[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56302-56307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24690]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Rate Adjustments for Indian Irrigation Projects

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rate adjustments.

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

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns, or has an interest 
in, irrigation facilities located on various Indian reservations 
throughout the United States. We are required to establish rates to 
recover the costs to administer, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate 
those facilities. We request your comments on the proposed rate 
adjustments.

DATES: Interested parties may submit comments on the proposed rate 
adjustments on or before December 1, 2003.

ADDRESSES: All comments on the proposed rate adjustments must be in 
writing and addressed to: Jeff Loman, Acting Director, Office of Trust 
Responsibilities, Attn.: Irrigation and Power, MS-3061-MIB, Code 210, 
1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, Telephone (202) 208-5480.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For details about a particular 
irrigation project, please use the tables in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section to contact the regional or local office where the project is 
located.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The tables in this notice list the 
irrigation project contacts where the BIA recovers its costs for local 
administration, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation, the current 
irrigation assessment rates, and the proposed rates for the 2004 
irrigation season and subsequent years where applicable.

What Are Some of the Terms I Should Know for This Notice?

    The following are terms we use that may help you understand how we 
are applying this notice.
    Administrative costs mean all costs we incur to administer our 
irrigation projects at the local project level. Local project level 
does not normally include the Agency, Region, or Central Office costs 
unless we state otherwise in writing.
    Assessable acres mean lands designated by us to be served by one of 
our irrigation projects and to which we provide irrigation service and 
recover our costs. (See Total assessable acres.)
    BIA means the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
    Bill means our statement to you of the assessment charges and/or 
fees you owe the United States for administration, operation, 
maintenance, and/or rehabilitation. The date we mail or hand deliver 
your bill will be stated on it.
    Costs mean the costs we incur for administration, operation, 
maintenance,

[[Page 56303]]

and rehabilitation to provide direct support or benefit to an 
irrigation facility.
    Customer means any person or entity that we provide irrigation 
service to.
    Due date is the date on which your bill is due and payable. This 
date will be stated on your bill.
    I, me, my, you, and your means all interested parties, especially 
persons or entities that we provide irrigation service to and receive 
beneficial use of our irrigation projects affected by this notice and 
our supporting policies, manuals, and handbooks.
    Irrigation project means, for the purposes of this notice, the 
facility or portions thereof, that we own, or have an interest in, 
including all appurtenant works, for the delivery, diversion, and 
storage of irrigation water to provide irrigation service to customers 
for whom we assess periodic charges to recover our costs to administer, 
operate, maintain, and rehabilitate. These projects may be referred to 
as facilities, systems, or irrigation areas.
    Irrigation service means the full range of services we provide 
customers of our irrigation projects, including, but not limited to, 
water delivery. This includes our activities to administer, operate, 
maintain, and rehabilitate our projects.
    Maintenance costs mean all costs we incur to maintain and repair 
our irrigation projects and equipment of our irrigation projects and is 
a cost factor included in calculating your operation and maintenance 
(O&M) assessment.
    Must means an imperative or mandatory act or requirement.
    Operation and maintenance (O&M) assessment means the periodic 
charge you must pay us to reimburse our costs.
    Operation or operating costs mean costs we incur to operate our 
irrigation projects and equipment and is a cost factor included in 
calculating your O&M assessment.
    Past due bill means a bill that has not been paid by the close of 
business on the 30th day after the due date, as stated on the bill. 
Beginning on the 31st day after the due date we begin assessing 
additional charges accruing from the due date.
    Rehabilitation costs mean costs we incur to restore our irrigation 
projects or features to original operating condition or to the nearest 
state which can be achieved using current technology and is a cost 
factor included in calculating your O&M assessment.
    Total assessable acres mean the total acres served by one of our 
irrigation projects.
    Total O&M cost means the total of all the allowable and allocatable 
costs we incur for administering, operating, maintaining, and 
rehabilitating our irrigation projects serving your farm unit.
    Water means water we deliver at our projects for the general 
purpose of irrigation and other purposes we agree to in writing.
    Water delivery is an activity that is part of the irrigation 
service we provide our customers when water is available.
    We, us, and our means the United States Government, the Secretary 
of the Interior, the BIA, and all who are authorized to represent us in 
matters covered under this notice.

Does This Notice Affect Me?

    This notice affects you if you own or lease land within the 
assessable acreage of one of our irrigation projects, or you have a 
carriage agreement with one of our irrigation projects.

Where Can I Get Information on the Regulatory and Legal Citations in 
This Notice?

