Alleged conspiracies and secret military missions aren’t the only things kept secret by the government. When an American files a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to learn more from an agency, officials are just as likely to deny releasing details related to agricultural produce and subterranean caverns.

 

ProPublica has compiled a new database showing the types of FOIA denials issued by the government under the b(3) provision of the law, which allows officials to withhold information based on other federal laws.

 

For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) won’t release information about watermelon growers or avocado importers, citing different statutes covering these subjects. Also, USDA and the Department of the Interior have jointly refused to disclose the location of “significant” caves located in the U.S.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

FOIA Eyes Only: How Buried Statutes Are Keeping Information Secret (by Jennifer LaFleur, ProPublica)

FOIA b(3) Exemptions (ProPublica)