Interior Department and Forest Service Decisions Now Available on the Web

by WOC Staff

In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by WOC, the U.S. Department of the Interior began publishing its administrative decisions and legal orders on the World Wide Web on January 1.  Decisions issued by the Interior Board of Land Appeals and the Interior Board of Indian Appeals can be found at www.doi.gov/oha/indexdec.htm

The U.S. Forest Service, which WOC also sued, has been publishing its final administrative appeal decisions since June on its Web site: www.fs.fed.us/forests.

The responsibility of both agencies to publish its decisions on the Web is clearly defined in the Electronic Freedom of Information Act and is consistent with the Administration’s policy of making government information more accessible to citizens.

"Now, for the first time," said WOC executive director Dan Heilig, "ordinary citizens will be able to monitor the policies and decisions that affect hundreds of millions of acres of our public lands."