Release of Imagery Acquired by Space-Based National Intelligence Reconnaissance Systems
Signed February 22, 1995·William J. Clinton·60 FR 10789
Source
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Plain-language summary
Directs that imagery collected by the Corona, Argon, and Lanyard space-based national intelligence reconnaissance missions be declassified and transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration, with a copy to the U.S. Geological Survey, within 18 months, after which it must be made publicly available. Directs the Director of Central Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretaries of State and Defense, to set up a program periodically reviewing imagery from other, non-Corona/Argon/Lanyard reconnaissance systems for possible public release, completing review of obsolete broad-area film-return systems within five years and reviewing other obsolete systems on a timetable the Director sets; the Director must report annually to the President on implementation. States that this order is the exclusive framework governing public release of such imagery under the Freedom of Information Act's national security exemption, and specifies it creates no enforceable rights for private parties. Defines
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Claimed authority
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America and in order to release certain scientifically or environmentally useful imagery acquired by space- based national intelligence reconnaissance systems, consistent with the national security, it is hereby ordered
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The order, in full
Executive Order 12951 of February 22, 1995
Release of Imagery Acquired by Space-Based
National
Intelligence Reconnaissance Systems
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America and in order to release certain scientifically
or environmentally useful imagery acquired by space-
based national intelligence reconnaissance systems,
consistent with the national security, it is hereby
ordered as follows:
Section 1. Public Release of Historical Intelligence
Imagery. Imagery acquired by the space-based national
intelligence reconnaissance systems known as the
Corona, Argon, and Lanyard missions shall, within 18
months of the date of this order, be declassified and
transferred to the National Archives and Records
Administration with a copy sent to the United States
Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior
consistent with procedures approved by the Director of
Central Intelligence and the Archivist of the United
States. Upon transfer, such imagery shall be deemed
declassified and shall be made available to the public.
Sec. 2. Review for Future Public Release of
Intelligence Imagery. (a) All information that meets
the criteria in section 2(b) of this order shall be
kept secret in the interests of national defense and
foreign policy until deemed otherwise by the Director
of Central Intelligence. In consultation with the
Secretaries of State and Defense, the Director of
Central Intelligence shall establish a comprehensive
program for the periodic review of imagery from systems
other than the Corona, Argon, and Lanyard missions,
with the objective of making available to the public as
much imagery as possible consistent with the interests
of national defense and foreign policy. For imagery
from obsolete broad-area film-return systems other than
Corona, Argon, and Lanyard missions, this review shall
be completed within 5 years of the date of this order.
Review of imagery from any other system that the
Director of Central Intelligence deems to be obsolete
shall be accomplished according to a timetable
established by the Director of Central Intelligence.
The Director of Central Intelligence shall report
annually to the President on the implementation of this
order.
(b) The criteria referred to in section 2(a) of
this order consist of the following: imagery acquired
by a space-based national intelligence reconnaissance
system other than the Corona, Argon, and Lanyard
missions.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) This order prescribes a
comprehensive and exclusive system for the public
release of imagery acquired by space-based national
intelligence reconnaissance systems. This order is the
exclusive Executive order governing the public release
of imagery for purposes of section 552(b)(1) of the
Freedom of Information Act.
(b) Nothing contained in this order shall create
any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable by any party against the United States, its
agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or
employees, or any other person.
Sec. 4. Definition. As used herein, “imagery” means
the product acquired by space-based national
intelligence reconnaissance systems that provides a
likeness or representation of any natural or man-made
feature or related objective or activities and
satellite positional data acquired at the same time the
likeness or representation was acquired.
(Presidential Sig.)>
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 22, 1995.Reproduced from the Federal Register plain-text record, signed February 22, 1995. Typesetting artifacts are removed; no wording is changed.