[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61679-61680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27199]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Office of Federal Acknowledgment; Documented Petitions for 
Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe, Submission to OMB for 
Renewal

AGENCY: Office of Federal Acknowledgment, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
for Documented Petitions for Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe 
is submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget for extension.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments to Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503. Please send a duplicate copy to R. Lee Fleming, 
Director, Office of Federal Acknowledgment, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, 
NW., MS-4660 MIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information or copies of the information collection 
submission should be directed to R. Lee Fleming, Director, Office of 
Federal Acknowledgment, Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian 
Affairs, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., MS-4660 MIB, 
Washington, DC 20240. You may also call (202) 208-3592.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 61680]]

I. Abstract

    The information collection is needed to establish whether a 
petitioning group has the characteristics necessary to be acknowledged 
as having a sovereign-to-sovereign relationship with the United States. 
Federal acknowledgment makes the group eligible for benefits from the 
Federal government.

II. Method of Collection

    The Federal acknowledgment regulations at 25 CFR Part 83 contain 
seven criteria (Sec.  83.7) which groups seeking Federal acknowledgment 
as Indian tribes must demonstrate that they meet. Information collected 
from petitioning groups under these regulations provide 
anthropological, genealogical and historical data used by the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs to establish whether a petitioning group has 
the characteristics necessary to be acknowledged as having a sovereign-
to-sovereign relationship with the United States. Respondents are not 
required to retain copies of information submitted to the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, but will probably maintain copies for their own use. No 
periodic reports are required.

III. Data

    Title: Collection of Information for Federal Acknowledgment Under 
25 CFR part 83.
    OMB Number: 1076-0104.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 2003.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Entities: Groups petitioning for Federal acknowledgment as 
Indian tribes.
    Response: Respondents are seeking to obtain the status of a tribal 
entity in order to be eligible for funding and services from the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs by virtue of their status as Indian tribes.
    Estimated Number of Petitioners: 10.
    Estimated Time per Petition: 2,237.7 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 22,377.
    Estimated Annual Salary Costs: $895,080 (2,237.7 hours x $40.00 per 
hour x 10).

IV. Request for Comments

    You are invited to comment on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including 
hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information, including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or 
the forms of information technology.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time 
needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize 
technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able 
to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to 
complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.
    Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
request that we consider withholding your name, street address, and 
other contact information (such as Internet address, fax, or phone 
number) from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comment. We will make available for public inspection in their 
entirety all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses.
    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.
    OMB has up to 60 days to make a decision on the submission for 
renewal, but may make the decision after 30 days. Therefore, to receive 
the best consideration of your comments, you should submit them closer 
to 30 days than 60 days.

    Dated: October 22, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-27199 Filed 10-28-03; 8:45 am]
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