[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13362-13363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6545]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Hearings and Appeals

43 CFR Part 4

RIN 1090-AA69


Rules Applicable in Indian Affairs Hearings and Appeals

AGENCY: Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: OHA is amending its regulations on the authority of 
administrative judges to make heirship determinations in accordance 
with the White Earth Reservation Land Settlement Act of 1985, as 
amended (WELSA). This action will amend the definitions of the terms 
``Project Director'' and ``administrative judge'' and correct the 
address provided for the ``Minnesota Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs'' 
in the existing regulations. The amendment to the definition of 
``administrative judge'' will allow the Director of OHA to redelegate 
his authority, as designee of the Secretary, for making heirship 
determinations as otherwise provided for in these regulations, to other 
appropriate Agency officials in accordance with the WELSA. Amending the 
definition of the term administrative judge will increase efficiency 
and allow the Director of OHA to ensure timely and prompt 
determinations under the WELSA.
    The amendment to the definition of ``Project Director'' and the 
correction of the address shown for the ``Minnesota Agency, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs,'' will clarify the existing regulations to accurately 
reflect the current practice and organization of the BIA.

DATES: Final rule effective on March 18, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of 
the Interior, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, 11th Floor, Arlington, Virginia 
22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles E. Breece, Deputy Director, 
Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior, 4015 
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203. Telephone: (703) 235-3810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Department of the Interior is amending the regulations found at 
43 CFR 4.350-4.357, setting forth the rules and procedures applicable 
to determinations of the heirs of persons who died entitled to 
compensation under the White Earth Reservation Land Settlement Act of 
1985 as amended (WELSA) (Pub. L. 99-264, 100 Stat. 61). The regulations 
now provide that the heirship determinations shall be made by an 
administrative judge of the OHA to whom the Director of the OHA has 
redelegated his authority, as designee of the Secretary. In the 
interest of promoting administrative efficiency, OHA is amending the 
regulations to allow the Director greater flexibility to redelegate his 
authority to any OHA official deemed qualified to perform this function 
consistent with the WELSA. The definition of the term ``administrative 
judge'' is accordingly amended to include administrative judges, 
administrative law judges, attorney-advisors, and other appropriate 
officials in OHA deemed qualified by the Director of the OHA.
    In addition, the definition of the term ``Project Director'' is 
amended to accurately reflect BIA practice. Whereas previously the term 
was defined as ``the officer in charge of the White Earth Land 
Settlement Branch of the Minneapolis Area Office,'' it is amended to 
specifically include the ``Superintendent of the Minnesota Agency, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, or other Bureau of Indian Affairs official 
with delegated authority from the Minneapolis Area Director to serve as 
the federal officer in charge of the White Earth Reservation Land 
Settlement Project.'' Finally, the list of sites is amended to show the 
correct address for the Minnesota Agency.

Determination To Issue as a Final Rule

    OHA has determined that this amendment is exempt from prior notice 
and other public procedures pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A) as this is a 
matter of internal agency management, concerning rules of agency 
organization, procedure and practice. By this action, the Department is 
only clarifying who can make heirship determinations and who can act as 
the Project Director for the BIA. The public is advised of the manner 
in which the Department proposes to assign cases for future 
determinations. This amendment does not make any substantive changes to 
the rules issued to implement the WELSA and therefore, will have no 
substantive impact on heirship determinations. Accordingly, OHA has not 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking on the discretionary decision 
of the Director to delegate his authority to make WELSA heirship 
determinations to other Agency officials.

Determination To Make Rule Effective Immediately

    Because these amendments do not impact the substance of these 
regulations or heirship determinations under the WELSA, and in the 
interest of avoiding delays in the processing of the cases at issue, 
OHA has determined it appropriate to waive the requirement of 
publication thirty days in advance of the effective date found at 5 
U.S.C. 553(d). Accordingly, this amendment is issued as a final rule 
effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register for good 
cause shown under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

Executive Order 12866

    This rule is not a significant rule as defined in Executive Order 
12866, and therefore, is not subject to review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB).

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule does not have a significant economic effect on a 
substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act because the rule relates to agency procedure. 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule contains no information collection or recordkeeping 
requirements subject to approval by the OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule will not impose an unfunded mandate of $100 million or 
more in any given year on local, tribal, and State governments in the 
aggregate, or on the private sector in accordance with the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act. 2 U.S.C. 1501, et seq.
    Drafting Information: The primary author of this rule is Charles E. 
Breece, Deputy Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. 
Department of the Interior.

List of Subjects in 43 CFR Part 4

    Administrative practice and procedure.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department amends 
subpart D, part 4 of title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations as 
follows:

[[Page 13363]]

    1. The authority citation for part 4 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: R.S. 2478, as amended, 43 U.S.C. sec. 1201, unless 
otherwise noted.

    2. Section 4.350 is amended by revising paragraphs (b), (c)(3) and 
(c)(6) to read as follows:


Sec. 4.350  Authority and scope.

* * * * *
    (b) Whenever requested to do so by the Project Director, an 
administrative judge shall determine such heirs by applying inheritance 
laws in accordance with the White Earth Reservation Settlement Act of 
1985 as amended, notwithstanding the decedent may have died testate.
    (c) * * *
    The term Project Director means the Superintendent of the Minnesota 
Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, or other Bureau of Indian Affairs 
official with delegated authority from the Minneapolis Area Director to 
serve as the federal officer in charge of the White Earth Reservation 
Land Settlement Project.
* * * * *
    (6) The term adminstrative judge means an administrative judge or 
an administrative law judge, attorney-advisor, or other appropriate 
official of the Office of Hearings and Appeals to whom the Director of 
the Office of Hearings and Appeals has redelegated his authority, as 
designee of the Secretary, for making heirship determinations as 
provided for in these regulations.
* * * * *
    3. Section 4.352 is amended by revising the address provided for 
the ``Minnesota Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs'' in paragraph (b)(2) 
to read as follows:


Sec. 4.352  Determination of administrative judge and notice thereof.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * * Minnesota Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Room 418, 
Federal Building, 522 Minnesota Avenue, NW, Bemidji, Minnesota 56601-
3062.
* * * * *
    Dated: February 19, 1999.
John Berry,
Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 99-6545 Filed 3-17-99; 8:45 am]
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