[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]


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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.

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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