Generally, records maintained by state agencies are open and available to the public with certain legal exceptions.
The NDDEQ provide records that can be legally released to the public within a reasonable period of time.
If we do not provide all or part of the requested records, we will tell you why the records cannot be released.
The record search contains no evaluation of the potential environmental impact to the site, nor does any DEQ response constitute
a Phase I Environmental Assessment of the property. Further, the absence of information on a particular parcel or property does
not necessarily mean that there are no environmental concerns connected with the property.
To expedite your open records request:
- Fill out this General Request Form for all other records (print and save functionality built into form).
Please submit records requests and questions to: DEQOpenRecords@nd.gov
Other Tips:
- Fill out the forms with as much information as possible (while not required under state law, it helps expedite your request and lower costs)
- Be as specific as possible as to what you are requesting
- If requesting records for a property, include as much identifying information as possible:
- Site name or present company or business name
- Historical site name, company or business names
- Property owner, if not the company or business on-site
- Present and historical use of the property
- Street address and city of the property
Note: Requests containing only a street address location are insufficient to perform a search, and will be returned to the sender.
- County, Township, Range, Section and Lat/Long coordinates (Use ND GIS Hub)
- A lat/long coordinate (if the request includes LUST or UST, check UST and LUST online listings first)
- Map and/or aerial photo of property with it clearly marked - include named cross streets
- Radius of search arc
- Type of environmental information requested
Limit the time interval of your request by specifying a start date and end date
Ask for information only in electronic format
Interested parties may review files in person at our offices during normal working hours.
No appointment is necessary.
Please contact the department at 701-328-5210, in advance, to coordinate your review.
Exemptions specific to certain requests:
| Program Area |
Exemption Description |
Law/Rule |
| Water Quality - Ground Water |
Ambient Ground water data with specific well location information listed. All well location information must be redacted. |
NDCC 23.1-11 |
| Municipal Facilities - Drinking Water |
Location information of Public Water intake structures (Surface or Ground water) |
NDCC 44-04-24 |
CHARGES:
The following charges may be applied to a request and billed prior to records being released.
| Services |
Cost |
Per |
| Copies |
25¢ |
Page/Side |
| Locating Records |
$25 |
Hour for Staff, 1st hour free. |
| Excising confidential or closed material |
$25 |
Hour for Staff, 1st hour free. |
| Other |
TBD |
For other cost incurred during the records request. |
To reduce costs:
Not all files and databases contain or are searchable by geospatial data, especially older records, so information about current and former site ownership, facility name, and property use is necessary to perform a complete search.The longer it takes us to fill a request, the more expensive it is for the requester.
