Document ID: EPA-HQ-OMS-2020-0365-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Privacy Act; Systems of Records
Posted Date: 2021-12-10T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 235 (Friday, December 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70488-70491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26614]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9214-01-OMS]

Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of Mission Support (OMS), Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA)

ACTION: Notice of a new system of records.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA), Office of 
Human Resources (OHR) is giving notice that it proposes to create a new 
system of records pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 
1974. Human Resources Line of Business (HR LoB) is being created to 
support payroll, human resource (HR) services, eLearning, and data 
analytics. The HR LoB suite of systems is a government shared service 
hosted by the Department of Interior's Interior Business Center (DOI-
IBC) and includes the Federal Personnel Payroll System (FPPS), the 
Workforce Transformation and Tracking System (WTTS)/Entrance on Duty 
(EOD), FedTalent, and Oracle's Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 
(OBIEE).

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this system of records notice must 
do so by January 10, 2022. New routine uses for this new system of 
records will be effective January 10, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OMS-2020-0365, by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    Email: [email protected]. Include the Docket ID number in the 
subject line of the message.
    Fax: 202-566-1752.
    Mail: OMS Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 
2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand Delivery: OMS Docket, EPA/DC, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 
1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are 
only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and 
special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed 
information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OMS-
2020-0365. The EPA policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed 
to be Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or other information 
for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit 
information that you consider to be CUI or otherwise protected through 
https://www.regulations.gov. The https://www.regulations.gov website is 
an ``anonymous access'' system for EPA, which means the EPA will not 
know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the 
body of your comment. Each agency determines submission requirements 
within their own internal processes and standards. EPA has no 
requirement of personal information. If you send an email comment 
directly to the EPA without going through https://www.regulations.gov 
your email address will be automatically captured and included as part 
of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available 
on the internet. If you submit an electronic comment, the EPA 
recommends that you include your name and other contact information in 
the body of your comment. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the 
EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should 
avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be 
free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about the 
EPA public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CUI or other information 
for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, 
such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard 
copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either 
electronically in https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the 
OMS Docket, EPA/DC, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. The Public Reading Room is open from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding legal holidays. 
The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and 
the telephone number for the OMS Docket is (202) 566-1752. Out of an 
abundance of caution for members of the public and our staff, the EPA 
Docket Center and Reading Room are closed to the public, with limited 
exceptions, to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Our Docket 
Center staff will continue to provide remote customer service via 
email, phone, and webform. We encourage the public to submit comments 
via https://www.regulations.gov/ or email, as there may be a delay in 
processing mailand faxes. Hand deliveries and couriers may be received 
by scheduled appointment only. For further information on EPA Docket 
Center services and the current

[[Page 70489]]

status, please visit us online athttps://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lizabeth Engebretson, 
[email protected], 202-564-0804, Director, Human Resource 
Information Systems Management Staff, Office of Human Resources (OHR), 
Office of Mission Support (OMS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA previously used one system (EPA People 
Plus) for payroll, HR systems, and time and attendance. EPA has split 
this system in response to an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
mandate to separate payroll and HR systems from time and attendance. 
EPA will now use a suite of systems hosted by the Department of 
Interior's (DOI) Interior Business Center (IBC) for some payroll 
activities and for processing personnel. EPA continues to use 
PeoplePlus to support time and attendance, which is covered by an 
existing System of Records Notice (PeoplePlus EPA-1). This SORN (HR LoB 
EPA-93) is for EPA's records in the DOI-hosted HR LoB.
    HR LoB is a comprehensive suite of integrated personnel and payroll 
systems used by federal agencies for processing personnel and payroll 
related activities. HR LoB, EPA-93, will cover EPA records in:
     Workforce Transformation and Tracking System and Entrance 
on Duty System (WTTS/EODS)--web-based Human Resources Management Suite 
(HRMS) for managing recruitment and onboarding activities.
     FedTalent--for eLearning and data analytics.
     FPPS--personnel and payroll system.
     Oracle's Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 
(OBIEE)--Datamart/Analytics--is a business intelligence tool used to 
gather, store, and analyze data for enterprise reports, dashboards, 
scorecards and ad hoc analysis.

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    Human Resources Line of Business (HR LoB), EPA-93

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    EPA OHR, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. Records 
hosted by DOI/IBC are located at 7301 West Mansfield Ave., MS D-2400, 
Denver, CO 80235-2230, and are also located at Departmental, bureau and 
office systems and locations that prepare and provide input documents 
and information for data processing and administrative actions for this 
system.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    Mara Kamen, [email protected], 202-564-7159, Director, OHR, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20460.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    5 U.S.C. 5101, et seq; 31 U.S.C. 3512; 31 U.S.C. Chapter 11; 5 CFR 
part 297; The Office of Management and Budget Circular A-127, Revised, 
Financial Management Systems; this Circular is issued pursuant to the 
Chief Financial Officers Act (CFOs Act) of 1990, P.L. 101-576).

