Free Declaration in Support - District Court of California - California

6 TUZ Id.:: PAX ilS4361693 - -' ' t i ' 2 4 3Case 3:07-cv-04997-MHP
1

C63 r*F BAS XRPA

Document 19-2

OPPYeE

Filed 01/25/2008

Page 1 of 5

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
BECAUSE LIFE IS GOOD.

August 29,2006

VZA FACSIMILE

AND CERTIFIED MAIL; NTURX RECEIPT REQUESTED
Donald Hawk~ns, F01.4 Officer Office of Monogemcnc end Yudger lloom 9026 715 1 I Street, hW 22 " W;lslilngon. DC 20503

Nac~ond i ~ h w a y H Traffic Sefcty A h s l r a l i o n Exrcutiva Secremrrar Room 52%1 400 Sevendl Streol, S.W Waahin~qon, 205911 DC

Karhy ky e C.S. Depamnent of i m s p o r ~ a t ~ o n Office of thc Secretary ofTrnnsporratron C - I ~ R O ~ 5432 III 400 Seventh Srreer. SW W e d ~ i n y o n DC 20590 ,
RE: R q u c s t for hlattsials under the Frecdom of Information Ao

Denr FOIA OKiccrb:
I am %ring lo r q u m t the iullou~inedOcu1nCnr6 pursuno! to UI~ Frccdum o f Ioformation h c r (FOiA), 5 U.S.C. 5 552, on brla;rlf of the Center for Biological Divnsiry ("Center"). Tbc Center is a non-profit, public in:msl, cnn;lcxvation oqpnisation whose mission is to conserve imperiled nativc species and thcir Lbteatenrd bbitat and to fulfill tht conunuing cducationnl goals of its ncmbcrship and the general public in tile process The ?riman*goal of tine Cemer's Climate, Air, Energy Program is to reduce United States gemhouse psei. and o h e h d f air pol1;wnts ir. order to pmlccl. bi0lo:icd diversity, public hci~lfh.and tltc envirnnrnenf. Consisler.l u-ilh U& miuion, m cmisxcni wth U?c d Freedom of Munniltion Aa (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 6 552, requesl describes Ule records sought and our rcqucsl for a fee waiver.

RECORDS REQLIESTED
We rtsptctfully requcs: that you prodt~cc l ~ e r followi~~g record$:

d l documents rclnting to the dcvelopmeuf of the Final Rulc scning average fuel economy k t ~ n d l r d sZor ligbf trucks for model years 2008-2011 (71 Fed. Reg. 17566-11679, "rulen~aking") ttlal a r e uot already ported on the internet in Doclcct Nos. 200.5-22223 and 2006-W309, This rcquer4 iucludcs comiuunicntion$ rmctny staff nod with otl~ersthat were created dilrinn the develoorucnt of the Fiual Rulc and the Proposed Rule (70 Fed. Re 51414-51461). Thir request includes hut is,nr~t l'ucson Si!ver Ci!v. San rranc sco San #;ego Portlano Pnaer~ix Joshua irea %as;li~ngton.3~

-

-

.

Kassie Sieer!. Climate, Air, a n t t'nergy Program Elrector
P.O. Box 549. Jlsrua Tree, CA 9 2 2 5 2 Ph: 760-366-22Z2 760.36E-2669 Fsa:
Email: ks~c~elQoiologicaldiveaity.aqe > . ~ ~ l . . b i o l o ~ i C a ! d i v e r a i t ~ . o i ~ r

EXHIBIT

A-

:

Case 3:07-cv-04997-MHP 3 1 PAY 4 ? 5 4 3 0 6 3 3

CBD SF 3RY k'AEk O?FItL

Document 19-2

Filed 01/25/2008

Page 2 of 5

limited to e-mmail e x c h a n p o r other corrcspondcnce mmonp agency staff nod bct~vccuagenty aaff and nthcrs, drab documelrts, il~ter~lal rcvicsr and critiques, inter-agency rcvicws, rgcncy nieeling norcs, etc.

