[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 72 (Thursday, April 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18638-18639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9440]


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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 
June 1, 1999. 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 records.mgt@arch2.nara.gov. 
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.

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's 
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 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-97-16, 5 items, 
5 temporary items). Files relate to Air Force radio and television 
service. Included are workload reports, product quality assessments, 
information concerning broadcast scheduling, and documents relating to 
the disposition and shipment of library materials.
    2. Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-98-25, 3 items, 1 
temporary item). Electronic copies of documents created using 
electronic mail and word processing relating to trips, meetings, 
telephone calls, and other daily activities of high officials as well 
as the staffing, organization, and procedures of the Department's 
component offices. Recordkeeping copies of these files are proposed for 
permanent retention.
    3. Department of Energy, Agency-wide (N1-434-98-28, 172 items, 158 
temporary items). Records relating to administrative and operational 
activities concerning environmental matters. Included are such records 
as form letters and requests for information, cooperative agreements 
with other Federal agencies and contractors, files documenting 
evaluation, assessment and audit activities, case files relating to the 
analysis of samples collected in the course of environmental 
investigations, program management case files, documents pertaining to 
worker protection, meeting minutes, inspection reports, logs and other 
files accumulated in connection with geological investigations, 
manuals, permits, shipment records, files on the

[[Page 18639]]

construction of storage tanks and wells, and documents pertaining to 
the disposal and cleanup of waste materials that reflect compliance 
with state, local, and Federal environmental regulations. Also included 
are electronic copies of documents created using electronic mail and 
word processing. Proposed for permanent retention are recordkeeping 
copies of such files as archaeological records, environmental safety 
and site reports, public involvement records, project case files, post-
closure plans and procedures, and waste disposal and cleanup.
    4. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources 
Division (N1-60-99-4, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Files of the Office of 
Litigation Support pertaining to its coordination of a project 
undertaken in the period 1994-1998 to develop an electronic information 
system for an International Tribunal acting in regard to civil rights 
violations in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Included are 
correspondence, memoranda, proposals, reports, manuals, electronic 
mail, and staff notes pertaining to the project. Data contained in the 
electronic system will be scheduled separately.
    5. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service 
(N1-85-99-1, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Clinical case files of the 
Immigration Health Services Division pertaining to the treatment and 
care of detainees. Included are reports by medical personnel, graphs, 
charts, x-rays, and documents pertaining to the results of laboratory 
and diagnostic procedures. Also included are electronic copies of 
documents created using electronic mail and word processing.
    6. Department of Justice, United States Marshals Service (N1-527-
99-2, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Witness Case Files of the Witness 
Security Program. Files include birth certificates, medical records, 
passports, marriage licenses, military records, school records, 
professional licenses, insurance policies, awards, personal papers, and 
memorabilia.
    7. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (N1-58-99-
2, 8 items, 7 temporary items). Files pertaining to the testing of 
information systems and Year 2000 conversion activities. Included are 
reports, system test plans, computer operator's handbooks, core record 
layouts, and expenditure records. Also included are electronic copies 
of documents created using electronic mail and word processing. The 
recordkeeping copy of the agency's report to Congress on Year 2000 
conversion activities is proposed for permanent retention.
    8. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration 
(N1-15-99-1, 8 items, 8 temporary items). Paper and electronic records 
compiled in the implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) Government Information Locator Service (GILS) System. Records 
include system documentation concerning planning, development and 
improvement to the GILS system, project history files including 
briefings and issues papers, project plans, charters and approvals, the 
VA's GILS master datafile, electronic backups of the master datafile, 
input documents, and hardcopy printouts. Also included are electronic 
copies of documents created using electronic mail and word processing.
    9. Tennessee Valley Authority, Transmission and Power Supply (N1-
142-98-7, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Audiotapes of dispatchers' 
official telephone communications. Records relate to accidents and 
power system problems as well as to routine business transactions.
    10. Tennessee Valley Authority, Human Resources Division (N1-142-
98-11, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Agreements between the agency and its 
managers and executives regarding benefits to be received during 
employment.

    Dated: April 8, 1999.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 99-9440 Filed 4-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P