Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 131 / Monday, July 8, 1996 / Notices 35809

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.

I), this notice announces a meeting of

the Ruffe Control Committee, a

committee of the Aquatic Nuisance

Species Task Force established under

the authority of the Nonindigenous

Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and

Control Act of 1990 (P.L. 101–646, 104

Stat. 4761, 16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.,

November 29, 1990). Minutes of meeting

will be maintained by Coordinator,

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force,

Room 840, 4401 North Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, Virginia 22203 and the

Chairperson, Ruffe Control Committee,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fishery

Resources Office, 2800 Lake Shore Drive

East, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806, and

will be available for public inspection

during regular business hours, Monday

through Friday within 30 days following

the meeting.

Dated: June 21, 1996.

Gary Edwards,

Co-Chair, Aquatic Nuisance Species Task

Force.

[FR Doc. 96–17225 Filed 7–5–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 Indian Child

Welfare Act (ICWA) Grant Program,

Availability of Title II ICWA Funds for

Off-Reservation Indian Organizations

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of grant

funds.

SUMMARY: Title II of the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978, Public Law 95–

608, makes grant funds available to offreservation Indian organizations from

the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),

Department of the Interior, for the

purpose of establishing and operating

off-reservation Indian child and family

service programs.

DATES: The closing date for the receipt

of applications for all applicants is

August 2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be

mailed or hand-delivered to the

appropriate Area Office of the Bureau of

Indian Affairs listed in Part IV of this

announcement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ area office

nearest to the applicant, or Betty

Tippeconnie, BIA Office of Tribal

Services, Mail Stop 4603–MIB, 1849 C

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

Telephone (202) 208–2721.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is published in exercise of

authority delegated by the Secretary of

the Interior to the Assistant Secretary—

Indian Affairs (Assistant Secretary) by

209 DM 8. Pursuant to 25 CFR Part 23,

the Assistant Secretary hereby

announces procedures necessary for

eligible off-reservation Indian

organizations to compete for a national

allocation of $866,000 in FY 1996 Title

II ICWA grant funds.

ICWA applications for one year grants

will be accepted under this notice.

Applications must comply with all

applicable requirements and criteria

specified in Subpart D, 25 CFR Part 23.

Copies of 25 CFR Part 23 ICWA grant

regulations may be obtained from the

Area Social Workers listed in Part IV of

this notice. It is important that

applicants carefully review all

requirements detailed in this notice

relative to application contents,

deadlines, and other special

instructions. Applications not received

by Close of Business on August 2, 1996

will not be considered in the

competition.

In accordance with 25 CFR Part 23.42,

it is incumbent upon prospective grant

applicants to request technical

assistance from the appropriate Area

Director. The deadline for the receipt of

requests for technical assistance is 10

days prior to the close of the application

deadline.

Part I. General Information

A. Background

It is the policy of the BIA to

emphasize and facilitate the

comprehensive design, development

and implementation of Indian child and

family service programs in coordination

with other Federal, state, and local

programs which strengthen and

preserve Indian families and Indian

tribes. Thus, applicants are encouraged

to design their ICWA programs/

activities to integrate with or

complement existing child and family

service programs or those administered

by the applicant.

Section 202 of the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–

608, 25 U.S.C. 1932) authorizes the

Secretary to make grants to offreservation Indian organizations to

establish and operate off-reservation

Indian child and family service

programs for the purpose of stabilizing

and preventing the breakup of Indian

families and, in particular, to ensure

that the permanent removal of an Indian

child from the custody of his/her Indian

parent or custodian shall be an action of

last resort. These programs are intended

to promote the Indian Child Welfare Act

of 1978 (25 U.S.C. chapter 21).

This notice provides information on

the FY 1996 ICWA grant application

process for eligible off-reservation

Indian organizations to compete for FY

1996 ICWA grant funds.

B. Eligible Applicants

The Board of Directors of any

nonprofit off-reservation Indian

organization may apply for a grant

under this announcement. A new

application for projects of one year’s

duration may be submitted in response

to this announcement. An applicant

may not submit more than one

application nor be a beneficiary of more

than one grant under this or other prior

notices.