This ruyucsl includcs records nt h e hedqumers or 0 t h offices of tJ~cWa~ionalHighway Traffic Safety Administration' (''NHTSA"), Dqutmcrlr of Tiimponadon ("DOT"),and Officc of Managc~nml Budgct [''ObfB"). sod h h e indiridual filrs of all afiency ernployear invoivcd iu thr! and rulenlakin;.

If a ponion of n record LE responsive lo this retloes~.but nnoher ponion is not asponsive. we rrqoest that you disclose the mhrc n'cord, wilboul mdacring any nun-respunsivc wriioar. Should you believe h t II ponion of any documcnl is cxempc koni disclos~ue, plcuse provide lhe tiocumcn! with 1hc
only cxmpt portion only redacted. Should you elccr to wirhhsld any documcnrs or portrons herroc reapomive to chis rcquwt for cacl~ dncun~ent,please pmvidc rhc idcn~ityor Lie auhor (including heir title und position) and all recipients (including their ritlc ond posilioa), the date, LIIC sltbjact of the rceord, and tbc pani:ulnr privilege clainid. For any records or portion lhereol widheld under 5 U.S.C. $552(b)(5) plessc

cxvloin:
1) Why ir wch docurnentprcdnsional?
A. To what decision arc each of the documents lcadhp?

B. Hu his decision bccr. k l u e d ?
2 ) Why is each document dcllbentlve? A To what atmt doen each ID&^ J recomrnundal:on on
2

legal orpolicy iwner?

3) U'llat policy r~mmcnclation qwl~fiea drrctn>enrfnr e x c n ~ p t i o ~ ~ ? [hi3

KEQUEST FOR FEE WAIVER

We request b t you waive 311 fees in mnnection with this matter. As shoun below, we meer the nvo-pronged icsk under FOlA for n fcc waivrr, 5 U.S.C. $ 552(a)(4)(A)(iii), as implemented by your ilgencier' regulations at 49 C.F.R. A 7.44(f) (DOT) and 5 C.F.R. 6 1303.70 (Om), because the rcques[cd incornintion will significanlly conzibule w public undcrstandq of the issues involved Each or h a iactor; lhar the agencies must cdnsitlcr i deciding wheiher lo gmnL a Tee waivcr is addressed n below.
In considering whcthcr wc nee1 che fee waiver criteria, it rs imperative tlut Ihr agmcies remcmbm that FOIA, in ycnnal, crrriei a preswnptiori of discloslue and that Lhc fcc waiver arnendmenis of 1986 wcrc dcsiprd specifically to allow nnn-profii, public interest groups such ar ihr Center access to govummenc docun~rriuutitl~our the pnymcnt of ices. Aa stated by one Senalor, "[A]genciea should not be allowrd !o use fcus 3s sn offensive weapoll against rcqcluecrs seeking accors 10 Govenunent information . . ." I32 Cong. Rec. 5. 14296 (suternent of Sen. Lwlly). IE i n ~ e r p ~ t ~ u i s

POIA Rcquest 4u~t:st29, 2006 Page 2 of 5

11/17/2006 I'VE L O ! 4 4

Case 3:07-cv-04997-MHP

PAX 4 i 5 d 3 6 3 6 3 3

CBo SP any

Document 19-2

AXE& 0PF:Cz

Filed 01/25/2008

Page 3 of 5

Illis o~ne~rdmcnf, ibc9Lh Cucuit has stated that 11:e a~ncnllrdsunue "is ro he liberally co~ls~rurd Lvor in o l ufeivers for noncommercial requesters." (citin:: Sen. Lhahyj. Thc amcndrnent's main purpose wsq "to renlove thc rosdhlocks and teclmic~li~ies whiih llnve been uscd by vtrrious Frh131 ngencier to dcny waivers or reductions of tees under llrc 1'0:A. (citing Sen. Lzmhyj. McClellon Ecolorical- S Sim~tion Carlucci, 835 F.2d 1281, 1284 (9'' CII. 1997). v.
As thd 'dlucnti~!D I S ~ C LC01t~nlbr;l of Circuit Cowt Itas stated this waiver provision was added to FOLA " i ~ urrcnrpt rapreven: ,novcvnnien:uqencic.r,jhnr using high leer ro dircnurage cermin p p ~ at1 o rPqliever.7 and reqwest~," clear rehrencc LO requests from journalim, scholars, and nonpro6t f in public h t n e n groups. Better Gov't Ass'n v. D c p a a ~ gf State, 780 6.2d 86, 93-91 (D.C. Cir. 1986), t quotin:: Ettlinaerv. FBI, 596 F. Supp. 867, 876 [D. Mass. 1884) (ernplusis addccl).