    You can contact the appropriate office(s) stated in the tables for 
the irrigation project that serves you, or you can use the Internet 
site for the Government Printing Office at http://www.gpo.gov.

Why Are You Publishing This Notice?

    We are publishing this notice to notify you that we propose to 
adjust one or more of our irrigation assessment rates. This notice is 
published in accordance with the BIA's regulations governing its 
operation and maintenance of irrigation projects, specifically, 25 CFR 
171.1. These sections provide for the fixing and announcing of the 
rates for annual assessments and related information for our irrigation 
projects.

What Authorizes You To Issue This Notice?

    Our authority to issue this notice is vested in the Secretary of 
the Interior by 5 U.S.C. 301 and the Act of August 14, 1914 (38 Stat. 
583; 25 U.S.C. 385). The Secretary has in turn delegated this authority 
to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs under Part 209, Chapter 
8.1A, of the Department of the Interior's Departmental Manual and by 
memorandum dated January 25, 1994, from the Chief of Staff, Department 
of the Interior, to Assistant Secretaries, and Heads of Bureaus and 
Offices.

When Will You Put the Rate Adjustments Into Effect?

    We will put the rate adjustments into effect for the 2004 
irrigation season and subsequent years where applicable.

How Do You Calculate Irrigation Rates?

    We calculate irrigation assessment rates in accordance with 25 CFR 
171.1(f) by estimating the cost of normal operation and maintenance at 
each of our irrigation projects. The cost of normal operation and 
maintenance means the expenses we incur to provide direct support or 
benefit for an irrigation project's activities for administration, 
operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation. These costs are then 
applied as stated in the rate table in this notice.

What Kinds of Expenses Do You Include in Determining the Estimated Cost 
of Normal Operation and Maintenance?

    We include the following expenses:
    (a) Personnel salary and benefits for the project engineer/manager 
and project employees under their management control;
    (b) Materials and supplies;
    (c) Major and minor vehicle and equipment repairs;
    (d) Equipment, including transportation, fuel, oil, grease, lease 
and replacement;
    (e) Capitalization expenses;
    (f) Acquisition expenses;
    (g) Maintenance of a reserve fund available for contingencies or 
emergency expenses for, and insuring, reliable operation of the 
irrigation project; and
    (h) Other expenses we determine necessary to properly perform the 
activities and functions characteristic of an irrigation project.

When Should I Pay My Irrigation Assessment?

    We will mail or hand deliver your bill notifying you of the amount 
you owe to the United States and when such amount is due. If we mail 
your bill, we will consider it as being delivered no later than 5 
business days after the day we mail it. You should pay your bill no 
later than the close of business on the 30th day after the due date 
stated on the bill.

What Information Must I Provide for Billing Purposes?

    We must obtain certain information from you to ensure we can 
properly process, bill for, and collect money owed to the United 
States. We are required to collect the taxpayer identification number 
or social security number to properly bill the responsible party and 
service the account under the authority of, and as prescribed in, Pub. 
L. 104-143, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996.
    (a) At a minimum, this information is:

[[Page 56304]]

    (1) full legal name of person or entity responsible for paying the 
bill;
    (2) adequate and correct address for mailing or hand delivering our 
bill; and
    (3) the taxpayer identification number or social security number of 
the person or entity responsible for paying the bill.
    (b) It is your responsibility to ensure we have correct and 
accurate information for paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) If you are late paying your bill due to your failure to furnish 
such information or comply with paragraph (b) of this section, you 
cannot appeal your bill on this basis.

What Can Happen If I Do Not Provide the Information Required for 
Billing Purposes?

    We can refuse to provide you irrigation service.

If I Allow My Bill To Become Past Due, Could This Affect My Water 
Delivery?

    If we do not receive your payment before the close of business on 
the 30th day after the due date stated on your bill, we will send you a 
past due notice. Your bill will have additional information concerning 
your rights. We will consider your past due notice as delivered no 
later than 5 business days after the day we mail it. We have the right 
to refuse water delivery to any of your irrigated land on which the 
bill is past due. We can continue to refuse water delivery until you 
pay your bill or make payment arrangements that we agree to. Our 
authority to demand payment of your past due bill is 31 CFR 901.2, 
``Demand for Payment.''

Are There Any Additional Charges If I Am Late Paying My Bill?