C. Purpose of Off-Reservation Grants

The purpose of every Indian child and

family services program shall be to

prevent the breakup of Indian families,

and ensure that the permanent removal

of an Indian child from the custody of

his/her Indian parent or custodian shall

be a last resort. Off-reservation Indian

child and family service programs may

include, but are not limited to:

(1) A system for regulating,

maintaining, and supporting Indian

foster and adoptive homes, including a

subsidy program under which Indian

adoptive children may be provided

support comparable to that for which

they would be eligible as Indian foster

children, taking into account the

appropriate state standards of support

maintenance and medical needs;

(2) The operation and maintenance of

facilities and services for the counseling

and treatment of Indian families and

Indian foster and adoptive children with

the goal of strengthening and stabilizing

Indian families;

(3) Family assistance (including

homemaker services and home

counselors), protective day care and

after school care, employment support

services, recreational activities, and

respite care with the goal of

strengthening Indian families and

contributing toward family stability; and

(4) Guidance, legal representation and

advice to Indian families involved in

state child custody proceedings.

Part II

A. Available Funds

In FY 1996, off-reservation Indian

organizations will compete for a

national allocation of $866,000, which

will be evenly distributed to the BIA’s

twelve area offices in the amount of

$72,166.66 per area. Pursuant to 25 CFR

23.34, Area Directors will determine
35810 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 131 / Monday, July 8, 1996 / Notices

and award the appropriate grant

amounts to approved off-reservation

Indian organizations within their

respective jurisdictions. The grant

amounts awarded shall be based on an

applicant’s service area population and

shall not exceed the funding levels

identified in the table below:

Applicant’s service area population

Maximum

ICWA grant

amount

500–1,500 ................................. $10,000

1,501–3,000 .............................. 15,000

3,001–5,000 .............................. 20,000

5,001–8,000 .............................. 25,000

8,001–20,000 ............................ 30,000

20,001–40,000 .......................... 35,000

40,001–60,000 .......................... 40,000

60,001–90,000 .......................... 45,000

90,001–150,000 ........................ 55,000

150,001–200,000 ...................... 65,000

over 200,001 ............................. 72,166.66

Under no circumstances may any offreservation Indian organization receive

Indian Child Welfare Act grant funds

greater than the maximum grant amount

of $72,166.66 either through a direct

grant or through subgranting procedures

with approved applicants.

No ICWA grant funds will be

withheld at the Central Office for

appeals related to off-reservation

funding levels; therefore, approved

applications will be funded strictly on

the basis of funds available to each area

office and in accordance with the

funding amounts published in this grant

notice. The decisions of Area Directors

on funding levels are final and are not

subject to appeal.

B. Service Eligibility

The service area population is the

total number of Indians eligible for

services under 25 CFR 23.50(b) in the

geographical area to which an offreservation Indian organization can

realistically provide the services

proposed in the application. The service

area population is used only to

determine the maximum grant amount

for which an applicant may be eligible.

For purposes of eligibility for services

provided under 25 U.S.C. 1932 and

1933 of the Act, any person meeting the

definition of Indian, Indian child,

Indian custodian, or Indian parent of

any unmarried person under the age of

18 as defined in 25 CFR Section 23.2,

or the definition of Indian as defined in

25 U.S.C. 1603(c), shall be eligible for

ICWA services.

The applicant’s service area

population figures must be based upon

substantiated, identifiable statistical

sources. Applicants must submit copies

of recent statistical data from sources

which support their service area figures,

such as off-reservation State/county

population figures, U.S. Census data, or

off-reservation service area population

data maintained by the Indian Health

Service for urban Indian populations.

Part III. Application Selection Criteria

A. Statutory Authority

The BIA’s Indian ChildWelfare Act

grants program is authorized by Title II

of Public Law 95–608, the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1901 et

seq.; 25 CFR Part 23). All grant

applications submitted under this notice

shall be scored individually and

recommended for grant awards in

compliance with the application

procedures, mandatory application

requirements, and the application

selection criteria specified in Subpart D,

25 CFR Part 23.

B. Closing Date for Receipt of

Applications for All Applications

The closing date for receipt of

applications under this grant notice is

Close of Business on August 2, 1996, for

all applicants. All applications for offreservation Indian Child Welfare Act

grants must be received by the

appropriate BIA Area Director, as

specified in 25 CFR 23.31 and 25 CFR

23.11, on or before 5:00 p.m. or the

official Close of Business for that office

on the closing date of the application

period. The names and addresses of all

BIA area offices are listed in Part IV of

this notice. Hand-delivered applications

will be accepted during normal work

hours, Monday through Friday.

Postmarks will not be considered as

meeting the deadline. Applications that

do not meet the deadline for the receipt

of applications will not be considered in

the competitive review.

