[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17616-17618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8474]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

National Reconnaissance Office

32 CFR Part 326

[NRO Privacy Act Program]


Privacy Act of 1974; Implementation

AGENCY: National Reconnaissance Office, DoD.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is exempting three 
Privacy Act systems of records (QNRO-4, QNRO-19, and QNRO-21). The 
reasons for exempting these systems of records is to exempt those 
records contained in QNRO-04 when an exemption has been previously 
claimed for the records in another Privacy Act system of records. The 
exemption is intended to preserve the exempt status of the record when 
the purposes underlying the exemption for the original records are 
still valid and necessary to protect the contents of the records; the 
exemptions for QNRO-19 and QNRO-21 are intended to increase the value 
of the systems of records for law enforcement purposes, to comply with 
prohibitions against the disclosure of certain kinds of information, 
and to protect the privacy of individuals identified in the systems of 
records.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 15, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Barbara Freimann at (703) 808-
5029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was previously published 
on January 14, 2002, at 67 FR 1673. No comments were received; 
therefore, the rule is being adopted as final.

Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review''

    It has been determined that Privacy Act rules for the Department of 
Defense are not significant rules. The rules do not (1) Have an annual 
effect on the economy of $100 million or more or adversely affect in a 
material way the economy; a sector of the economy; productivity; 
competition; jobs; the environment; public health or safety; or State, 
local, or tribal governments or communities; (2) Create a serious 
inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by 
another Agency; (3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of 
entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs, or the rights and 
obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) Raise novel legal or policy 
issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or 
the principles set forth in this Executive order.

Public Law 96-354, ``Regulatory Flexibility Act'' (5 U.S.C. chapter 
6)

    It has been determined that Privacy Act rules for the Department of 
Defense do not have significant economic impact on a substantial number 
of small entities because they are concerned only with the 
administration of Privacy Act systems of records within the Department 
of Defense.

Public Law 96-511, ``Paperwork Reduction Act'' (44 U.S.C. chapter 
35)

    It has been determined that Privacy Act rules for the Department of 
Defense impose no information requirements beyond the Department of 
Defense and that the information collected within the Department of 
Defense is necessary and consistent with 5 U.S.C. 552a, known as the 
Privacy Act of 1974.

Section 202, Public Law 104-4, ``Unfunded Mandates Reform Act''

    It has been determined that Privacy Act rulemaking for the 
Department of Defense does not involve a Federal mandate that may 
result in the expenditure by State, local and tribal governments, in 
the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more and 
that such rulemaking will not significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments.

Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism''

    It has been determined that Privacy Act rules for the Department of 
Defense do not have federalism implications. The rules do not have 
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between 
the National Government and the States, or on the distribution of power 
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.

List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 326

    Privacy.

    1. The authority citation for 32 CFR part 326 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Pub. L. 93-579, 88 Stat 1896 (5 U.S.C. 552a).

    2. Chapter I, subchapters O and P of title 32 of the CFR are 
amended by adding 32 CFR part 326 to subchapter O and removing it from 
subchapter P.

    3. Section 326.17 is amended by adding paragraphs (h), (i) and (j) 
to read as follows:


Sec. 326.17  Exemptions.

* * * * *
    (h) QNRO-19
    (1) System name: Customer Security Services Personnel Security 
Files.
    (2) Exemptions: (i) Investigatory material compiled for law 
enforcement purposes may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). 
However, if an individual is denied any right, privilege, or benefit 
for which he would otherwise be entitled by Federal law or for which he 
would otherwise be eligible, as a result of the maintenance of such 
information, the individual will be provided access to such information 
except to the extent that disclosure would reveal the identity of a 
confidential source.
    (ii) Investigatory material compiled solely for the purpose of 
determining suitability, eligibility, or qualifications for federal 
civilian employment, military service, federal contracts, or access to 
classified information may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5), 
but only to the extent that such material would reveal the identity of 
a confidential source.
    (iii) Therefore, portions of this system of records may be exempt 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) and/or (k)(5) from the following 
subsections of 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H) and 
(I), and (f).
    (3) Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) and (k)(5).
    (4) Reasons: (i) From subsection (c)(3) because to grant access to 
the accounting for each disclosure as required by the Privacy Act, 
including the date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure and the 
identity of the recipient, could alert the subject to the existence of 
the investigation or prosecutable interest by the NRO or other 
agencies. This could seriously compromise case preparation by 
prematurely revealing its existence and nature; compromise or interfere 
with witnesses or make witnesses reluctant to cooperate; and lead to 
suppression, alteration, or destruction of evidence.

