[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 216 (Monday, November 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60410-60411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29915]


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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 
December 24, 1998. Once the appraisal of the records is completed, NARA 
will

[[Page 60411]]

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 adminis-trative 
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 in-
cludes information about the records. Further information about the 
disposition process is available on request.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (N1-29-98-1, 3 
items, 2 temporary items). Edited and unedited master files of the 
American Community Survey, a monthly household survey designed to 
provide accurate and up-to-date profiles of America's communities and 
replace certain data collected on the long form in the Decennial 
Census. Public-use microdata files are proposed for permanent 
retention.
    2. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
Agency-wide (N1-85-98-2, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Bond Management 
Information System, a database used to track the status of immigration 
bonds posted by aliens. The data does not materially enhance permanent 
electronic data relating to aliens.
    3. Environmental Protection Agency, Agency-wide (N1-412-96-1, 33 
items, 31 temporary items). Electronic systems and related paper 
records pertaining to such matters as Superfund finances, EPA web 
sites, water quality monitoring in the New York City area and the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, the status of litigation filed against EPA, electronic 
bulletin boards, system backups, payrolling, and the determination of 
the ecological risks posed by synthetic organic chemicals. Master files 
and documentation associated with an electronic system relating to 
environmental monitoring and assessment are proposed for permanent 
retention.
    4. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Appeals Board 
(N1-412-97-6, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Records that document review 
of appeals for environmental permits, enforcement appeals stemming from 
permit violations, and Comprehensive Environmental Response 
Compensation and Liability Act reimbursement petitions requesting 
compensation for an unjust penalty.
    5. Federal Communications Commission, Common Carrier Bureau, (N1-
173-98-5, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Cost allocation manuals, filed 
yearly, that specify how local carriers will allocate costs between 
regulated and nonregulated operations.
    6. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Pipeline 
Regulation (N1-138-98-8, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Electronic copies 
of records in gas pipeline rates and tariffs case files created using 
electronic mail or word processing applications. Recordkeeping copies 
were previously approved for disposal.
    7. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Pipeline 
Regulation (N1-138-98-10, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Electronic copies 
of correspondence from oil producers and oil pipeline companies created 
using electronic mail or word processing applications. Recordkeeping 
copies were previously approved for disposal.
    8. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of Pipeline 
Regulation (N1-138-98-11, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Electronic 
copies of gas pipeline service agreements setting forth pipeline 
tariffs and rates created using electronic mail or word processing 
applications. Recordkeeping copies were previously approved for 
disposal. This schedule also covers paper copies other than the long-
term recordkeeping copy.
    9. United States Information Agency (N1-59-99-1, 11 items, 5 
temporary items). Records from Department of State predecessor elements 
dealing with international broadcasting matters transferred to the 
custody of the United States Information Agency upon creation of USIA 
in 1953. The records consist of requests for copies of Voice of America 
recordings, status ledgers, extra copies of processed documents, budget 
and personnel files, and graphs relating to signal strength. Files 
dealing with overall programs, policies, and operations are proposed 
for permanent retention.

    Dated: October 30, 1998.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 98-29915 Filed 11-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P