You may request that NCUA waive or reduce fees if disclosure of the information you request is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government, and is not primarily in your commercial interest.

(a) NCUA will make a determination of whether the public interest requirement above is met based on the following factors:

(1) Whether the subject of the requested records concerns identifiable operations or activities of the government, with a connection that is direct and clear;

(2) Whether the disclosable portions of the requested records are meaningfully informative about government operations and activities in order to be likely to contribute to an understanding of government operations or activities. Information already in the public domain, either in a duplicate or substantially identical form where nothing new would be added to the public's understanding, would not be meaningfully informative;

(3) Whether disclosure of the requested information will contribute to public understanding, meaning a reasonably broad audience of persons interested in the subject, as opposed to the individual understanding of the requester. A requester's expertise in the subject area and ability and intention to effectively convey information to the public will be considered. Representatives of the news media are presumed to satisfy this consideration; and

(4) Whether the disclosure is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of government operations or activities. The level of public understanding before disclosure must be enhanced by the disclosure to a significant extent.

(b) If the public interest requirement is met, NCUA will make a determination on the commercial interest requirement based upon the following factors:

(1) Whether you have a commercial interest that would be furthered by the requested disclosure; and if so

(2) Whether the magnitude of your commercial interest is sufficiently large in comparison with the public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is primarily in your commercial interest.

(c) If the required public interest exists and your commercial interest is not primary in comparison, NCUA will waive or reduce fees.

(d) If you are not satisfied with our determination on your fee waiver or reduction request, you may submit an appeal to the General Counsel in accordance with §792.28.

[63 FR 14338, Mar. 25, 1998, as amended at 73 FR 56938, Oct. 1, 2008]