[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 4814-4815] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-2452] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Records Services. ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed records schedules; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publishes notice at least once monthly of certain Federal agency requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). Records schedules identify records of sufficient value to warrant preservation in the National Archives of the United States. Schedules also authorize agencies after a specified period to dispose of records lacking administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published for records schedules that (1) propose the destruction of records not previously authorized for disposal, or (2) reduce the retention period for records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments on such schedules, as required by 44 USC 3303a(a). DATES: Requests for copies must be received in writing on or before March 17, 1997. Once the appraisal of the records is completed, NARA will send a copy of the schedule. The requester will be given 30 days to submit comments. ADDRESSES: Address requests for single copies of schedules identified in this notice to the Civilian Appraisal Staff (NWRC), National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD 20740-6001. Requesters must cite the control number assigned to each schedule when requesting a copy. The control number appears in the parentheses immediately after the name of the requesting agency. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year U.S. Government agencies create billions of records on paper, film, magnetic tape, and other media. In order to control this accumulation, agency records managers prepare records schedules specifying when the agency no longer needs the records and what happens to the records after this period. Some schedules are comprehensive and [[Page 4815]] cover all the records of an agency or one of its major subdivisions. These comprehensive schedules provide for the eventual transfer to the National Archives of historically valuable records and authorize the disposal of all other records. Most schedules, however, cover records of only one office or program or a few series of records, and many are updates of previously approved schedules. Such schedules also may include records that are designated for permanent retention. Destruction of records requires the approval of the Archivist of the United States. This approval is granted after a thorough study of the records that takes into account their administrative use by the agency of origin, the rights of the Government and of private persons directly affected by the Government's activities, and historical or other value. This public notice identifies the Federal agencies and their subdivisions requesting disposition authority, includes the control number assigned to each schedule, and briefly describes the records proposed for disposal. The records schedule contains additional information about the records and their disposition. Further information about the disposition process will be furnished to each requester. Schedules Pending 1. Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office (N1-241-96- 7). Revisions to the agency comprehensive schedule for the Office of Petitions, the Office of Patent Programs Control, the Patent Academy, the Search and Information Resources Administration, and the Office of Search Systems. 2. Department of Justice, United States Marshals Service (N1-527- 97-1). Special deputation authorization files. 3. Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (N1-59-96-20). Duplicative records relating to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (1964). 4. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (N1-59-97-4). Changes in retention periods for passports and visa investigation case files. 5. Department of State, Bureau of International Organization Affairs (N1-59-97-12). Extra copies, pre-production materials, and distribution records for reports relating to voting and U.S. participation in the United Nations. Record set of publications scheduled as permanent. 6. Department of State, All Foreign Service Posts (N1-84-97-2). Copies of documents relating to passport and citizenship matters. 7. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (N1-406-97-1). Routine motor carrier safety adjudication appeals files. Substantive cases are proposed for permanent retention. 8. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (N1-368-96-1). Records of the Office of Education and Preservation Assistance (OEPA). 9. Panama Canal Commission (N1-185-97-2). Geotechnical, meteorological and hydrographic records. 10. Panama Canal Commission (N1-185-97-3). Procurement and Supply records. 11. Panama Canal Commission (N1-185-97-4). Motor vehicle records. 12. Panama Canal Commission (N1-185-97-5). Facility security and protective services records. 13. Panama Canal Commission (N1-185-97-7). Routine and duplicative records of the Panama Railroad--Panama Canal Company New York Office. 14. Peace Corps (N1-490-95-6). Agency copies of country evaluation reports (copies maintained by the Office of the Inspector General will be preserved). 15. Tennessee Valley Authority (N1-142-96-4). Records documenting support services provided for the wind energy and solar home monitoring programs, 1980-1986. Dated: January 24, 1997. Michael J. Kurtz, Assistant Archivist, Office of Record Services--Washington, DC. [FR Doc. 97-2452 Filed 1-30-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7515-01-P