Temporary Final Rule: Safety Zones: Bullhead City Regatta (USCG)

To Whom It May Concern:

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

All records on, about, or concerning Temporary Final Rule: Safety Zones: Bullhead City Regatta, Bullhead City, AZ (Federal Register Publication), having Document ID USCG-2011-0410-0001, Docket ID USCG-2011-0410, and Federal Register Number 2011-16539. Records should include, but not be limited to all public comments recieved concerning this temporary final rule and all records concerning those comments such as internal and external discussion about the merits of any comments and any other record which shows the effect of the comment and the consideration it was shown. Include all records created between July 1, 2011 and September 1, 2011. Since it is not yet September 1, 2011, please conduct a search imediately, and provide the existing documents as soon as possible, then conduct periodic searches as new records are created and provide interm releases until September 1, 2011.

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,

Jason Smathers

Good afternoon,

I am processing your request (CG FOIA Control Number 2011-3355). I would like to discuss several items. First, are you willing to receive the records with redactions made to prevent release of information that would violate individuals' personal privacy? Second, several records you requested are already publicly available in the Coast Guard's docket and will not be released with other records related to this request; those records can be found at www.regulations.gov, under keyword search, enter the docket ID: USCG-2011-0410. Finally, since the Temporary Final Rule and Marine Permit have been issued there is unlikely to be any records after August 2, 2011; nonetheless, if records are generated after that date you will have to submit another FOIA request as the Coast Guard only searches for records existing on or before the date of the request. As soon as I receive a response regarding the first item I can finalize your request. You are welcome to contact me by phone if you have further questions.

LT Bill Fitzgerald
Chief, Investigations Division
Coast Guard Sector San Diego
2710 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101-1028
Phone: (619) 278-7255
Fax: (619) 278-7235

LT Bill Fitzgerald,

I am responding to your email concerning my FOIA request (CG FOIA Control Number 2011-3355).

Please meet the Freedom of Information Act's primary objective of "maximum responsible disclosure of government information," as set forth in Attorney General Reno's FOIA Memorandum. I agree to any redaction allowed by law, keeping in mind that "Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be provided ... after deletion of the portions which are exempt."

Please also consider this letter an affirmative rejection of any limitation of your search to USCG-originated records or to records created prior to the date of this request. To the contrary, I stipulate that this search should be restricted to records created prior to the date of the first substantive review of this request by USCG FOIA personnel (as opposed to the date that receipt of the request was acknowledged by the USCG).

Thank you very much.

Regards,
Jason Smathers