FOIA

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A FOIA REQUEST
 

Policy:

It is the policy of Amtrak’s Office of the Inspector General to make records available to the public consistent with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552.

How to Submit a Request:

A request for information under the FOIA must be in writing and should be signed by the requesting party. The request should indicate that the information is sought under the FOIA. The requester should provide as much detail as possible concerning the documents sought in order to facilitate the search for responsive records and help reduce processing charges.  The request may be mailed or delivered to:
 

Write to:

     Office of the Inspector General
     National Railroad Passenger Corporation
     10 G Street, N.E., Suite 3E-400
     Washington, D.C. 20002
     Attn: FOIA Request
 

Fax to:

     1-202-906-4695, ATTN: FOIA Request.
 

Content of the Request:

No special form or format is required for a FOIA request. However, the request should provide the following information:

• The name and address of the requester and a telephone number at which the requester can be reached during normal business hours.
• A reasonable description of the records sought that will enable Amtrak OIG’s staff to identify and produce the records sought with reasonable effort.
• The fee category recommended by the requester. See the description of fee categories below.
• A statement indicating that the requester will pay all applicable processing fees or that the requester is willing to pay up to a specified amount.

Fees:

Amtrak charges $38 per hour for search, review, and submitter notification and 25 cents per page for reproduction of documents up to 8 ½ x 14 inches on a standard office copier.  There is no charge for processing a request if applicable fees are less than $10.  The requester may also seek a fee waiver, 49 CFR 701.11(k), or request expedited processing, 49 CFR 701.7(e). Refer to Amtrak’s FOIA regulations, 49 CFR 701, for the criteria for granting a fee waiver.
 

Fee Categories

Processing costs are assessed for each of the fee categories as described below:

For Additional Information:

The above Instructions for Submitting a FOIA Request are provided as a quick guide for making a request.  Questions regarding the FOIA submittal process for Amtrak’s OIG may be submitted to the address above, or via e-mail .