FOIA Advisor

FOIA News: EPA must remove farmers' personal info, per settlement

FOIA News (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

EPA limited on farm data it can release

Environmental Protection Agency only may provide under a Freedom of Information Act request the city, county, zip code and Clean Water Act permit status of a concentrated animal feeding operation.

National Hog Farmer, Mar 28, 2017

A federal judge yesterday approved a settlement agreement between the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, limiting the EPA’s release of information on livestock farmers

Under the agreement, the agency only may provide under a Freedom of Information Act request the city, county, zip code and Clean Water Act permit status of a concentrated animal feeding operation. The agreement also requires the EPA to conduct training on FOIA, personal information and the federal Privacy Act.

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