[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68426-68428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30342]


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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 
January 22, 2004. 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

[[Page 68427]]

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 the Army, Agency-wide (N1-AU-03-19, 7 items, 4 
temporary items). Counterdrug support program records accumulated in 
offices responsible for providing input to the program. Included are 
such records as input to Governors' state plans, copies of approved 
plans, correspondence, and records relating to personnel matters. Also 
included are electronic copies of documents created using electronic 
mail and word processing. Proposed for permanent retention are 
recordkeeping copies of files relating to counterdrug planning and 
operations accumulated in the offices having primary responsibility for 
administering the counterdrug support program.
    2. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of 
Health (N1-443-03-1, 4 items, 4 temporary items). Paper and electronic 
records relating to funded and unfunded grant awards, including 
applications, review actions, notices, reports, financial records, 
closeout documents, and data used for tracking purposes. Also included 
are electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing. Paper versions of these records were previously approved 
for disposal.
    3. Department of Justice, Professional Responsibility Advisory 
Office (N1-60-04-1, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Case files relating to 
requests from attorneys for advice regarding matters of professional 
responsibility. Included are such records as attorney notes, inquiry 
summary sheets, assignment sheets, and research notes. Also included 
are electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing.
    4. Department of Justice, Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (N1-
60-04-2, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Oversight files used to monitor 
and evaluate the performance of local U.S. Trustees. Included are such 
records as performance reviews, budgets, and monthly reports. Also 
included are electronic copies of records created using electronic mail 
and word processing.
    5. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and 
Explosives (N1-436-03-2, 6 items, 6 temporary items). Inputs, outputs, 
system documentation, and master files associated with the Consolidated 
Gang Database System, an electronic system which is used to track gang 
members, gang-related vehicles and weapons, and gang activity. Also 
included are electronic copies of documents created using electronic 
mail and word processing.
    6. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (N1-257-04-1, 10 
items, 10 temporary items). Records relating to surveys, including such 
files as textual and electronic questionnaires, electronic spreadsheets 
and databases containing survey results, and administrative records. 
Also included are electronic copies of records created using electronic 
mail and word processing.
    7. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint (N1-104-03-13, 4 items, 4 
temporary items). Inputs, outputs, master files, and system 
documentation associated with the Marketing and Customer Information 
Clearinghouse, an electronic system which contains transactional data 
on Mint customers for marketing purposes.
    8. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint (N1-104-03-07, 4 items, 4 
temporary items). Inputs, outputs, master files, and system 
documentation associated with the Unemployment Compensation Processing 
System, an electronic system which is used to process unemployment 
compensation claims. Also included are electronic copies of records 
created using electronic mail and word processing.
    9. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental 
Information (N1-412-03-16, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Software 
programs, master files, and system documentation associated with the 
Facility Registry System, an electronic system which contains a list of 
identification numbers that have been assigned to Federal and non-
Federal facilities subject to environmental regulations or of 
environmental interest, along with addresses and names of these 
facilities.
    10. Federal Election Commission, Office of Alternative Dispute 
Resolution (N1-339-03-2, 4 items, 3 temporary items). Copies of records 
relating to negotiated and mediated settlements, including electronic 
copies of records created using electronic mail and word processing. 
Recordkeeping copies of these files are proposed for permanent 
retention.
    11. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Columbia 
Accident Investigation Board (N1-255-04-1, 16 items, 7 temporary 
items). Paper copies of meeting minutes, presentations, and public mail 
that have been scanned,

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financial records, working files and notes relating to the preparation 
of the Board's final report and its related appendixes, and records 
relating to the Board's Web site, including web content records. Also 
included are electronic copies of records created using electronic mail 
and word processing. Proposed for permanent retention are such records 
as electronic recordkeeping copies of approximately 80,000 documents 
that were gathered during the accident investigation, a database 
containing minutes of Board meetings, audiovisual and paper records 
that document the Board's Congressional and public liaison activities, 
privileged witness testimonies, and the Board's final report and 
related appendixes. Also proposed for permanent retention are 
electronic mail messages that were received by the Board from the 
public as well as scanned images of public comments that were submitted 
in paper form.
    12. National Archives and Records Administration, Agency-wide (N1-
64-04-2, 7 items, 6 temporary items). Special project records relating 
to the Electronic Records Management Initiative. Included are records 
relating to developing guidance and procedures for agencies to use in 
electronic records management, project management files, and 
administrative records. Also included are electronic copies of records 
created using electronic mail and word processing. Proposed for 
permanent retention are recordkeeping copies of files accumulated by 
the agency as Government-wide managing partner in efforts to provide 
tools needed by Federal agencies to manage their electronic records.

    Dated: November 28, 2003.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 03-30342 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P