[Federal Register: June 20, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 119)]
[Notices]
[Page 41951]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jn02-39]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 41951]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Internal File No. 3000-2]
Office of the Chief Information Officer; Notice of Availability
of USDA Information Quality Guidelines
AGENCY: Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 515 of the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554,
H.R. 5618) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines issued
at 66 FR 49718, 67 FR 8452, and 67 FR 9797, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has developed draft information quality guidelines to
ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility and integrity of
information it disseminates and administrative mechanisms for affected
persons to seek and obtain appropriate correction of that information.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be submitted by July 15, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Dr. Bette Fugitt, eGovernment, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
Comments may also be sent to Dr. Fugitt by fax at (202) 205-2831 or by
e-mail at Bette.Fugitt@usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Bette Fugitt, eGovernment Office
of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
Telephone (202) 720-8020.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB has issued government-wide guidelines
for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and
integrity of information disseminated by Federal agencies. Congress
directed OMB to issue guidelines in section 515 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law
106-554). OMB published its guidelines in the Federal Register on
September 28, 2001 at 66 FR 49718-49725 and updated the guidelines on
February 22, 2002 at 67 FR 8452-8460 and on March 4, 2002 at 67 FR
9797.
OMB's guidelines require Federal agencies subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) to: (1) Issue information quality
guidelines for the information disseminated by the agency; (2)
establish administrative mechanisms allowing affected persons to seek
and obtain correction of information dissemination by the agency on or
after October 1, 2002 that does not comply with OMB or agency
guidelines; and (3) annually report to OMB the number and nature of
complaints received by the agency regarding agency compliance with OMB
and agency guidelines and how such complaints were resolved.
As the initial step in its development of information quality
guidelines, each Federal agency must prepare a draft report providing
its guidelines and detailing the administrative mechanisms developed by
the agency to allow affected persons to seek and obtain correction of
information disseminated by the agency, and post the draft report on
the agency's website to provide an opportunity for public comment. As
provided for in OMB's guidelines implementing Section 515, USDA is
publishing this notice of availability of its draft quality guidelines
in the Federal Register. The Department has posted the draft guidelines
on its website at http://www.egov.usda.gov/ to provide an opportunity
for public comment. Members of the public who do not have Internet
access may request a paper copy of the draft quality guidelines by
contacting the agency as directed above.
We invite comments on all aspects of the guidelines with emphasis
on the following general questions:
1. Are USDA's draft guidelines adequate for ensuring the
objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information it disseminates
as set out in OMB's notices of September 28, 2001 and February 22,
2002?
2. Are USDA's procedures for allowing affected persons to seek and
obtain correction of information appropriate and consistent with OMB
requirements?
Dated: June 13, 2002.
Ira L. Hobbs,
Acting Chief Information Officer, Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 02-15505 Filed 6-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M