Submit a Public Disclosure Request
   

Public Disclosure Information
 
A public record is any record containing information relating to the conduct of government business, which is prepared, owned, used or retained by an agency. All records maintained by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law.
 
DNR public records staff is committed to providing citizens with access to the agency's public records, in accordance with the Public Records Act RCW 42.56. A valid public records request is a request for a specific and identifiable public document. A request for general information is not a valid public records request. 
The more precisely you can identify the record(s) you seek, the more responsive we can be. DNR provides access to existing public records in its possession; however, agencies are not required to collect information or organize data to create a record not existing at the time of the request.
 
 
Frequently Requested Records:
 
The Department of Natural Resources manages various state-owned lands for the benefit of various state and county trusts. For records that relate to specific local government offices we would not have, we suggest you contact the specific local county, cities or town government offices which can be located by visiting Access Washington, then select government agencies, then select either counties or cities or towns to locate the specific links.
 
Wildland fire investigation reports: once an investigator completes a wildland forest fire investigation, the investigation report is forwarded to approving authorities for review and approval. Depending on the complexity of the fire, this process can take up to a year or more to complete. For more information about these investigations visit: DNR Wildland fire investigations.
 
Forest Practices Applications can be accessed by the public online: Forest Practices Application Review System - FPA/N Search (wa.gov)
How to Submit a Public Disclosure Request:
 
You may submit request for public records to the agency using any of the following methods:
Online: Public Records Request Form
Email:  publicdisclosure@dnr.wa.gov
Fax:  (360) 902-1789
Mail:  Public Disclosure Office
         Department of Natural Resources
         PO Box 47014
         Olympia, WA 98504-7014
What to Include in Your Request:
 
•    Name of requester;
•    Date of request;
•    Phone, email, and/or address or other contact information of requester;
•    Identification of the public records that is adequate enough for the DNR staff
     to locate the records (i.e. legal description, lease number, Grantee/Grantor);
•    Location (department) of the requested records, if known;
•    Whether the requester intends to inspect the records onsite or prefers a photocopy
     at the cost set forth in in DNR’s Basic Fee Schedule;
•    Method by which the Department should contact the requester.
 
Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to open and fill out the forms. 
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Download | Free PDF viewer for Windows, Mac OS, Android
 
Fee for Public Records:
Any public records requests that come in as of July 23, 2017, DNR will use the statutory default fee schedule in RCW 42.56.120.
Public records are available for inspection, free of charge. Visit our office Monday through Friday between 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, excluding state holidays. Call the Public Disclosure Office at 360-902-1393 to make arrangements.
 
What Happens When a Request is Submitted?
In accordance with RCW 42.56.520, your request will be responded to within five business days of receipt (day one is the first working day after the request is received) either by:
  • Providing the records (or a link to where the records reside on the agency's website);
  • Providing you with an estimate of the time required to provide the records; or
  • Denying the request and providing the reason for the denial, including any exemption(s) or other law(s) that apply to the information requested.
If your request is not clear, we may ask you to clarify the information you are seeking, which may increase the time required to respond to the request.
Records Exempt from Public Disclosure:
 
There are certain records that are exempt from production under the Public Records Act, RCW 42.56; however there are also other statutes that contain additional exemptions from disclosure. If records are being withheld or portions blacked out (redacted) under an exemption, you will receive a log detailing which records have been withheld/redacted, the statute that is being relied on for the exemption and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies. If you have questions regarding exemption, please contact the Public Records Officer at (360) 902-1393.