EPA expenditures

Dear David Joyce,

The status of your FOIA request #2025-EPA-01267 has been updated to the following status 'Received'. To log into the PAL Application click on the Application URL below.

https://foiapublicaccessportal.epa.gov

Sincerely,
EPA National FOIA Office

Dear David Joyce,

Thank you for submitting your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Your FOIA request was received by EPA's National FOIA Office. Case Number 2025-EPA-01267 has been assigned to the request you submitted.
In all future correspondence regarding this request, please reference your case number.
Regards,
EPA National FOIA Office

11/27/2024
David Joyce
MuckRock News DEPT MR 176421
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Emailed to: requests@muckrock.com
RE: Need More Information - EPA FOIA Request Number 2025-EPA-01267
Hello David Joyce:
This email concerns the above-referenced Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National FOIA Office (NFO) on 11/19/2024. You are seeking the following: "To Whom It May Concern:Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:please provide a detailed list of all expenditures made under the Biden administration via micro purchasing and simplified acquisition. Preferably in excel and include all the companies that received these funds contact info including email.The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.Sincerely,David JoyceUpload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
After review of your FOIA request, we determined your request does not reasonably describe the records you are seeking in a way that will permit EPA employees to identify and locate them.  For example, your request is overly broad and does not specify which program office(s) you are seeking records from. Please see the EPA Organization Chart here: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-organization-chart. It is unclear whether you are requesting expenditures from a Regional Office such as Region 4 in Georgia or other program(s).

Are you able to narrow your request to a specific office or offices from which you are seeking records?

Additionally, if there is a specific way you are defining "all expenditures", please advise to help narrow the scope of the search.

EPA’s FOIA regulations state: “Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient, and subject matter. If known, the requester should include any file designations or descriptions for the records that the requester wants. The more specific the requester is about the records or type of records that the requester wants, the more likely EPA will be able to identify and locate records responsive to the request.” 40 C.F.R 2.102 (c) The FOIA does not require an agency to create new records, answer questions posed by requesters, . or attempt to interpret a request that does not identify reasonably described records

We would like to provide you with the opportunity to clarify the records that you are seeking so that EPA can process your request.  As indicated in 40 C.F.R. § 2.102(c), please include any specific information about the records, including time period, authors, or a more detailed description of the records' subject matter.  Please contact Lee Hagy at hagy.lee@epa.gov with your clarification or let us know if youwould like to schedule a time to discuss your request over the phone.
.  If we do not hear back from you, EPA may issue a final determination to close out your request. Please note that you are not prohibited from submitting additional Freedom of Information Act requests in the future. Please reply within 20 calendar days from the date of this email by Tuesday, December 17, 2024

For more information, please visit our website at: https://www.epa.gov/foia. If you need any further assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of your request, you may seek assistance from EPA’s FOIA Public Liaison at hq.foia@epa.gov or call (202) 566-1667. You may also seek assistance from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). You may contact OGIS in any of the following ways: by mail, Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001; email: ogis@nara.gov; telephone: (202) 741-5770 or (877) 684-6448; or fax: (202) 741-5769.  We look forward to your prompt reply.

Sincerely,
National FOIA Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

12/10/2024

David Joyce
MuckRock News DEPT MR 176421
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Emailed to: requests@muckrock.com
RE: *FOLLOW UP* - Need More Information - EPA FOIA Request Number 2025-EPA-01267

Hello David Joyce:

This email concerns the above-referenced Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National FOIA Office (NFO) on 11/19/2024. On November 27, 2024, we contacted you via email (see below message) seeking the following information the EPA needs in order to process your request: "For example, your request is overly broad and does not specify which program office(s) you are seeking records from. Please see the EPA Organization Chart here: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-organization-chart. It is unclear whether you are requesting expenditures from a Regional Office such as Region 4 in Georgia or other program(s). Are you able to narrow your request to a specific office or offices from which you are seeking records? Additionally, if there is a specific way you are defining "all expenditures"? Please advise to help narrow the scope of the search."
Please reply to hagy.lee@epa.gov with the requested necessary clarifying information by Tuesday, December 17, 2024 . If we do not hear back from you, EPA may issue a final determination to close out your request. Please note that you are not prohibited from submitting additional Freedom of Information Act requests in the future.

We look forward to your prompt reply.

Sincerely,
National FOIA Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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David Joyce If you need any further assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of your request, you may seek assistance from the National FOIA Office at FOIA_HQ@epa.gov.
MuckRock News DEPT MR 176421
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
SENT TO EMAIL ADDRESS: requests@muckrock.com
RE: EPA Freedom of Information Act Request - 2025-EPA-01267Hello David Joyce,
Final Response Letter

Please see the enclosed final response letter for your EPA FOIA request number 2025-EPA-01267.

Sincerely,
National FOIA Office
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency