2011-14932. 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 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 July 15, 2011. 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 Records Management Services (ACNR) using one of the following means:

Mail: NARA (ACNR), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001.

E-mail: [e-mail].

FAX: [phone].

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:

Laurence Brewer, Director, Records Management Services (ACNR), National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. Telephone: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail].

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.

The schedules listed in this notice are media neutral unless specified otherwise. An item in a schedule is media neutral when the disposition instructions may be applied to records regardless of the medium in which the records are created and maintained. Items included in schedules submitted to NARA on or after December 17, 2007, are media neutral unless the item is limited to a specific medium. (See 36 CFR 1225.12(e).)

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, Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (N1-545-11-1, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Master files of an electronic information system containing reports on grain inspection and weighing services performed by the agency.

2. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (N1-567-10-17, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Master files of an electronic information system used to track and manage requests on export license requirements and licenses issued.

3. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (N1-567-11-4, 4 items, 4 temporary items). Master files of an electronic information system containing information on significant events, activities, threats, and law enforcement intelligence, and requests for assistance from other law enforcement agencies.

4. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (N1-567-11-6, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Master files of an electronic information system containing applications for short-term entry of individuals not otherwise eligible, tracking information for admitted individuals, and related correspondence.

5. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (N1-567-11-9, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Master files of an electronic information system containing case management details for employee misconduct investigations and data extracts for reporting purposes.

6. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (N1-65-11-3, 3 items, 2 temporary items). Records relating to system queries of a repository of Internet data collected in support of investigations. Proposed for permanent retention is the master file repository.

7. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DAA-0059-2011-0005, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Records of the Research and Development Branch, including security product certification and non-certification files.

8. Department of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (N1-59-10-14, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Records of the Office of Regional Security and Policy Affairs, including subject and program files, grants files, and regional forum files.

9. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (DAA-0406-2011-0001, 1 item, 1 temporary item). Records of the Office of Innovative Program Delivery, including major project files.

10. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (N1-399-11-1, 4 items, 2 temporary item). Records of the Office of Chief Counsel, including unpublished regulations, standards, guidelines, and working papers. Proposed for permanent retention are public docket files.

11. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (N1-408-11-10, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Records of the Office of Civil Rights, including civil rights case files.

12. National Archives and Records Administration, Agency-wide (DAA-0064-2011-0003, 3 items, 3 temporary items). Master files of an electronic information system used to track security clearance investigations of agency employees.

13. National Archives and Records Administration, Office of Government Information Services (N1-64-11-1, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Electronic case files and workload reports related to mediation between Freedom of Information Act requestors and Federal agencies.

14. Social Security Administration, Office of Publications and Logistics Management (N1-47-09-5, 2 items, 2 temporary items). Master file of an electronic information system used to maintains a record of applicants for Supplemental Security Income payments and Special Veterans Benefits. Also included are working files used to manage internal workload.

Dated: June 9, 2011.

Sharon G. Thibodeau,

Deputy Assistant Archivist for Records Services—Washington, DC.