(a) You must make your request by email to [email protected] or by completing the request form at https://www.foia.gov. If you are not able to make your request by either of these methods, please contact CEQ's FOIA Public Liaison for assistance.

(b) When making a request to CEQ, you must:

(1) Clearly indicate that you are making a request for records, such as by including “Freedom of Information Act Request” in the subject line if you are submitting your request by email. If your email includes attachments, you must enter your request in the body of the email in addition to the attachment.

(2) Identify or reasonably describe the records you are requesting in sufficient detail to enable CEQ personnel to locate them with a reasonable amount of effort. Make your request as specific as you can. If possible, include the date (or a range of dates), title or name, author, recipient, subject matter, case number, file designation, or reference number for the records you seek.

(3) Explain if you need CEQ to provide the records in a particular form or format. CEQ ordinarily provides records in Portable Document Format (PDF), but CEQ will provide its response in the format you request if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

(4) Provide your contact information, such as your phone number, your email address, or both, so that CEQ is able to contact you, as necessary, regarding the status of your request and to clarify matters related to your request.

(5) Indicate the maximum amount you are willing to pay in fees, as described in subpart E of this part. If you are requesting a fee waiver as part of your initial request, include the statement described at § 1515.34(a).

(6) If applicable, include a signed letter on your institution's official letterhead, stating that you believe you qualify for a reduction of fees, as described in § 1515.33, because you are a representative of a non-commercial scientific institution, a representative of an educational institution, or a member of the news media.

(c) If you are requesting information that is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (i.e., records about you that CEQ maintains in a system of records), you must follow the procedures under part 1516 of this chapter, instead of the procedures in this part.

(d) If you are requesting copies of ethics-related documents that CEQ makes available pursuant to section 105 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (such as CEQ employees' public financial disclosure reports), you must follow the procedures at 5 CFR 2634.603, instead of the procedures in this part. For more information, visit the U.S. Office of Government Ethics website at https://www.oge.gov.

(e) If CEQ determines that your request does not reasonably describe the records you are seeking, such that CEQ would not be able to locate the records you have requested with a reasonable amount of effort, CEQ will notify you and explain what additional information you need to provide regarding the records that you seek.

(1) For example, if you request all records related to a broad subject or all communications between CEQ and a third party, we will generally ask you to clarify the scope of your request.

(2) Furthermore, your request must seek existing records of CEQ; we will not create new records or compile new information in order to respond to a FOIA request.

(3) If you have not provided a way to contact you, or you do not respond to our inquiry within 30 working days (i.e., excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays), CEQ will administratively close your request. If possible, we will notify you of the closure.