FOIA b(3) Exemptions

Environmental Protection Agency FOIA Exemptions

3.6
Use Rate 		47.0
Total claims 		1,304
Denials

Environmental Protection Agency Annual Reports: '08 |
The Environmental Protection Agency used b(3) exemptions to withhold information from FOIA requesters 1,304 times in 2008-2009.

Category

  • All
  • Agriculture
  • Government Organization and Employees
  • Other
  • Public Contracts
  • The Public Health and Welfare
Statute Description Claims
7 USC 136h(g) Analytical, health, environmental effects and efficacy data that prohibits registrants from disclosing information to foreign competitors 38.0
41 USC 253b(m) Proposals submitted by unsuccessful contract bidders 5.0
FRCP 6(e) Grand Jury Information 2.0
42 USC 241(d) Protection of privacy of individuals who are research subjects 1.0
5 USC 574(j) Dispute Resolution Communication 1.0

About This Project

This project uses data compiled by the Sunshine in Government initiative, a coalition of journalism and transparency groups. SGI compiled data from federal agency annual FOIA reports to track how often b(3) exemptions were used. SGI also standardized the exemptions since some agencies used slightly different citations of the same laws. In some cases, agencies listed general laws without specifying a section under which information was withheld. This project does not include information from agencies that use no b(3) exemptions in 2008 or 2009. ProPublica compiled information about FOIA denials.

FOIA Resources