[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 2268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-319]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activities; comment 
request.

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

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking comments from the 
public on an extension of an information collection from persons 
seeking proof of American Indian or Alaska Native blood, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The information collected under OMB 
Control Number 1076-0153 will be used to establish that the applicants 
meet requirements for official recognition as an American Indian or 
Alaska native for purposes of eligibility determination and 
participation in programs administered through the U.S. Bureau of 
Indian Affairs.

DATES: Submit comments on or before March 14, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments can be sent to Ms. Carolyn Newman, Tribal 
Enrollment Specialist, Division of Tribal Government Services, Office 
of Tribal Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1951 Constitution Avenue 
NW., Mail Stop: 320-SIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carolyn Newman, Tribal Enrollment 
Specialist, 202-513-7641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This collection was originally approved and 
assigned OMB Control No. 1076-0153 when it was submitted with a 
proposed rulemaking, 25 CFR Part 70, which was published in the Federal 
Register on April 18, 2000 (66 FR 20775). The proposed rulemaking has 
not been finalized due to various reasons. We received numerous 
negative comments from individuals and Indian tribal governments. We, 
therefore, are rewriting the proposed rule. The Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, through the development of the proposed rule, is attempting to 
bring its decision-making procedures regarding the issuance of CDIB 
forms in line with the Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 553, as 
mandated by section 552, and as directed in the 1986 decision of the 
Interior Board of Indian Appeals (IBIA), Office of Hearings and 
Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior, in Morgan Underwood, Sr. v. 
Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs (Operations), 93 I.D. 13, 11 
IBIA 3 (IBIA, January 31, 1986). However, there is legal support for 
the information collection in that currently existing Federal laws and 
regulations require some form of proof of Indian blood for various 
purposes, including ownership of lands held in trust by the United 
States for benefit of Indian landowners who are members of federally-
recognized Indian tribes (including Alaska Native villages), especially 
at those locations where the Indian tribe or Alaska native village has 
minimum Indian blood degree requirements for membership.
    The public is advised that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, 
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information 
that does not display a valid OMB clearance number. For example, this 
collection is listed by OMB as Control No. 1076-0153, and it expires 7/
31/2006. The response is voluntary to obtain or retain a benefit.
    We are requesting comments about the proposed collection to 
evaluate:
    (a) The accuracy of the burden hours, including the validity of the 
methodology used and assumptions made;
    (b) The necessity of the information for proper performance of the 
bureau functions, including its practical utility;
    (c) The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and,
    (d) Suggestions to reduce the burden including use of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Please submit your comments to the person listed in the ADDRESSES 
section. Please note that comments, names and addresses of 
commentators, are open for public review during the hours of 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday except for legal holidays. If you 
wish your name and address withheld, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comments. We will honor your request to the 
extent allowable by law.

Information Collection Abstract

    OMB control number: 1076-0153.
    Type of review: Renewal.
    Title: 25 CFR 70, Request for Certificate of Degree of Indian or 
Alaska Native Blood.
    Brief description of collection: To establish that individual 
Indians may be eligible to receive program services based upon their 
status and/or degree of Indian or Alaska Native blood.
    Affected Entities: Individual Indian Applicants.
    Estimated number of respondents: 154,980.
    Estimated time per response: 1.5.
    Number of Annual Responses: 154,980.
    Total annual burden hours: 232,470 hours.

    Dated: December 27, 2005.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
 [FR Doc. E6-319 Filed 1-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P