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d281425153)
* Tracking Number: EPA-HQ-2017-009368
* Requester Name: Ryan Koronowski
* Date Submitted: 07/13/2017
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: Requesting all documents, which include but are not necessarily limited to, schedules, calendar invites, Outlook calendar files, day calendars, appointments, meetings, attachments, meeting minutes, notations of conversation, guest lists, agenda sheets, timetables, and other written or electronic documents related to or concerning Administrator Scott Pruitt’s schedule, itinerary, and meetings, dating from April 1, 2017 to the present, etc.
From: newton.jonathan@epa.gov
Your request for Fee Waiver for the FOIA request EPA-HQ-2017-009368 has been fully granted. Additional details for this request are as follows:
* Request Created on: 07/13/2017
* Fee Waiver Disposition Reason: N/A
* Request Long Description: Requesting all documents, which include but are not necessarily limited to, schedules, calendar invites, Outlook calendar files, day calendars, appointments, meetings, attachments, meeting minutes, notations of conversation, guest lists, agenda sheets, timetables, and other written or electronic documents related to or concerning Administrator Scott Pruitt’s schedule, itinerary, and meetings, dating from April 1, 2017 to the present, etc.
From: Environmental Protection Agency
RE: FOIA REQUEST EPA-HQ-2017-009368
Dear Ryan Koronowski,
Thank you very much for your interest in the Environmental Protection Agency. This correspondence references the above Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which seeks information about the EPA Administrator’s travel, schedule, or both. Many people or entities have requested information about these records. We appreciate your patience as we process these requests.
I. Interim Response
Today we are releasing 612 pages of records to you. The release contains materials responsive to your FOIA request. This release may include additional records that you have not requested; however, the records may be of interest to you. We are releasing these records proactively to you at no cost. Please find the records here: https://foiaonline.regulations.gov/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d28134aaec.
This release includes documents that have been partially withheld. The reasons for the withholdings are printed over the redactions. Should you wish to appeal any withholding determination, you will have the opportunity to do so. We will provide you with appeal rights at the time of the final production.
Records Released on 03.23.2018:
1. EPA Admin Travel 02.21.2017-03.19.2017 (4-page PDF) 2. EPA Admin Travel 03.20.2017-06.01.2017 (29-page PDF)
3. EPA Admin and Staff Travel 06.02.2017-06.18.2018 (58-page PDF)
4. EPA Admin and Staff Travel 06.15.2017-08.29.2017 (33-page PDF)
5. EPA Admin Travel 08.30.2017-02.14.2018 (68-page PDF)
6. EPA Admin Calendar 02.12.2017-04.07.2017 (171-page PDF)
7. EPA Admin Calendar 02.12.2017-05.19.2017 (145-page PDF)
8. EPA Admin Calendar 05.19.2017-06.19.2017 (104-page PDF)
II. Unusual Circumstances and Extension of Time
To complete your request, EPA will need to search for and collect the requested records from multiple EPA offices that are separate from the Office of the Administrator (AO). As a result of these unusual circumstances, an extension of time to respond to your request is necessary under 40 C.F.R. § 2.104(d).
The AO has received an unprecedented amount of FOIA requests during fiscal year 2017. In fiscal year 2016, AO received only 203 FOIA requests, whereas in fiscal year 2017, AO received 1,043 FOIA requests. This is a 413% increase in FOIA requests from fiscal years 2016 to 2017. We are still processing these requests.
For your information, we use multiple tracks to process requests, but within those tracks we work in an agile manner. The time needed to complete our work on your request will necessarily depend on a variety of factors, including the complexity of our records search, the volume and complexity of any material located, and the order of receipt of your request.
In fiscal year 2017, the average processing time for complex FOIA requests processed by AO was 388 working days. Using this number as instructive to estimate the time to process your request, the new estimated completion date for this FOIA is 1/8/2019.
III. Opportunity to Discuss and Modify
EPA’s FOIA regulations state:
Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient, and subject matter. If known, you should include any file designations or descriptions for the records that you want. The more specific you are about the records or type of records that you want, the more likely EPA will be able to identify and locate records responsive to your request.
40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c).
We would like to provide you the opportunity to discuss the request with us and clarify or narrow the request. As indicated in 40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c), if you would like to speak with us about your request, please include or be prepared to discuss any specific information about the records you seek, including time-period, authors, or a more detailed description of the records’ subject matter. IV. Publicly Available Information and Next Steps
The following are sources of publicly available information that you can access immediately:
• Our website: https://www.epa.gov/home/advanced-search • FOIAonline for records previously released through FOIA requests: https://foiaonline.regulations.gov/foia/action/public/search/
• Environmental Topics Information repositories: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-topics/z-index
• Technical/scientific/educational publications: https://www.epa.gov/nscep
• Staff Manuals and Guidance: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#admin
• Policy Statements: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#statement
• Superfund sites and data: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#superfund
If it is possible for us to do so, we will provide you with interim releases as they become available.
If you wish to clarify your request further so that EPA can process your request in a shorter amount of time, or if this release satisfies your request and you would like to close your request, the Office of the Administrator is happy to work with you.
Additionally, you may seek assistance from EPA’s FOIA Public Liaison at hq.foia@epa.gov or (202) 566-1667, or from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). You may contact OGIS in any of the following ways: by mail, Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, MD 20740-6001; by email, ogis@nara.gov; by telephone, (202) 741-5770 or (877) 684-6448; or by fax: (202) 741-5769.
