File Code:	6270-1 	Date:	January 15, 1999
	Route To:	

	Subject:	Freedom of Information Act Annual Report (October 1, 1997 - September 30, 1998)

	To:	Carolyn Harris, FOIA/PA Officer
 		Office of Communications

Enclosed is the consolidated Forest Service Freedom of Information Act Annual

Report for the period of October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998.



/s/ NAOMI Y. CHARBONEAU
NAOMI Y. CHARBONEAU
National FOIA/Privacy Act Officer

Enclosure


?US Forest Service  FY 1998 Annual FOIA Report


NUMBER OF INITIAL REQUESTS

1. Number of requests pending at end of FY 97     187  

2. Number of requests received during FY 98       5319

3. Number of requests processed during FY 98     5019

4. Number of requests pending at end of FY 98     487

DISPOSITION OF REQUESTS

1. Number of total grants  3168 

2. Number of partial grants  897 

3. Number of denials  478 

	FOIA exemption used:

	Exemption 1  0 

	Exemption 2   3

	Exemption 3  28

	Exemption 4 43

	Exemption 5  119 

	Exemption 6  221

	Exemption 7(A)  23 

	Exemption 7(B)  1 

	Exemption 7(C) 30

	Exemption 7(D) 0  

	Exemption 7(E) 4

	Exemption 7(F) 0

	Exemption 8 0
	Exemption 9  2 

	Other reasons for nondisclosure (total): 822

	No records  352 

	Referred elsewhere  182

	Request withdrawn 60 

	Fee-related reason  74 

	Records not reasonably described 69 

	Not a proper FOIA request for some reason  17

	Not an agency record16 

	Duplicate request 24 

	Other (specify) 28

NUMBER OF APPEALS (FS WO will provide)

1. Number of appeals received during FY 98 84 

2. Number of appeals processed (completed) during FY 98 43 

DISPOSITION OF APPEALS (FS WO will provide)

1. Number completely upheld  17 

2. Number partially reversed 17

3. Number completely reversed  8 

FOIA exemption used:

	FOIA exemption used:

	Exemption 1: 0 

	Exemption 2: 3 

	Exemption 3: 2 

	Exemption 4: 4  

	Exemption 5: 9

	Exemption 6: 13

	Exemption 7(A): 1

	Exemption 7(B):  0

	Exemption 7(C): 6

	Exemption 7(D):  0  

	Exemption 7(E):  0 

	Exemption 7(F): 0 

	Exemption 8: 0 
	
	Exemption 9: 0 

	Other reasons for nondisclosure(total):  13

	No records: 8 

	Referred elsewhere: 0

	Request withdrawn: 2 

	Fee-related reason: 0 

	Records not reasonably described: 0 

	Not a proper FOIA request for some reason: 1 

	Not an agency record: 0 

	Duplicate request: 1 

	Other (specify): 1 (Glomar) 

?MEDIAN PROCESSING TIME FOR REQUESTS

1. Simple requests (if multiple tracks used)  (Not applicable to FS) 

	Number of requests processed                                               

	Median number of days to process                                       

2. Complex requests (specify for any and all tracks used)(FS input included here)

	Number of requests processed   5019

	Median number of days to process  25

3. Requests accorded expedited processing

	Number of requests processed 9

	Median number of days to process  7 

STATUS OF PENDING REQUESTS (Agencies using multiple tracks may provide numbers for each track as well as totals).(FS does not have multiple tracks).

1. Number of requests pending at end of FY 98  487

2. Median number of days requests were pending at end of FY 98   35

DESCRIBE AGENCY EFFORTS TO (Optional):  (FS has elected not to submit information for this section for FY 98.) 

	Improve timeliness                              

	Reduce backlog                                   
	
	Provide training                                  

	Add new categories of records                              

TOTAL COSTS 

1. FOIA processing  $2,946,031

2. Litigation-related activities (estimated)$300,000

3. Total costs  $3,246,031

Statement of additional resources needed (optional) (FS elected not to submit information for this section for FY 98).

FEES

1. Total fees collected for search, review, duplication, other direct costs permitted by agency regulations $22,880

2. Percentage of total costs   .007%

URL FOR AGENCY FOIA REGULATIONS (including Fee Schedule)(This will be supplied by FS WO): http//www.fs.fed.us/im/foia

STAFFING LEVELS

1. Number of full-time FOIA personnel 14

2. Number of personnel with part-time or occasional FOIA duties (in work-years)353 persons @ 5%

3. Total  number of personnel (Work-years) 367


EXEMPTION 3 STATUES

A. List of Exemption 3 statutes relied on by agency during current fiscal year.

Archaeological Resouces Protections Act of 1976
National Historical Preservation Act of 1966
Public Law 104-201 Section 821

1. Brief description of type(s) of information withheld under each statute.

Archaeological Resouces Protections Act of 1976 ( Cultural Resource Sites)
National Historical Preservation Act of 1966 (Cultural Resources Sites)
Public Law 104-201 Section 82 (Contracting Information)

2. Statement of whether a court has upheld the use of each statute. If so, then cite example.  

No related lawsuits