[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6405-6406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2718]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Information Collection for Energy and Mineral Development Program 
Grants; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Submission to the Office of Management and Budget.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting the new 
information collection on the Energy and Mineral Development Program 
Grants for review and approval as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will assign a Control 
Number.

DATES: Submit comments on or before March 11, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the information collection to the 
Desk Officer for Department of the Interior at the Office of Management 
and Budget, by facsimile to (202) 395-5806 or you may send an e-mail 
to: OIRA--DOCKET@ omb.eop.gov. Please send a copy of your comments to 
Darryl Francois, Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Energy 
and Economic Development, Room 20, South Interior Building, 1951 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20245, fax (202) 208-4564; e-
mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may request further information or 
obtain copies of the information collection request submission from 
Darryl Francois, Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Energy 
and Economic Development. Telephone (202) 219-0740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to provide grants to Indian tribes for energy development. See 
25 U.S.C. 3502. The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development 
(IEED) administers and manages the Energy and Minerals Development 
Program (EMDP). Congress appropriates funds to EMDP on a year-to-year 
basis. When funding is available, IEED may solicit proposals for energy 
and mineral development projects from Indian tribes whose lands are 
held in trust or restricted fee by the Federal government. Tribes may 
use the contracting mechanism established by the Indian Self-
Determination Act or may receive the grant money through adjustments to 
their funding from the Office of Self-Governance. See 25 U.S.C. 450 et 
seq. The projects may be in the areas of exploration, assessment, 
development, feasibility, or market studies. Indian tribes that would 
like to apply for an EMDP grant must submit an application that 
includes certain information, and must assist IEED by providing 
information in support of any National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
analyses. A complete application must contain the following elements.

 A current, signed tribal resolution that: (1) Authorizes the 
energy and mineral development project for the appropriate fiscal year; 
(2) describes the commodity or commodities to be studied; (3) states 
that the tribe is willing to consider developing any potential energy 
or mineral resources discovered; (4) describes how the tribe prefers to 
have the energy or mineral program conducted (i.e., through the sole 
utilization of IEED in-house professional staff, in conjunction with 
professional tribal staff, through private contractors, or through 
other appropriate means); and (5) states that the tribe will consider 
public release of information obtained from the energy and mineral 
development study upon request from IEED.
 A proposal describing the planned activities and deliverable 
products that will be accomplished within the fiscal year for which 
funding is requested, including:
    [cir] Overview, including the elements of the proposed study, 
reasons why the proposed study is needed, total requested funding, 
responsible parties for technical exaction and administration, and 
tribal point of contact for the project;
    [cir] Technical summary of the project, including whether the 
request will begin a new study or continue a study and the duration of 
the study, a description of any known energy and/or mineral deposit, 
reference to any existing mineral exploration information, and a 
description of any environmental or cultural sensitive areas;
    [cir] Project objective, goals and scope of work;
    [cir] Deliverable products, such as technical data and maps; and
    [cir] Resumes of key personnel.
 A detailed budget estimate, including contracted personnel 
costs, travel estimates, data collection and analysis costs, and other 
expenses.

The IEED requires this information to ensure that it provides funding 
only to

[[Page 6406]]

those projects that meet the goals of the EMDP and the purposes for 
which Congress provides the appropriations.
    Once a tribe has been accepted into the EMDP, the tribe must also 
submit quarterly reports, which are one- or two-page documents 
summarizing events, accomplishments, problems and/or results in 
executing the project. Each report is due two weeks after the end of 
the fiscal quarter.
    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 provides an opportunity for 
interested parties to comment on proposed information collection 
requests. The IEED is proceeding with this public comment period as the 
first step in obtaining an information collection clearance from OMB. 
Each clearance request contains (1) type of review, (2) title, (3) 
summary of the collection, (4) respondents, (5) frequency of 
collection, (6) reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

II. Request for Comments

    The IEED requests your comments on this collection concerning: (a) 
The necessity of this information collection 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 (hours and cost) of the collection of information, including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways we could 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways we could minimize the burden of the collection 
of the information on the respondents, such as through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Please note that an agency may not sponsor or request, and an 
individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it 
has a valid OMB Control Number.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review at the location listed in the ADDRESSES section. Before 
including your address, phone number, e-mail address or other 
personally identifiable information, be advised that your entire 
comment--including your personally identifiable information--may be 
made public at any time. While you may request that we withhold your 
personally identifiable information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1076-0XXX.
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Energy and Mineral Development Program Grant Solicitation.
    Brief Description of Collection: Indian tribes that would like to 
apply for an EMDP grant must submit an application that includes 
certain information. A complete application must contain a current, 
signed tribal resolution that provides sufficient information to 
authorize the project and comply with the terms of the grant; a 
proposal describing the planned activities and deliverable products; 
and a detailed budget estimate. The IEED requires this information to 
ensure that it provides funding only to those projects that meet the 
goals of the EMDP and purposes for which Congress provides the 
appropriation. Upon acceptance of an application, a tribe must then 
submit one- to two-page quarterly progress reports summarizing events, 
accomplishments, problems and/or results in executing the project. 
Approximately 55 tribes apply each year, but IEED accepts approximately 
18 of those applications each year. Response is required to obtain a 
benefit.
    Respondents: Indian tribes with trust or restricted land.
    Number of Respondents: 55 applicants per year; 18 project 
participants each year.
    Estimated Time per Response: 40 hours per application; 1.5 hours 
per progress report.
    Frequency of Response: Once per year for applications; 4 times per 
year for progress reports.
    Total Annual Burden to Respondents: 2,308 hours (2,200 for 
applications and 108 for progress reports).

    Dated: February 3, 2010.
Alvin Foster,
Acting Chief Information Officer--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2010-2718 Filed 2-8-10; 8:45 am]
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