[[Page 17617]]

    (ii) From subsections (d)(1) through (d)(4), and (f) because 
providing access to investigatory records and the right to contest the 
contents of those records and force changes to be made to the 
information contained therein would seriously interfere with and thwart 
the orderly and unbiased conduct of the investigation and impede case 
preparation. Providing access rights normally afforded under the 
Privacy Act would provide the subject with valuable information that 
would allow interference with or compromise of witnesses or render 
witnesses reluctant to cooperate; lead to suppression, alteration, or 
destruction of evidence; enable individuals to conceal their wrongdoing 
or mislead the course of the investigation; and result in the secreting 
of or other disposition of assets that would make them difficult or 
impossible to reach in order to satisfy any Government claim growing 
out of the investigation or proceeding.
    (iii) From subsection (e)(1) because it is not always possible to 
detect the relevance or necessity of each piece of information in the 
early stages of an investigation. In some cases, it is only after the 
information is evaluated in light of other evidence that its relevance 
and necessity will be clear.
    (iv) From subsections (e)(4)(G) and (H) because this system of 
records is compiled for investigatory purposes and is exempt from the 
access provisions of subsections (d) and (f).
    (v) From subsection (e)(4)(I) because to the extent that this 
provision is construed to require more detailed disclosure than the 
broad, generic information currently published in the system notice, an 
exemption from this provision is necessary to protect the 
confidentiality of sources of information and to protect privacy and 
physical safety of witnesses and informants. NRO will, nevertheless, 
continue to publish such a notice in broad generic terms as is its 
current practice.
    (vi) Consistent with the legislative purpose of the Privacy Act of 
1974, the NRO will grant access to nonexempt material in the records 
being maintained. Disclosure will be governed by NRO's Privacy 
Regulation, but will be limited to the extent that the identity of 
confidential sources will not be compromised; subjects of an 
investigation of an actual or potential criminal or civil violation 
will not be alerted to the investigation; the physical safety of 
witnesses, informants and law enforcement personnel will not be 
endangered; the privacy of third parties will not be violated; and that 
the disclosure would not otherwise impede effective law enforcement. 
Whenever possible, information of the above nature will be deleted from 
the requested documents and the balance made available. The controlling 
principle behind this limited access is to allow disclosures except 
those indicated in this paragraph. The decisions to release information 
from these systems will be made on a case-by-case basis.
    (i) NRO-21
    (1) System name: Personnel Security Files.
    (2) Exemptions: (i) Investigatory material compiled for law 
enforcement purposes may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). 
However, if an individual is denied any right, privilege, or benefit 
for which he would otherwise be entitled by Federal law or for which he 
would otherwise be eligible, as a result of the maintenance of such 
information, the individual will be provided access to such information 
except to the extent that disclosure would reveal the identity of a 
confidential source.
    (ii) Investigatory material compiled solely for the purpose of 
determining suitability, eligibility, or qualifications for federal 
civilian employment, military service, federal contracts, or access to 
classified information may be exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(5), 
but only to the extent that such material would reveal the identity of 
a confidential source.
    (iii) Therefore, portions of this system of records may be exempt 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) and/or (k)(5) from the following 
subsections of 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H) and 
(I), and (f).
    (3) Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) and (k)(5).
    (4) Reasons: (i) From subsection (c)(3) because to grant access to 
the accounting for each disclosure as required by the Privacy Act, 
including the date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure and the 
identity of the recipient, could alert the subject to the existence of 
the investigation or prosecutable interest by the NRO or other 
agencies. This could seriously compromise case preparation by 
prematurely revealing its existence and nature; compromise or interfere 
with witnesses or make witnesses reluctant to cooperate; and lead to 
suppression, alteration, or destruction of evidence.
    (ii) From subsections (d)(1) through (d)(4), and (f) because 
providing access to records of a civil or administrative investigation 
and the right to contest the contents of those records and force 
changes to be made to the information contained therein would seriously 
interfere with and thwart the orderly and unbiased conduct of the 
investigation and impede case preparation. Providing access rights 
normally afforded under the Privacy Act would provide the subject with 
valuable information that would allow interference with or compromise 
of witnesses or render witnesses reluctant to cooperate; lead to 
suppression, alteration, or destruction of evidence; enable individuals 
to conceal their wrongdoing or mislead the course of the investigation; 
and result in the secreting of or other disposition of assets that 
would make them difficult or impossible to reach in order to satisfy 
any Government claim growing out of the investigation or proceeding.
    (iii) From subsection (e)(1) because it is not always possible to 
detect the relevance or necessity of each piece of information in the 
early stages of an investigation. In some cases, it is only after the 
information is evaluated in light of other evidence that its relevance 
and necessity will be clear.
    (iv) From subsections (e)(4)(G) and (H) because this system of 
records is compiled for law enforcement purposes and is exempt from the 
access provisions of subsections (d) and (f).
    (v) From subsection (e)(4)(I) because to the extent that this 
provision is construed to require more detailed disclosure than the 
broad, generic information currently published in the system notice, an 
exemption from this provision is necessary to protect the 
confidentiality of sources of information and to protect privacy and 
physical safety of witnesses and informants. NRO will, nevertheless, 
continue to publish such a notice in broad generic terms as is its 
current practice.
    (vi) Consistent with the legislative purpose of the Privacy Act of 
1974, the NRO will grant access to nonexempt material in the records 
being maintained. Disclosure will be governed by NRO's Privacy 
Regulation, but will be limited to the extent that the identity of 
confidential sources will not be compromised; subjects of an 
investigation of an actual or potential criminal violation will not be 
alerted to the investigation; the physical safety of witnesses, 
informants and law enforcement personnel will not be endangered; the 
privacy of third parties will not be violated; and that the disclosure 
would not otherwise impede effective law enforcement. Whenever 
possible, information of the above nature will be deleted from the 
requested documents and the balance made available. The controlling 
principle behind this limited access is to allow disclosures except 
those indicated above. The decisions to

