[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75016-75019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24075]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[DOI-2022-0006; PWOVPADW0 PPMPRLE1Y.Y00000]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a new system of records.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as 
amended, the Department of the Interior (DOI) is issuing a public 
notice of its intent to create the National Park Service (NPS) Privacy 
Act system of records, INTERIOR/NPS-34, Backcountry and Wilderness Use 
Permit System. The system processes applications for permits from 
individual members of the public, organizations, and other business 
entities interested in obtaining permits authorizing access to and use 
of backcountry and wilderness areas within the National Park System. 
This new system will be included in DOI's inventory of record systems.

DATES: This new system will be effective upon publication. New routine 
uses will be effective December 1, 2023. Submit comments on or before 
December 1, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments identified by docket number [DOI-2022-
0006] by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for sending comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
[DOI-2022-0006] in the subject line of the message.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Teri Barnett, Departmental 
Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, 
Room 7112, Washington, DC 20240.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number [DOI-2022-0006]. All comments received will be posted 
without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Felix Uribe, Associate Privacy 
Officer, National Park Service, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 
20192, [email protected] or (202) 354-6925.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    NPS is establishing the system of records for the INTERIOR/NPS-34, 
Backcountry and Wilderness Use Permit System. The system processes 
applications for permits from members of the public, organizations, and 
other business entities interested in obtaining permits authorizing 
access to and use of backcountry and wilderness areas within the 
National Park System. The system also assists park staff with visitors' 
education, trip planning, fee collection, resource management and 
protection, wilderness stewardship, outdoor ethics, recreational use 
planning, law enforcement activities, and public safety, including 
preventative search and rescue; provides permit holders and 
participants with information about parks and their partners; 
identifies permitted trip itineraries; and provides reports of 
activities conducted under an issued permit.
    In accordance with its legal authorities, NPS may share information 
with Federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies for search and rescue 
and law enforcement activities, and status of permits to ensure 
compliance with all applicable permitting requirements and terms of 
other official agreements. To the extent permitted by law, information 
may be shared with other agencies and organizations as authorized and 
compatible with the purpose of this system, or when proper and 
necessary, consistent with the routine uses set forth in this system of 
records notice (SORN).

[[Page 75017]]

II. Privacy Act

    The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, embodies fair information 
practice principles in a statutory framework governing the means by 
which Federal agencies collect, maintain, use, and disseminate 
individuals' records. The Privacy Act applies to records about 
individuals that are maintained in a ``system of records.'' A system of 
records is a group of any records under the control of an agency from 
which information is retrieved by the name of an individual or by some 
identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particulars assigned 
to the individual. The Privacy Act defines an individual as a United 
States citizen or lawful permanent resident. Individuals may request 
access to their own records that are maintained in a system of records 
in the possession or under the control of DOI by complying with DOI 
Privacy Act regulations at 43 CFR part 2, subpart K, and following the 
procedures outlined in the Records Access, Contesting Record, and 
Notification Procedures sections of this notice.
    The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in the Federal 
Register a description denoting the existence and character of each 
system of records that the agency maintains and the routine uses of 
each system. The INTERIOR/NPS-34, Backcountry and Wilderness Use Permit 
System, SORN is published in its entirety below. In accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552a(r), DOI has provided a report of this system of records to 
the Office of Management and Budget and to Congress.

III. Public Participation

    You should be aware your entire comment including your personally 
identifiable information, such as your address, phone number, email 
address, or any other personal information in your comment, may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you may request to withhold your 
personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee we will be able to do so.

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    INTERIOR/NPS-34, Backcountry and Wilderness Use Permit System.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Visitor Resource and Protection Directorate, National Park Service, 
1849 C Street NW, Room 2462, Washington, DC 20040. Records are also 
located at the parks responsible for issuing backcountry and wilderness 
use permits. A current listing of park offices may be obtained by 
visiting the NPS website at https://www.nps.gov or by contacting the 
System Manager below.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    Chief of Wilderness Stewardship, Visitor and Resource Protection 
Directorate, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Room 2462, 
Washington, DC 20240.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    Title 54 U.S.C. Subtitle 1, National Park System; 16 U.S.C 1131-
1136, Wilderness Act; 16 U.S.C 6801-6814, Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act; 36 CFR part 71, Recreation Fees; 36 CFR 1.6, Permits; 
36 CFR 2.10, Camping; 36 CFR 2.23, Recreation Fees; and 36 CFR part 13, 
NPS Units in Alaska.

