EPA Political appointee FOIA records

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

It is the requestors understanding that EPA regions have been instructed to handle FOIA requests that include records involving EPA political appointees, by routing such requests to EPA HQ for processing. I therefore request any guidance or other instructions provided to an EPA region by EPA HQ about the processing of FOIA requests that include political appointees, or any other records which outline this approach. A search may be limited to records created or transmitted between January 20, 2017 and February 21, 2018.

The requester is entitled to a fee waiver because he is a member of the news media, and because this request for records concerns activities or operations of the government. Disclosure of the requested records will likely increase public understanding of government operations since the requester has the ability and the intention, through the means described below, to effectively convey information contained within the requested records to a broad public audience. Requester is an investigative journalist and the director of Documented, an investigative watchdog and reporting group that explores the relationship between industry and government. Nick Surgey is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Media and Democracy and writes for the Intercept.

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,

Nick Surgey