[[Page 17618]]

release information from these systems will be made on a case-by-case 
basis.
    (j) QNRO-4
    (1) System name: Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Files.
    (2) Exemption: During the processing of a Freedom of Information 
Act/Privacy Act request, exempt materials from other systems of records 
may in turn become part of the case record in this system. To the 
extent that copies of exempt records from those ``other'' systems of 
records are entered into this system, the NRO hereby claims the same 
exemptions for the records from those ``other'' systems that are 
entered into this system, as claimed for the original primary system of 
which they are a part.
    (3) Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), (k)(1), (k)(2), (k)(3), (k)(4), 
(k)(5), (k)(6), and (k)(7).
    (4) Records are only exempt from pertinent provisions of 5 U.S.C. 
552a to the extent such provisions have been identified and an 
exemption claimed for the original record and the purposes underlying 
the exemption for the original record still pertain to the record which 
is now contained in this system of records. In general, the exemptions 
were claimed in order to protect properly classified information 
relating to national defense and foreign policy, to avoid interference 
during the conduct of criminal, civil, or administrative actions or 
investigations, to ensure protective services provided the President 
and others are not compromised, to protect the identity of confidential 
sources incident to Federal employment, military service, contract, and 
security clearance determinations, and to preserve the confidentiality 
and integrity of Federal evaluation materials. The exemption rule for 
the original records will identify the specific reasons why the records 
are exempt from specific provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a.

    Dated: April 2, 2002.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 02-8474 Filed 4-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-08-P