[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86683-86684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27464]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

[NARA-23-0014; NARA-2024-007]


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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 
publishes notice of certain Federal agency requests for records 
disposition authority (records schedules). We publish notice in the 
Federal Register and on regulations.gov for records schedules in which 
agencies propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct 
agency business. We invite public comments on such records schedules.

DATES: We must receive responses on the schedules listed in this notice 
by January 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES: To view a records schedule in this notice, or submit a 
comment on one, use the following address: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NARA-23-0014/document. This is a direct link to the schedules 
posted in the docket for this notice on regulations.gov. You may submit 
comments by the following method:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
On the website, enter either of the numbers cited at the top of this 
notice into the search field. This will bring you to the docket for 
this notice, in which we have posted the records schedules open for 
comment. Each schedule has a `comment' button so you can comment on 
that specific schedule. For more information on regulations.gov and on 
submitting comments, see their FAQs at https://www.regulations.gov/faq.
    If you are unable to comment via regulations.gov, you may email us 
at [email protected] for instructions on submitting your 
comment. You must cite the control number of the schedule you wish to 
comment on. You can find the control number for each schedule in 
parentheses at the end of each schedule's entry in the list at the end 
of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eddie Germino, Strategy and 
Performance Division, by email at [email protected] or at 
301-837-3758. For information about records schedules, contact Records 
Management Operations by email at [email protected] or by phone 
at 301-837-1799.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Comment Procedures

    We are publishing notice of records schedules in which agencies 
propose to dispose of records they no longer need to conduct agency 
business. We invite public comments on these records schedules, as 
required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a), and list the schedules at the end of 
this notice by agency and subdivision requesting disposition authority.
    In addition, this notice lists the organizational unit(s) 
accumulating the records or states that the schedule has agency-wide 
applicability. It also provides the control number assigned to each 
schedule, which you will need if you submit comments on that schedule. 
We have uploaded the records schedules and accompanying appraisal 
memoranda to the regulations.gov docket for this notice as ``other'' 
documents. Each records schedule contains a full description of the 
records at the file unit level as well as their proposed disposition. 
The appraisal memorandum for the schedule includes information about 
the records.
    We will post comments, including any personal information and 
attachments, to the public docket unchanged. Because comments are 
public, you are responsible for ensuring that you do not include any 
confidential or other information that you or a third party may not 
wish to be publicly posted. If you want to submit a comment with 
confidential information or cannot otherwise use the regulations.gov 
portal, you may contact [email protected] for instructions on 
submitting your comment.
    We will consider all comments submitted by the posted deadline and 
consult as needed with the Federal agency seeking the disposition 
authority. After considering comments, we may or may not make changes 
to the proposed records schedule. The schedule is then sent for final 
approval by the Archivist of the United States. After the schedule is 
approved, we will post on regulations.gov a ``Consolidated Reply'' 
summarizing the comments, responding to them, and noting any changes we 
made to the proposed schedule. You may elect at regulations.gov to 
receive updates on the docket, including an alert when we post the 
Consolidated Reply, whether or not you submit a comment. If you have a 
question, you can submit it as a comment, and can also submit any 
concerns or comments you would have to a possible response to the 
question. We will address these items in consolidated replies along 
with any other comments submitted on that schedule.
    We will post schedules on our website in the Records Control 
Schedule (RCS) Repository, at https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/rcs, after the Archivist approves them. The

[[Page 86684]]

RCS contains all schedules approved since 1973.

Background

    Each year, Federal agencies create billions of records. To control 
this accumulation, agency records managers prepare schedules proposing 
retention periods for records and submit these schedules for NARA's 
approval. Once approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory 
instructions on what happens to records when no longer needed for 
current Government business. The records schedules authorize agencies 
to preserve records of continuing value in the National Archives or to 
destroy, after a specified period, records lacking continuing 
administrative, legal, research, or other value. 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.
    Agencies may not destroy Federal records without the approval of 
the Archivist of the United States. The Archivist grants this approval 
only after thorough consideration of the records' administrative use by 
the agency of origin, the rights of the Government and of private 
people directly affected by the Government's activities, and whether or 
not the records have historical or other value. Public review and 
comment on these records schedules is part of the Archivist's 
consideration process.

Schedules Pending

    1. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Modified 
Employee Plans Exempt Organization Determinations System (DAA-0058-
2022-0004).

Laurence Brewer,
Chief Records Officer for the U.S. Government.
[FR Doc. 2023-27464 Filed 12-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7515-01-P