Mark Schleifstein
Environment reporter
The Times-Picayune
3800 Howard Avenue
New Orleans LA 70125

504-717-1157 cell
504-826-3327 office (may not work)
mersmia@aol.com


Office of General Counsel
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street, SW, Room 840
Washington, DC 20472

By Fax: (202) 646-4536 [October 5, 2005]


	FOIA REQUEST
		Fee benefit requested
		Fee waiver requested
		Expedited review requested

Dear FOI Officer:

       Pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, I request access to and copies of:

* Any and all communications concerning the activation of a Rapid Needs Assessment Team or Teams for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including a list of the team members for each incident.
* Any and all reports by, from or to those teams about the disaster-stricken area and the affected population, including – but not limited to – any recommendations as to the type and amount of help needed. Also, copies of maps on which locations of observations were recorded.
* Any and all notifications by the FEMA regional director or other FEMA official of the setting of readiness levels, including the time of the notifications.
* Any documents used in notifying Rapid Needs Assessment team leaders and members, and the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, at the Advisory, Alert, Activation and Deployment levels, including the times they were sent. 
* Any documents outlining the information collected at the onset of the rapid-needs-assessment operation by FEMA and state RNA team leaders.
* Any collection plan developed for getting an accurate assessment of immediate needs that was drawn up upon entering the disaster area. 

       As a representative of the news media I am only required to pay for the direct cost of duplication after the first 100 pages. 
       Through this request, I am gathering information on the immediate response by FEMA and associated agencies to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that is of current interest to the public because of concerns about the response of federal, state and local officials to those storms.
       This information is being sought on behalf of The Times-Picayune for dissemination to the general public. 

       Please waive any applicable fees. Release of the information is in the public interest because it will contribute significantly to public understanding of government operations and activities. This information will be provided to the public to assist their understanding of what happened in the first response to these hurricanes. 

       If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material. I, of course, reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to deny a waiver of fees. 
	
       As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is of timely value, I would appreciate your communicating with me by telephone, rather than by mail, if you have questions regarding this request. 

       Please provide expedited review of this request which concerns a matter of urgency.  
       As a journalist, I am primarily engaged in disseminating information. 
       The public has an urgent need for information about the immediate response efforts for Katrina and Rita because the risk of future storms of equal or greater intensity remains a concern in the New Orleans area and in other parts of the nation, both during the last two months of this hurricane season and in future hurricane seasons. 
       This also falls under the life-threatening need for information provision of the FOIA. The delayed disclosure of information necessary to improve future initial responses to hurricanes could threaten the life and physical safety of people living in the New Orleans area. 
       I certify that my statements concerning the need for expedited review are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

       I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute requires, although I would hope it would not take that long.

       Thank you for your assistance.

       Sincerely,


       Mark Schleifstein