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    EPA maintains records in HR LoB to administer EPA's HR activities, 
including: pay and leave requirements, processing, accounting, learning 
and development, and reporting requirements. The records also provide 
the basic source of factual data about a person's employment while in 
federal service and after his or her separation from federal service in 
accordance with applicable records policies. Records in HR LoB have 
various uses by Agency personnel offices, including screening 
qualifications of employees; determining status, eligibility, and 
employee's rights and benefits under pertinent laws and regulations 
governing federal employment; computing length of service; and other 
information needed to provide personnel services.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Current and former EPA employees, including Health and Human 
Services Public Health Service Commissioned Officers assigned to EPA, 
grantees, intergovernmental detailees, interagency agreement detailees, 
and contractors, and family members of these individuals.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    HR LoB collects the following employee data elements: Name, 
Citizenship, Gender, Birth Date, Group Affiliation, Marital Status, 
Other Names Used, Legal Status, Place of Birth, Security Clearance, 
Spouse Information, Financial Information, Medical Information, 
Disability Information, Education Information, Driver's License State 
and Number, Race/Ethnicity, Social Security Number (SSN) and truncated 
SSN, Personal Cell Telephone Number, Personal Email Address, Home 
Telephone Number, Family member, Child or Dependent Information, 
Employment Information, Military Status/Service, Mailing/Home Address, 
Taxpayer Identification Number, Bank Account information such as 
Routing and Account Numbers, Beneficiary Information, Bond Co-owner 
Name(s) and Information, Professional Licensing and Credentials, Family 
Relationships, Age, Involuntary Debt (Garnishments or Child Support 
Payments), Court Order Information, Back Pay Information, User ID, Time 
and Attendance data, Leave Time Information, Employee Common Identifier 
(ECI), Person Number (a unique number that identifies a person within 
HR LoB, and Person Number-Emergency (a unique number identifying an 
individual within HR LoB for a Leave Share Occurrence).

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Information is obtained from individuals on whom the records are 
maintained, official personnel records of individuals on whom the 
records are maintained, supervisors, timekeepers, previous employers, 
the Internal Revenue Service and state tax agencies, the Department of 
the Treasury, other Federal agencies, courts, state child support 
agencies, employing agency accounting offices, and third-party benefit 
providers.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    The routine uses below are both related to and compatible with the 
original purpose for which the information was collected. The following 
general routine uses apply to this system:
    A. Disclosure for Law Enforcement Purposes: Information may be 
disclosed to the appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, or foreign 
agency responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or 
implementing a statute, rule, regulation, or order, if the information 
is relevant to a violation or potential violation of civil or criminal 
law or regulation within the jurisdiction of the receiving entity.
    B. Disclosure Incident to Requesting Information: Information may 
be disclosed to any source from which additional information is 
requested (to the extent necessary to identify the individual, inform 
the source of the purpose of the request, and to identify the type of 
information requested,) when necessary to obtain information relevant 
to an agency decision concerning retention of an employee or other 
personnel action (other than hiring,) retention of a security 
clearance,

[[Page 70490]]

