[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 77 (Thursday, April 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22412-22413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9666]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Information Collection for Tribal Energy Development Capacity 
Program; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Office of 
Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) is submitting a proposed 
information collection related to funds provided under the Tribal 
Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) program to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review. Indian tribes, including Alaska Native 
regional and village corporations, may be considered for funding under 
the TEDC if they provide certain information as part of an application. 
Once an application is accepted, the Indian tribe must then submit 
reports regarding the progress of their project. This notice requests 
comments on the information collection associated with the application 
and progress reports.

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 23, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the information collection to the 
Desk Officer for the 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: [email protected]. Please send a copy of your 
comments to Ashley Stockdale, 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: Ashley Stockdale (202) 219-0740. You 
may review the ICR online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the 
instructions to review Department of the Interior collections under 
review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to provide assistance to Indian tribes for energy development 
and appropriates funds for such projects on a year-to-year basis. See 
25 U.S.C. 3502. When funding is available, the Office of IEED may 
solicit proposals for projects for building capacity for tribal energy 
resource development on Indian land from Indian tribes, including 
Alaska Native regional and village corporations under the TEDC program. 
For the purposes of this program, ``Indian land'' includes: all land 
within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, pueblo, or rancheria; 
any land outside those boundaries that is held by the United States in 
trust for a tribe or individual Indian or by a tribe or individual 
Indian with restrictions on alienation; and land owned by an Alaska 
Native regional or village corporation.
    Tribes may use the contracting mechanism established by the Indian 
Self-Determination Act or may receive the money through adjustments to 
their funding from the Office of Self-Governance. See 25 U.S.C. 450 et 
seq. Indian tribes that would like to submit a TEDC project proposal 
must submit an application that includes certain

[[Page 22413]]

information and, once funding is received, must submit reports on how 
they are using the funding. A complete application must contain the 
following elements:
     A formal signed resolution of the governing body of the 
tribe;
     A proposal describing the planned activities and 
deliverable products; and
     A detailed budget estimate, including contracted personnel 
costs, travel estimates, data collection and analysis costs, and other 
expenses.
    The project proposal must include information about the tribe 
sufficient to allow IEED to evaluate the proposal based on the 
following criteria:
    (a) Energy resource potential;
    (b) Tribe's energy resource development history and current status;
    (c) Tribe's existing energy resource development capabilities;
    (d) Demonstrated willingness of the tribe to develop independent 
energy resource development business entity;
    (e) Intent to develop and retain energy development capacity within 
tribal government or business entities; and
    (f) Tribal commitment of staff, training, or monetary resources.
    The IEED requires this information to ensure that it provides 
funding only to those projects that meet the goals of the TEDC and the 
purposes for which Congress provides the appropriations.
    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 to 
obtain an information collection clearance from OMB.

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 conduct or sponsor, 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: Tribal Energy Development Capacity Program Grants.
    Brief Description of Collection: Indian tribes that would like to 
apply for TEDC funding must submit an application that includes certain 
information. A complete application must contain a formal signed 
resolution of the governing body of the tribe, a proposal describing 
the planned activities and deliverable products; and 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 those 
projects that meet the goals of the TEDC program 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. The IEED estimates that approximately 20 tribes 
will apply each year, and that IEED will accept approximately 10 of 
those applicants into the program.
    Respondents: Indian tribes under 25 U.S.C. 3502.
    Number of Respondents: 20 applicants per year; 10 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: 860 hours (800 for applications 
and 60 for progress reports).

    Dated: April 11, 2011.
Alvin Foster,
Acting Chief Information Officer--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-9666 Filed 4-20-11; 8:45 am]
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