FOIA Advisor

FOIA News: Army waives $300k FOIA fee

FOIA News (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Army Backs Down on FOIA, Waives $300K Fee for PFAS Contamination Data

Envtl. Working Group Press Release, Mar. 25. 2019

Under pressure from Environmental Working Group and Capitol Hill lawmakers, the Army today agreed to waive its fee of almost $300,000 to process a public records request seeking information about fluorinated chemical contamination at military installations.

In November, EWG filed a Freedom of Information Act request for data to determine the severity of PFAS contamination of drinking water and groundwater at hundreds of bases nationwide. EWG requested a fee waiver, which the Associated Press reported is routinely given to news outlets and nonprofit groups seeking information in the public interest.

Read more here.