Navy Special Program and Related Activities (National Reconnaissance Office)
| Tracking # |
F-2025-00048 |
| Multi Request | Navy Special Program and Related Activities |
| Submitted | Jan. 9, 2025 |
| Due | Feb. 7, 2025 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Alexis Whetzel
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Records related to the "Navy special program" mentioned in:
1. The October 18, 1974 memorandum from the National Reconnaissance Office concerning the Omnibus NSCID.
2. The October 29, 1974 memorandum (DCI/IC 74-2365) addressing clearances held by NSCIC Working Group members, specifically references to "compartmented areas of the Navy special program."
3. The December 14, 1983 memorandum from the Director of Intelligence Community Staff (DCI/ICS-83-3066) to Rear Admiral John Butts, which mentions a letter from Secretary Lehman concerning the Navy special program.
4. Any records or briefing materials related to Admiral Shapiro’s briefing at PFIAB plenary session in January 1982 on the Navy’s special program, including necessary security requirements.
This request encompasses:
- Memos, emails, or internal communications discussing the Navy special program from 1970 to 1985.
- Any records related to compartmented clearances for projects under the Navy special program.
- Documents that detail the security requirements mentioned during Admiral Shapiro’s 1982 briefing.
If any portions of these records are classified or exempt from disclosure, I request that you release all reasonably segregable portions of the records. Additionally, please provide a Vaughn index to justify any withholdings.
Please consider this request for a fee waiver as the disclosure is in the public interest, contributing to public understanding of government operations and activities.
Thank you for your assistance. Please feel free to contact me if the scope of the request needs further clarification.
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,
Alexis Whetzel
From: National Reconnaissance Office
Dear Ms. Whetzel,
We received your recent FOIA request dated 10 January 2025 for:
" I hereby request the following records:
Records related to the "Navy special program" mentioned in:
1. The October 18, 1974 memorandum from the National Reconnaissance Office concerning the Omnibus NSCID.
2. The October 29, 1974 memorandum (DCI/IC 74-2365) addressing clearances held by NSCIC Working Group members, specifically references to "compartmented areas of the Navy special program."
3. The December 14, 1983 memorandum from the Director of Intelligence Community Staff (DCI/ICS-83-3066) to Rear Admiral John Butts, which mentions a letter from Secretary Lehman concerning the Navy special program.
4. Any records or briefing materials related to Admiral Shapiro's briefing at PFIAB plenary session in January 1982 on the Navy's special program, including necessary security requirements.
This request encompasses:
- Memos, emails, or internal communications discussing the Navy special program from 1970 to 1985.
- Any records related to compartmented clearances for projects under the Navy special program.
- Documents that detail the security requirements mentioned during Admiral Shapiro's 1982 briefing."
We have assigned case number F-2025-00048 to your request. We will limit our search to NRO-originated records.
Since we may be unable to provide a response within the 20 working days stipulated by the Act, you have the right to consider this a denial and may appeal on this basis to the NRO Appellate Authority, 14675 Lee Road, Chantilly, VA 20151-1715 after the initial 20 working day period has elapsed; doing so, however, would exhaust your administrative appeal rights. To preserve these rights, we recommend that you allow us sufficient time to continue processing your request and respond as soon as we can. You will then have the right to appeal any denial of information after you receive a final response from us. Unless we hear otherwise from you, we will assume that you agree and will continue processing your FOIA request on this basis.
The FOIA authorizes federal agencies to assess fees for record services. Based on the information provided, you have been placed in the "other" category of requesters. Requesters in this category are responsible for the cost of search time exceeding two hours ($48.00/hour) and duplication fees ($.15 per page) exceeding 100 pages. Additional information about fees can be found in the Department of Defense Fees section of the electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-cfr) at https://ecfr.io/title-32/se232.2.286.112.
In your request, you asked for a waiver of fees. Fee waivers or reductions are granted when there is a public interest in disclosure of information, which will contribute significantly to the public's understanding of the operations or activities of the NRO. After reviewing your request, and in the context of the NRO's mission and functions, we have determined that NRO records responsive to your request, if they exist, would not meet this criterion. Your request for a waiver of all fees has been denied.
If you have any questions, please email FOIA@nro.mil <mailto:FOIA@nro.mil> or call the Requester Service Center at 703-745-0600.
Sincerely,
National Reconnaissance Office
Information Review and Release Group
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Jan. 10, 2025. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #F-2025-00048.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: National Reconnaissance Office
Ms. Whetzel,
Your request is still being processed and will be returned to you upon completion. At this time, we are unable to provide an estimated date of completion. However, we will continue to do our best to provide a response to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
National Reconnaissance Office
Information Review and Release Group
-
~WRD0000
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Jan. 10, 2025. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #F-2025-00048.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: National Reconnaissance Office
Ms. Whetzel,
Your request is still being processed and will be returned to you upon completion. At this time, we are unable to provide an estimated date of completion. However, we will continue to do our best to provide a response to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
National Reconnaissance Office
Information Review and Release Group
-
~WRD0000
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Jan. 10, 2025. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #F-2025-00048.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.