    Yes. We will assess you interest on the amount owed and use the 
rate of interest established annually by the Secretary of the United 
States Treasury (Treasury) to calculate what you will be assessed (31 
CFR 901.9(b)). You will not be assessed this charge until your bill is 
past due. However, if you allow your bill to become past due, interest 
will accrue from the due date, not the past due date. Also, you will be 
charged an administrative fee of $12.50 for each time we try to collect 
your past due bill. If your bill becomes more than 90 days past due, 
you will be assessed a penalty charge of 6 percent per year and it will 
accrue from the date your bill initially became past due. Our authority 
to assess interest, penalties, and administration fees on past due 
bills is prescribed in 31 CFR part 901.9, ``Interest, penalties, and 
costs.''

What Else Can Happen to My Past Due Bill?

    If you do not pay your bill or make payment arrangements that we 
agree to, we are required to send your past due bill to the Treasury 
for further action. We must send your bill to Treasury no later than 
180 days after the original due date of your irrigation assessment 
bill. The requirement for us to send your unpaid bill to Treasury is 
prescribed in 31 CFR part 901.1, ``Aggressive agency collection 
activity.''

Who Can I Contact for Further Information?

    The following tables are the regional and project/agency contacts 
for our irrigation facilities.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Project name                    Project/agency contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Northwest Region
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Stanley Speaks, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest
   Regional Office, 911 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-4169,
                       Telephone: (503) 231-6702.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Irrigation Project.......  Ernest T. Moran, Superintendent,
                                     Flathead Agency Irrigation
                                     Division, PO Box 40, Pablo, Montana
                                     59855-5555, Telephone: (406) 675-
                                     2700.
Fort Hall Irrigation Project......  Eric J. LaPointe, Superintendent,
                                     Fort Hall Agency, PO Box 220, Fort
                                     Hall, Idaho 83203-0220, Telephone:
                                     (208) 238-2301.
Wapato Irrigation Project.........  Pierce Harrison, Project
                                     Administrator, Wapato Irrigation
                                     Project, PO Box 220, Wapato, WA
                                     98951-0220, Telephone: (509) 877-
                                     3155.
-----------------------------------
                     Rocky Mountain Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Keith Beartusk, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky
   Mountain Regional Office, 316 North 26th Street, Billings, Montana
                    59101, Telephone: (406) 247-7943.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackfeet Irrigation Project......  Ross Denny, Superintendent, Cliff
                                     Hall, Irrigation Manager, Box 880,
                                     Browning, MT 59417, Telephones:
                                     (406) 338-7544, Superintendent;
                                     (406) 338-7519, Irrigation.
Crow Irrigation Project...........  Frank Merchant, Acting
                                     Superintendent, Dan Lowe,
                                     Irrigation Manager, PO Box 69, Crow
                                     Agency, MT 59022, Telephones: (406)
                                     638-2672, Superintendent; (406) 638-
                                     2863, Irrigation.
Fort Belknap Irrigation Project...  Cleo Hamilton, Superintendent, Dan
                                     Spencer, Irrigation Manager, R.R.1,
                                     Box 980, Harlem, MT 59526,
                                     Telephones: (406) 353-2901,
                                     Superintendent; (406) 353-2905,
                                     Irrigation.
Fort Peck Irrigation Project......  Spice Bighorn, Superintendent, PO
                                     Box 637, Poplar, MT 59255, Rhonda
                                     Knudsen, Irrigation Manager, 602
                                     6th Avenue North, Wolf Point, MT
                                     59201, Telephones: (406) 768-5312,
                                     Superintendent; (406) 653-1752,
                                     Irrigation.
Wind River Irrigation Project.....  Ray Nation, Acting Superintendent,
                                     Hilaire Peck, Irrigation Manager,
                                     PO Box 158, Fort Washakie, WY
                                     82514, Telephones: (307) 332-7810,
                                     Superintendent; (307) 332-2596,
                                     Irrigation.
-----------------------------------
                        Southwest Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Rob Baracker, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southwest
 Regional Office, 615 First Street, NW., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102,
                      Telephone: (505) 346-7590/91.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pine River Irrigation Project.....  Michael Stancampiano,
                                     Superintendent, John Formea,
                                     Irrigation Engineer, PO Box 315,
                                     Ignacio, CO 81137-0315, Telephones:
                                     (970) 563-4511, Superintendent;
                                     (970) 563-1017, Irrigation.
-----------------------------------

[[Page 56305]]

