Frank Vera III
GeorgeAFB.Info
P.O. Box 1313
Jamestown, CA 95327-1313
Phone: 209-782-4541
2 December 2015
BY Fax: (703) 428-6522
Headquarters Air Force/AAII (FOIA)
1000 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1000
Phone: (703) 693-2735/692-9981
Fax: 571-256-3110
Email: [email protected]
FOIA Request
Dear FOIA Officer:
Please process this request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552.
I request a complete and unredacted printout or export of:
The “record bibliography” OR “record index OR “printout of the first 5 pages of the record(s)” with the subjects or keywords”
1. “decontamination center” AND (“george air force base” OR “george afb”)
Please include citations to:
a) Unclassified documents
b) Limited distribution documents
c) Classified documents
There are approximately a dozen documents published by the US Government, including the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), and Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), which mention the Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Test Decontamination Centers at George AFB; one for personnel and another for planes. However, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Administrative Record for George AFB contains NO mention of the Decontamination Center(s) or an assessment or remediation of the radioactive contamination that this decontamination would have caused.
Redaction
In excising material, please “black out” rather than “white out” or “cut out.” Additionally, any reasonably segregable portion of a responsive record must be provided to me after redaction of any allegedly exempt material, as the law requires. 5 U.S.C. § 552(b). If this request is denied, in full or in part, please cite the exemptions pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552(b) that justify the denial. If an exemption applies, however, please consider exercising the agency’s discretionary release powers to disclose the information.
Record Search
When processing this request, please note that the D.C. Circuit has previously held that agencies have a duty to construe the subject material of FOIA requests liberally to ensure responsive records are not overlooked. See Nation Magazine, Washington Bureau v. U.S. Customs Service, 71 F.3d 885, 890 (D.C. Cir. 1995).
In line with the guidance issued by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) on 9 September 2008 to all federal agencies with records subject to FOIA, agency records that are currently in the possession of a U.S. Government contractor for purposes of records management remain subject to FOIA. Please ensure that your search complies with this clarification on the effect of Section 9 of the OPEN Government Act of 2007 of the definition of a “record” for purposes of FOIA. In addition, the Air Force should not interpret this request to exclude correspondence sent to outside third parties. Please also consider this letter an affirmative rejection of any limitation of your search to Air Force originated records.
Definition of Record
The term “record” includes, but is not limited to: 1) all email communications to or from any individual within your agency; 2) memoranda; 3) inter-agency communications; 4) sound recordings; 5) tape recordings; 6) video or film recordings; 7) photographs; 8) notes; 9) notebooks; 10) indices; 11) jottings; 12) message slips; 13) letters or correspondence; 14) telexes; 15) telegrams; 16) facsimile transmissions; 17) statements; 18) policies; 19) manuals or binders; 20) books; 21) handbooks; 22) business records; 23) personnel records; 24) ledgers; 25) notices; 26) warnings; 27) affidavits; 28) declarations under penalty of perjury; 29) unsworn statements; 30) reports; 31) diaries; 32) calendars, regardless of whether they are handwritten, printed, typed, mechanically or electronically recorded or reproduced on any medium capable of conveying an image, such as paper, CDs, DVDs, or diskettes.
Record Format
I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not. I am willing to pay $15.00 dollars.
I look forward to receiving the complete and unredacted documents within twenty (20) business days, or a request for an extension, as outlined in 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(ii). Should your office not be in possession of the records requested, I ask that you forward this request to the record custodian of the agency where these records are maintained. If you wish to discuss this request, please do not hesitate to contact me at 209-782-4541.
Thank you for processing this FOIA request.
Sincerely,
Frank Vera III Date
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