Source: http://thefederalregister.com/2002/02/21/02-4106.html
Timestamp: 2019-02-24 04:46:40
Document Index: 402423083

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 112', 'art 112', 'art 115', 'art 152', 'art 156', '§ 152', 'art 156', 'art 152', 'art 156', 'art 243', 'art 112']

Federal Register | Trust Management Reform: Repeal of Outdated Rules
25 CFR Parts 112, 116, 121, 123, 125, 154, 156, 178, and 243
RIN 1076-AD20
ACTION: Proposed removal of rules with request for comments.
SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) proposes to repeal nine parts of Title 25 CFR Chapter 1. These revisions are meant to further fulfill the Secretary's responsibility to federally-recognized tribes and individual Indians by ensuring that all regulations, policies, and procedures are up-to-date. The parts proposed for repeal include regulations relating to distribution of tribal funds among tribal members, establishment of private trusts for the Five Civilized Tribes, distribution of Osage Judgment Funds, assignment of future income from the Alaska Native Fund, payment of Sioux benefits, preparation of a competency roll of Osage Indians, reallotment of lands to Indian children, resale of lands within the Badlands Air Force Range, and registration of reindeer ownership in Alaska. In the interests of economy of administration, and because all of the regulations proposed to be repealed are outdated, they are included in one rulemaking vehicle.
DATES: Comments must be submitted in writing and received by us no later than April 22, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Linda L. Richardson, Trust Policies and Procedures Subproject, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 "C" Street, NW., MS-4070-MIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments will also be accepted by telefax at the following telephone number: 202-208-6426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda L. Richardson, 202-208-6411.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background II. Part-by-Part Analysis III. Public Comment Procedures IV. Procedural Requirements A. Review Under Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review) B. Review Under Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform) C. Review Under Executive Order 12291 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act D. Review Under Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 E. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act F. Review Under Executive Order 13132 (Federalism) G. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 H. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 I. Review Under Executive Order 12630 (Takings Implication Assessment) J. Review under Executive Order 13175 (Tribal Consultation) I. Background
In April 2001, BIA submitted a report to the Department's Trust Policy Council that provided a comprehensive review of regulations, manuals and handbooks that guide trust operations. The report included recommended actions to bring all policies and procedures current and outlined a multi-year schedule to accomplish this goal. The review identified a number of regulations still on the books that are no longer operative, either because all actions required by law have been fully implemented or because the regulation no longer comports with Federal Indian policy.
II. Part-by-Part Analysis A. 25 CFR Part 112—Pro Rata Shares of Tribal Funds
The Federal policy of attempting to assimilate individual Indians and weaken tribal governments was reversed in 1934 with the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act (June 18, 1934; 48 Stat. 984-988; 25 U.S.C. 461et seq.). This statute ended the allotment of tribal lands to individual tribal members and authorized restoration of so-called “surplus” lands to tribal ownership. The Indian Reorganization Act did not specifically repeal the various laws that had previously authorized the allotment of tribal lands to individual members; it did, however, render those laws inoperative: “ * * * hereafter no land of any Indian reservation * * * shall be allotted in severalty to any Indian.” Similarly, we believe that the Secretary's discretionary authority to distribute pro rata shares of tribal funds was also made inoperative by Section 4 of the Indian Reorganization Act: “ * * * no sale, devise, gift, exchange or other transfer of restricted Indian lands or of shares in the assets of any Indian tribe * * * shall be made or approved * * * ” (25 U.S.C. 464).
A subsequent law, the Act of August 4, 1947 (61 Stat. 731), provided in section 5: “That all funds and securities now held by, or which may hereafter come under the supervision of the Secretary of the Interior * * * are hereby declared to be restricted and shall remain subject to the jurisdiction of said Secretary * * * ” (61 Stat. 733). While this law did not specifically repeal section 2 of the Act of January 27, 1933 (Act) 1933, the authority conveyed by that section of the Act is clearly discretionary (“The Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to permit, in his discretion and subject to his approval * * * ”).
Current federal policy, as provided in 25 CFR part 115, allows adult Indians, with the exception of those who arenon compos mentisor who are determined to need assistance in managing their finances, ready access to any and all funds held in trust. When an adult withdraws money from an Individual Indian Money account, the individual Indian may freely determine how that money will be spent or reinvested. As a policy matter, the Secretary has determined that the same treatment should be extended to members of the Five Civilized Tribes.
The BIA has broader regulations in Part 152—Issuance of Patents in Fee,Certificates of Competency, Removal of Restrictions, and Sale of Certain Indian Lands. The regulatory authority included in part 156 is covered by § 152.17, (s)ales, exchanges, and conveyances by or with the consent of the individual Indian owner. Among the authorities cited in this subsection is the Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 855) that is the basis for the narrower regulations in part 156. As part 152 provides all required regulatory authority, part 156 can be repealed.
The Reindeer Industry Act of 1937, 25 U.S.C. 500et seq., required all non-Natives in Alaska who owned reindeer to file a declaration of ownership. The regulations in part 243 notify such owners of the form to be used and designate the General Reindeer Supervisor in Nome, AK as the agent to receive such declarations. As the deadline for filing the notices under these regulations expired on September 1, 1938, the regulations are no longer required.
Comments should be submitted in writing to the address indicated in theADDRESSESsection of this document. Comments may also be telefaxed to the following telephone number: 202-208-6426. All comments received will be available for public inspection at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Policies and Procedures Subproject, Room 4552, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. All written comments received by the date indicated in theDATESsection of this document and all other relevant information in the record will be carefully assessed and fully considered prior to publication of the final rule. Any information considered to be confidential must be so identified and submitted in writing. We will not consider comments submitted anonymously. However, if you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. The BIA reserves the right to determine the confidential status of the information and to treat it according to our determination (see 10 CFR 1004.11).
IV. Procedural Requirements A. Review Under Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review)
Because this proposed rule would repeal outdated regulations, the BIA has determined that this rule is not a significant rule under Executive Order 12991. This proposed rule was also reviewed under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601et seq., which requires preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis for any rule which is likely to have significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
This proposed rule is not a major rule as defined by section 804 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This proposed rule will not result in an annual effect on theeconomy of $100,000,000 or more. The effect of this proposed rulemaking will be to streamline and modernize policies, procedures and management operations of the BIA by eliminating unnecessary regulations. No increases in costs for administration will be realized, and no prices would be affected through these revisions as, in practice, the regulations proposed for repeal are already inoperative.
List of Subjects 25 CFR Part 112
Indians—business and finance.
Estates, Indians—business and finance, Trusts and trustees.
Indians—claims, Indians—judgment funds.
Alaska, Indian—claims.
Indians—claims, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Indians—lands.
Alaska, Indians—business and finance, Reindeer.
Dated: February 14, 2002. Neal A. McCaleb, Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.