A federal judge has tossed out the Energy Department’s proposed policy that would have required people to re-confirm their interest in older Freedom of Information Act requests.

In an Aug. 5 order, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson vacated Energy’s “Still Interested Inquiry” notice from nearly a year ago. DOE had proposed requiring anyone with a FOIA request submitted prior to Oct. 1, 2024, to email the agency if they were still interested in having their request processed. Otherwise, Energy said it could close out the request.

The nonprofit American Oversight filed the lawsuit challenging the legality of the policy. In a statement, American Oversight Executive Director Chioma Chukwu said Jackson’s ruling is “a victory for transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know.”