We have filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking information on U.S. Forest Service employees in Arizona. This request coincides with a similar FOIA we filed months ago with the Bureau of Land Management which was kicked back in favor of online submission.

We are requesting the first and last name, year hired, professional title, the position of employment, job description, yearly salary including bonuses and tips, employee phone number, and employee email address.

We are requesting the information for news-gathering purposes and to explore possible future action that can be taken on multiple fronts. This is the first of several requests to investigate numerous wrongdoings within land management agencies. This will be the first time this information is revealed to the public in this format, and it will better the understanding of the US Forest Service’s internal operations.

The agency’s response will be posted on this website for all to review. Additionally, the response will be publicly available in the USFS FOIA Reading Room. It is essential to understand, this information doesn’t include personal information. All requested information is part of the public record and is available upon request. There is no harm nor foul in acquiring these records.

FOIA requests are designed for government transparency and accountability. It is how journalists acquire information for investigative news-gathering purposes. Additionally, the Freedom of Information Act allows individuals to request any records an employee or agency of the government may have on the requester.

All government records including text messages, images, call logs, emails, disciplinary records, salary, bonuses, and other records are always available to the public. If you are a government employee, your records are on file and subject to a FOIA request. If you are an individual, you are entitled, by a statutory right, enforceable in court, to any government record of the executive branch.