§ 7.28 Automatic declassification.

(a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this section and paragraphs 3.3(b)-(d) and (g)-(j) of Executive Order 13526, all classified information contained in records that are more than 25 years old that have been determined to have permanent historical value shall be declassified automatically on December 31st of the year that is 25 years from the date of origin. (b) At least one year before information is declassified automatically under this section, the Chief Security Officer shall notify the ISOO of any specific information that DHS proposes to exempt from automatic declassification. The notification shall include: (1) A description of the information; (2) An explanation of why the information is exempt from automatic declassification and must remain classified for a longer period of time; and (3) A specific date or event for declassification of the information whenever the information exempted does not identify a confidential human source or human intelligence source, or, key design concepts of weapons of mass destruction. (c) Proposed exemptions under this section shall be forwarded to the Chief Security Officer. When the Chief Security Officer determines the exemption request is consistent with this section, he or she will submit the exemption request to the Executive Secretary of the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) for approval. (d) Declassification guides that narrowly and precisely define exempted information may be used to exempt information from automatic declassification. Declassification guides must include the exemption notification information detailed in paragraph (b) of this section, and be approved pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section. The creation of declassification guides to cite proposed or ISCAP-approved DHS exemptions shall be coordinated through and processed by the Office of the Chief Security Officer, Administrative Security Division.