 
                         Western Region Contacts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Wayne Nordwall, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Western
Regional Office, PO Box 10, Phoenix, Arizona 85001, Telephone: (602) 379-
                                  6600.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project.  Allen Anspach, Superintendent, R.R.
                                     1 Box 9-C, Parker, AZ 85344,
                                     Telephone: (928) 669-7111.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project....  Paul Young, Superintendent, 1555
                                     Shoshone Circle, Elko, Nevada
                                     89801, Telephone: (775) 738-0569.
Fort Yuma Irrigation Project......  William Pyott, Land Operations
                                     Officer, P.O. Box 11000, Yuma,
                                     Arizona, Telephone: (520) 782-1202.
San Carlos Irrigation Project       Carl Christensen, Supervisory
 Joint Works.                        General Engineer, 13805 N. Arizona
                                     Boulevard, Coolidge, AZ 85228,
                                     Telephone: (520) 723-6216.
San Carlos Irrigation Project       Joe Revak, Supervisory General
 Indian Works.                       Engineer, Pima Agency, Land
                                     Operations, Box 8, Sacaton, AZ
                                     85247, Telephone: (520) 562-3372.
Uintah Irrigation Project.........  Lynn Hansen, Irrigation Manager, PO
                                     Box 130, Fort Duchesne, UT 84026,
                                     Telephone: (435) 722-4341.
Walker River Irrigation Project...  Robert Hunter, Superintendent, 1677
                                     Hot Springs Road, Carson City,
                                     Nevada 89706, Telephone: (775) 887-
                                     3500.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Irrigation Assessments or Charges Are Proposed for Adjustment by 
This Notice?

    The rate table below contains the current rates for all of our 
irrigation projects where we recover our costs for operation and 
maintenance. The table also contains the proposed rates for the 2004 
season and subsequent years where applicable. The irrigation projects 
where rates are proposed for adjustment are noted by an asterisk 
immediately following the name of the project.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Current 2003    Proposed 2004
                 Project name                             Rate category                rate            rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flathead Irrigation Project *.................  Basic per acre..................          $19.95          $21.45
Fort Hall Irrigation Project..................  Basic per acre..................           22.00           22.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project Minor Units......  Basic per acre..................           14.00           14.00
Fort Hall Irrigation Project Michaud..........  Basic per acre..................           30.00           30.00
                                                Pressure per acre...............           43.50           43.50
Wapato Irrigation Project Simcoe Units........  Billing Charge Per Tract........            5.00            5.00
                                                Farm unit/land tracts up to one            13.00           13.00
                                                 acre (minimum charge).
                                                Farm unit/land tracts over one             13.00           13.00
                                                 acre--per acre.
Wapato Irrigation Project Ahtanum Units.......  Billing Charge Per Tract........            5.00            5.00
                                                Farm unit/land tracts up to one            13.00           13.00
                                                 acre (minimum charge).
                                                Farm unit/land tracts over one             13.00           13.00
                                                 acre --per acre.
Wapato Irrigation Project Satus Unit..........  Billing Charge Per Tract........            5.00            5.00
                                                Farm unit/land tracts up to one            51.00           51.00
                                                 acre (minimum charge).
                                                ``A'' farm unit/land tracts over           51.00           51.00
                                                 one acre--per acre.
                                                Additional Works farm unit/land            56.00           56.00
                                                 tracts over one acre--per acre.
                                                ``B'' farm unit/land tracts over           61.00           61.00
                                                 one acre--per acre.
                                                Water Rental Agreement Lands--             62.00           62.00
                                                 per acre.
-----------------------------------------------
                                        Rocky Mountain Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackfeet Irrigation Project..................  Basic-per acre..................           13.00           13.00
Crow Irrigation Project.......................  Basic-per acre..................           16.00           16.00
Fort Belknap Irrigation Project*..............  Indian per acre.................            7.00            7.75
                                                non-Indian per acre.............           14.00           15.50
Fort Peck Irrigation Project..................   Basic-per acre.................           14.00           14.00
Wind River Irrigation Project *...............  Basic-per acre..................           12.00           14.00
-----------------------------------------------
                                           Southwest Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pine River Irrigation Project.................  Minimum Charge per tract........           25.00           25.00
                                                Basic-per acre..................            8.50            8.50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                                                                   Current 2003    Proposed 2004   Proposed 2005
             Project name                     Rate category            rate            rate            rate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Western Region Rate Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado River Irrigation Project (See  Basic per acre up to              $47.00          $47.00  ..............
 notes 1 and 2).       5.75 acre-feet.
                                        Excess Water per acre-             17.00           17.00  ..............
                                         foot over 5.75 acre-
                                         feet.
Duck Valley Irrigation Project........  Basic-per acre..........            5.30            5.30  ..............
Fort Yuma Irrigation Project (See note  Basic-per acre up to 5.0           60.00           60.00  ..............
 3).                            acre-feet.

