Thu, Nov 16, 2006
FOIA Request May Cost City Over $18K
Could this be another funding method
for the FAA? The city of Myrtle Beach, SC wants to know why the
agency decided to place a new radar for the airport closer to the
beach... but it's gonna cost them.
The city’s government is concerned about the impact of
that radar tower on oceanfront development. The FAA didn’t
consult with the city when it made its decision... and that really
steamed city planners.
About that funding? Well, when the city asked to see documents
used to make the decision... the FAA said it’d cost $18,500
for the documents.
Turns out the FAA charges by the hour to gather documents
requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In this
case, according to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, the agency thinks
it’ll take 312 hours to find the 5000 or so pages.
The FAA charges different rates depending on who’s asking
info. Myrtle Beach says its FOIA request came from a lawyer
representing the city and was classified as commercial request,
instead of governmental.
The cost for a government FOIA is much lower. A similar request
filed on behalf of nearby Horry County wound up costing around
$300.
The FAA says it has to review the case before it decides to
whether or not to reclassify the request.
"We frequently have conversations with people about how those
costs might be reduced," FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said. "Until
[city officials] talk to us about exactly what their concerns about
the costs were and ways we might be able to reduce them, I think
it's hard to tell that right now."
Which just goes to show... freedom (of information) isn't
free.
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