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    The purposes of the system are to:
    (1) Assist park staff with visitors' education, trip planning, fee 
collection, resource management and protection, wilderness stewardship, 
outdoor ethics, recreational use planning, trip itineraries, and law 
enforcement and public safety activities, including preventative search 
and rescue;
    (2) Establish and verify applicants' eligibility and process 
applications from members of the public and organizations interested in 
obtaining a permit for authorized activities within the NPS;
    (3) Provide permit holders, participants and members of the public 
with permit-related information and information about parks and 
partners;
    (4) Monitor activities conducted under a permit and analyze data, 
produce reports to manage the use of park resources, generate budget 
estimates and track performance, and evaluate the effectiveness of the 
permit programs to meet reporting requirements of the DOI and NPS; and
    (5) Assess the impact of permitted activities on the conservation 
and management natural and cultural resources, including protected 
species and their habitats and preservation of wilderness character.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Individuals covered by the system include members of the public and 
organizations submitting a permit application, and NPS employees 
responsible for processing applications for permits, applicants of 
permits, and holders of permits. This system contains records 
concerning corporations and other business entities, which are not 
subject to the Privacy Act. However, records pertaining to individuals 
acting on behalf of corporations and other business entities may 
reflect personal information.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    The system contains backcountry and wilderness permit applications 
and permits for authorized activities in national parks and may include 
applicant information such as name, address and country, email, home 
phone number, personal mobile number, work phone number, park pass 
number, group/organization type, permit request number, permit number; 
type and location of backcountry and wilderness use requested; method 
of travel; mode of transportation such as vehicle, aircraft, 
watercraft, snowmobile, and off-road vehicle information including 
make, model, and color, state of issuance and license plate number; 
parking and launch locations; aircraft Registration N-number and 
watercraft Hull Registration number; equipment information; itinerary 
details such as dates, use area or location, trailhead and/or 
campground/trail name or code, number of campsites, trip length, and 
group size; payment information such as credit card number, credit card 
expiration date, and amount authorized. Other records also include 
information pertaining to general administrative processing and review 
of an application, and the monitoring of activities under the issued 
permit.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Records in the system are obtained from applicants and permit 
holders of backcountry and wilderness permits.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or 
information contained in this system may be disclosed outside DOI as a 
routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    A. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), including Offices of the 
U.S. Attorneys, or other Federal agency conducting litigation or in 
proceedings before any court, adjudicative, or administrative body, 
when it is relevant or necessary to the litigation and one of the 
following is a party to the litigation or has an interest in such 
litigation:
    (1) DOI or any component of DOI;
    (2) Any other Federal agency appearing before the Office of 
Hearings and Appeals;

[[Page 75018]]

    (3) Any DOI employee or former employee acting in his or her 
official capacity;
    (4) Any DOI employee or former employee acting in his or her 
individual capacity when DOI or DOJ has agreed to represent that 
employee or pay for private representation of the employee; or
    (5) The United States Government or any agency thereof, when DOJ 
determines that DOI is likely to be affected by the proceeding.
    B. To a congressional office when requesting information on behalf 
of, and at the request of, the individual who is the subject of the 
record.
    C. To the Executive Office of the President in response to an 
inquiry from that office made at the request of the subject of a record 
or a third party on that person's behalf, or for a purpose compatible 
with the reason for which the records are collected or maintained.
    D. To any criminal, civil, or regulatory law enforcement authority 
(whether Federal, state, territorial, local, tribal or foreign) when a 
record, either alone or in conjunction with other information, 
indicates a violation or potential violation of law--criminal, civil, 
or regulatory in nature, and the disclosure is compatible with the 
purpose for which the records were compiled.
    E. To an official of another Federal agency to provide information 
needed in the performance of official duties related to reconciling or 
reconstructing data files or to enable that agency to respond to an 
inquiry by the individual to whom the record pertains.
    F. To Federal, state, territorial, local, tribal, or foreign 
agencies that have requested information relevant or necessary to the 
hiring, firing or retention of an employee or contractor, or the 
issuance of a security clearance, license, contract, grant or other 
benefit, when the disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which 
the records were compiled.
    G. To representatives of the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA) to conduct records management inspections under 
the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
    H. To state, territorial and local governments and tribal 
organizations to provide information needed in response to court order 
and/or discovery purposes related to litigation, when the disclosure is 
compatible with the purpose for which the records were compiled.
    I. To an expert, consultant, grantee, shared service provider, or 
contractor (including employees of the contractor) of DOI that performs 
services requiring access to these records on DOI's behalf to carry out 
the purposes of the system.
    J. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when:
    (1) DOI suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of 
the system of records;
    (2) DOI has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, DOI (including 
its information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal 
Government, or national security; and
    (3) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and persons is 
reasonably necessary to assist in connection with DOI's efforts to 
respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, 
or remedy such harm.
    K. To another Federal agency or Federal entity, when DOI determines 
that information from this system of records is reasonably necessary to 
assist the recipient agency or entity in:
    (1) responding to a suspected or confirmed breach; or
    (2) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to 
individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its information 
systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national 
security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.
    L. To the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during the 
coordination and clearance process in connection with legislative 
affairs as mandated by OMB Circular A-19.
    M. To the Department of the Treasury to recover debts owed to the 
United States.
    N. To the news media and the public, with the approval of the 
Public Affairs Officer in consultation with counsel and the Senior 
Agency Official for Privacy, where there exists a legitimate public 
interest in the disclosure of the information, except to the extent it 
is determined that release of the specific information in the context 
of a particular case would constitute an unwarranted invasion of 
personal privacy.
    O. To Federal, state, local, and tribal jurisdictions and agencies 
for the purpose of disclosing emergency contact information related to 
search and rescue efforts and coordinated law enforcement activities.
    P. To Federal, state, local and tribal natural resource, recreation 
and land management jurisdictions, agencies, and organizations for the 
purpose of monitoring backcountry and wilderness visitor use 
activities, locations, and statistics, and disclosing information on 
permits granted in compliance with all applicable permitting 
requirements.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Paper records are stored in file folders stored within filing 
cabinets. Electronic records are maintained in computers, computer 
databases, email, and electronic media such as removable hard drives, 
magnetic disks, compact discs, and computer tapes.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    Records in this system are retrieved by various fields including 
the first name, last name, permit request number, permit number, email 
address, phone number, license plate number, use area and date, 
organization, and zip code.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    Records in this system are retained in accordance with the NPS 
Records Schedule Resource Management and Lands (Item 1), which has been 
approved by NARA (Job No. N1-79-08-1). The disposition for routine 
visitor use, resource management and land records are temporary and are 
destroyed or deleted 3 years after closure. Approved destruction 
methods for temporary records that have met their retention period 
include shredding or pulping paper records and erasing or degaussing 
electronic records in accordance with NARA guidelines and Departmental 
policy.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    The records contained in this system are safeguarded in accordance 
with 43 CFR 2.226 and other applicable security and privacy rules and 
policies. During normal hours of operation, paper records are 
maintained in locked file cabinets under the control of authorized 
personnel. Computer servers on which electronic records are stored and 
located in secured DOI controlled facilities with physical, technical 
and administrative levels of security to prevent unauthorized access to 
the DOI network and information assets. Access granted to authorized 
personnel is password-protected, and each person granted access to the 
system must be individually authorized to use the system. A Privacy Act 
Warning Notice appears on computer monitor screens when records 
containing information on individuals are first displayed. Data 
exchanged between the servers and the system is encrypted. Backup tapes 
are encrypted and stored in a locked and

