NARA (ACRA)
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park MD 20740-6001
request.schedule@nara.gov
fax: 301-837-3698

Public comment on U.S. Department of the Interior Retention Schedules

RE: DAA-0048-2015-0003

I request that you reconsider your approval of the proposed records retention schedule (DAA-0048-2015-0003), relating to the disposition of Department of the Interior records. I am very interested in the research done on the data contained in these records on America’s wild horses & burros, wildlife and resources on our public lands.
I request transfer of ownership to NARA 15 years after cut-off (with the exception being 20 years after cut-off for 0016 – Resources Inventory, Study, Survey and Mapping Files), and that NARA retain all of the records listed below permanently.
Proposed Item DAA-0048-2015-0003:

0013 – Intermediate/Reference Materials for Land Use Activities, Special Land Use Permit Case Files (denied), Wild Horse & Burro Non-Adoptions

RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Adoption Files – WH&B Applications Which Do Not Result in Adoption – Consists of application, screening checklist, and related maps and correspondence.
RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Resource Management Plan (RMP) Files. Plans to guide and control management actions and the development of subsequence, more detailed and limited plans for resources and their use.

0014 – Short Term Land Use Activities and Wild Horse & Burro Operation Records

RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Statistics on Visitors to Service Facilities –
RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Special Land Use Permit Case Files.
RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Adoption Files – WH&B Animal Preparation Case Files Documenting the physical examination, freezemarking, and treatment of animals in preparation for private maintenance by adopters…
RECORDS DECRIPTION: Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Adoption Files – WH&B Animal Shipping Case Files Consists of bill of lading, shipping manifest, vehicle inspections…
RECORDS DESCRIPTION: Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Adoption Files – WH&B Animal Training Facility Case Files Consists of agreements with prisons or other training facility, training evaluation forms, training certificates, daily training record.

0016 – Planning and WH&B Adoptions

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Untitled Adoption Case Files Non-serialized case files documenting approved adoptions for which a request for title was never received. Consists of private maintenance and care agreement, application…compliance record… reports of escape, theft or death of adopted animals…May include additional compliance documentation…
DOCUMENT DECRIPTION: WH&B Titled Adoption Case Files, Individual or Group. Nonsterialized case files documenting adoptions that result in title to the animal being transferred by the BLM to the adopter. Consists of private maintenance and care agreement, application, screening checklist, certificate of title, title eligibility letter, compliance record…correspondence with adopters, reports of escape, theft, or death of adopted animals…

0015 – Land Title, Operations, and Realty

RECORD DESCRIPTION: Airborne Hunting Reports – Annual reports from states… for airborne hunting or harassing of wildlife…

0016 – Planning and WH&B Adoptions

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Resources Inventory, Study, Survey and Mapping Files. Documenting the accumulation, analysis, and interpretation of information about the existence and use of natural resources. Includes natural resource inventories, surveys, studies, appraisals, and the related summary reports and maps… wild horse and burro…

I request transfer of ownership of all records above to NARA 20 years after cut-off, and that NARA retain these records permanently.

In addition, I request that NARA permanently maintain all records regarding wildlife and public lands resources. Please favor transparency when making your final decisions.

Sincerely,

Craig C. Downer

Wild Horse and Burro Fund
P.O. Box 456
Minden, NV 89423