I Obtninrn~ lnfnrmation ir of No C o ~ f l ~ ~ e tn r s Center, tile r the t

u,oold be f i ~ r t l r ~by t~ ~ requested disclosure. r~ l ! e T l ~ Center hm no comcrcial it>tercs[ e The Center is a public inrerat, non-profi! or5;mization with over 25,000 luuubm that inform6, duc.a~es.iu~d counsels ou; n c m h c n and ibe public regarding envirarunmtal issues, polic~ea, Isws. add W e h v e been substantially involved in ihe nwna;:enlmt a:tivities of nuneraus gnvemmenl agencies for years, and have consisrmlly displflycd our abilily to disseminate i n f o m t j o n b~ar~lcd 11s b u g h LO FOlA fw wniverc.

TI. l l ~ u brhiecr af the Requcsl Concerns "(he Operallons and Acrivrlies of Ule G o v e m ~ g r ~ ~ ~ ~
The subject m l l e r of his request is lire NH'TSA's mlemaking ssni~igaverage fuel cconorny sondards for light wucks lor ~ d eyeus 2008-201 1 pursuant to the E n e r g Policy m d Co~wervarior. l Act. 49 U.S. 32901 a seq. fdEPCA"), YHTSA's ~ l r r n a k i n gp ~ r s u n t ~ t EPCA ir obvioudj an to idmtifinhle actlvity of fhc govemmmt. Tfle requested documents are clearly related c and higllly n infomrivc sbouk Ole rulemaking.

III. Thc Disclosure i s 'Zikelv to Cnnfribure" Activi~ics.
h e contm1 o f

m

an, v

q

m

e of Governmeor 0aer:dons or

In detcnininy, tlrc ~rtfnnnative vnluc of thc rcpuesled docurutnLr, thc a p c i c s should co~rsider t e rewrd, tlle idcntity af h c rcqucsrur, and h e intcndnlionsbjp bchvcm the two. Thc h docuruents qucstml concerning the light truck fuel econonly mlemakhg, w h c h arc not currently publicly available, are certain ro shctl light upon t h e agcilcics' cwmpliance uitb EPCA and tbc Adn>inishativeProcedures ,4ct. Such public oversigh: of aKcncy actiou is vital to our d c ~ ~ o c r n rsys!ern ic and clea~.ly rnvisioncd by thc dnilem of h e FOIA. 7Itr public is always well senrd v~lreuit b o w 3 how gover:unent activities, paniculuiy maticrs rouching on icgnl and elllicnl qucstians, have been conducted. &Judicial Wnuh r.. Rosso~ti,326 F.3d 13119, 1314 (D.C. Cir., 2003j (L'(T]he hmeritm people havc a; much inlercsr in hrowing the? key [ngelrcy] decisiolls arc free from rlte taint o f conflict of i;rtercst as they have in discoverin8 tlint they a i z got."). Tllc rctlucslerr intend to fulfill ll~eirwell colnbl~hod func:ion of public oversight ofegency nction. W e arc not requesting rheso docume~irs merzly Tor U I ~ :~nrnnsic informational value.

