CFR > Title 43 - Public Lands: Interior > SUBTITLE A—Office of the Secretary of the Interior > PART 2—RECORDS AND TESTIMONY; FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT > SUBPART C—Requests for Records under the FOIA (§2.7 to §2.27) > 2.13—When may the bureau take a time extension to respond to my request?

2.13—When may the bureau take a time extension to respond to my request?

(a) The bureau may extend the 20-workday time limit for 10 more workdays when it needs to:
(1) Search for and collect the requested records from multiple offices; or
(2) Search for, collect, and examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records sought in a single request; or
(3) Consult with another agency having a substantial interest in the determination of the request or with one or more bureaus of the Department having substantial subject-matter interest in the request.
(b) If the bureau intends to take an extension under this subsection, it will notify you in writing and provide the reason for the extension and the date it expects to make a determination on your request.
(c) If an extension is necessary and the bureau is unable to respond to your request within 30 workdays, it will notify you in writing when you may expect a final response and advise you of your appeal rights. If an extension is taken and you have not received a response in 30 workdays, you may consider the request denied and file an appeal under § 2.28(a)(3) or file a lawsuit.
(d) A bureau may not take an extension of time to decide whether to grant a request for a fee waiver.