[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 8524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4164]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of the Special Trustee for American 
Indians (OST) announces a request for public comments concerning the 
renewal of information collection authorizations. We will be submitting 
requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend 
authorizations for OMB Control Nos. 1035-0001, 1035-0002, and 1035-
0003. These information collections allow us to collect documents 
associated with tribes withdrawing their funds held in trust and 
applying for technical assistance to withdraw funds under 25 CFR part 
1200.
    Request for Comments: You may send or deliver comments to the 
addressee in the Addresses section below. Please put on your comments 
the document number found in brackets in the heading of this Federal 
Register notice. Your comments will be summarized and included in the 
requests to OMB for approval and will become public records. We 
specifically request your comments on:
    (1) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for 
the office to perform its functions, including whether the information 
will be useful.
    (2) The accuracy of the office's estimate of the burden.
    (3) How to improve the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
    (4) How to minimize the burden on the respondents, including the 
possible use of automated information collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

DATES: We will consider all comments received by April 22, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand deliver your comments to: Ms. Sarah 
Yepa, Office of Trust Funds Management, Office of the Special Trustee 
for American Indians, 505 Marquette, NW, Suite 1000, Albuquerque, New 
Mexico 87102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Yepa, Chief, Division of Quality 
Assurance at (505) 816-1094 or by Fax (505) 816-1377.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The American Indian Trust Fund Management 
Reform Act of 1994 (the Reform Act) allows tribes to withdraw their 
money held in trust by the U.S. Government. To withdraw their money, 
tribes must first submit an application and get approval from the 
Secretary of the Interior. The Reform Act also allows tribes to apply 
for technical assistance and financial assistance to complete the 
application. Financial assistance may not always be available. 25 CFR 
section 1200.13 tells tribes how to submit an application to withdraw 
their money and section 1200.14 tells them how they can apply for 
technical and financial assistance.
    Burden Statement: The current information collection authorizations 
expire May 30, 2003. We are not changing the application forms or the 
estimated annual burden hours. We aren't allowed to conduct or sponsor 
and you aren't required to respond to a collection of information 
unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. The application 
forms and burden estimates are:
    1. OMB No. 1035-0001, OST Form No. SF-424A, Application for 
Technical Assistance to Withdraw Tribal Funds from Trust Status 
(Specific Budget).
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 468.
    Annual Respondents: 12 American Indian Tribes.
    Estimated Burden Per Response: 39 hours.
    2. OMB No. 1035-0002, OST Form No. SF-424, Application for 
Technical Assistance to Withdraw Tribal Funds from Trust Status 
(General).
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 156.
    Annual Respondents: 12 American Indian Tribes.
    Estimated Burden Per Response: 13 hours.
    3. OMB No. 1035-0003, Application to Withdraw Tribal Funds from 
Trust Status (there is no application form for this information).
    The collection of this information is used by the Department to 
determine whether: (a) The tribe's proposed management plan is 
reasonable; (b) the plan protects against a substantial loss of 
principal; (c) the investment entity is capable of managing the funds; 
as well as (d) whether the tribe has taken the proper legal steps to 
authorize the action.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 4,104.
    Annual Respondents: 12 American Indian Tribes.
    Estimated Burden Per Response: 342 hours.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended to disclose or provide information to a federal agency and 
includes the time needed to review instructions, gather, process, and 
submit the information.

Douglas A. Lords,
Director, Office of Trust Funds Management.
[FR Doc. 03-4164 Filed 2-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-2W-P