ML20235E966

Responds to 870827 Appeal Re Denial of FOIA Request for Documents.Documents Still Withheld (Ref FOIA Exemption 5)

ML20235E966
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/22/1987
From:	Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
To:	Bauman L GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
References
FOIA-87-92, FOIA-87-A-66 NUDOCS 8709280352
Download: ML20235E966 (2)

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OFFICE OF THE September 22, 1987 SECRETARY Ms. Linda Bauman FOIA Coordinator, Midwest Office Government Accountability Project 104 E. Wisconsin Avenue IN RESPONSE REFER Appleton, Wisconsin 54911 TO87-A-66(87-92)

Dear Ms. Bauman:

This is in response to your Septerter 1,1987 appeal of the denial of one document in the Nuclear Regulatory Comission's August 27, 1987 answer to F01A-87-92.

Pursuant to your appeal, the Commission re-reviewed the September 11, 1986 memorandum from James Liebennan, Assistant General Counsel fcr Enforcement, to H.R. Denton, R.D. Martin, and J.M. Taylor. I support the agency's detennination that this document be withheld. It was withheld pursuant to the attorney-client and deliberative process privileges incorporated in Exemption 5 of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 9 552(b)(5), and 10 C.F.R. 9 9.5(a)(5) of the Ccanission's regulations. There are no reasonably segregable factual portions of this document, and thus it is being withheld in its entirety.

Exemption 5 of the F0IA permits the NRC to withhold " confidential I communications between an attorney and his client relating to a legal matter for which the client has sought professional advice." Mead Data Central, Inc. v. Department of the Air Force, 566 F.2d 242, 252 (D.C. Cir.

1977). This privilege encompasses opinions given by an attorney to his client. Brinton v. Department of State, 636 F.2d 600, 605 (D.C. Cir. l 1980). The privilege also encompasses communication from the attorney to the client, the disclosure of which would reveal facts that were related to the attorney in confidence for the purpose of obtaining legal advice. See, l e.g., United States v. Silvennan, 430 F.2d 106,122 (2d Cir.1970), cert. l den., 420 U.S. 953 (1971). Release cf the memorandum would reveal such facts, and would reveal an attorney's advice to his clients. l l

Exemption 5 also permits the NRC to withhold predecisional documents whose release would tend to inhibit the open and frank excha. ige of ideas essential to the deliberative process. The memorandum in question is such )

a predecisional document.

This letter represents final agency action on your September 1,1987 FOIA appeal. Judicial review of the denial of documents is available in Federal me 070Whh,-.ee og -

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District Court in the' district in which~you reside or have your principal place of business, or in the District of Columbia, incerely(

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amuel J. C hM-Secretary of the Connissio 1

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GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT i f 55 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 202

% :snington, D.C. 20006 (202)232-8550 G'VE:RNMFNT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT MII>'GST OPPICE 3424 MARCOS LANE APPLarf9N, WISCONSIN 54911 January 29, 1987' FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST OMD ACT REQUEST Director [--O .p ,k(

Office of Administration U.S. . Nuclear Regulatory Commission j t th g jg W:shington D.C. 20210 )

TO WBOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Pursuant'to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S C. 552, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) requests copies of any and all agency records and information, including but not limited to notes, letters, memoranda, draf ts, minutes, diaries, logs, calanders, tapes, transcripts , summaries, interview: reports, procedures, instructions, engineering analyses, drawings, files, graphs; charts, maps, photographs, cgreements , handwritten notes, studies, data sheets, notebookg, books, telephone messages, computations, voice recordings, computer runoffs, any other data compilations, interim and/or final reports, status reports, and any and all other records relevant to and/or generated in connection with The Of'fice of Investigation's completee review of Case Number 4-34-047 regarding alleged f falsification of test results, at Comanche Peak.

This request includes all agency records as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9.3a (b) and the NRC Manual, Appendix 0211, Parts 1. A.2 and A.3 (approved <

October 8, 1980) whether they currently exist la the NRC " official J werking" , investigative or other files, or at any other location, including private residences.

