AGENCY:
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION:
Notice of information collection; request for comment.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are proposing to renew five information collections.
DATES:
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before November 9, 2021.
ADDRESSES:
Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by mail to Johnna Blackhair, Deputy Bureau Director, Office of Trust Services, BIA, 1849 C Street NW, MS-4620-MIB, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to comments@bia.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number 1076-0021, 1076-0047, 1076-0141, 1076-0155, or 1076-0162 the subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
OMB Control Numbers 1076-0021 and 1076-0141: Elizabeth Pierce, 720-469-6997, elizabeth.pierce@bia.gov.
OMB Control Number 1076-0047: Keith Kahklen, 907-586-7618, keith.kahklen@bia.gov.
OMB Control Number 1076-0155: Sharlene Round Face, 202-440-2856, sharlene.roundface@bia.gov.
OMB Control Number 1076-0162: Calvert Curley, 505-863-8221, calvert.curley@bia.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 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.
We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of the BIA; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the BIA enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the BIA minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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: The BIA owns, operates, and maintains three electric power utilities that provide a service to the end user, pursuant to 25 CFR 175 (Indian Electric Power Utilities). The BIA must collect customer information to identify the individual responsible for repaying the government its costs for delivering the service and bill for those costs. The BIA must also collect information to identify the location of the service delivery (i.e., electrical hook-up). In addition, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA), 31 U.S.C. 3701-3733 requires that certain information be collected from individuals and businesses doing business with the government. This information includes the taxpayer identification number for possible future use to recover delinquent debt.
Title of Collection: Electric Power Service Application.
OMB Control Number: 1076-0021.
Form Number: Electric Service Application.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individual Indians and Indian Tribes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 1,300.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,300.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 30 minutes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 650.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.
Abstract: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is seeking renewal of the approval for the information collection conducted under 25 CFR part 243, Reindeer in Alaska, which is used to monitor and regulate the possession and use of Alaskan reindeer by non-Natives in Alaska. The information to be provided includes an applicant's name and address, and where an applicant will keep the reindeer. The applicant must fill out an application for a permit to get a reindeer for any purpose; and is required to report on the status of reindeer annually or when a change occurs, including changes prior to the date of the annual report. This information collection utilizes four forms. A response is required to obtain and/or retain a benefit.
Title of Collection: Reindeer in Alaska.
OMB Control Number: 1076-0047.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Non-Indians who wish to possess Alaskan reindeer.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 4 per year, on average (1 respondent for the Sale Permit for Alaska Reindeer, 1 respondent for the Sale Report Form for Alaska Reindeer, 1 respondent for the Special Use Permit for Alaskan Reindeer, and 1 respondent for the Special Use Reindeer Report).
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 4.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 5 minutes for the Sale Permit and Report forms; and 10 minutes for the Special Use Permit and Report forms, on average.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 30 minutes.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Once a year, on average.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.
Abstract: The BIA owns, operates, and maintains 17 irrigation projects that provide a service to the end user. To properly bill for the services provided, the BIA must collect customer information to identify the individual responsible for repaying the government the costs of delivering the service; determine eligibility for waiver of fees; and determine designation of irrigable lands as assessable or non-assessable. Additional information necessary for providing the service is the location of the service delivery and the number of serviced acres. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) requires that certain information be collected from individuals and businesses doing business with the government. This information includes the taxpayer identification number for possible future use to recover delinquent debt. To implement the DCIA requirement to collect customer information, the BIA has included a section concerning the collection of information in its regulations governing its irrigation projects (25 CFR 171).
Title of Collection: Water Request.
OMB Control Number: 1076-0141.
Form Number: BIA-DWP-Irr-101; BIA-DWP-Irr-102; BIA-DWP-Irr-103; BIA-DWP-Irr-104; BIA-DWP-Irr-105.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 13,438.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 35,941.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from .2 to 6 hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 17,981.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.
Abstract: Generally trust and restricted land may be leased by Indian land owners, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, except when specified by statute. Submission of this information allows BIA to review applications for obtaining, modifying and assigning leases and permits of land that the United States holds in trust or restricted status for individual Indians and Indian Tribes. The information is used to determine approval of a lease, amendment, assignment, sublease, mortgage or related document. A response is required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Title of Collection: Leases and Permits.
OMB Control Number: 1076-0155.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individual Indians and Indian Tribes seeking to lease their trust or restricted land and businesses that lease trust and restricted land.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 99,340.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 99,340.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 15 minutes to 2 hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 81,899.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: In general, once per approval per lease. Some collections occur upon request for modification or assignment or upon a trespass violation, which occur, on average, fewer than once per lease. Additionally, rent payments occur, on average, once per month.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $1,813,000.
Abstract: This information collection is authorized under 25 CFR 161, which implements the Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation Amendments Act of 1980, 94 Stat. 929, and the Federal court decisions of Healing v. Jones, 174 F. Supp. 211 (D Ariz. 1959) (Healing I), Healing v. Jones, 210 F. Supp. 126 (D. Ariz. 1962), aff'd 363 U.S. 758 (1963) (Healing II), Hopi Tribe v. Watt, 530 F. Supp. 1217 (D. Ariz. 1982), and Hopi Tribe v. Watt, 719 F.2d 314 (9th Cir. 1983). This information collection allows BIA to receive the information necessary to determine whether an applicant to obtain, modify, or assign a grazing permit on Navajo Partitioned Lands is eligible and complies with all applicable grazing permit requirements. BIA, in coordination with the Navajo Nation, will continue to collect grazing permit information up to and beyond the initial reissuing of the grazing permits, likely within a 1-3 year time period from the date of publication of this notice. The data is collected by electronic global positioning systems and field office interviews by BIA & Navajo Nation staff. The data is maintained by BIA's Navajo Partitioned Lands office.
Title of Collection: Navajo Partitioned Lands Grazing Permits.
OMB Control Number: 1076-0162.
Form Number: 5-5015 and 5-5022.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Tribes, Tribal organizations, and individual Indians.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 700.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 3,121.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 15 minutes to 2 hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,123.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain a Benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.
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.).
Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action—Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-19537 Filed 9-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P