§ 1301.29 - Appeals on initial adverse agency determination on correction or amendment.

§ 1301.29 Appeals on initial adverse agency determination on correction or amendment.

(a) An individual may appeal an initial determination refusing to amend that individual's record in accordance with this section. An appeal must be taken within 20 days of receipt of notice of TVA's initial refusal to amend the record and is taken by delivering a written notice of appeal to the Privacy Act Reviewing Official, Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902-1401. Such notice shall be signed by the appellant and shall state:

(1) That it is an appeal from a denial of a request to amend the individual's records under these regulations and under the Privacy Act of 1974;

(2) The reasons why the appellant believes the denial to have been erroneous;

(3) The date on which the denial was issued; and

(4) The date on which the denial was received by the appellant.

(b) Appeals shall be determined by a reviewing official. Such determination may be based on information provided for the initial determination; any additional information which TVA or the appellant may desire to provide; and any other material the reviewing official deems relevant to the determination. The reviewing official, in his sole discretion, may request TVA or the appellant to provide additional information deemed relevant to the appeal. The appellant will be given an opportunity to respond to any information provided by TVA or independently procured by the reviewing official. If in the sole discretion of the reviewing official a hearing is deemed necessary for resolution of the appeal, the reviewing official may conduct a hearing upon notice to TVA and the appellant, at which both TVA and the appellant shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard on the appeal. The rules governing any hearing will be set forth in the notice of hearing.

(c) The reviewing official shall make final determination on the appeal within 30 days after it is received unless such period is extended for good cause. If the reviewing official finds good cause for an extension, TVA will inform the appellant in writing of the reason for the delay and of the approximate date on which the reviewing official expects to complete his determination of the appeal.

(d) If the reviewing official determines that a record should be amended in whole or in part in accordance with an appellant's request, TVA will inform the appellant in writing of its determination and correct or amend the record. If an accounting of disclosures has been made, TVA will, to the extent of the accounting, inform prior recipients of the record of the fact that the correction was made and of the substance of the correction.

(e) If the reviewing official determines not to amend a record, in whole or in part, in accordance with a request, TVA will advise the individual:

(1) Of its refusal to amend and the reasons therefor;

(2) Of the appellant's right to file a concise statement of reasons for disagreement with the refusal as set out in paragraph (f) of this section;

(3) Of the procedures for filing a statement of disagreement;

(4) That any statement of disagreement will be made available to anyone to whom the record is subsequently disclosed together with any statement by TVA summarizing its reasons for refusing to amend the record;

(5) That prior recipients of the disputed record will be provided a copy of any statement of dispute to the extent that an accounting of disclosures was maintained; and

(6) Of his or her right to seek judicial review of the agency's refusal to amend a record.

(f) If the reviewing official's final determination of an appeal is a refusal to correct or amend a record, in whole or in part, in accordance with the request, the appellant may file with TVA a concise statement setting forth the reasons for his or her disagreement with the refusal of TVA to amend the records. Such statements normally should not exceed 100 words. A statement of disagreement should be submitted within 30 days of receipt of notice of the reviewing official's decision on the appeal, and should be sent to system manager. In any disclosure containing information about which the individual has filed a statement of disagreement which occurs after the filing of the statement, TVA will clearly note any portion of the record which is disputed and provide copies of the statement with the disclosure. Copies of the statement will also be furnished to persons or other agencies to whom the record has been disclosed to the extent that an accounting of disclosures was made. TVA may attach to the statement of disagreement a brief summary of TVA's reasons for refusing to amend the record. Such summaries will be disclosed to the individual, but are not subject to amendment.

[40 FR 45313, Oct. 1, 1975. Redesignated at 44 FR 30682, May 29, 1979, and amended at 53 FR 30253, Aug. 11, 1988; 57 FR 33634, July 30, 1992; 75 FR 11736, Mar. 12, 2010. Redesignated at 82 FR 51757, Nov. 8, 2017]