If you have any additional questions about your request, please contact Christopher Creech at creech.christopher@epa.gov or (202) 564-4286, or Fredrick No at no.fredrick@epa.gov or (202) 564-2793.
Please direct media related inquiries to press@epa.gov. Thank you,
EPA Office of the Administrator
From: Environmental Protection Agency
RE: FOIA REQUEST EPA-HQ-2017-009368
Dear Ryan Koronowski,
Thank you very much for your interest in the Environmental Protection Agency. This correspondence references the above Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which seeks information about the EPA Administrator’s travel, schedule, or both. Many people or entities have requested information about these records. We appreciate your patience as we process these requests.
I. Interim Response
Today we are releasing 365 pages of records to you. The release contains materials responsive to your FOIA request. This release may include additional records that you have not requested; however, the records may be of interest to you. We are releasing these records proactively to you at no cost. Please find the records here: https://foiaonline.regulations.gov/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d28134aaec.
This release includes documents that have been partially withheld. The reasons for the withholdings are printed over the redactions. Should you wish to appeal any withholding determination, you will have the opportunity to do so. We will provide you with appeal rights at the time of the final production.
Records Released on 04.17.2018:
1. EPA Admin Calendar 06.19.2017-08.14.2017.pdf (113-pages) 2. EPA Admin Calendar 08.14.2017-01.02.2018.pdf (252-pages).
Records Released on 03.23.2018:
1. EPA Admin Travel 02.21.2017-03.19.2017 (4-page PDF) 2. EPA Admin Travel 03.20.2017-06.01.2017 (29-page PDF)
3. EPA Admin and Staff Travel 06.02.2017-06.18.2018 (58-page PDF)
4. EPA Admin and Staff Travel 06.15.2017-08.29.2017 (33-page PDF)
5. EPA Admin Travel 08.30.2017-02.14.2018 (68-page PDF)
6. EPA Admin Calendar 02.12.2017-04.07.2017 (171-page PDF)
7. EPA Admin Calendar 02.12.2017-05.19.2017 (145-page PDF)
8. EPA Admin Calendar 05.19.2017-06.19.2017 (104-page PDF)
II. Unusual Circumstances and Extension of Time
To complete your request, EPA will need to search for and collect the requested records from multiple EPA offices that are separate from the Office of the Administrator (AO). As a result of these unusual circumstances, an extension of time to respond to your request is necessary under 40 C.F.R. § 2.104(d).
The AO has received an unprecedented amount of FOIA requests during fiscal year 2017. In fiscal year 2016, AO received only 203 FOIA requests, whereas in fiscal year 2017, AO received 1,043 FOIA requests. This is a 413% increase in FOIA requests from fiscal years 2016 to 2017. We are still processing these requests.
For your information, we use multiple tracks to process requests, but within those tracks we work in an agile manner. The time needed to complete our work on your request will necessarily depend on a variety of factors, including the complexity of our records search, the volume and complexity of any material located, and the order of receipt of your request.
In fiscal year 2017, the average processing time for complex FOIA requests processed by AO was 388 working days. Using this number as instructive to estimate the time to process your request, the new estimated completion date for this FOIA is 1/8/2019.
III. Opportunity to Discuss and Modify
EPA’s FOIA regulations state:
Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient, and subject matter. If known, you should include any file designations or descriptions for the records that you want. The more specific you are about the records or type of records that you want, the more likely EPA will be able to identify and locate records responsive to your request.
40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c).
We would like to provide you the opportunity to discuss the request with us and clarify or narrow the request. As indicated in 40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c), if you would like to speak with us about your request, please include or be prepared to discuss any specific information about the records you seek, including time-period, authors, or a more detailed description of the records’ subject matter. IV. Publicly Available Information and Next Steps
The following are sources of publicly available information that you can access immediately:
• Our website: https://www.epa.gov/home/advanced-search • FOIAonline for records previously released through FOIA requests: https://foiaonline.regulations.gov/foia/action/public/search/
• Environmental Topics Information repositories: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-topics/z-index
• Technical/scientific/educational publications: https://www.epa.gov/nscep
• Staff Manuals and Guidance: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#admin
• Policy Statements: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#statement
• Superfund sites and data: https://www.epa.gov/foia/national-online-foia-library#superfund
If it is possible for us to do so, we will provide you with interim releases as they become available.
If you wish to clarify your request further so that EPA can process your request in a shorter amount of time, or if this release satisfies your request and you would like to close your request, the Office of the Administrator is happy to work with you.
Additionally, you may seek assistance from EPA’s FOIA Public Liaison at hq.foia@epa.gov or (202) 566-1667, or from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). You may contact OGIS in any of the following ways: by mail, Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road-OGIS, College Park, MD 20740-6001; by email, ogis@nara.gov; by telephone, (202) 741-5770 or (877) 684-6448; or by fax: (202) 741-5769.
If you have any additional questions about your request, please contact Christopher Creech at creech.christopher@epa.gov or (202) 564-4286, or Fredrick No at no.fredrick@epa.gov or (202) 564-2793.
Please direct media related inquiries to press@epa.gov. Thank you,
EPA Office of the Administrator
From: Environmental Protection Agency
EPA-HQ-2017-009368 has been processed with the following final disposition: Partial grant/partial denial. Please see the attached final disposition letter.
From: Environmental Protection Agency
EPA-HQ-2017-009368 has been processed with the following final disposition: Partial Grant/Partial Denial
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