[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48277-48278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24212]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5888-3]
Privacy Act of 1974; Research Grant, Cooperative Agreement, and
Fellowship Application Files System of Records
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed new Privacy Act system of records.
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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
publishing a notice for public comment on a system of records subject
to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a. This system is entitled
``Research Grant, Cooperative Agreement, and Fellowship Application
Files.'' Additional information on this system is described in the
Supplementary Information section of this notice.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This proposed action will be effective, without further
notice on October 27, 1997, unless comments are received which result
in a contrary determination.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Director, National Center
for Environmental Research and Quality Assurance (Mail Code 8701), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert E. Menzer, Senior Science
Advisor, National Center for Environmental Research and Quality
Assurance (Mail Code 8701), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M
St., SW, Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 260-5779.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this system of records is to
assist EPA in conducting and documenting the receipt and review of
applications and awards of research grants to the most meritorious
applicants in response to solicitations issued by the Office of
Research and Development in furtherance of its Science to Achieve
Results (STAR) program. The system includes application files and
computer-generated records developed in connection with the review and
decision process for awarding grants under the terms of the Federal
Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977, 41 U.S.C. 501 et seq.
Application files are comprised of (1) the submitted application, which
includes the names and resumes of proposed investigators, (2) peer
reviewers' comments on the application, and (3) documentation of the
decision process on the application. Computer-generated records include
data regarding the administrative management of the application in the
peer review process.
This system of records contains records retrieved by the names of
the grant principal investigators, universities, not-for-profit
research organizations, and other organizations. Only information
retrieved by the names of individuals is covered by this Privacy Act
notice.
Dated: August 28, 1997.
Alvin M. Pesachowitz,
Acting Assistant Adminstrator for Administration and Resources
Management and Chief Information Officer.
EPA-36
SYSTEM NAME:
Research Grant, Cooperative Agreement, and Fellowship Application
Files System of Records, EPA/ORD.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
None.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
National Center for Environmental Research and Quality Assurance,
Office of Research and Development, Waterside Mall, 401 M St., SW,
Washington, DC 20460.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Individuals (principal investigators) who request or have
previously requested support from the ORD research grants programs of
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, either individually or
through an academic or other institution.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
The names of the principal investigators, the proposals and their
identifying numbers, supporting data from the academic institutions or
other applicants, proposal evaluations from peer reviewers, review
records, financial data, and other material related to evaluation of
applications.
authority for maintenance of the system:
44 U.S.C. 3101; Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act, 41
U.S.C. 501 et seq.; the Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 1857 et
seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C.
1254 et seq.; the Public Health Service Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 241
et seq.; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.; the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended, 7
U.S.C. 136 et seq.; and the Grant Act, 42 U.S.C. 1891 et seq.
PURPOSE(S):
The purpose of this system of records is to assist EPA in
conducting and documenting the receipt and review of applications and
award of research grants to the most meritorious applicants in response
to solicitations issued by the Office of Research and Development in
furtherance of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
Disclosure of information from this system of records may be made
as follows:
1. To a Member of Congress or a congressional office from the
record of an individual in response to an inquiry from that Member or
office made at the request of the individual to whom the record
pertains.
2. To Federal contractors, grantees, volunteers, and other
individuals who have been engaged to assist the Federal Government in
the performance of a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other
activity related to this system of records and who need to have access
to the records in order to perform that activity.
3. To a Federal agency which has requested information relevant to
its decision in connection with the hiring or retention of an employee;
the reporting of an investigation on an employee; the letting of a
contract; or the issuance of a security clearance, license, grant, or
other benefit.
4. To a Federal, State, or local agency where necessary to enable
EPA to obtain information relevant to an EPA decision concerning the
hiring or retention of an employee; the letting of a contract; or the
issuance of a security clearance, license, grant, or other benefit.
5. To an appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign agency
responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or implementing
a statute, rule, regulation, or order, where there is an indication of
a violation or potential violation of the statute, rule, regulation, or
order and the information disclosed is relevant to the matter.
[[Page 48278]]
6. To the Department of Justice to the extent that each disclosure
is compatible with the purpose for which the record was collected and
is relevant and necessary to litigation or anticipated litigation in
which one of the following is a party or has an interest: (a) EPA or
any of its components, (b) an EPA employee in his or her official
capacity, (c) an EPA employee in his or her individual capacity where
the Department of Justice is representing or considering representation
of the employee, or (d) the United States where EPA determines that the
litigation is likely to affect the agency.
7. In a proceeding before a court, other adjudicative body or grand
jury, or in an administrative or regulatory proceeding, to the extent
that each disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the
record was collected and is relevant and necessary to the proceeding in
which one of the following is a party or has an interest: (a) EPA or
any of its components, (b) an EPA employee in his or her official
capacity, (c) an EPA employee in his or her individual capacity where
the Department of Justice is representing or considering representation
of the employee, or (d) the United States where EPA determines that the
litigation is likely to affect the agency. Such disclosures include,
but are not limited to, those made in the course of presenting
evidence, conducting settlement negotiations, and responding to
subpoenas and requests for discovery.
8. To representatives of the General Services Administration and
the National Archives and Records Administration who are conducting
records management inspections under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904
and 2906.
9. To qualified reviewers for their opinion and evaluation of
applicants and their proposals as part of the application review
process.
10. To other Federal government agencies and private-sector
organizations regarding applicants or nominees in order to coordinate
joint programs between Federal agencies, State or local government
agencies, and/or private-sector organizations.
11. To the applicant institution for purposes of obtaining data
regarding the application review process or award decisions, or
administering grant awards.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING,
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
Various parts of the system are maintained on computer and/or in
hard copy files.
RETRIEVABILITY:
Information is retrieved by the name of the principal investigator.
Computer files may also be retrieved by various data elements in the
database.
SAFEGUARDS:
All records are maintained in secured areas with restricted access
or are accessed by unique passwords or log-in procedures. Only EPA
personnel and agency contractors with a need-to-know in order to
perform their duties may access the information.
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
Files are maintained in accordance with approved record retention
schedules. Awarded proposals are transferred to the Federal Records
Center one year after closeout where they are retained for an
additional six years. Declined proposals are destroyed three years
after they are declined.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
Director, Peer Review Division, National Center for Environmental
Research and Quality Assurance Mail (Code 8725), USEPA, 401 M St., SW,
Washington, DC 20460.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
Contact the system manager at the above address. You may be
required to provide information to verify your identity.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE:
Same as ``Notification Procedure,'' above. In addition, please
specify the record you wish to access.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Same as ``Notification Procedure,'' above. In addition, please
specify the record you wish corrected, the requested correction, and
justification for the correction.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Information is obtained from the principal investigators, academic
institutions or other applicants, peer reviewers, and EPA and other
Federal agency personnel.
SYSTEMS EXEMPTED FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:
The portions of this system consisting of investigatory material
which would identify persons providing evaluations of EPA grant
applicants and applications have been exempted pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
552a(k)(5). Regulations exempting this system from certain provisions
of the Privacy Act will be published separately in the Federal Register
in accordance with the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c), and (e).
[FR Doc. 97-24212 Filed 9-12-97; 8:45 am]
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