Freedom of Information Act Enacted in 1966, the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) established for the first time an
effective statutory right of access to government information.
FOIA generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable
in court, of access to federal agency records, except to the
extent that such records (or portions thereof) are protected
from disclosure by one of nine exemptions . Before submitting a
request under FOIA, individuals should try to determine whether
the information sought is already in the public domain. The
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has
a wealth of information available in both published and
electronic formats. A search of NIEHS' website,
www.niehs.nih.gov, can be helpful in locating information. It is
important to note that FOIA allows agencies to recover part of
the costs associated with responding to requests. Department of
Health and Human Services regulations describe specific rules
for fees and requesting a fee waiver How to Subm