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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

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FOIA Request

Please note that the Surface Transportation Board does not receive or maintain any information related to an individual person’s domestic or international travel.

How To File a FOIA Request for STB Records

You may make a FOIA request to the Surface Transportation Board at https://pal.stb.gov/, or you may make a request to us through the government-wide office FOIA website at https://www.foia.gov.

If you wish to use another method to submit a FOIA request, please contact Chris Oehrle, FOIA Officer, at 202-245-0271 or .

Please be aware that the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) was created to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. Additional information about OGIS can be found here.

Are There Fees for FOIA Requests?

Yes. Under the FOIA, the Board is allowed to charge for our research and reproduction services, except under certain conditions. Your FOIA request should specify the amount of FOIA fees you are willing to pay.  Here is a summary of the requester fee categories:

  • Commercial use requesters will be assessed charges that recover the full direct costs associated with the search, review, and duplication of records.
  • Educational institutions, representatives of the news media, and non-commercial scientific institution requesters must pay for duplication only and will not be charged for the first 100 pages.
  • News media requesters, however, are entitled to a reduced assessment only when the request is for the purpose of disseminating information.
  • The Commission will charge all other requesters who do not fit into any of the categories above fees which cover the full, reasonable direct cost of searching for and reproducing records that are responsive to the request, except that the first 100 pages of the reproduction and the first two hours of search time shall be free of charge.

Notes:

  • Although a minimum fee commitment of $25 is required, many requests are granted without cost to the requester.
  • The more information you provide us, the better we can assist you.
  • Please note that only PDF files will be accepted as attachments.

If you need assistance, you may contact the STB FOIA Officer at .

This page was last updated on July 1, 2024


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