[[Page 75019]]

controlled room in a secure, off-site location.
    Computerized records systems follow the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology privacy and security standards as developed to 
comply with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a; 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.; Federal 
Information Security Modernization Act of 2014, 44 U.S.C. 3551 et seq.; 
and the Federal Information Processing Standards 199: Standards for 
Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems. 
Security controls include user identification, passwords, database 
permissions, encryption, firewalls, audit logs, and network system 
security monitoring, and software controls.
    Access to records in the system is limited to authorized personnel 
who have a need to access the records in the performance of their 
official duties, and each user's access is restricted to only the 
functions and data necessary to perform that person's job 
responsibilities. System administrators and authorized users are 
trained and required to follow established internal security protocols 
and must complete all security, privacy, and records management 
training and sign the DOI Rules of Behavior. Privacy Impact Assessments 
were conducted to ensure that Privacy Act requirements are met and 
appropriate privacy controls were implemented to safeguard the 
personally identifiable information contained in the system.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting access to their records should send a 
written inquiry to the applicable System Manager identified above. DOI 
forms and instructions for submitting a Privacy Act request may be 
obtained from the DOI Privacy Act Requests website at https://www.doi.gov/privacy/privacy-act-requests. The request must include a 
general description of the records sought and the requester's full 
name, current address, and sufficient identifying information such as 
date of birth or other information required for verification of the 
requestor's identity. The request must be signed and dated and be 
either notarized or submitted under penalty of perjury in accordance 
with 28 U.S.C. 1746. Requests submitted by mail must be clearly marked 
``PRIVACY ACT REQUEST FOR ACCESS'' on both the envelope and letter. A 
request for access must meet the requirements of 43 CFR 2.238.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting amendment of their records should send a 
written request to the applicable System Manager as identified above. 
DOI instructions for submitting a request for amendment of records are 
available on the DOI Privacy Act Requests website at https://www.doi.gov/privacy/privacy-act-requests. The request must clearly 
identify the records for which amendment is being sought, the reasons 
for requesting the amendment, and the proposed amendment to the record. 
The request must include the requester's full name, current address, 
and sufficient identifying information such as date of birth or other 
information required for verification of the requestor's identity. The 
request must be signed and dated and be either notarized or submitted 
under penalty of perjury in accordance with 28 U.S.C. 1746. Requests 
submitted by mail must be clearly marked ``PRIVACY ACT REQUEST FOR 
AMENDMENT'' on both the envelope and letter. A request for amendment 
must meet the requirements of 43 CFR 2.246.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting notification of the existence of records 
about them should send a written inquiry to the applicable System 
Manager as identified above. DOI instructions for submitting a request 
for notification are available on the DOI Privacy Act Requests website 
at https://www.doi.gov/privacy/privacy-act-requests. The request must 
include a general description of the records and the requester's full 
name, current address, and sufficient identifying information such as 
date of birth or other information required for verification of the 
requestor's identity. The request must be signed and dated and be 
either notarized or submitted under penalty of perjury in accordance 
with 28 U.S.C. 1746. Requests submitted by mail must be clearly marked 
``PRIVACY ACT INQUIRY'' on both the envelope and letter. A request for 
notification must meet the requirements of 43 CFR 2.235.

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    None.

Teri Barnett,
Departmental Privacy Officer, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2023-24075 Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P