[Federal Register: December 7, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 234)]
[Notices]               
[Page 68371-68372]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07de99-84]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

 
Tribal Self-Governance Program Information Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activities; comment 
request.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking comments from the 
public on an extension of an information collection from current and 
potential Self-Governance Tribes, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. The information collected under OMB Clearance Number, 
1076-0143, will be used to establish requirements for entry into the 
pool of qualified applicants for self-governance, to provide 
information for awarding grants, and to meet reporting requirements of 
the Self-Governance Act.


[[Page 68372]]


DATES: Submit comments on or before February 7, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments can be sent to William Sinclair, Office of 
Self-Governance, 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop 2542 MIB, Washington, DC 
20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Sinclair, (202) 219-0240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Self-Governance program was authorized 
by the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-413 as amended. 
Tribal Self-Governance is a voluntary program that is currently active 
and operating without promulgated regulations. [See Sec. 407(d) of the 
Act which says that lack of promulgated regulations shall not limit the 
effect of this title.] Previously, an information collection request 
was cleared by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget of the Act. That clearance expires on February 
29, 2000. Tribes interested in entering into Self-Governance must 
submit certain information to support their admission into Self-
Governance. In addition, those tribes and tribal consortia who have 
entered into self-governance compacts must submit certain information 
to justify budget requests on their behalf and to comport with section 
405 of the Act that calls for the Secretary to submit an annual report 
to the Congress. Information is also required of tribes to ensure that 
the trust responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior are 
safeguarded and that imminent jeopardy to trust assets is avoided. (See 
section 403(d) of the Act.)
    You are advised that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information that 
does not display a valid OMB clearance number. For example, this 
collection is listed by OMB as 1076-0143, and it expires February 29, 
2000. The response is voluntary or to obtain or retain a benefit, 
depending upon the parts of the program being addressed.
    We are requesting comments about the proposed collection to 
evaluate:
    (a) The accuracy of the burden hours, including the validity of the 
methodology used and assumptions made,
    (b) The necessity of the information for proper performance of the 
bureau functions, including its practical utility,
    (c) The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected, and
    (d) Suggestions to reduce the burden including use of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Please submit your comments to the person listed in the ADDRESSES 
section. Please note that comments, names and addresses of 
commentators, are open for public review during regular business hours. 
If you wish your name and address withheld, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comments. We will honor your 
request to the extent allowable by law.
    Type of review: Renewal.
    Title: Tribal Self-Governance Program.
    Affected Entities: Tribes and tribal consortiums currently in Self-
Governance or wishing to enter into a self-governance compact.
    Size of Respondent Pool: 85.
    Number of Annual Responses: 257.
    Hours per response: 42 hours.
    Total burden hours: 10,766 hours.
    BIA Information Collection Clearance Officer: Ruth Bajema, 202-208-
2574.

    Dated: December 1, 1999.
Kevin Gover,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-31567 Filed 12-6-99; 8:45 am]
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