(a) Records that the FOIA requires to be made available for public inspection and copying are accessible electronically through the Department’s “Electronic FOIA Library” on the Department’s website, http://www.doc.gov, which includes links to websites for those components that maintain Electronic FOIA Libraries. Each component of the Department is responsible for determining which of its records are required to be made available, as well as identifying additional records of interest to the public that are appropriate for disclosure, and for making those records available either in its own Electronic Library or in the Department’s central Electronic FOIA Library. Components that maintain their own Electronic FOIA Libraries are designated as such in Appendix A to this part. Each component shall also maintain and make available electronically a current subject-matter index of the records made available electronically. Each component shall ensure that posted records and indices are updated regularly, at least quarterly.

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(b) If the requester does not have access to the Internet and wishes to obtain information regarding publicly available information, he or she may contact the component’s FOIA office. Appendix A to this part contains the contact information for the components’ FOIA offices. Some components may also maintain physical public reading rooms. These components and their contact information are listed in Appendix A to this part.

(c) The Department and its components shall maintain and make available electronically for public inspection:

(1) Copies of records that have been released and—

(i) That the component that maintains them determines, because of their subject matter, have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent requests for substantially the same records by other requesters, or

(ii) That have been requested three or more times by different requesters;

(2) A general index of the records available for public inspection—for purposes of these regulations, a general index includes records available through a search capability on the Department or component’s website, such as a person finder;

(3) Final opinions and orders, including concurring and dissenting opinions made in the adjudication of cases;

(4) Those statements of policy and interpretations that have been adopted by a component and are not published in the Federal Register; and

(5) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public.

[79 FR 62558, Oct. 20, 2014, as amended at 83 FR 39589, Aug. 10, 2018]