[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]                         





Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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