(a) When an individual requests information concerning the existence of, or access to, records about himself or herself which have been compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding in either a court or before an administrative tribunal, the NRC shall advise the individual only that no record available to him or her pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 has been identified.

(b) General exemptions. Generally, 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2) allows the exemption of any system of records within the NRC from any part of section 552a except subsections (b), (c) (1) and (2), (e)(4) (A) through (F), (e) (6), (7), (9), (10), and (11), and (i) of the act if the system of records is maintained by an NRC component that performs as one of its principal functions any activity pertaining to the enforcement of criminal laws, including police efforts to prevent, control, or reduce crimes, or to apprehend criminals, and consists of—

(1) Information compiled for the purpose of identifying individual criminal offenders and alleged offenders and consisting only of identifying data and notations of arrests, the nature and disposition of criminal charges, sentencing, confinement, release and parole, and probation status;

(2) Information compiled for the purpose of a criminal investigation, including reports of informants and investigators, and associated with an identifiable individual; or

(3) Reports identifiable to an individual compiled at any stage of the process of enforcement of the criminal laws from arrest or indictment through release from supervision.

(c) Specific exemptions under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k). Individual requests for access to records which have been exempted from access under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a(k) shall be processed as follows:

(1) Information classified under criteria established by an Executive Order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy, and exempted under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1).

(i) Requested information classified by NRC will be reviewed by the responsible official of the NRC to determine whether it continues to warrant classification under criteria established by an Executive Order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy.

(ii) Information which no longer warrants classification under these criteria shall be declassified and made available to the individual. If the requested information has been classified by another agency, the responsible official of the NRC will request the classifying agency to review the information to ascertain if classification is still warranted. If the information continues to warrant classification, the individual shall be advised that the information sought is classified, that it has been reviewed and continues to warrant classification, and that it has been exempted from access pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1).

(2) Investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). Requests shall be responded to in the manner provided in paragraph (a) of this section unless a review of the information indicates that the information has been used or is being used to deny the individual any right, privilege or benefit for which he or she is eligible or to which he or she would otherwise be entitled under Federal law. In that event, the individual shall be advised of the existence of the information and shall be provided the information except to the extent it would reveal the identity of a confidential source. Information that would reveal the identity of a confidential source shall be extracted or summarized in a manner which protects the source and the summary or extract shall be provided to the requesting individual.

(3) Material within a system of records required by statute to be maintained and used solely as statistical records and exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(4). The exempted information requested will be reviewed by the responsible official of the NRC to determine whether it continues to warrant exemption. Information which no longer warrants exemption shall be made available to the individual. If the information continues to warrant exemption, the individual shall be advised that the information sought is exempt from disclosure, that it has been reviewed and continues to warrant exemption, and that it has been exempted from access pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(4).

(4) Investigatory material compiled solely for the purpose of determining suitability, eligibility, or qualifications for Federal civilian employment, Federal contracts, or access to classified information and exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5). Information exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5) shall be made available to an individual upon request except to the extent that the information would reveal the identity of a confidential source. Material that would reveal the identity of a confidential source shall be extracted or summarized in a manner which protects the source and the summary or extract shall be provided to the requesting individual.

(5) Testing or examination material exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(6). Testing or examination material used solely to determine individual qualifications for appointment or promotion in the Federal service which has been exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(6) shall not be made available to an individual if disclosure would compromise the objectivity or fairness of the testing or examination process but may be made available if no possibility of such compromise exists.

[40 FR 44484, Sept. 26, 1975, as amended at 44 FR 50804, Aug. 30, 1979; 50 FR 50284, Dec. 10, 1985; 60 FR 63900, Dec. 13, 1995; 70 FR 34309, June 14, 2005]