C. Mandatory Application Requirements

for All Applicants

Pursuant to 25 CFR 23.33(a), an

application for a one-year competitive

grant under Subpart D, 25 CFR Part 23,

shall be submitted to the appropriate

Area Director. All mandatory

application requirements for Indian

organization applicants specified at 25

CFR 23.33(b) must be met. An

application missing any of the

mandatory requirements will not be

reviewed further.

In addition to the foregoing

requirements, existing ICWA grantees

must submit a copy of a satisfactory

program evaluation for the previous

year of operation from the appropriate

area office in order to be considered for

funding in FY 1996 (25 CFR 23.33(e)).

The grant application shall be no

longer than 40 double-spaced pages,

excluding the appendix. The table of

contents and appendices will not be

counted toward the maximum length. It

is recommended that the appendix be

no longer than 20 pages. If an

application is longer than the

established page limitation, only the

first 40 double-spaced or first 20 singlespaced pages will be reviewed. All

applicants must submit one original

application and three copies of the

complete application to the respective

Area Director.

Information included in the appendix

should relate specifically to the

application. The appendix may include,

but is not limited to the following:

resolutions, support letters, position

descriptions, current or recent fiscal,

management, or accounting

certification, operational internal

monitoring systems, and non-profit

status documentation.

In accordance with 25 CFR 23.41,

grantees must adhere to and comply

with all the general and uniform grant

administration provisions and

requirements specified at 25 CFR Part

276 and those identified in Subpart E,

25 CFR 23. Failure to meet and comply

with these regulatory requirements may

result in suspension, cancellation and/

or termination of program funds.

D. Competitive Application Selection

Criteria

The Area Director or his/her

designated representative shall select

those proposals which will in his/her

judgment best promote the purposes of

the Indian Child Welfare Act. Selection

shall be made through the area review

committee process in which each

application will be scored individually

and ranked according to score, taking

into consideration the mandatory

requirements as specified above and the

competitive application selection

criteria specified at 25 CFR 23.33.

E. Scoring and Grant Application

Selection Criteria

Upon receipt of an application for an

off-reservation grant under Subpart D,

25 CFR 23, the appropriate Area

Director shall comply with the

application review and decision making

procedures specified at 25 CFR 23.33

and 23.34.

An application shall not receive

approval for funding under the area

competitive review and scoring process

unless a review of the application

determines that it:

(1) Contains all the information

required in 25 CFR 23.33(b) and which

must have been received by the close of

the application period. Modifications of

the grant application received after the
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 131 / Monday, July 8, 1996 / Notices 35811

close of the application period shall not

be considered in the competitive review

process; and

(2) Receives at least a minimum score

of 85 points in an area competitive

review, using the competitive

application selection criteria and

scoring process set out in 25 CFR 23.33

and 23.34.

If two or more applications receive

the same competitive score, the

applicant with the largest service area

population will receive priority funding

consideration. At least one approved

applicant per area will be funded,

provided, that the applicants fully meet

the competitive selection criteria cited

above.

The actual funding amounts awarded

for the FY 1996 grant year shall be

subject to appropriations available

nationwide and the amount of funds

available within the respective area

office. Final funding decisions for all

approved grant applications under

Subpart D, 25 CFR 23, rest with

respective Area Director and are not

subject to appeal.

F. Grant Review and Award Process

The Area Director shall review each

application through a competitive

process and take the appropriate course

of action on all off-reservation ICWA

grant applications received in response

to this notice in accordance with the

established requirements and time

frames in 25 CFR Parts 23.33(a) and

23.34, respectively. Grant award

documents shall be executed and actual

grant amounts awarded as expeditiously

as possible by the respective Area

Director.

No ICWA grant funds will be

withheld at the Central Office for

purposes of appeals related to funding

levels.

G. Appeals

A grantee or applicant may appeal

any decision made or action taken by

the Area Director under Subpart D, 25

CFR 23, that is alleged to be in violation

of the U.S. Constitution, Federal

statutes, or regulations of this part.

These appeals shall be filed with the

Interior Board of Indian Appeals in

accordance with 25 CFR 2.4(e); 43 CFR

4.310 through 4.318 and 43 CFR 4.330

through 4.340. An applicant may not

appeal a score assigned to its

application or the amount of grant funds

awarded.

