RAMPS proposal and project approval documents
| Tracking # |
2014-1850 |
| Submitted | May 6, 2014 |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Shawn Musgrave
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
All proposal and initiative approval documentation for Robotic Aircraft for Marine Public Safety (RAMPS).
Per a December 2013 DHS S&T meeting agenda (http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/HSSTAC%20DEC%205_2013.pdf), RAMPS is a maritime variant of the Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety initiative, and is slated to begin conducting tests in August 2014.
Media reports indicate that RAMPS is to be hosted by the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration. See, for instance: http://www.insidegnss.com/node/3666
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,
Shawn Musgrave
From: STFOIA
Dear Mr. Musgrave,
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate. Please review the attached letter regarding your request.
Thanks,
FOIA Office
Science and Technology Directorate
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(o) (202) 254-6342
(f) (202) 254-6739
From: Shawn Musgrave
Hello,
Per the attached, this request has been forwarded to USCG. Please confirm receipt and provide a tracking number.
Thank you.
From: Ackerson, Amanda C CIV
Good morning,
Your request was forwarded to the Office of Investigations (CG-INV) for processing and direct response to you under FOIA number 2014-1850. For the current status of your request, please contact Ms. Thelma Flood of CG-INV at 202-372-1284.
Regards,
Amanda C. Ackerson
Management and Policy Analyst
U.S. Coast Guard (CG-611)
Office of Information Management
2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7710
WASHINGTON DC 20593-7710
Phone: 202-475-3522
Fax: 202-475-3929
From: Shawn Musgrave
Ms. Flood -
Please confirm receipt.
Thank you.
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
This acknowledges receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dated 4 May, 2014, and to your request for a waiver of all FOIA fees. MuckRock News requested a copy all proposal and initiative approval documentation for Robotic Aircraft for Marine Public Safety (RAMPS).
Your request was received in this office on May 19, 2014.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has assigned a tracking identifier, FOIA 2014-1850, to this request. The USCG endeavors to complete each FOIA request within a timely manner; however our office has an increasing number of FOIA requests and should anticipate some delay in receiving a final response to this request. Per Section 5.5(a) of the DHS FOIA regulations, 6 C.F.R. Part 5, the USCG processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt.
In regards to MuckRock News fee waiver request, the USCG has reviewed your request thoroughly and have determined that MuckRock News have not presented a convincing argument that entitles the company to a waiver of fees.
The DHS FOIA Regulations, 6 CFR § 5.11(k)(2), set forth six factors to examine in determining whether the applicable legal standard for a fee waiver has been met. The USCG will consider these factors in the evaluation of your request for a fee waiver:
1. Whether the subject of the requested records concerns "the operations or activities of the government;"
2. Whether the disclosure is "likely to contribute" to an understanding of government operations or activities;
3. Whether disclosure of the requested information will contribute to the understanding of the public at large, as opposed to the individual understanding of the requester or a narrow segment of interested persons;
4. Whether the contribution to public understanding of government operations or activities will be "significant;"
5. Whether the requester has a commercial interest that would be furthered by the requested disclosure; and
6. Whether the magnitude of any identified commercial interest to the requester is sufficiently large in comparison with the public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.
As a requester, you bear the burden under the FOIA guidelines of showing that the fee waiver requirements have been met.
The US Coast Guard redacts Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Coast Guard Accounting/Appropriations Data from the actual documents provided to fulfill the FOIA request with the understanding that this information is not part of the request. If PII and Coast Guard Accounting/Appropriations Data are part of this request, please advise our office with clarification. Otherwise, any documents provided to fulfill this FOIA request will have the PII and Coast Guard Accounting/Appropriations Data redacted pursuant to Title 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(4).
Provisions of the Act allow the USCG to recover part of the cost of complying with your request. Therefore the USCG shall charge you for records in accordance with the DHS Interim FOIA regulations as they apply to news media requesters; i.e., you will be charged 10-cents per page for duplication/duplication time at the per quarter-hour rate($4.00, $7.00,$10.25) of the searcher. You will be contacted before any work is conducted that requires a fee to be paid.
Should you have any questions, please contact our office by emailing Judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil<mailto:Judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil>. Please refer to FOIA 2014-1850 on any communications with our office on this request.
Respectfully,
Judith Lewis | FOIA |
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
This letter is to advise you of further action taken on your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), dated May 4, 2014. MuckRock News requested copy all proposal and initiative approval documentation for Robotic Aircraft for Marine Public Safety (RAMPS).