FOllr Rqucs! August 29,2006 Page 3 of S

Case 3:07-cv-04997-MHP

Document 19-2

Filed 01/25/2008

Page 4 of 5

US. Govornmeot agcnclcs including dl. Air Force, Aliimal Darnaec Cnnnnl, A m ~ y ,A m y Corps of Engineers, Burcnu of Land Manal:ument, BWJ n i Recla~natio~~, Del:amnct~t of Apiculn~re, Lkpanment of Comrnurce. Dtpertmcor of Defense, Depmmc of ihe lnrcr~cr, Depamnml of Justice, Dcpanmcc~ Tiansponation, Fcdurnl Brvuau o l hvrstigariop Fednal nviation Adminisualio& Fish of and Wildlifc Scrvice. Forest Service, General Accounting OIficc, Nat~onal~ i ~ n m u d c ml S p c c ad hdminisua~ion,N~tiorlalScience Foundzt~on. Ofilcr of ,lialagem,mt ;u~d Burlgel, Rural Economic Communily Dcve1apmer.t Agcncy. ~ n f thc SmiUlso~an i Jn~~in~rion, o t l ~ t ~ i , amonE comistenlly grant our requests for [he w i i v i n ~ FOlA ~ C C S . Subslandve FOM responses cooaidencly conforming with thc of spirit of che FOIA .md conrtsruitly conforming u~tbthc FOIP. fcc ueaivcr k v c bccn provided TO our or~mzatiom Gum t L a e Fcdcrni ogcncic$ many h e $ .
In cansislcndy granting thc fec war,'crs, all of cheat a:dncies hnvc recogn~zcdthat (1) our requested informalion corrmliur~ rignificnnrly lo ihc p~biic undcrste-ldhs olthc opcrarions,or activities of the govcmmenk, (2')our requested inffirnmatio~ &ces ihc pl~blic'sunderstanding !o a grcatcr dcgrcc than cuncnlly exists, (3) use ponsers thc exp:riiic to explain h e Eq~~ertec: iniomaliun lo tLc public. (4) we passas Lbe abilky to disseminate thc rqucsrcd d o m n l i o n to chc general public, (5) and &st tbc news media rccopizes tlut we are ail established expen io lh: field o i ecvironmcntnl protection and energy usc.

E.-.B.Lpi~losun: of the Reques~o~m~~~.LY1!!L?~\~ni?-u_!.r~~i~-!h.~.~bde~1!fi~di.R&0W~ic-E~b thc O,nynbution in Publ~c Ihdcrslondiw Will be Sir?uGcani

In determining wlicrhcr the disclosure olrequestrd infomlimi will zonmbuic si-mificunlly 's public understanding, one guidutg tcrt is urhe[her tlie rm):iesta will dizeminare thu dibciosed rcoids lo reasor~ab!~ r d a u d ~ m c iof prrrorts intcrcrted nt :be suhJe~:. Carnev v U.S. Drpf. or JIISUCC, h 19 f . 3 d 807 (2nd Cir, 1994j(emphir added). It is c l e z thsr release of d:e ri.qlleswd docunenls will conlribute to benet undersrpnw of i j c pubic a: Iiuze, a d tha~the contribution h) p ~ b l i c i~nticrsLlndm~ be signiticant. will
The ~ l c m a k i n gs e c h g iuel ccoi:om) sta~lhrds':cr Ilgh mcli% is the suhjd of si!gificanl inlerert lo the public, as well as lo ibe media. and to rl~cCnlifomio lagislature. This interest is demonsmted: in pnrl, by the large number of coelnlrnti rceivcd nn t l ~ e Proposed Rule, and by the'lwge number nf media sforier covering the mlc~l;aking. Re;ause the uan;por&rion sector nccnonts for app~.nximatcly Lhid o[ &I: ntition's ~ r t r n h o u s e tmiss~ons, rui~makinggready impm? rlie onc gas this ovcrnll level of gccdhsurr gas emissions in rhis c o w w , Global warming is of'intcnse interest lo 111e public as dcmonsmrcd by the lcvcl of poblic conccm ant L?cr:asc in ncdia covcngc ir. recent months.

Thc reqeasred documcno are not cnrnafly L$ the public domain.. Their r r l a i c le not only "likcly to conuibule," but is in f x r ctnzin to contriburc lo beltrr public tdmlanding of h piucejs which led e 10 the Pim! Rulc and fuul Econmy standards for model years 2008-201 I. Our organi~3lion'r nack rcvord of aclive pal;icipation i ~ r ou:rsish: of guve.m~mwi agency acriv~ties and our comistenr cenuibutioc to the public's undLmttnncling or agency actividcs CG cot~paredTO rhe l r v d of publlc ~mdatsrandir~g to disclos~~rc well establ~sl~ed.The Center's rncmbcmhip alo~lr over 25,000 prior arc ir suong. The Centcr is also on cjublishcd oxpcr, at corn:mlntwttotl o f cnvimnlncntal, rebwlalorf. and legal mrrers to the public.

