Although a real investigation of the events of September 11, 2001 has not yet materialized, nearly all federal, state and local government agencies nationwide provide opportunities for public access to records created by these agencies.

Such records may provide sought-after answers or lead indirectly toward other useful information surrounding the destruction of the Twin Towers and Building 7.

While government agencies occasionally oppose requests for records based on statutory exemptions, the only obstacle generally facing a requester seeking new information about 9/11 may simply be his or her imagination.

Much of the evidence used by NIST in their WTC investigations is waiting to be exposed by an FOIA request

Although the federal government has offered thousands of pages worth of explanations for the WTC catastrophe, many details surrounding alternative explanations for these building destructions remain unknown. And while some Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiries on these matters have been met with notifications of no responsive records being found, there may yet be promising lines of inquiry that have not yet been pursued. This is where the collective imaginations of many become a factor.

Even the absence of requested records can prove to be revealing. In the case of the WTC buildings, many requested records of multiple agencies regarding extensive and historic renovations just prior to September 11, 2001, have been reported as destroyed or absent.

One will find that most FOIA requests of the federal government can be made online through each agency’s website. For those requests made via ordinary mail, obtaining confirmation of delivery of any requests is important in the event that appeals of adverse responses or non-responses become necessary.

Revealing video footage from the WTC catastrophe was made public last year after an FOIA request was submitted by 9/11 Truth researchers

When requesting information, be as specific as possible about the records being sought. Most agencies assess little or no fees to routine requests and relatively reasonable fees for more significant ones. However, they will not perform “research” (beyond the obviously required minimum) or compile reports that do not already exist.

One may find that after a denial of a request for records, the only legal solution is litigation, which entails varying filing fees based on jurisdiction. Requesters are typically advised within a denial notice of their remaining legal options. Although you can represent yourself in a FOIA lawsuit, such litigation will be fought by experienced agency attorneys. Therefore, research of Freedom of Information law is advised, much of which can be found on the Internet. Use of an attorney experienced in various Freedom of Information laws is also recommended during litigation.

Here are some resources for individuals interested in filing FOIA requests to relevant departments and jurisdictions:

New York City: http://www.NYC.gov
(FOIA information is listed under a search of each department’s homepage)

New York State: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/right_to_know.html

U.S. Department of Commerce (for NIST records):
http://www.osec.doc.gov/omo/foia/foiawebsite.htm

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/foia/foia-guide.html