Public-Records Requests

Our public-records policy

It is the policy of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to promptly provide citizens with public records upon request, subject to their payment of reasonable fees, to applicable laws protecting sensitive information, and to the interest of the general public in having the business of government carried on efficiently and without undue interference.

Submitting a public-records request

You may submit a public-records request by completing a public-records request form, which is available below:

What to expect

We strive to respond as promptly as possible to all public-records requests we receive consistent with the demands of our agency’s functions as determined by state law.

The nature of your request will dictate how promptly we respond. If your request very clearly identifies a specific, discrete document you are looking for, we will respond more quickly than if your request requires substantial staff time to process. A request will require substantial staff time to process if it requires difficulty in identifying and retrieving documents or taking measures to redact or otherwise withhold legally protected information.

In addition, we are permitted by state law to charge reasonable fees in connection with processing public-records requests. We will notify you in advance of the fees you likely will incur as a result of your request.

Any needed requests for clarification or additional information may delay our response to your request.

A deposit may be required before any work will be done to fulfill your request. Payment may be made by cashier’s check or money order.

Questions?

You may contact our agency’s public-records coordinator at dcnr.recordsrequest@dcnr.alabama.gov