§ 1515.17 What if I request records that involve another Government office or agency?

(a) If CEQ determines that any of the CEQ records you have requested involve another agency in the Federal Government, including another component of the Executive Office of the President, we generally will involve the other agency in reviewing that record in either of two ways. (1) CEQ may consult with the other agency regarding the record to obtain the other agency's views on whether the record or portions of the record are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA. We will take the other agency's views into consideration when making a final determination of whether to withhold the record or any portions of the record. (2) CEQ may refer the record to the other agency, in which case the other agency will determine whether the record or portions of the record are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA, and will respond directly to you regarding your request for the record. If CEQ determines to refer records you have requested to another agency, we will notify you of the referral and explain how to contact the other agency's FOIA officials. (b) CEQ will choose between consulting with another agency about a record and referring the record to the other agency according to the following principles: (1) Ordinarily, CEQ will use consultation procedures for records that originated with CEQ but that contain information of interest to another agency or office, and CEQ will refer records that originated with another agency to that agency. (2) CEQ will typically refer a classified record (or a portion of a record) or a record that may be appropriate for classification to the agency that either classified the information or should consider the information for classification. (c) CEQ may make agreements with other agencies about how CEQ will handle records involving that agency or how that agency will handle records involving CEQ. Any agreement we make will comply with the FOIA and this part.