In processing the referenced request, it was determined that the responsive records contain a document that was developed by DHS-Science and Technology. The USCG has consulted with DHS-Science& Technology to review the document for releasability.
Due to the above requirement, MuckRock News should anticipate some delay in receiving a final response to your request. However, this should not be construed as a denial of the request. Upon receipt of the above information, the documents will be processed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.
If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact this office by emailing Judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil<mailto:Judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil> and CG-9FOIA@uscg.mil<mailto:CG-9FOIA@uscg.mil>. Please refer to the assigned case number, 2014-1850, in any correspondence.
Respectfully,
Judith Lewis | FOIA |
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #FOIA 2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is in receipt of your request for additional information regarding your FOIA request 2014-1850. On May 29, 2014 our office notified you that a portion of the responsive documents to this request was developed by DHS-Science and Technology (DHS-S&T) and that this document must be forwarded to DHS-S&T for review.
Since that time our office has received the review recommendation from DHS-S&T. The response documents were submitted to the USCG legal for final review on 18 June, 2014. Upon the legal review completion the documents will then be submitted to leadership for final signature. As stated in a previous email the USCG endeavors to complete each FOIA request within a timely manner; however our office has an increasing number of FOIA requests and should anticipate some delay in receiving a final response to this request. Per Section 5.5(a) of the DHS FOIA regulations, 6 C.F.R. Part 5, the USCG processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt.
Respectfully,
Judith Lewis | FOIA |
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
On behalf of the United States Coast Guard, you are being contacted to provide status regarding the recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from GCS for a copy of all proposal and initiative approval documentation for Robotic Aircraft for Marine Public Safety (RAMPS).
The documents responsive to this request have been located, reviewed, sent to DHS Science and Technology (DHS-S&T) for review. The reviewed response documents were received from DHS-S&T. All response documents relating to this request were submitted to US Coast Guard legal department for review on 18 June, 2014. The US Coast Guard wanted to advise you that your request is being actively worked and it is taking additional time due to the volume of requests being reviewed by the Coast Guard's legal department. The Coast Guard appreciates your continued patience.
Should have any questions, please contact our office at judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil<mailto:judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil> and reference FOIA 2014-1850 in your correspondence.
Respectfully,
Judith Lewis | FOIA|
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: Shawn Musgrave
Hello,
It has been months since any substantive update was provided for this request. Please advise immediately.
Thank you,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
Your request for status has been forwarded to the Coast Guard FOIA Officer. Please note the contact information for the Coast Guard FOIA Officer is efoia@uscg.mil<mailto:efoia@uscg.mil>.
Thank you,
From: MuckRock
Hello,
Please provide an estimated date of completion for the request below.
Thank you very much.
____________________
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
All proposal and initiative approval documentation for Robotic Aircraft for Marine Public Safety (RAMPS).
Per a December 2013 DHS S&T meeting agenda (http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/HSSTAC%20DEC%205_2013.pdf), RAMPS is a maritime variant of the Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety initiative, and is slated to begin conducting tests in August 2014.
Media reports indicate that RAMPS is to be hosted by the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration. See, for instance: http://www.insidegnss.com/node/3666
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,
Shawn Musgrave
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 6, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1850.
Thank you for your help.
From: Shawn Musgrave
Hello,
Please provide an update and estimated completion date for this request immediately.
Thank you,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock
From: Ackerson, Amanda C CIV
Ms. Lewis,
Could you please provide a status update for 2014-1850?
Thank you,
Amanda C. Ackerson
Management and Policy Analyst
U.S. Coast Guard (CG-611)
Office of Information Management
2703 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AVE SE STOP 7710
WASHINGTON DC 20593-7710
Phone: 202-475-3522
Fax: 202-475-3929
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Amanda,
Our office recently received the file from the legal review. This FOIA request is in line to be prepared for final review by our leadership.
V/r
Judith Lewis | FOIA|
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
From: Lewis, Judith S CIV
Ms. Musgrave,
Please find the Coast Guard's final response to the Freedom of Information Act request, from MuckRock attached.
Should you have any questions, please contact our office at judith.s.lewis@uscg.mil and CG-9FOIA@uscg.mil and reference FOIA 2014-1850 in your communications.
Respectfully,
Judith Lewis | FOIA|
DHS|U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Strategic Planning and Communications (CG-925)
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E. Stop 7816
Washington, DC 20593-7816
Office: (202) 475-3053
Files
pages