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[Federal Register: January 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 14)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3574-3575]

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NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

 
Nixon Presidential Historical Materials; Opening of Materials

AGENCY: National Archives and Records Administration.

ACTION: Notice of opening of materials.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the opening of additional files from the
Nixon Presidential historical materials. Notice is hereby given that, 
in accordance with section 104 of Title I of the Presidential 
Recordings and Materials Preservation Act ("PRMPA", 44 U.S. C. 2111 
note) and 1275.42(b) of the PRMPA Regulations implementing the Act (36 
CFR Part 1275), the agency has identified, inventoried, and prepared 
for public access integral file segments of textual materials and Abuse 
of Governmental Power segments of the Nixon White House tapes from 
among the Nixon Presidential historical materials.

DATES: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) intends 
to make the materials described in this notice available to the public 
beginning February 25, 1999. In accordance with 36 CFR 1275.44, any 
person who believes it necessary to file a claim of legal right or 
privilege concerning access to these materials should notify the 
Archivist of the United States in writing of the claimed right, 
privilege, or defense before February 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The tape recordings and textual materials will be made 
available to the public at the National Archives at College Park 
research room, located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 
beginning at 8:45 a.m. Researchers must have a NARA researcher card, 
which they may obtain when they arrive at the facility.
    Petitions asserting a legal or constitutional right or privilege 
which would prevent or limit access must be sent to the Archivist of 
the United States, National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi 
Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Weissenbach, Director, Nixon 
Presidential Materials Staff, 301-713-6950.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The integral file segments of textual 
materials to be opened on February 25, 1999, consist of 50.1 cubic 
feet. In addition, the National Archives is proposing to open 124 
declassified segments from the Nixon White House tapes related to Abuse 
of Governmental Power from 110 separate conversations, totaling 
approximately 54 minutes of listening time.
    The White House Central Files Unit is a permanent organization 
within the White House complex that maintains a central filing and 
retrieval system for the records of the President and his staff. This 
is the fifteenth of a series of openings of Central Files: the previous 
openings were on December 1, 1986; March 22, 1988; December 9, 1988; 
July 17, 1989; December 15, 1989; August 22, 1991; February 19, 1992; 
July 24, 1992; May 17, 1993; July 15, 1993; January 12, 1995; December 
19, 1995; March 26, 1997, and March 18, 1998.
    Two files designated for opening on February 25, 1999, are from the 
White House Central Files, Name Files. The Name Files were used for 
routine materials filed alphabetically by the name of the 
correspondent: copies of documents in the Name Files are usually filed 
by subject in the Subject Files. The Name Files relating to two 
individuals will be opened on February 25, 1999:

White House Central Files: Alpha Name Files

Warren E. Burger--.1 cubic foot
Henry L. Diamond--less than .1 cubic foot

    In accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12958, several 
series within the National Security Council files were systematically 
reviewed and will be made available to the public on February 25, 1999. 
In addition, a number of documents which were previously withheld from 
public access have been re-reviewed for release in accordance with 36 
CFR 1275.56 (Public Access Regulations) and, in some cases, 
declassified under the provisions of Executive Order 12958. These 
documents will be publicly available on February 25, 1999:

National Security Council Files series--12 cubic feet
Other previously restricted materials--38 cubic feet

    NARA is also proposing the opening of certain Nixon White House 
tapes. These 124 segments of previously restricted conversations to be 
released on February 25, 1999 were withheld from the November 12, 1996 
public opening of 201 hours of Abuse of Governmental Power segments. 
These previously restricted segments were re-reviewed for release and 
declassified in accordance with the mandatory review provisions of 
Executive Order 12958 and 36 CFR 1275.56 (Public Access Regulations).
    There are no transcripts for these tapes. Tape logs, prepared by 
NARA, are offered for public access as a finding aid to the tape 
segments and a guide for the listener. There is a separate tape log 
entry for each segment of conversation released. Each tape log entry 
includes the names of participants; date, time, and location of the 
conversation; and an outline of the content of the conversation.
    Listening stations will be available for public use on a first 
come, first served basis. NARA reserves the right to limit listening 
time in response to heavy demand. No copies of the tape recordings will 
be sold or otherwise provided at this time. No sound recording devices 
will be allowed in the listening area. Researchers may take notes. 
Copies of the tape log will be available for purchase.
    Public access to some of the items in the files segments and some 
portions of the White House tape segments will be restricted for 
reasons other than national security as outlined in 36 CFR 1275.52 
(Public Access Regulations).

    Dated: January 20, 1999.
John W. Carlin,
Archivist of the United States.




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