[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 65 (Monday, April 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17714-17715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7567]


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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 1 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 May 
20, 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: You may request a copy of any records schedule identified in 
this notice by contacting the Life Cycle Management Division (NWML) 
using one of the following means:

Mail: NARA (NWML), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (301) 837-3698.

    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

[[Page 17715]]

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, Risk Management Agency (N1-258-03-2, 
5 items, 3 temporary items). Background case files for directives and 
bulletins. Also included are electronic copies of records created using 
electronic mail and word processing. Proposed for permanent retention 
are recordkeeping copies of directives and manager's bulletins.
    2. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (N1-370-03-3, 22 items, 21 temporary items). Records of 
the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Included are 
climatological assessments, global precipitation estimates, and 
electronic copies of records created using electronic mail and word 
processing. Also included are data, system documentation, inputs, 
outputs, and backups associated with such systems as the Climate Data 
Assimilation System, the Climate Assessment Database, and the Automated 
Tropical Cyclone Forecast System. Proposed for permanent retention are 
recordkeeping copies of tropical cyclone storm wallets, which contain 
information concerning tropical storms and hurricanes.
    3. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (N1-370-00-4, 34 items, 34 temporary items). Records of 
the National Ocean Service's Center for Operational Oceanographic 
Products and Services. Included are records relating to forecast 
predictions and measurement of water levels, tidal currents, water 
temperature and density, precipitation, and crustal movement, 
documentation identifying and locating bench marks, information systems 
that maintain observational data and provide real-time observations and 
forecasts, and electronic copies of records created using electronic 
mail and word processing.
    4. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security 
Administration (N1-560-04-3, 11 items, 11 temporary items). Records 
relating to screening passengers and baggage. Included are such records 
as screening equipment alarm and testing records, calibration logs, 
shift summary reports, checkpoint rosters and logs, screener schedules, 
audio-visual recordings of baggage and cargo screening areas, imaged 
scans of bags and cargo, routine incident reports, and statistical 
reports. 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 medium.
    5. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (N1-65-
04-3, 5 items, 5 temporary items). Individual security risk assessment 
case files pertaining to individuals with access to select biological 
agents and toxins and a related database. Also included are electronic 
copies of records created using electronic mail and word processing 
applications.
    6. Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, Office of the 
General Counsel (N1-474-04-1, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Outputs, 
master files, and system documentation associated with the General 
Counsel's Tracking System, which tracks the status of litigation cases 
and other legal matters. Also included are electronic copies of records 
created using electronic mail and word processing.
    7. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration 
(N1-237-03-2, 9 items, 9 temporary items). Reports and other records 
relating to inspections of airway navigational equipment and 
facilities. Also included are electronic copies of records created 
using electronic mail and word processing.
    8. Centennial of Flight Commission, Agency-wide (N1-220-04-2, 5 
items, 3 temporary items). Housekeeping and facilitative records 
relating to such matters as travel, exhibit shipping, printing, and 
graphics, technical office copies of contract files, Web site 
administrative records, and electronic copies of records created using 
electronic mail and word processing. Proposed for permanent retention 
are recordkeeping copies of such records as member lists, meeting 
minutes, reports, speeches, press releases, and Web site content files.
    9. National Archives and Records Administration, Policy and 
Communications Staff (N1-64-04-4, 5 items, 5 temporary items). Records 
relating to fund raising activities undertaken to support museum 
programs, including electronic copies of records created using 
electronic mail and word processing.
    10. Small Business Administration, Office of Administrative 
Services (N1-309-04-3, 6 items, 6 temporary items). Outputs, master 
files, backups, and documentation associated with an electronic system 
used for maintaining information concerning approved microloans. Also 
included are electronic copies of documents created using word 
processing and electronic mail.

    Dated: March 26, 2004.
Michael J. Kurtz,
Assistant Archivist for Record Services--Washington, DC.
[FR Doc. 04-7567 Filed 4-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P