[[Page 56306]]

 
                                        Excess Water per acre-             10.50           10.50  ..............
                                         foot over 5.0 acre-feet.
San Carlos Irrigation Project (Joint    Basic-per acre..........           20.00           20.00          $30.00
 Works) *.
San Carlos Irrigation Project (Indian   Basic-per acre..........           56.00           56.00           (\1\)
 Works).
Uintah Irrigation Project.............  Basic-per acre..........           11.00           11.00  ..............
Walker River Irrigation Project.......  Indian per acre.........            7.32            7.32  ..............
                                        non-Indian per acre.....           15.29           15.29  ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To be determined.
Note 1: For the Colorado River Irrigation Project, pursuant to a reconciliation of the operation and
  maintenance financial records as of December 31, 2002, funds in excess of the 700,000 reserve fund will be
  refunded to the excess water users in proportion to the amount of excess water purchased by each water user.
  The refund will be a credit against the 2004 irrigation season assessment for eligible excess water users.
Note 2: The Colorado River Irrigation Project's past practice of billing twice a year does not
  comply with the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and its supplementing regulations. Therefore, starting
  with the 2004 irrigation season, the full irrigation assessment will be due and payable in accordance with the
  procedures stated previously in this notice.
Note 3: The Fort Yuma Irrigation Project is owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation
  (Reclamation). The irrigation rates assessed for operation and maintenance are established by Reclamation and
  are provided for informational purposes only. The BIA only collects the irrigation assessments on behalf of
  Reclamation.

Consultation and Coordination With Tribal Governments (Executive Order 
13175)

    The BIA irrigation projects are vital components of the local 
agriculture economy of the reservations on which they are located. To 
fulfill its responsibilities to the tribes, tribal organizations, water 
user organizations, and the individual water users, the BIA 
communicates, coordinates, and consults on a continuing basis with 
these entities on issues of water delivery, water availability, costs 
of administration, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation. This is 
accomplished at the individual irrigation projects by Project, Agency, 
and Regional representatives, as appropriate, in accordance with local 
protocol and procedures. This notice is one component of the BIA's 
overall coordination and consultation process to provide notice and 
request comments from these entities on adjusting our irrigation rates.

Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 
Distribution, or Use (Executive Order 13211)

    The rate adjustments will have no adverse effects on energy supply, 
distribution, or use (including a shortfall in supply, price increases, 
and increase use of foreign supplies) should the proposed rate 
adjustments be implemented. This is a notice for rate adjustments at 
BIA owned and operated irrigation projects, except for the Fort Yuma 
Irrigation Project. The Fort Yuma Irrigation Project is owned and 
operated by the Bureau of Reclamation with a portion serving the Fort 
Yuma Reservation.

Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Order 12866)

    These rate adjustments are not a significant regulatory action and 
do not need to be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget under 
Executive Order 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rate making is not a rule for the purposes of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act because it is ``a rule of particular applicability 
relating to rates.'' 5 U.S.C. 601(2).

Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995

    These rate adjustments impose no unfunded mandates on any 
governmental or private entity and are in compliance with the 
provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995.

Takings (Executive Order 12630)

    The Department has determined that these rate adjustments do not 
have significant ``takings'' implications. The rate adjustments do not 
deprive the public, State, or local governments of rights or property.

Federalism (Executive Order 13132)

    The Department has determined that these rate adjustments do not 
have significant Federalism effects because they pertain solely to 
Federal-tribal relations and will not interfere with the roles, rights, 
and responsibilities of states.

Civil Justice Reform (Executive Order 12988)

    In accordance with Executive Order 12988, the Office of the 
Solicitor has determined that this rule does not unduly burden the 
judicial system and meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) 
of the Order.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    These rate adjustments do not affect the collections of information 
which have been approved by the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. The OMB Control Number is 1076-0141 and expires April 30, 
2006.

National Environmental Policy Act

    The Department has determined that these rate adjustments do not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment and that no detailed statement is required 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-
4370(d)).

Public Comment Solicitation

    If you wish to comment on the proposed rate adjustments, you may 
mail or hand-deliver your written comments to the person listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice. Comments may also be telefaxed to the 
following number: (202) 219-0006. We cannot accept electronic 
submissions at this time. All written comments received by the date 
indicated in the DATES section of this notice will be carefully 
assessed and fully considered before publication of a final notice.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If 
you wish us to withhold your name and/or address from public review or 
from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such 
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. We will not, 
however, consider anonymous comments. All submissions from

[[Page 56307]]

organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Dated: September 21, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-24690 Filed 9-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P