elspethdixon: (Default)
elspethdixon ([personal profile] elspethdixon) wrote2007-10-26 10:21 pm

I hate doing presentation research

One of the nine exceptions to the US Freedom of Information Act is, and I quote, "geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells."

No, I don't know why, either. But someone in 1966 thought it important enough to mandate that it be kept confidential.

Also, government agencies must make "all reasonable efforts" to search for a record? That's like copyright law's requirement that you make a reasonable effort to search for a copyright holder, or sexual harassment legislation that defines as harassment anything that would offend "a reasonable woman."

"Reasonable" is a weasel word, and can either be used to get you off the hook entirely, or come back to bite you in the ass if you claim you made a "reasonable effort" and someone else disagrees.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting