Sec.  0.504   Processing requests for declassification.

   (a) Responses to mandatory declassification review requests shall be
   governed by the amount of search and review time required to process the
   request. A final determination shall be made within one year from the date
   of receipt of the request, except in unusual circumstances.

   (b) Upon a determination by the bureau or office that the requested material
   originally classified by the Commission no longer warrants protection, it
   shall be declassified and made available to the requester, unless
   withholding is otherwise authorized under law.

   (c) If the information may not be declassified or released in whole or in
   part, the requester shall be notified as to the reasons for the denial,
   given notice of the right to appeal the denial to the Classification Review
   Committee, and given notice that such an appeal must be filed within 60 days
   of the date of denial in order to be considered.

   (d) The Commission's Classification Review Committee, consisting of the
   Managing Director (Chairman), the General Counsel or his designee, and the
   Chief, Internal Review and Security Division, shall have authority to act,
   within 30 days, upon all appeals regarding denials of requests for mandatory
   declassification of Commission-originated classifications. The Committee
   shall be authorized to overrule previous determinations in whole or in part
   when, in its judgment, continued classification is no longer required. If
   the Committee determines that continued classification is required under the
   criteria of the Order, the requester shall be promptly notified and advised
   that an application for review may be filed with the Commission pursuant to
   47 CFR 1.115.