WBR-12 Inventions and Patents

65 FR 40894, July 28, 1999; Modification published 73 FR 20949, April 17, 2008

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Revisions to Existing System of Records

AGENCY:  Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION:  Proposed revisions to an existing system of records.
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SUMMARY:  Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), the Department of the Interior is issuing public notice of its intent to amend the existing system of records managed by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) entitled “Inventions and Patents, LBR-12.”

The notice is published in its entirety below.

DATES:  Persons wishing to comment on the proposed revisions must do so by August 27, 1999.

Effective date:  The proposed revised system of records will become effective without further notice on September 7, 1999, unless comments received result in a contrary determination. Reclamation will publish a new notice if changes are made based on review of comments received.

ADDRESSES:  Interested individuals may comment on this publication by writing to the Reclamation Privacy Act Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, Denver, Colorado 80225-0007, or comments may be sent by facsimile transmission to fax No. 1-800-822-7651. Comments will be available for inspection at the Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Federal 
Center, Sixth Avenue and Kipling Street, Building 67, Room 112, Denver, Colorado, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  For information regarding “Inventions and Patents, WBR-12” contact Ms. Lisa Henthrone, Research Program Coordinator, Research Office, at (303) 445-2136. For general information regarding Reclamation’s Privacy Act program, call Mr. Casey Snyder at (303) 445-2048.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Recent Privacy Act Compilations list this system of records as Reclamation-12. When originally published in the Federal Register this system of records was identified as LBR-12. The content of the system of records is the same; the prefix on the system was changed to reflect organizational changes.

This system of records notice was previously published in the Federal Register on April 11, 1977 (42 FR 19098). This publication revises the system location; increases the categories of records in the system to include home address and telephone number, date of birth, and social security number; a purpose has been added which was not included in the original notice; and the system managers and addresses have been updated. All other changes proposed are editorial in nature.

Rayleen Cruz,
Manager, Property and Facilities Group.

INTERIOR/WBR-12

SYSTEM NAME:
Inventions and Patents.

SYSTEM LOCATION:

• (1)  Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: W-6700, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240; and
• (2)  Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: D-6700, PO Box 25007, Denver, CO 80225-0007.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) employees who have been granted patents or who are seeking patents.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Contains name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security number, and organizational segment of the inventor. Contains a thorough description and/or drawings of invention in original application for patent.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
5 U.S.C. 3101, 43 U.S.C. 373, 373a, 1457, 44 U.S.C. 3101.

PURPOSE(S):
The purpose of maintaining this system of records for the Bureau of Reclamation is to have a retrievable system of information for pending patents and patents that have been secured (granted). When the patents are submitted to the U.S. Patent Office, the first monetary award is granted to the inventor. Once the patent is granted, the second monetary award is granted along with the patent certificate. The patent is awarded for a certain amount of years and must be renewed before it expires, if deemed necessary, by the inventor/Reclamation. The records must be maintained on a continual basis for these purposes.

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 administer internal program for determining rights of employee to invention and status of securing patent for invention. Disclosures outside the Department of the Interior (Department) may be made to: 

• (1)  Another Federal agency to enable that agency to respond to an inquiry by the individual to whom the record pertains; 
• (2)  The Department of Justice, or to a court, adjudicative, or other administrative body, or to a party in litigation before a court or adjudicative or administrative body, when: 
  • (a)  One of the following is a party to the proceeding or has an interest in the proceeding: 
    • (i)  The Department or any component of the Department; 
    • (ii)  Any Departmental employee acting in his or her official capacity; 
    • (iii)  Any Departmental employee acting in his or her individual capacity where the Department or the Department of Justice has agreed to represent the employee; or 
    • (iv)  The United States, when the Department determines that the Department is likely to be affected by the proceeding; and 
  • (b)  The Department deems the disclosure to be: 
    • (i)  Relevant and necessary to the proceedings; and 
    • (ii)  Compatible with the purpose for which we compiled the information; 
• (3)  The appropriate Federal, State, tribal, local, or foreign governmental agency that is responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or implementing a statute, rule, regulation, order, or license, when we become aware of an indication of a violation or potential violation of the statute, rule, regulation, order, or license; 
• (4)  A congressional office in response to an inquiry to that office by the individual to whom the records pertain; and
• (5)  To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when: 
  • (a)  It is suspected or confirmed that the security or confidentiality of information in the  system of records has been compromised; and 
  • (b)  Reclamation has determined that as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property interest, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or integrity of this system or other systems or programs (whether maintained by Reclamation or another agency or entity) that rely upon the compromised information; and 
  • (c)  The disclosure is made to such agencies, entities and persons who are reasonably necessary to assist in connection with Reclamation’s efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

STORAGE:
Files maintained in manual form in file folders.

RETRIEVABILITY:
By name.

SAFEGUARDS:
Maintained with safeguards meeting the requirements of 43 CFR 2.51.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
In accordance with approved retention and disposal schedules.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:

• (1)  Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: W-6700, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240; and 
• (2)  Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: D-6700, PO Box 25007, Denver, CO 80225-0007.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
Inquiries regarding the existence of records should be addressed to the System Manager. The request must be in writing, signed by the requester, and meet the content requirements of 43 CFR 2.60.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
A request for access may be addressed to the System Manager. The request must be in writing, signed by the requester, and meet the content requirements of 43 CFR 2.63.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
A petition for amendment should be addressed to the System Manager. The request must be in writing, signed by the requester, and meet the content requirements of 43 CFR 2.71.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Individual on whom the records are maintained