Case 3:07-cv-04997-MHP

Document 19-2

Filed 01/25/2008

Page 5 of 5

Public ~ \ ~ c r s ~ c h t enhmtcel ondersrandlirg of &c NHTSA's 1u:hly cantrovcrs~al SPCA and
~~e?nakm~ IS abso!ulciy occaru-j and an i~ltegrol pni; of ou: dcm,~cntIcsys:eo:

Tl~c rcqwsted commcnu will be used la dcrmmrnr whether illt a ~ c l ~ c i e s complied with EPCA, its ir~~plemsrr~ing rrylations, and Ulr Admimsu-drive Procedures Acr ( 5 l;.S.C. gP 701 el sq.). Concurrent with m y nchon which b e rcquestcs lnny takc ofrer obtaini~~e rci1ucsted documcnrs, urc tnc will publicize Ole r a r o o s for ihc ilctior~xnr! Ihr underlying aslions of the agencies !ha! have pronlpird tllc a d o n . Thir is cenain to rcsul: i o significant bcreasc in public iu~dcrstandint:of r:ovemnlent n ;Igency activiry, and in p~rticularD thc ZPCA nlieaaicing. We have enlomrd (he pruvisio~uof our : natian's I n u : ~ regulations many tinlcr ihruugll infomutinil gained from FOIA requests like 9ljb 0.x. and WE intend In u the documcnrs rcquesard UI lllii rqucs! in n sirnilor rnallrler. While we c;lnno&knuw e what precisely the documcnw urill reveal, i~ IS certain (hat rhcy will sited l i ~ h ron U;e agencies' mlcn~aicngprocess. FOIA docs not rcquure more. & \Vestrm Waiershcds pro^, 318 F.Supp.2d at1MO ?In !he lcttcr denying ihc appcai, h e FOIA Officer stared lhill UTVP lxid failcd to dernun?ifmtc.,..how the ~~tformsttrm would conrribuk to the underranding of lhc g n c a l public o l !he operalions or activities of !he ~ o v ~ m c n TheCoun, 1:owever ...findt rhs! WHtP adequit~ely t, specified tht. public inrerest I D Se served, &at is, ducs!ing h e p!~S!lt about the ecological conditions of b e land luanaged by the ELM snd ...how rnamgaenc aw~regirs ernplayed by :he EL51 nlny adversely affect the environment."); ludiziol Watch v. W Q T . 200.5 U.S. DISC. LEXlS 140.15 (D.D.C. ?OOSJ ("requiring .ludicial Watcll to cutline a spccill plall in addition to dewibing ici nlerhods of pablicatior. \vuuld amount to 'poinrless specificity"').

We hope Uiat t ' d lctler has d e ~ n o m t e d your m i s f a c r i o ~ ~ rhe Center qualifies for a full to fw: fec waiver, and ha: you uill immediately besir to srmcch und copy the requested marcrial Sllould yo11 d x i d c not to waive fer, plao lo imiediat:ly ilppcal such n decision. wc

'Nc rcqucsi t h a ~ records citncntly earsring in electronic t o I m t be proridtd on a conipnn disk. all snd nil othcr documenb on pipcr

P l m c send all marcrhls to lac rt tile address on this lencrhcac: Kasjic Siegcl. Ccrlrer lor Biolo:i~d Djurrsi~y, P.D. Box 549, Jarhus Trct, CA 92252. Plenx conbcr mu a: (%3j 366-1232 x302 whcn the doct~rncnn hnve heen compiled, and 1f you have nxy qucslionr, abuul llus rzquust. We look forwutl lo your reply mtJ~in fwcnry workin!: days as rcqouud by FOIA. 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(G)(li)(i).
'

Sircercly,

$&$.7~@&&.Kasric S~cgci