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EPA Records Schedule 081
Status: Final, 03/31/2009
Title: Public Awareness Files
Program: Public Affairs
Applicability: Agency-wide
Function: 305-109-02-04 - Provide Public Information, Education and Outreach
NARA Disposal Authority:
This schedule authorizes the disposition of the record copy in any media (media neutral), excluding any records already in electronic form. Records designated for permanent retention must be transferred to the National Archives in accordance with NARA standards at the time of transfer.
- N1-412-07-68/14
Description:
Includes records used to produce outreach materials for the public or Congress produced by program and regional offices. Records consist of background papers, talking points, briefings and briefing books, news clippings, biographical information on EPA officials, documents on program activities, reports on program and policy developments, news releases, fact sheets, and other records used in formulating news or press releases. It also includes conference and symposium materials relating to programs, an element of the program, a particular regulation, or an environmental event.
Disposition Instructions:
Item a(1): Official dissemination products - Nonelectronic
Includes documents posted to EPA's Internet News Room by Headquarters and Regional Offices of Public Affairs, including press or news releases, fact sheets, and related documents.
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Permanent
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Close inactive records at end of year.
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Transfer to the National Archives 10 years after file closure.
Item a(2): Official dissemination products - Electronic
Includes documents posted to EPA's Internet News Room by Headquarters and Regional Offices of Public Affairs, including press or news releases, fact sheets, and related documents.
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Permanent
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Close inactive records at end of year.
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Transfer to the National Archives 5 years after file closure, with any related documentation and external finding aids as specified in 36 CFR 1228.270 or standards applicable at the time.
Item a(3): Official dissemination products - Electronic copy of records transferred to the National Archives
Includes documents posted to EPA's Internet News Room by Headquarters and Regional Offices of Public Affairs, including press or news releases, fact sheets, and related documents.
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Disposable
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Close file upon transfer to the National Archives.
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Delete after electronic record copy is successfully transferred to the National Archives.
Item b: Background or working papers
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Disposable
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Close inactive records at end of year.
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Destroy 3 years after file closure.
Guidance:
Staff in the Headquarters Office of Public Affairs electronically distributes the final release and ensures its inclusion in the EPA newsroom database covered by EPA 537.
The retention applies to records produced for or by the headquarters Office of Public Affairs or regional offices of public or external affairs. Informal comments, talking points, and program background materials are frequently forwarded to higher level offices (e.g., Congressional and Legislative Action, Public Affairs) for inclusion in products created for wide distribution. If this is the case, the higher level office is the office of record and is responsible for maintaining and implementing the disposition according to disposition instructions. All other offices may destroy when no longer needed.
Where conference materials, brochures, posters, and other publication items are produced, but not routed through the Office of Public Affairs, see EPA 250. Reports to Congress are addressed in EPA 155 and EPA 309 for information requests and acknowledgments. See EPA 258 for final deliverables and reports. See EPA 535 for public printer files and EPA 254 for communication and distribution strategy files.
Copies incorporated into other files (e.g., briefing books) are to be retained according to the disposition instructions for the records they support. Distribution copies are non-record materials and covered by EPA 008.
Reasons for Disposition:
The following changes were made in the 01/31/2008 version:
- Divided item a into three subitems, a(1)-(3).
- Revised the titles of disposition items a(1)-(3).
- Revised the disposition instruction for item a(3).
Item c for electronic copies created with word processing and electronic mail applications was deleted 08/15/2006 pursuant to NARA Bulletin 2006-04.
The disposition instructions have been rewritten as media neutral to allow for maintaining the record copy in EPA's electronic recordkeeping system. The retention has not changed.
Custodians:
Multiple units
Related Schedules:
EPA 008, EPA 155, EPA 250, EPA 254, EPA 258, EPA 309, EPA 535, EPA 537
Previous NARA Disposal Authority:
NC-412-75-9/12, NC1-412-76-1/I/7 and 8, NC1-412-83-1/III/9, NC1-412-85-19/5 and 6, N1-412-87-5/8, N1-412-94-2/13
Entry: 06/08/1992
EPA Approval: 07/26/2007
NARA Approval: 01/13/2009