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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3244-3245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00631]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[256A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900; OMB Control Number 1035-0005]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Tribal Trust 
Evaluations

AGENCY: Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) are proposing to renew 
an information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 13, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202406-1035-001 or by visiting https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and selecting ``Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' and then scrolling down to the 
``Department of the Interior.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Theresa Powless, Bureau of Trust Funds 
Administrative, Program Specialist, 4400 Masthead Street NE, 
Albuquerque, NM 87109; or by email to [email protected], or by 
telephone at (505) 418-2541. Individuals in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at 
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/Forward?SearchTarget=PRA&textfield=1035-0005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our 
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting 
burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
November 6, 2024 (89 FR 88057). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    Abstract: As codified in 25 U.S.C. 4001 et seq., The American 
Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 (the Reform Act) makes 
provisions for the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (formerly known 
as the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians) to 
administer trust fund accounts for individuals and Tribes. This 
collection of information is required to fulfill the mission of the 
Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) and the Secretary of the 
Interior's responsibility for evaluating all Public Law 93-638 Compact 
Tribes administering or managing trust programs, functions, services, 
and/or activities on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. This 
responsibility is federally mandated pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 458cc(d) and 
25 CFR 1000.350. BTFA is responsible under 25 U.S.C. 4041 for 
overseeing the implementation of trust reforms, trust accounting, and 
coordination of trust policies intra-bureau-wide related to the 
management of Indian trust funds and assets. The BTFA, Division of 
Trust Evaluation and Review (DTER), formerly the Office of Trust Audit 
and Review (OTRA), is responsible for conducting tribal trust 
evaluations on Tribes performing Indian trust programs and functions 
pursuant to a Tribal Self-Governance Compact or Annual Funding 
Agreement. In addition, DTER has a congressional mandate to conduct 
Annual Tribal Trust Evaluations for Tribes that compact trust programs, 
functions, services, and/or activities under Public Law 93-638

[[Page 3245]]

Self-Governance Compacts on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. 
This authority is contained in 25 U.S.C. 5363(d)(1) & (2) and the 
enabling regulations in 25 CFR 1000.350. DTER currently collects Indian 
trust data and documentation from Tribes in fulfillment of performing 
the Tribal trust evaluations for compacted Tribes. These evaluations 
are enabled by performing desk reviews (via email electronic 
questionnaires), and on-site visits to Tribes.
    Under 25 CFR 1000.355, the Secretary's designated representative 
will conduct trust evaluations for each self-governance Tribe that has 
an annual funding agreement. The end result is the issuance of a 
report, which is required by 25 CFR 1000.365. Currently, DTER conducts 
either desk reviews and/or on-site reviews of trust operations where a 
Tribe has compacted a trust program. During that review, under current 
methodology, interviews are conducted and documents are requested. A 
draft report is written and provided to the Tribe for comment where 
applicable. Comments received back are incorporated into the report, 
and a final report is issued to the Tribe.
    Title of Collection: Tribal Trust Evaluations for Public Law 93-639 
Compact Tribes.
    OMB Control Number: 1035-0005.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Tribes that have an annual funding 
agreement in place to compact Indian trust programs.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 64 Tribes. Federal 
agencies are exempt from the PRA and are not included in the total 
annual respondents/responses/burden hour estimates.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,024.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 2 hours for reporting and 1 
hour for recordkeeping.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 3,072.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per fiscal or calendar year (year the 
respective Tribe operates under).
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

Authority

    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The authority for this action is 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Steven Mullen,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Regulatory Affairs 
and Collaborative Action--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2025-00631 Filed 1-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P
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