[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 189 (Wednesday, September 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52303-52304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26131]


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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--Washington, DC.

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). Once 
approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory instructions on 
what happens to records when no longer needed for current Government 
business. They authorize the preservation of records of continuing 
value in the National Archives of the United States and the 
destruction, after a specified period, of records lacking 
administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published 
for records schedules in which agencies propose to destroy records not 
previously authorized for disposal or reduce the retention period of 
records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments 
on such records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a).

DATES: Requests for copies must be received in writing on or before 
November 16, 1998. Once the appraisal of the records is completed, NARA 
will send a copy of the schedule. NARA staff usually prepare appraisal 
memorandums that contain additional information concerning the records 
covered by a proposed schedule. These, too, may be requested and will 
be provided once the appraisal is completed. Requesters will be given 
30 days to submit comments.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of any records schedule identified in this 
notice, write to the Life Cycle Management Division (NWML), National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 8601 Adelphi Road, College 
Park, MD 20740-6001. Requests also may be transmitted by FAX to 301-
713-6852 or by e-mail to [email protected].
    Requesters must cite the control number, which appears in 
parentheses after the name of the agency which submitted the schedule, 
and must provide a mailing address. Those who desire appraisal reports 
should so indicate in their request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael L. Miller, Director, Modern 
Records Programs (NWM), National Archives and Records Administration, 
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. Telephone: (301)713-
7110. E-mail:[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year Federal agencies create billions 
of records on paper, film, magnetic tape, and other media. To control 
this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing 
retention periods for records and submit these schedules for NARA 
approval, using the Standard Form (SF) 115, Request for Records 
Disposition Authority. These schedules provide for the timely transfer 
into the National Archives of historically valuable records and 
authorize the disposal of all other records after the agency no longer 
needs the records to conduct its business. Some schedules are 
comprehensive and cover all the records of an agency or one of its 
major subdivisions. Most schedules, however, cover records of only one 
office or program or a few series of records. Many of these update 
previously approved schedules, and some include records proposed as 
permanent.
    No Federal records are authorized for destruction without the 
approval of the Archivist of the United States. This approval is 
granted only after a thorough consideration of 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 whether 
or not they have historical or other value.
    Besides identifying the Federal agencies and any subdivisions 
requesting disposition authority, this public notice lists the 
organizational unit(s) accumulating the records or indicates agency-
wide applicability in the case of schedules that cover records that may 
be accumulated throughout an agency. This notice provides the control 
number assigned to each schedule, the total number of schedule items, 
and the number of temporary items (the records proposed for 
destruction). It also includes a brief description of the temporary 
records. The records schedule itself contains a full description of the 
records at the file unit level as well as their disposition. If NARA 
staff has prepared an appraisal memorandum for the schedule, it too 
includes information about the records. Further information about the 
disposition process is available on request.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of the Air Force, Agency-wide (N1-AFU-98-1, 2 items, 
2

[[Page 52304]]

temporary items). Community College of the Air Force course description 
records, which were previously approved for disposal, and applied 
science degree program development records. Records include course 
charts, instruction plans, and other records describing lower-level 
college courses as well as program objectives, specialty training 
standards, lists of preferred electives, and related records used to 
develop lower-level college programs in applied science.
    2. Department of the Air Force, Agency-wide (N1-AFU-98-2, 2 items, 
2 temporary items). Job safety training records, which document the 
issuance of personal protective equipment and the briefing and training 
of personnel on such matters as emergency telephone numbers, safety 
belt use, manual lifting guidance, and mishap reporting procedures.
    3. Department of the Air Force, Agency-wide (N1-AFU-98-3, 3 items, 
3 temporary items). Records containing weapons and communications 
security serial number data, which were previously approved for 
disposal. They include serial number images identified by National 
Stock Number, serial number electronic transaction images, and related 
reports and listings. Proposed revisions reflect a new automated 
reporting process.
    4. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; Office of 
Education; Division of International Education; International Education 
Relations Branch (N1-12-98-1, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Records, 
dating from 1940 to 1962, of the former International Education 
Relations Branch relating to UNESCO and the Organization of American 
States. These records document administrative support for nonfederal 
organizations.
    5. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of 
Employment and Unemployment Services (N1-257-98-1, 8 items, 7 temporary 
items). Survey instruments, data files, and other records used in 
conducting a time use survey of randomly selected respondents to study 
how to estimate the amount of nonmarket work performed in the United 
States.
    6. Department of the Treasury, General Counsel (N1-56-95-1, 3 
items, 3 temporary items). Status Records of Treasury Decisions and 
Regulations, which are records of the General Counsel's review of 
proposed regulations. This schedule also reduces the retention period 
for records relating to proposed legislation, which were previously 
approved for disposal.
    7. Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, Office of External 
Affairs (N1-474-98-3, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Database extract 
reports created by the Department of Labor for auditing purposes, which 
are used by the Board to discover and correct erroneous information in 
Thrift Savings Plan accounts.
    8. General Services Administration (N1-269-98-1, 6 items, 3 
temporary items). Schedule covers multiple, unrelated series of older 
records stored at the Washington National Records Center. Included are 
subject files of the Abaca Fiber Program, created by the Reconstruction 
Finance Corporation, ca. 1942-1960 (program records are proposed for 
permanent retention); administrative records created by the Farm Credit 
Administration and the War Assets Administration relating to surplus 
property disposal, ca. 1945-1950; and administrative and fiscal records 
of the Office of the GSA Comptroller, accumulated during the 1950's.
    9. Office of Science and Technology Policy (N1-429-98-1, 5 items, 5 
temporary items). Residual and fragmentary records of the defunct 
National Space Council now in the custody of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy. Included are e-mail, word processing, and 
administrative records as well as backup tapes and e-mail 
documentation.

    Dated: September 24, 1998.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 98-26131 Filed 9-29-98; 8:45 am]
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