2020-03955. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Acquisition of Trust Land

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 an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at [e-mail]; or via facsimile to [phone]. Please provide a copy of your comments to Ms. Sharlene Round Face, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Real Estate Services, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Mailbox #44, Albuquerque, NM 87104; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1076-0100 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Ms. Sharlene Round Face by email at [e-mail] or by telephone at [phone]. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

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.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on December 27, 2019 (84 FR 71452). No comments were received.

We are again 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. 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: Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 5108) and the Indian Land Consolidation Act of January 12, 1983 (25 U.S.C. 2202) authorize the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), in his/her discretion, to acquire lands through purchase, relinquishment, gift, exchange, or assignment within or without existing reservations for the purpose of providing land for Indian Tribes. Other specific laws also authorize the Secretary to acquire lands for individual Indians and Tribes. Regulations implementing the acquisition authority are at 25 CFR 151. In order for the Secretary to acquire land on behalf of individual Indians and Tribes, the BIA must collect certain information to identify the party(ies) involved and to describe the land in question. The Secretary also solicits additional information deemed necessary to make a determination to accept or reject an application to take land into trust for the individual Indian or Tribe, as set out in 25 CFR 151. This information collection allows the BIA to review applications for compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements. No specific form is used.

Title of Collection: Acquisition of Trust Land.

OMB Control Number: 1076-0100.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Individual Indians and Federally Recognized Indian Tribes seeking acquisition of land into trust status.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 500.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 500.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Ranges from 100 to 150 hours.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 55,000.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

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.