(1)
Ecology does not charge a fee for the inspection of public records.
(2) Pursuant to
RCW
42.56.120(2), ecology
declares for the following reasons that it would be unduly burdensome to
calculate the actual costs it charges for providing copies of public records:
Funds were not allocated for performing a study to calculate such actual costs
and the agency lacks the necessary funds to perform a study and calculations;
staff resources are insufficient to perform a study and to calculate such
actual costs; and a study would interfere with and disrupt other essential
agency functions. Ecology may charge fees for production of copies of public
records consistent with the fee schedule established in
RCW
42.56.120 and as published in ecology's fee
schedule available on the ecology web site at
www.ecology.wa.gov.
(3) Ecology will charge the actual amount
charged by an external vendor for records copied by an external vendor
including records in nonstandard sizes or formats as published in ecology's fee
schedule available on the ecology web site at
www.ecology.wa.gov.
(4) Before copying public records, the public
records officer or designee may require a deposit of up to ten percent of the
estimated costs of copying all of the records. The public records officer or
designee may also require payment of the remainder of the copying costs before
providing all of the records, or the payment of costs of copying an installment
before providing the installment.
(5) At ecology's sole discretion, ecology may
provide customized electronic access to public records if the agency estimates
that the request would require the use of information technology expertise to
prepare data compilations, or provide customized electronic access services
when such compilations and customized access services are not used by ecology
for other agency purposes. Ecology will charge the actual costs, including
staff time, necessary to reimburse the agency for providing customized
electronic access services.
(6)
Ecology will not release any requested copies of public records unless and
until the requestor has paid all copying and other charges as set forth in this
section.
(7) Ecology may waive any
charges for providing public records at the discretion of the public records
officer. This determination will be made on a case-by-case basis.
