36 CFR 291.6 – Confidentiality of information–general
(a) Information concerning the nature and specific location of a paleontological resource is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. § 552), unless the Authorized Officer has made a written determination that disclosure would:
Terms Used In 36 CFR 291.6
- Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
(1) Further the purposes of the Act and this part;
(2) Not create risk of harm to or theft or destruction of the resource or the site containing the resource; and
(3) Be in accordance with other applicable laws.
(b) Sharing protected information does not constitute a disclosure. The Authorized Officer may share information concerning the nature and specific location of a paleontological resource with non-Agency personnel for scientific, educational, or resource management purposes. A recipient of such information may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement in which the recipient agrees not to share the information with anyone not authorized to receive the information.