Records regarding Nancy Beck, Deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

To Whom It May Concern:

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

- All email, correspondence, and government records about Dr. Nancy Beck's Executive Order 13770 Ethics pledge regarding a bar on people involved in lobbying activities for 2 years after the end of those activities
- All government records, applications, emails and correspondence about Dr. Beck's TSCA Confidential Business Information (CBI) clearance
- All government records, applications, emails and correspondence about Dr. Beck's annual Conflict of Interest declarations
- All emails, calendar entries, correspondence, and government records about Dr. Beck's meetings or planned meetings with industries or companies who are or who have been represented by the American Chemical Council in the past 5 years for the period from Jan 20, 2017, to January 1, 2018
- All government records about Dr. Beck's travel records, including and planned government and invitational travel from Jan 20, 2017, to January 1, 2018
- All EPA email correspondence containing “Dr. Beck”, “Dr. Nancy Beck”, “Deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention” or “Nancy Beck” in the subject line

I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it will contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not in my commercial interest. This information is being requested for the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI), a network of academics and non-profits addressing, studying, and providing the public with information about environmental policy issues. Information related to Dr. Nancy Beck, the new deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention will contribute to a significantly greater understanding of the direction and oversight of this EPA office. EDGI has no commercial interest that would be furthered by this disclosure, and thus satisfies fee waiver requirements.

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,

Sarah Lamdan

On May 17, 2017, I sent your office a request under the Federal Freedom of Information Act for particular records regarding Dr. Nancy Beck, the newly appointed deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. This request was placed on behalf of the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI), a network of academics and non-profits addressing, studying, and providing the public with information about environmental policy issues.

The FOIA requires your office to respond to a FOIA request within twenty business days from the date of receipt of such a request. It appears that this deadline has now elapsed without any response from your office. Although EDGI is not, at this time, exercising its legal option under the FOIA to file suit to compel compliance with the FOIA's time limits, the timely disclosure of information about new EPA appointees, including Dr. Nancy Beck is necessary to inform the public about the agency’s activities and processes. Thus, time is of the essence regarding the public disclosure of records related to Dr. Nancy Beck.

EDGI is interested in taking a cooperative approach to resolve this situation. Therefore, I am offering to assist your office in any way possible to facilitate the prompt release of the requested document. If we may redefine or clarify our request, or answer any questions, by all means, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Sarah Lamdan

Hello. I am writing to follow up on my FOIA request, FOIA No. 2017-007478 for records related to Dr. Nancy Beck, deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention filed on May 17, 2017. I followed up with you on June 19, 2017, and am following up again today (July 20, 2017) because I still have not received records in response to this request.

The FOIA requires your office to respond to a FOIA request within twenty business days from the day you receive the request, which in this case, was May 17t, 2017. This deadline is long past, and the FOIA request has not been satisfied. Please let me know if I can help facilitate the prompt release of the requested document. If we may redefine or clarify our request, or answer any questions, by all means, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Sarah Lamdan

Hello. I am writing again to follow up on my FOIA request, FOIA No. 2017-007478 for records related to Dr. Nancy Beck, deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention filed on May 17, 2017. I followed up with you on June 19, 2017, and again on July 20, 2017. I am following up again today (August 23, 2017) because I still have not received records in response to this request.

The FOIA requires your office to respond to a FOIA request within twenty business days from the day you receive the request, which in this case, was May 17th, 2017. This deadline is long past, and the FOIA request has not been satisfied. Please let me know if I can help facilitate the prompt release of the requested document. If we may redefine or clarify our request, or answer any questions, by all means, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Sarah Lamdan