[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48471-48472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17040]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


CPSC Roundtable on the Freedom of Information Act

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of forum.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) 
will hold a roundtable discussion for CPSC requesters and Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) Office staff to discuss issues related to 
requests for CPSC FOIA

[[Page 48472]]

records. CPSC staff invites interested parties to attend and 
participate in this forum in person or via webinar.

DATES: The forum will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Eastern 
Time (ET) on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. Individuals interested in 
serving as discussants in person or via webinar should contact Bob 
Dalton at [email protected] by September 12, 2022. All other individuals 
who wish to attend the discussion as online observers should register 
by September 19, 2022. In-person observers do not require registration.

ADDRESSES: The forum will be held in person and via webinar in the 
Commission's main Hearing Room located on the fourth floor of Bethesda 
Towers, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. Attendance is free 
of charge. There are three categories of attendance: discussant (i.e., 
active participants in the discussion), either online or in person; 
online observer only; and in-person observer only. Persons interested 
in being discussants, whether online or in person, should contact Bob 
Dalton, Senior Attorney Advisor, at [email protected].
    All persons interested in attending the roundtable online, whether 
as a discussant or observer only, should register online at: https://cpsc.webex.com/cpsc/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea9ba73e30109ef918dcd5dc66a5c594d. After registering, you 
will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining 
the webinar. In-person observer-only attendance does not require 
registration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chief FOIA Officer Abioye Mosheim, 
[email protected], or Senior Attorney Advisor Bob Dalton, 
[email protected], 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone 
301-785-6340.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CPSC FOIA Office (Office) staff is hosting a 
roundtable discussion on common issues requesters and FOIA Office staff 
face with FOIA requests. The information collected from the forum will 
assist staff in making recommendations for improving CPSC's FOIA 
processes.

I. Background

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland issued new FOIA Guidelines on 
March 15, 2022.\1\ Among other points, the FOIA Guidelines stress that 
agencies should continue to work with requesters in a ``spirit of 
cooperation'' and help requesters understand the FOIA process and the 
nature and scope of the records the agency maintains. CPSC agrees that 
it is important for agencies to establish good communication and a 
cooperative working relationship with FOIA requesters to ensure that 
the FOIA process is meeting the needs of both requesters and the 
agency, consistent with law.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1483516/download.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Improving communication and working cooperatively with FOIA 
requesters is an essential part of implementing an efficient and 
effective FOIA system at CPSC. Good communication with requesters is 
necessary where the Commission is uncertain about the scope of what is 
being requested and allows both parties to ensure they have a common 
understanding of what records are being sought. Many times, FOIA 
requesters do not know how agency records are organized or what might 
be involved in searching for the records they seek. Being able to talk 
through the request and reach an understanding can be very helpful to 
both the requester and the agency. By improving communication with the 
requester community, CPSC hopes to strengthen relationships that will 
allow us to increase our efficiency in processing FOIA requests and to 
anticipate and address issues that might cause delays.

II. Topics

    This FOIA Roundtable will focus on common issues with requesting 
and processing CPSC FOIA requests, including the scope of FOIA requests 
and agency jurisdiction, fee categories, requests for expedited 
processing, essential elements of a perfected FOIA request, 
clarification process, timing, and how the Office searches for 
responsive records and what bearing that may have on request 
formulation. Attendees are invited to suggest additional FOIA-related 
topics in advance of the roundtable, for inclusion in the discussion.

III. Roundtable Details

A. Time and Place

    CPSC staff will hold the forum in person and via webinar from 10:30 
a.m.-12 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), on Tuesday, September 20, 2022.

B. Registration

    Registration is required to participate as a discussant and to 
attend via webinar. Registration is not required for in-person 
observers. If you would like to attend the roundtable discussion as an 
online observer, but you do not wish to participate as a discussant, 
please register online by September 19, 2022. (See the ADDRESSES 
portion of this document for the website link and instructions to 
register.)
    If you would like to participate in the roundtable in person or as 
online discussant, contact Bob Dalton, Senior Attorney Advisor, at 
[email protected] by September 12, 2022, and register by September 12, 
2022. (See the ADDRESSES portion of this document for the website 
link.) Although staff will try to accommodate all persons who wish to 
participate, the final discussant group will depend on the number of 
persons who wish to contribute. If necessary for management of the 
session, CPSC staff may select participants based on considerations 
such as the total number of volunteers, time constraints, and 
representation from a wide variety of stakeholder groups and interests. 
If you have questions regarding participating in the roundtable, please 
contact Bob Dalton at [email protected], or 301-785-6340. Detailed 
instructions for the webinar participants and other interested parties 
will be made available on the CPSC's Public Calendar: https://cpsc.gov/newsroom/public-calendar.

Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2022-17040 Filed 8-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P