EPA-30

[excerpted from: Federal Register: February 22, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 36)]

System Name: OIG Hotline Allegation System.

System Location: Office of Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System: Persons who report information to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning the possible existence of activities constituting a violation of law, rules, or regulations, mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to the public health or safety, and the subject of the complaints.

Categories of Records in the System: Complainants who report indications of wrongdoing; name and address of the complainant (except for anonymous complainants), date complaint received, program area, nature and subject of complaint, any additional contacts and specific comments provided by the complainant; information on the OIG disposition of the complaint, including investigative case number, preliminary inquiry number, dates of referral, reply, and follow-up, and status and disposition code of the complaint.

Authority for Maintenance of the System (includes any revisions or amendments): Inspector General Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. app. 3; and 5 U.S.C. 301.

Purpose(s): To conduct and supervise OIG audits and investigations relating to programs and operations of the EPA; to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of such programs and operations; and to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in such programs and operations.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories of Users, and the Purposes of Such Uses: General routine uses A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K apply to this system. Records may also be disclosed:

To any source, private or public, to the extent necessary to secure from such source information relevant to a legitimate EPA investigation, audit, decision, or other inquiry.
To a Federal agency responsible for considering suspension or debarment action where such record would be relevant to such action.
To the Department of Justice to obtain its advice on Freedom of Information Act matters.
In response to a lawful subpoena issued by a Federal agency.

Policies and Practices For Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, and Disposing of Records in the System:

Storage: Hard copy files and a computer database.
Retrievability: By case number, complainant or subject name, and subject matter.
Safeguards: Computer records are maintained in a secure, password protected computer system. Paper records are maintained in lockable file cabinets. All records are maintained in secure, access-controlled areas or buildings.
Retention and Disposal: Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with EPA Records Control Schedules, Inspector General Records, approved by the National Archives and Records Administration.

System Manager(s) and Address: Assistant Inspector General for Mission Systems, Office of Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.

Notification Procedures: Any individual who wants to know whether this system of records contains a record about him or her, who wants access to his or her record, or who wants to contest the contents of a record, should make a written request to the System Manager. Requesters will be required to provide adequate identification, such as a driver's license, employee identification card, or other identifying document. Additional identification procedures may be required in some instances.

Access Procedure: To the extent permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), this system has been exempted from the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 that permit access and correction. However, EPA may, in its discretion, fully grant individual requests for access and correction if it determines that the exercise of these rights will not interfere with an interest that the exemption is intended to protect. The exemption from access is limited in some instances by law to information that would reveal the identity of a confidential source.

Contesting Procedure: Requests for correction or amendment must identify the record to be changed and the corrective action sought. Complete EPA Privacy Act procedures are set out in 40 CFR Part 16.

Record Source Categories: Complainants who are employees of EPA; employees of other Federal agencies; employees of state and local agencies; and private citizens. Records in the system come from complainants through the telephone, mail, personal interviews, and Internet Web Site. Because security cannot be guaranteed on the Internet site, complainants are advised that information they provide through the Internet site may not be confidential.

Systems Exempted From Certain Provisions of the Act: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), this system is exempt from the following provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, subject to the limitations set forth in that subsection: 5 U.S.C. 552a (c)(3); (d); (e)(1); (e)(4)(G); (e)(4)(H); and (f)(2) through (5).

EPA-30

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