Forest Service Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy

Getting Started

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides the statutory right to access Federal records. The Forest Service posts a great deal of information on its website, so before making a request you might want to look here first.

Effective October 1, 2026, individuals submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and/or Privacy Act (PA) requests for Forest Service regional offices and stations must use one of the following submission options:

1. Email: SM.FS.WOFOIA@usda.gov

2. USDA Public Access Link (PAL): Visit https://securefoia.usda.gov/.

   • PAL allows users to create, submit, and track FOIA and/or PA requests, as well as download responsive records.

   • A login.gov account is required for access.

3. National FOIA Portal: Visit https://www.foia.gov/.

   • Select “Create a Request” from the main page.

   • You may search for a specific USDA component (such as the Forest Service) or select “Department of Agriculture” to view all USDA FOIA components.

4. Physical Mail (USPS/FedEx/UPS)

   • U.S. Forest Service, FOIA Service Center
     1400 Independence Avenue, SW
     Whitten Building, Room 0110
     Washington, DC 20250-0706