If any records, as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9.3a(b) and the NRC Manual, l cupra, and covered by this request, please provide all surrounding records, l including but not limited to a list of all records which have been or are {

destroyed and/or removed, a description of the action (s) taken relevant to, i generated in connection with, and/or issued in order to implement the action (s l i

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4 GAP requests that fees be waived, because " finding the information can be considered as primarily benefiting the general-public," 5 U.S.C. 522 (a) (4) (a). GAP is a non profit, non-partisan ,

public interest organization concerned with honest and open government.  !

Through public outreach, the Project promotes whistleblowers as agents of government accountability. Through it Environmental Whistleblower Clinic, GAP Of fers assistance to local public interest and citizens groups and interveners in the concern for safety at nuclear power plants.

We' are requesting this information as part of an ongoing monitoring _

project of the NRC's efforts to protect public health and safety at 1 and near nuclear processing plants and radioactive waste facilities.

- For any documents or portions that 'you deny due' to a specific )

FOIA exemption, please provide an index itemizing and describing the

~ documents or portions of documents withheld. The index should provide a' detailed justification of your grounds for claiming each exemption, explaining why each exemtion is relevant to the document or portion of the document withheld. This index is required under Vaughn v.

Roaen (I), 484 F2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 197.3), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977 (1974).

I We look forward to your response to this request within ten (10) working days.

Sincerely, Yh dE&kFh (

Linda Bauman s~

FOIA Coordinator j Midwest Office Racponses to this request should be mailed to  :

Government Accountability Project Midwest Office 3424 Marcos !.ane Appleton, Wisconsin 54911 l

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No agency records outqscs as te neoest how boon located.

No askesional agency reasses messes to tie request have been located.

Agency reontds nabsect to the .espost Wet are idenshi b Appends are skener ausdehte %r pdec inspecean and cepves in the NRC Pdec Documere Rem 1717 H Street, N.W., Weswignon DC.

A 0ency escords subsset e one sament that are idoneRed b Appendhs Room,1717 H Street. N W., W. DC, in a heder under the FOIA nuntmer end requester serum.

h are berg uns avsambio for p.Ac inspeceon eid copying in the NRC Putec Docunes 1,. ,,or,,r.,n.,e,, _ e, p. p.e.e-ei .et - e. reed m .ccepi a e telephon. - . ,n.r, o, r.,y st.,, . no. b ,, ,nede e e b.s ,o, , c ..epe _

and ooying et the NRC PieAc Docwayit Room,1717 H Street, N W., Washington, DC,in a teidw useast the FOtA number and requesier name.

Eth is irdormegon on haue you msy otrisen access to and the charges for copying records peaced e pas NRC Pd6c Document Room,1717 H Street, N.W., Washeigen. DC Agency records outgect a the seesent are encioned. Any appEcable charge for copes of the receres powesed arus psyment procedures we noted in Ow ommene escton.

Records outgset to the me.ast hs.e hamn referred to another Federal agency 0es) for review and drec: sosponse to you.

X in ,io. .r NRC . - . .e re.e.. no fore.r ac on = be.no taen on appeaneos, d d .bd e- 22., .44.r,? - ( 37 ., p 2f)

PART la.A-INFORMATION WTTHMELD FROM PUmJd DISCLOSURE Ceredn insormenon in v mend scords is here anhheid from public wre pursuant to ou pena emenwoons desutbed > end for the reasono se,ied in pe,t n, ame.

X sore 8, C, and D. Any nessmed morenre of #* documan# far whi* o'*y part of we record is bass assiheid are bebe made eveashie for putec inspecten and copywig s the NRC Putec Documera Rossn,1717 H Stroot. N.W., Weenington, DC, in a folder under this FOIA assetmr and reenster name.

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SM.T 110. AP7LICABLE FCIA EXtMPTIONS ' ' " ~

mf ago,ds M't to the request that are described m IPe encioned Acoendices (semptions and for the reasons set forth below pur%ent to 5 U S C 562(b) and 10 CFR 9 $(el of NRC Regulet.ons_ ere tong withh 1

l1 The wreve6d enformabon a propony desarred purowere w Esecutrve *.rner 1256 IDEMPTION 11

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l-2 N ve**end eformstron relates soissy to the ciemet prionrol ruins e e p,ocedures of NhC. IDEMPTION 21 3 The imeewld anformeton a specifically energted frota adshc dachwe try statute rusceted. (EXEMPTION 31 1

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serman 141.le6 of the Atorruc Energy Act stuch prentes the decstane of Rosincted Date or Formorty Reetnceed Does 14 US C. 214121@.

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secean 147 of the Atonne Energy Act estich prohnse ice deckmse of Uncleessfied Sefeguerde informaton 142 U S.C. 2ien

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4. The udseemed informoeon is a trede eer ret er conwwosi er Srmnoel r%rmeten that is being withheld for the ressords) bdceeme e)En4PTION di s

The isslermoton 'e conssdered to be corddenselinareas (propnetov riformeten.

l The adormation is conesiered to be proonstery rdenoems purmert in 10 CFR 2.790(dH1).

45. I bf The basermetson wee submittee' and recoved s cordasses from a kreen source pursuant to 10 CFR 2.790tdH2L '

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5. The misuheld informeten ceners of intereewicy or emessency recores ihet are not evenobie through decovery '

medd eased to inhibrt the coen and frert anchange of shes emmenesi no the dehberative process. Whoe records are engamon. Sucensure of W h with the se no in ser assirety, sw facts ero W p,

p segregable lectuel portsons because the reemens of the tsen snow pernes en a m eid inf- e.or sd from ade -

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7. The moedened biormation conosts of irusessesry secures cungend for ww enforcement purposes and is being witNield for the asumuss aescessef-N* Ouactueure would interfere with en enforconene pressmene *= a could revent the scope, directen, and focus of enforcorreu esteris yid thus coidd posebey snow them to tale acton to thekt poesneuf are'9dorig or a moleton of NRC requvements from evesegatore. (EXiasrnQed 7tAs f re-h.re would conedtues en urmerrenad imesen of personef pneery (DEMPT8088 7(CD h

p The behermetior, consen of nomes of indvehaels mit aiher evfcamseen the has of which wedd reveel identress of corddeus sources. IEXth4PT10N PART e C-Ot88Yl800 OFF6CIALS Pusement as le CfR 9.9 and/or 9.16ef the U.S. Nuctuar esid sist as ' or discionies b coreery to the Covermoon W, k fee been determined that the informenon wieden a mummet frem spechacean or re-kne Osweseyi of and Recortas, Ofess of Aeriiniseellen. 8er sur esents est ramy be appealed no the Esecuthe Director for Operosis

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l PART If D- APPEAL RIGHTS l

e l Tine deniet asy each denying asicielidentined 'i Port LC suoy be appealed to the Appellete Officiel identmed in that ascean. Any such appeal rnuet be in W and eviust be inade iuda6130 days of #eceipt of ses response Apposte must be addroceed as appropriate to the ham e e Drector for Operations or to trie tpiseSecretary as is ese'of" Appeal the Commaden, U.S. Nudeer FOIA Wp Commemon, Weehington, DC 20666, and should cieerfy steen en ses envelope and in the letter from en buitisi l asse :: ens frime a s$as FOIA RESPONSE CONTINUATION U.S. NUCL1AA REGULATORY COMMISSION 1

Re: Fo}A.gy ,j APPENDIX 0 sum 8tR DATE RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE PDR UNDER THE ABOVE RE l DESCRIPTION 1* 8/29/84 Daily Report - Region IV  !

'wlth attachment

2. 9/ 25/84 Memo from Smith to Gagliardo (2pages) i

3. 10/10/84 Memo Ippolito to Herr (1page)

4. 9/08/86 Memo from Stello to (1page) \

Denton, Taylor and i Cunningham I '

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oe . . . A et -92 APPENDIX E RCCORD5 10TAltY W1THHELD

~NUMBEA DATE DESCRIP110%

3

• 9/11/86 Memo from Lieberman.to (1 page)

Denton, Taylor and Exemption 5 Martin l

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