Hurricane Katrina Public Archieves

Dear Jonah Rosenstein,

A temporary password has been issued and sent to the email address provided. Please check your email for this temporary password and return to https://foiapublicaccessportal.epa.gov to login. If you have any previously submitted requests to EPA National FOIA Office you will be able to view them by logging into your user account

Kindly change the password provided by us.
Regards,
EPA National FOIA Office

Dear Jonah Rosenstein,

The status of your FOIA request #2024-EPA-00807 has been updated to the following status 'Received'. To log into the PAL Application click on the Application URL below.

https://foiapublicaccessportal.epa.gov

Sincerely,
EPA National FOIA Office

Dear Jonah Rosenstein,

Thank you for submitting your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Your FOIA request was received by EPA's National FOIA Office. Case Number 2024-EPA-00807 has been assigned to the request you submitted.
In all future correspondence regarding this request, please reference your case number.
Regards,
EPA National FOIA Office

Dear Jonah Rosenstein,

Please select or copy and paste the link below into your browser to create your password.
EPA Public Access Link: https://foiapublicaccessportal.epa.gov/App/SetPassword.aspx?aun=KOvk6lPnIcpeGZ6/0u/3Ev6cZiJlHVqwUp2b/r7XnXw=
Username: requests@muckrock.com
Regards,
EPA National FOIA Office

11/30/2023

Jonah Rosenstein
N/A
MuckRock News, DEPT MR155264
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Emailed to: requests@muckrock.com
RE: Need More Information - EPA FOIA Request Number 2024-EPA-00807

Hello Jonah Rosenstein :

This letter concerns the above-referenced Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National FOIA Office (NFO) on 11/29/2023 . You are seeking the following: "To Whom It May Concern:Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:I am a student at Tulane University filing a request under the Freedom of Information Act in regards to the failure of the levee system following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I am requesting documents that are not already filed in the database about the allocation of money designated to residential homeowners due to the breakage of the levee system. I am additionally requesting documents and/or emails about the class action lawsuit that occurred in response to the levee system failing. I am also requesting data about the addresses who out of the class action lawsuit received a stipend, and what that looked like in residential communities. The hurricane and levee system failure were disastrous, but were followed by the stock market crash of 2008, so I would additionally request data about how that affected the rebuilding and rebranding of New Orleans during the market failure in 2007. I would appreciate receiving feedback in a timely manner and look forward to receiving aresponse.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,Jonah RosensteinUpload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

After review of your FOIA request, we determined your request does not reasonably describe the records you are seeking in a way that will permit EPA employees to identify and locate them.  For example, you have not requested any specifically identifiable records or classes of EPA records. Additionally, the information you have generally described likely resides with FEMA, other government agencies, or private organizations.

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, the requester should include any file designations or descriptions for the records that the requester wants. The more specific the requester is about the records or type of records that the requester wants, the more likely EPA will be able to identify and locate records responsive to the request.” 40 C.F.R 2.102 (c) The FOIA does not require an agency to create new records, answer questions posed by requesters, or attempt to interpret a request that does not identify reasonably described records.
We would like to provide you with the opportunity to clarify the records that you are seeking so that EPA can process your request.  As indicated in 40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c), please include any specific information about the records, including time period, authors, or a more detailed description of the records' subject matter.  Please contact Samuel Pogue at pogue.samuel@epa.gov with your clarification or if you would like to set up a time to further discuss your request.

Please reply within 20 calendar days from the date of this email.  If we do not hear back from you, EPA may issue a final determination to close out your request.  Please note that you are not prohibited from submitting additional Freedom of Information Act requests in the future.

For more information, please visit our website at: https://www.epa.gov/foia . If you need any further assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of your request, you may seek assistance from EPA’s FOIA Public Liaison at hq.foia@epa.gov or call (202) 566-1667. You may also seek assistance 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, College Park, MD 20740-6001; email: ogis@nara.gov; telephone: (202) 741-5770 or (877) 684-6448; or fax: (202) 741-5769.  We look forward to your prompt reply.

Sincerely,
National FOIA Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Jonah Rosenstein If you need any further assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of your request, you may seek assistance from the National FOIA Office at FOIA_HQ@epa.gov.
N/A
MuckRock News, DEPT MR155264
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
SENT TO EMAIL ADDRESS: requests@muckrock.com
RE: EPA Freedom of Information Act Request - 2024-EPA-00807Hello Jonah Rosenstein,
Final Response Letter

Please see the enclosed final response letter for your EPA FOIA request number 2024-EPA-00807.

Sincerely,
National FOIA Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency