64 FR 13234
(3/17/99)

System name:

Claims

System location:

Commissioner's Office, Reclamation Service Center, and Regional Offices: Pacific Northwest, Mid-Pacific, Lower Colorado, Upper Colorado, and Great Plains. See appendix for addresses.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:

Individuals who have filed tort, employee, or appropriation act claims, and claims under the Teton Dam Disaster Assistance Act.

Categories of records in the system:

Records include claims and supporting documents submitted, information developed during investigations of claims, and final disposition.

Authority for maintenance of the system:

Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. 2671-2680; Military Personnel and Civilian Employees' Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3701, 3721; Public Works for Water and Power Development and Energy Research Appropriation Act, 1977, Public Law 94-355, 90 Stat. 889; Teton Dam Disaster Assistance Act, Public Law 94-400, 90 Stat. 1211; Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1977, Public Law 94-438, 90 Stat. 1415; and annual Energy and Water Development Appropriation Acts.

Purpose(s):

For settlement of damages relating to tort and non-tortious claims and for loss or damage to employee's personal property resulting from activities of Reclamation.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

The primary uses of the records are to establish the facts and circumstances of each claim, compile statistical data, and evaluate claims.

Disclosures outside the Department of the Interior may be made: (1) To the Department of Justice when related to litigation or anticipated litigation; (2) of information indicating a violation or potential violation of a statute, regulation, rule, order, or license to appropriate Federal, State, local, or foreign agencies responsible for investigating or prosecuting the violation or for enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation, order, or license; (3) from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from a congressional office made at the request of that individual; (4) where relevant or necessary to the hiring or retention of an employee, or the issuance of a security clearance, license, contract, grant, or other benefit, information may be disclosed: (a) To a Federal agency that has requested the information, or (b) to a Federal, State, or local agency to enable the Department of the Interior to obtain information from such agency; (5) to the Soil Conservation Service, and Farm Service Agency of the Department of Agriculture (USDA); Federal Emergency Management Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of Housing and Urban Development to assure that benefits to claimants have not been duplicated by the several agencies involved in disaster programs; (6) to the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, and State revenue and taxation departments relative to compensation for loss of salary or income; (7) to the Small Business Administration, Farm Service Agency, and Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding loans secured through those agencies; and (8) to General Services Administration (GSA) to document problems with GSA contract movers which result in claims against Reclamation.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:

Maintained in manual form in file folders.

Retrievability:

By claimant's name.

Safeguards:

Records are maintained with safeguards in accordance with the requirements of 43 CFR 2.51 for manual records.

Retention and disposal:

In accordance with approved retention and disposal schedules.

System manager(s) and address:

Claims Officers in the Reclamation Service Center, Commissioner's Office, and Regional Offices: Pacific Northwest, Mid-Pacific, Lower Colorado, Upper Colorado, and Great Plains. See appendix for addresses.

Notification procedure:

Inquiries regarding the existence of a record(s) should be addressed to the System Manager at the appropriate address listed in the appendix. See 43 CFR 2.60.

Record access procedures:

Same as Notification above. See 43 CFR 2.63.

Contesting record procedures:

Written petitions for amendment should be sent to the System Manager at the appropriate address listed in the appendix. See 43 CFR 2.71.

Record source categories:

Claimants. Investigations conducted by Reclamation officials and contractors, officials of the Department of the Interior, and State and local governments.