Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that gives you the right to access any government records including Golden Gate National Recreation Area, National Park Service (NPS), or Department of the Interior (DOI) records unless DOI reasonably foresees that the release of the information in those records would harm an interest protected by one or more of the nine exemptions or release is prohibited by law.

If you are seeking general information about Golden Gate National Recreation Area, you may wish to explore other pages on our website. Park specific information is also available at our park visitor centers, at park archives, Planning, Environment & Public Comment website, or on our FOIA Reading Room which includes responses to previous FOIA requests. If you need more help locating the information you seek, contact the park.

Government Searchs:

The information you are seeking may already be available on-line. Before making a FOIA request, you may wish to conduct a search of agencies’ websites to see what is already publicly available.

• Use this link to search across all government websites at once.
• Another great place to search is GovInfo which has collections from Congressional Records, Congressional Hearings, Presidential papers, the Federal Register and United States Court opinions.
• USA.gov is a another source for information about U.S. Government agencies and services.

Maps and Geographical Information:

If you are seeking geographical information or want to verify if a particular tract belongs to the National Park Service, go on-line to TractsNet and search by park name or visit California Protected Area Database to view multiple jurisdictions including national park lands.

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Incident Reports (Police Reports):

If you need a copy of your Incident Report, please contact the appropriate agency either United States Park Police (dark blue uniforms) or NPS Vistor Resource Protection (green and grey uniforms). Requester must complete the Certification of Identity and Consent Form 10-945, then sign, date, and return completed form to obtain copies of their motor vehicle accident reports and other records from the Incident Management Analysis and Reporting System (IMARS) as a Privacy Act "routine use". Social Security numbers and tribal identification numbers will not be released unless the Social Security number or tribal identification number belongs to you, the requester.

To complete the Certification of Identity and Consent Form 10-945:
If you want to receive the report:

1. Fill out the “Requester Information” section. NOTE: SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER IS OPTIONAL
2. Fill out preferred mode of contact in the next section
3. Sign the “Verification of Requester’s Identity” section

If you want the report sent to a third party (i.e. insurance company, lawyer):

1. Fill out the “Requester Information” section
2. Sign the “Verification of Requester’s Identity” section
3. Fill out the “Consent to Release Information to a Third Party” section with the name and mailing address where the report is to be sent

The NPS may release documents pertaining to traffic accidents, personal injuries, or the loss/damage of property under the Privacy Act to:

1. Individuals involved in an incident; or
2. Persons injured in an incident; or
3. Owners of property damaged, lost, or stolen in such incidents; and/or
4. These individuals duly verified insurance companies, personal representatives, administrators of estates, and/or attorneys (i.e., third parties).

Please note, the documents will only be released if their release will not:

1. Interfere with ongoing law enforcement proceedings
2. Risk the health or safety of an individual
3. Reveal the identity of an informant or witness that has received an explicit assurance of confidentiality

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Touhy Process:

If you are requesting records as part of a lawsuit to which the Federal government will not be a party, then your request would be more appropriately handled through the Touhy process. Please follow the procedures set forth at 43 CFR Part 2, Subpart L (Legal Process: Testimony by Employees and Production of Records).

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FOIA:

If you still cannot obtain the information you are seeking, you may need to submit a formal written FOIA request. Per December 2019 Department of Interior policy, we cannot accept FOIA requests via email. The best way to submit FOIA requests is to file them electronically via FOIAOnline by selecting US Department of the Interior and then National Park Service. Before filing a FOIA, please review what you should include in you request. Visit electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) website to learn about FOIA:
eCFR :: 43 CFR Part 2 -- Freedom of Information Act; Records and Testimony.

If you have questions on what information is available without submitting a FOIA request or where it may be located, contact one of the NPS FOIA Officers and Contacts or DOI FOIA Contacts. Our responsibility is to provide you with copies of the documents you are entitled to receive under the law. We want to work with you to achieve that goal.

National Park Service FOIA page

Department of the Interior FOIA page

What are the 9 Exemptions?

The following are the 9 FOIA exemptions and the information they cover:

1. Classified national defense and foreign relations information.
2. Internal agency personnel rules and practices.
3. Documentary materials or information prohibited from disclosure by another law.
4. Trade secrets and other confidential business information.
5. Certain inter-agency, or intra-agency communications.
6. Personnel, medical, and other records and information involving personal privacy.
7. Records and information compiled for law enforcement purposes.
8. Records relating to financial institutions.
9. Geological records and information on oil wells.

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Disclaimer: To the extent that anything included on this home page may be or could be construed as inconsistent with the law or DOI's regulations, the law and regulations will control DOI's responsibilities under the FOIA.