[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55294-55295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24164]


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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION


Records Schedules; Availability and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

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 10, 2003. 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-
837-3698 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: Paul M. Wester, Jr., Director, Life 
Cycle Management Division (NWML), National Archives and Records 
Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. 
Telephone: 301-837-3120. 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'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 them 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 Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (N1-145-02-1, 4 
items, 4 temporary items). General counsel files created by the Appeals 
and Litigation Group. Included are case files, agency copies of 
summaries and data used for reporting or tracking purposes, and 
electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing.
    2. Department Commerce, Bureau of the Census (N1-29-03-4, 8 items, 
5 temporary items). Records of the Geography Division including 
duplicate electronic and paper copies of reference and thematic maps. 
Also included are cartographic records that contain no significant 
information that is not essentially reproduced in the final copy and 
electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing. Proposed for permanent retention are recordkeeping copies 
of reference maps, thematic maps, and printed large sheet maps.
    3. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (N1-370-02-3, 32 items, 26 temporary items). Records of 
the National Marine Sanctuaries Program, including supporting materials 
associated with sanctuary designations, sanctuary management plan 
review and revision, environmental impact statements and environmental 
assessments, and damage assessment and restoration. Also included are 
such records as sanctuary permit applications and a related database, 
civil penalty case files, oil spill trusteeship and restoration files, 
sanctuary geographic information systems, a reference material 
database, and electronic copies

[[Page 55295]]

of records created using electronic mail and word processing. Proposed 
for permanent retention (exclusive of supporting materials) are 
recordkeeping copies of sanctuary designation files, sanctuary 
management plan review and revision files, environmental impact 
statements and environmental assessments, and damage assessment and 
restoration files, sanctuary site evaluation records, and radioactive 
waste dump site files.
    4. Department of Defense, National Imagery and Mapping Agency (N1-
537-03-17, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Systems and equipment control 
files relating to printing and copying equipment. Also included are 
electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing. This schedule authorizes the agency to apply the proposed 
disposition instructions to any recordkeeping medium.
    5. Department of State, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and 
Public Affairs (N1-59-03-6, 11 items, 5 temporary items). Schedules of 
daily activities covering routine non-substantive matters, routine 
correspondence files, and reference files. Also included are electronic 
copies of records created using electronic mail and word processing. 
Recordkeeping copies of subject, chronological, speech, and meeting 
files are proposed for permanent retention.
    6. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (N1-
59-03-7, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Routine correspondence and 
inquiries received by the Office of Defense Trade Controls. Records do 
not relate to specific arms export cases.
    7. Department of State, Secretariat Staff (N1-59-03-8, 2 items, 1 
temporary item). Logs and registers of retired records, telegrams, and 
memorandums for the 1950s and 1960s. Lists of memorandums of 
conversation with high level Soviet officials and lists of high level 
correspondence are proposed for permanent retention.
    8. Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser (N1-59-03-9, 1 
item, 1 temporary item). Standard Forms 95, Claim for Damage, Injury, 
or Death, accumulated in connection with claims stemming from the 
bombing of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
    9. Department of the Treasury, Departmental Offices (N1-56-03-10, 
41 items, 29 temporary items). Records common to Departmental Offices. 
Included are such records as program, subject, and correspondence files 
maintained at or below the Deputy Assistant Secretary level, 
chronological reading files, copies of weekly reports submitted to high 
level officials, working papers and background materials relating to 
orders and directives, routine or informal publications, calendars and 
daily schedules, telephone logs, records that publicize activities not 
related to the agency's mission, and routine administrative records 
accumulated by committees and task forces. Also included are electronic 
copies of records created using electronic mail and word processing. 
Proposed for permanent retention are recordkeeping copies of such 
records as program, subject, and correspondences files maintained by an 
Under Secretary, Assistant Secretary, or the General Counsel, weekly 
reports to the Secretary submitted by an Under Secretary, Assistant 
Secretary, or the General Counsel, orders and directives, publications, 
studies, and reports, press releases, speeches made by high level 
officials, still pictures, sound and video recordings, posters, and 
minutes, agendas, and other official records of agency-sponsored 
committees and task forces.
    10. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control 
(N1-56-03-11, 4 items, 4 temporary items). Financial transaction files 
that document routine compliance actions and activities that do not 
require the creation of a project or case file. This schedule also 
reduces the retention period for one-time license authorities to 
release funds and inquiries requesting information on agency 
regulations, which were previously approved for disposal.
    11. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Prevention, 
Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (N1-412-01-12, 2 items, 2 temporary 
items). Certification statements and related correspondence pertaining 
to the importation of materials regulated under the Toxic Substances 
Control Act. Also included are electronic copies of records created 
using electronic mail and word processing.
    12. General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service (N1-
121-03-1, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Records relating to construction 
grants, including grant award documents, requests for the release of 
funds, balance sheets, and close out records. Also included are 
electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing.

    Dated: September 16, 2003.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 03-24164 Filed 9-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P