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Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§2217 Public Access to Information

Title 15 › Chapter 49— FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › § 2217

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

FEMA must make copies of documents, reports, statements, or information it sends or gets available to the public under the federal public‑records law (section 552 of title 5). If the material is a trade secret, the head of FEMA may still share it in specific ways: with other federal agencies if asked; with congressional committees that oversee the subject if asked; in a court case if a judge orders it and keeps it confidential; or with the public to protect health and safety after giving notice and letting the owner comment in writing or speak in a closed session within 15 days (unless that delay would hurt health or safety).

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §2217

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Copies of any document, report, statement, or information received or sent by the Administrator of FEMA or the Administrator shall be made available to the public pursuant to the provisions of section 552 of title 5: Provided, That, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of such section and of section 1905 of title 18, the Administrator of FEMA may disclose information which concerns or relates to a trade secret—
(1)upon request, to other Federal Government departments and agencies for official use;
(2)upon request, to any committee of Congress having jurisdiction over the subject matter to which the information relates;
(3)in any judicial proceeding under a court order formulated to preserve the confidentiality of such information without impairing the proceedings; and
(4)to the public when he determines such disclosure to be necessary in order to protect health and safety after notice and opportunity for comment in writing or for discussion in closed session within fifteen days by the party to which the information pertains (if the delay resulting from such notice and opportunity for comment would not be detrimental to health and safety).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2013—Pub. L. 112–239 substituted “Administrator of FEMA” for “Director” in two places in introductory provisions. 2000—Pub. L. 106–503 substituted “Director” for “Secretary” in two places in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security. For

Transfer of Functions

, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and section 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions of National Fire Prevention and Control Administration [now United States Fire Administration] and National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control generally transferred to Federal Emergency Management Agency. For further details see

Transfer of Functions

note set out under section 2202 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 2217

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60