National Reconnaissance Office Freedom of Information Act Program Regulation

AGENCY:

National Reconnaissance Office, DoD.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This final rule removes DoD's regulation concerning the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Freedom of Information Act Program Regulation. On February 6, 2018, the DoD published a revised FOIA program rule as a result of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. When the DoD FOIA program rule was revised, it included DoD component information and removed the requirement for component supplementary rules. The DoD now has one DoD-level rule for the FOIA program at 32 CFR part 286 that contains all the codified information required for the Department. Therefore, this part can be removed from the CFR.

DATES:

This rule is effective on April 26, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patty Cameresi at 703-227-9128.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

It has been determined that publication of this CFR part removal for public comment is impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to public interest since it is based on removing DoD internal policies and procedures that are publically available on the Department's website.

NRO internal guidance concerning the implementation of the FOIA within NRO will continue to be published in National Reconnaissance Office Freedom of Information Handbook (available at http://nro.gov/foia/docs/2016%20FOIA%20Handbook.PDF ).

This rule is one of 14 separate DoD FOIA rules. With the finalization of the DoD-level FOIA rule at 32 CFR part 286, the Department is eliminating the need for this separate FOIA rule and reducing costs to the public as explained in the preamble of the DoD-level FOIA rule published at 83 FR 5196-5197.

This rule is not significant under Executive Order (E.O.) 12866, “Regulatory Planning and Review,” therefore, E.O. 13771, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs” does not apply.

List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 296

• Freedom of information

PART 296—[REMOVED]

Accordingly, by the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301, 32 CFR part 296 is removed.