A notice of appeal must be filed

within 30 days of the appellant’s receipt

of the decision being appealed. The

notice must be filed in the office of the

official whose decision is being

appealed. The date of filing is the date

the notice of appeal is postmarked or

the date it is personally delivered to the

official’s immediate office (25 CFR

2.9(a); 25 CFR 2.13(a)). The burden of

proof of timely filing is on the appellant.

No extension of time will be granted for

filing a notice of appeal (25 CFR 2.9(a)

and 2.16).

Within 30 days of the filing of the

notice of appeal, a statement of reasons

must be filed in the office of the official

whose decision is being appealed. The

statement of reasons may, however, be

included in or filed with the notice of

appeal (25 CFR 2.10). Appeals will be

handled in accordance with the

provisions set forth at 25 CFR 2.20.

Part IV. BIA Area Offices—Area Social

Workers

All application materials must be

submitted in person or mailed to the

appropriate Bureau of Indian Affairs’

Area Director. The following is a listing

of the 12 BIA Area Social Workers

designated by the Area Directors to

receive ICWA grant applications from

off-reservation Indian organizations.

Aberdeen Area Office: Gerald

Gallegos; 115 4th Avenue, S.E.;

Aberedeen, SD 57401; 605/226–7351.

Albuquerque Area Office: Joseph

Naranjo; 615 1st Street N.W.; P.O. Box

26567; Albuquerque, NM 87125–6567;

505/766–3321.

Anadarko Area Office: Retha

Murdock; 11⁄2 mile North Highway 281;

WCD Office Complex; P.O. Box 368;

Anadarko, OK 73005; 405/247–6673 ext.

257.

Billings Area Office: Louise ZokanDelos Reyes; 316 North 26th Street;

Billings, MT 59101; 406/247–7988.

Eastern Area Office: James Sanders;

3701 N. Fairfax Drive; Suite 260;

Arlington, VA 22203; 703/235–2353.

Juneau Area Office: Jimmie

Clemmons; 709 West 9th Street; Federal

Building, Room 301A; Juneau, AK

99801; 907/586–7628.

Minneapolis Area Office: Rosalie

Clark; 331 South Second Avenue; 7th

floor; MN 55401; 612/373–1182.

Muskogee Area Office: Lafonda

Mathews; Federal Courthouse Building;

101 North 5th Street; Muskogee, OK

74401–6206, 918/687–2507.

Navajo Area Office: Vivian Hailstorm;

301 West Hill St.; P.O. Box 1060; MC–

440, Gallup, NM 87301; 505/863–8215.

Phoenix Area Office; Evelyn S.

Roanhorse; 1 North First Street; P.O.

Box 10; Phoenix, AZ 85001; 602/379–

6785.

Portland Area Office: Robert C. Carr;

911 N.E. 11th Avenue; Portland, OR

97232–4169; 503/231–6783.

Sacramento Area Office: Kevin

Sanders; Federal Office Building; 2800

Cottage Way; Sacramento, CA 95825;

916/978–2545.

Dated: June 28, 1996.

Ada E. Deer,

Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.

[FR Doc. 96–17171 Filed 7–5–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–02–M

Bureau of Land Management

[MT–960–1990–00]

Butte District Resource Advisory

Council Meeting

AGENCY: Butte District Office, Bureau of

Land Management.

ACTION: Notice of Butte District Resource

Advisory Council meeting, Butte,

Montana.

SUMMARY: The Council will convene at

8 a.m. on July 31, 1996, and will

continue through August 1, 1996, if all

business is not completed on the 31st.

This is a regularly scheduled meeting;

topics to be discussed will include

Westslope Cutthroat Trout, current

cooperative weed management efforts,

and a presentation by Montana Fish,

Wildlife and Parks personnel on

Bighorn Sheep pneumonia and its

implications. The meeting will be held

at the Copper King Inn, 4655 Harrison

Avenue in Butte.

The meeting is open to the public and

written comments may be given to the

Council. Oral comments may be

presented to the Council at 11 a.m. The

time allotted for oral comment may be

limited, depending on the number of

persons wishing to be heard.

Individuals who plan to attend and

need further information about the

meeting; or need special assistance,

such as sign language or other

reasonable accommodations, should

contact the Butte District, 106 North

Parkmont (PO Box 3388), Butte Montana

59702; telephone 406–494–5059.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jim Owings at the above address or

telephone number.

Dated: June 24, 1996.

James R. Owings,

District Manager.

[FR Doc. 96–17185 Filed 7–5–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–DN–M

[CO–050–1020–00]

Front Range Resource Advisory

Council (Colorado) Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.