(a) An initial determination whether, and to what extent, to grant each request for records or a fee waiver shall be made by the Executive Director within 10 days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after receipt of that request. The person making the request shall be notified as soon as the determination is made.

(b) In making an initial determination whether and to what extent requested information will be released, the Committee shall first consider whether the material requested is of a type described in §51-8.2(a); if it is, the request shall be granted unless the material is exempted by §51-8.2(b). If the material requested is not a type described in §51-8.2(a), or is the subject of one or more exemptions, the request may be denied.

(c) If a determination is made to grant a request, the relevant material shall be furnished as soon as possible following the determination to grant the request, and after payment of the fee specified in §51-8.12 when required, except that copies of less than 10 pages of material requested in person ordinarily will be furnished immediately following the determination to grant the request.

(d) Where portions of the requested material are exempt under §51-8.2(b), and are reasonably segregable from the remainder of the material, those portions shall be excised from the materials disclosed.

(e) If a determination is made to deny a request, or a portion thereof, the notification shall include a statement of the reasons for such action, shall set forth the name and position of the person responsible for the denial, and shall advise the requester of the right, and the procedures required under §51-8.10 to appeal the denial to the Chairperson.

(f) The Committee will require prepayment of fees for search, review, and reproduction which are likely to exceed $250.00. When the anticipated total fee exceeds $250.00, the requester will receive notice to prepay and at the same time will be given an opportunity to modify his or her request to reduce the fee. The Committee will also inform the requester that fees for search time will be charged even if the search proves unsuccessful. The Committee will not start processing a request until payment is received.

(g) Whenever duplication fees or search fees are anticipated to exceed $25.00, but not more than $250.00 and the requester has not indicated, in advance, a willingness to pay fees as high as those anticipated, the Committee will notify the requester of the amount of the anticipated fee. Similarly, where an extensive and therefore costly successful search is anticipated, the Committee will notify requesters of the anticipated fees. The Committee will not start processing the request until assurance of payment is received.

(h) Photocopies and directives furnished to the public are restricted to one copy of each page.

[54 FR 15189, Apr. 17, 1989. Redesignated at 56 FR 48983, Sept. 26, 1991, and amended at 59 FR 59345, Nov. 16, 1994]