8.17—Classification challenges.
(a)
Authorized holders of information classified by the Department of Transportation who, in good faith, believe that its classification status is improper are encouraged and expected to challenge the classification status of the information before the Departmental Information Security Review Committee.
(2)
Each individual whose challenge is denied will be advised that he/she may appeal to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel established by section 5.4 of Executive Order 12958.
(b)
This classification challenge provision is not intended to prevent an authorized holder of information classified by the Department of Transportation from informally questioning the classification status of particular information. Such information inquiries should be encouraged as means to resolve classification concerns and reduce the administrative burden of formal challenges.