6209.13-94-1 
Transmittal
                                            Page 1 of 3


                     FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
                           WASHINGTON

  FSH 6209.13 - FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT/PRIVACY ACT HANDBOOK

                   Amendment No.  6209.13-94-1

                   Effective December 8, 1994


POSTING NOTICE.  Amendments are numbered consecutively by 
Handbook number and calendar year.  Post document in numerical 
order of chapters (1109.12, sec. 4.32, ex. 01).  Remove entire 
national text of the Handbook and replace with this amendment.  
DO NOT REMOVE SUPPLEMENTS OR INTERIM DIRECTIVES.  Retain this 
transmittal as the first page of this document.

    Existing                                   Superseded
    Page Code or Document Name             (Number of Pages)

    Title page                                      1

    00--1 thru 27.2                               124

    !!ID 6209.13-94-1                               2

    !!ID 6209.13-94-2                               4


Digest:

Zero Code - Makes minor editorial formatting changes throughout 
the chapter.  Adds definitions for Attorney Work Product and 
Incident Investigation Documents, formerly in interim directives 
6209.13-94-2.

11 - Revises exhibit 02 to address situations on when to release 
records.

11.1 - 11.66 - Adds direction in section 11.1 concerning 
application of Exemption 2 to release information related to an 
agency's personnel rules and practices.  Recodes direction on 
Exemption 3 to section 11.2 (formerly section 11.1); Exemption 4.

11.22 - Adds paragraph on requirements of National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966 pertaining to Cultural Resource 
Information.

11.4 - Adds direction concerning the application of exemption 5 
to documents related to incident investigations, formerly in 
interim directive 6209.13-94-2.

11.53 - Removes direction concerning application of Exemption 6 
to Use of Information for Political Purposes (formally section 
11.43) and retains and revises direction on Use of Information 
for Commercial Solicitation. 

11.7 - Adds a new section to address direction on the foreseeable 
harm standard.

12.33 - 12.35 - Adds a new section with procedures for releasing 
documents to Congress (section 12.33) and recodes subsequent 
section 12.34, Permitting Requester Access to Original Records 
(formerly section 12.33) and section 12.35, Creation of New 
Records (formerly section 12.34).

12.5 - Revises direction on determining the date of receipt of a 
request or appeal.

13.04 - Incorporates direction in Interim Directive 6209.13-94-1 
which adds the delegated authority for signing Freedom of 
Information Act requests for law enforcement records to the 
Regional Special Agents in Charge and the Washington Office Staff 
Director of Law Enforcement and Investigations.

14.1 - Adds direction for responding to a request for a list that 
requires a search through a unit's personnel folders.

14.73 - 14.73a - Revises criteria for non-profit organization 
status as related to fee waiver.

14.9 - Clarifies billing procedures for search and duplication 
fees.

16.04 - 16.04b - Recodes reporting responsibilities of agency 
officials (formally in section 16.1 - 16.2).

20.4 - 20.43 - Adds Privacy Act responsibilities for Freedom of 
Information Act/Privacy Act Officers in the Washington Office 
(section 20.41a); Field Units (section 20.41b); System Managers 
(section 20.42); and Employees (section 20.43).

21.3 - Revises exhibit 01 - Forest Service Privacy Act Systems of 
Records.

22.1 - 22.4 - Adds direction in section 22.1 on special exemption 
under Privacy Act to address information related to a civil 
action or proceeding and recodes subsequent sections 22.2, Two 
General Exemptions (formerly section 22.1); 22.3, Specific 
Exemptions (formerly section 22.2); and 22.4, Obtaining Exemption 
(formerly section 22.3).

24.63 - Adds instruction for transmitting correspondence related 
to access and amendment of records.

27 - 27.1 - Removes direction on obsolete Form OF-203, Privacy 
Act Information Request (formerly section 27.1).  Recodes 
direction to section 27 on submission of Report FS-6200-F, 
Privacy Act Biennial Report (formerly this was an annual report 
and direction was in section 27.3).  Revises samples of responses 
and recodes exhibits to section 27.1 (formerly section 27.2).

This Handbook is now available electronically in the National 
Information Center in the same format as the paper copy.  
Henceforth, amendments to this Handbook will be issued to Forest 
Service units electronically on a document basis.

Superseded Amendments

    6209.13-91-2, 10/17/91
    1, 2/88
    New 3/86

New Document Names                              New Pages

    !6209.13, Contents                               2
    !6209.13,0 Code Contents                         1
    6209.13,0 Code                                   4
    !6209.13,10 Contents                             3
    6209.13,10-12                                   25
    6209.13,13-18                                   20
    !6209.13,20 Contents                             2
    6209.13,20.4-21.3                               25
    6209.13,21.4-27.1                               31
    6209.13,27.1,Ex.01-05                            5





JACK WARD THOMAS
Chief