the letting of a contract, or the issuance or retention of a grant, or 
other benefit.
    C. Disclosure to Requesting Agency: Disclosure may be made to a 
Federal, State, local, foreign, or tribal or other public authority of 
the fact that this system of records contains information relevant to 
the retention of an employee, the retention of a security clearance, 
the letting of a contract, or the issuance or retention of a license, 
grant, or other benefit. The other agency or licensing organization may 
then make a request supported by the written consent of the individual 
for the entire record if it so chooses. No disclosure will be made 
unless the information has been determined to be sufficiently reliable 
to support a referral to another office within the agency or to another 
Federal agency for criminal, civil, administrative, personnel, or 
regulatory action.
    D. Disclosure to Office of Management and Budget: Information may 
be disclosed to the Office of Management and Budget at any stage in the 
legislative coordination and clearance process in connection with 
private relief legislation as set forth in OMB Circular No. A-19.
    E. Disclosure to Congressional Offices: Information may be 
disclosed to a congressional office from the record of an individual in 
response to an inquiry from the congressional office made at the 
request of the individual.
    F. Disclosure to Department of Justice: Information may be 
disclosed to the Department of Justice, or in a proceeding before a 
court, adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the 
Agency is authorized to appear, when:
    1. The Agency, or any component thereof;
    2. Any employee of the Agency in his or her official capacity;
    3. Any employee of the Agency in his or her individual capacity 
where the Department of Justice or the Agency have agreed to represent 
the employee; or
    4. The United States, if the Agency determines that litigation is 
likely to affect the Agency or any of its components, is a party to 
litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and the use of such 
records by the Department of Justice or the Agency is deemed by the 
Agency to be relevant and necessary to the litigation provided, 
however, that in each case it has been determined that the disclosure 
is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.
    G. Disclosure to the National Archives: Information may be 
disclosed to the National Archives and Records Administration in 
records management inspections.
    H. Disclosure to Contractors, Grantees, and Others: Information may 
be disclosed to contractors, grantees, consultants, or volunteers 
performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative 
agreement, job, or other activity for the Agency and who have a need to 
have access to the information in the performance of their duties or 
activities for the Agency. When appropriate, recipients will be 
required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 as 
provided in 5 U.S.C. 552a(m).
    I. Disclosures for Administrative Claims, Complaints and Appeals: 
Information from this system of records may be disclosed to an 
authorized appeal grievance examiner, formal complaints examiner, equal 
employment opportunity investigator, arbitrator or other person 
properly engaged in investigation or settlement of an administrative 
grievance, complaint, claim, or appeal filed by an employee, but only 
to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the 
proceeding. Agencies that may obtain information under this routine use 
include, but are not limited to, the Office of Personnel Management, 
Office of Special Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, Federal 
Labor Relations Authority, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and 
Office of Government Ethics.
    J. Disclosure to the Office of Personnel Management: Information 
from this system of records may be disclosed to the Office of Personnel 
Management pursuant to that agency's responsibility for evaluation and 
oversight of Federal personnel management.
    K. Disclosure in Connection With Litigation: Information from this 
system of records may be disclosed in connection with litigation or 
settlement discussions regarding claims by or against the Agency, 
including public filing with a court, to the extent that disclosure of 
the information is relevant and necessary to the litigation or 
discussions and except where court orders are otherwise required under 
section (b)(11) of the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(11). The 
two routine uses below (L and M) are required by OMB Memorandum M-17-
12.
    L. Disclosure to Persons or Entities in Response to an Actual of 
Suspected Breach of Personally Identifiable Information: To appropriate 
agencies, entities, and persons when (1) the Agency suspects or has 
confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of records, (2) 
the Agency has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, the Agency 
(including its information systems, programs, and operations), the 
Federal Government, or national security; and (3) the disclosure made 
to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to 
assist in connection with the Agency's efforts to respond to the 
suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such 
harm.
    M. Disclosure to Assist Another Agency in Its Efforts to Respond to 
a Breach of Personally Identifiable Information: To another Federal 
agency or Federal entity, when the Agency determines that information 
from this system of records is reasonably necessary to assist the 
recipient agency or entity in (1) responding to a suspected or 
confirmed breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk 
of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its 
information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, 
or national security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Electronic records are stored in computers, removable drives, 
storage devices, electronic databases, and other electronic media 
hosted by DOI/IBC.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    HR LoB authorized users may retrieve information on an individual 
employee using full name, SSN, and Employee Common Identifier (ECI)--
unique number identifying employees across Federal automated systems.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    The retention of data in the system is in accordance with 
applicable EPA Records Schedules 1005, 1006, 1026, and 1029 as approved 
by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    Security controls used to protect personally identifiable 
information (PII) in HR LoB are commensurate with those required for an 
information system rated MODERATE for confidentiality, integrity, and 
availability, as prescribed in National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Special Publication, 800-53, ``Security and Privacy 
Controls for Information Systems and Organizations,'' Revision 5.
    1. Administrative Safeguards: EPA personnel are required to 
complete

[[Page 70491]]

annual agency Information Security and Privacy training. EPA personnel 
are instructed to lock their computers when they leave their desks.
    2. Technical Safeguards: Electronic records are maintained in a 
secure password protected environment. Access to records is limited to 
those who have a need to know. Electronic records are restricted to 
authorized users with appropriate security privileges, including the 
use of 2-factor PIV Card authentication and permission level 
assignments. Web-based connections are Tier3 VPN encrypted sessions 
between EPA and DOI. The database is maintained behind a firewall. 
WTTS/EOD, FedTalent, OBIEE, and FPPS have multiple levels of role-based 
access controls that protect the privacy of information in HR LoB. The 
level of these access controls determines the security privileges of HR 
LoB users. There are three levels of role-based security (User, 
Security, Administrator) and they follow the separation of duties 
outlined in NIST guidance.
    3. Physical Safeguards: These records are maintained in controlled 
access areas. Identification cards are verified to ensure that only 
authorized personnel can access.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Individuals seeking access to information in this system of records 
about themselves are required to provide adequate identification (e.g., 
driver's license, military identification card, employee badge or 
identification card). Additional identity verification procedures may 
be required, as warranted. Requests must meet the requirements of EPA 
regulations that implement the Privacy Act of 1974, at 40 CFR part 16.

CONTESTING RECORDS PROCEDURES:
    Requests for correction or amendment must identify the record to be 
changed and the corrective action sought. Complete EPA Privacy Act 
procedures are described in EPA's Privacy Act regulations at 40 CFR 
part 16.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    Any individual who wants to know whether this system of records 
contains a record about themself, should make a written request to: 
Attn: Agency Privacy Officer, MC 2831T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460, or to [email protected].

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    None.

Vaughn Noga,
Senior Agency Official for Privacy.
[FR Doc. 2021-26614 Filed 12-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P