[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 110 (Thursday, June 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33767-33768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13857]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians


Proposed Renewal of Information Collection: OMB Control Number 
1035-0003, Application To Withdraw Tribal Funds From Trust Status

AGENCY: Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Special Trustee for American 
Indians, Department of the Interior, announces the proposed renewal of 
a public information collection required by The American Indian Trust 
Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, ``Application to Withdraw Tribal 
Funds from Trust Status, 25 CFR 1200,'' OMB Control No. 1035-0003, and 
that it is seeking comments on its provisions. After public review, the 
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians will submit the 
information collection to Office of Management and Budget for renewal.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by August 
6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on this information 
collection should be sent to the Office of the Special Trustee, Office 
of External Affairs, Attn: Patricia Diane Johnson, 4400 Masthead St. 
NE., Room 323, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109. You may also email 
comments to [email protected]. Individuals providing 
comments should reference OMB control number 1035-0003, ``Application 
to Withdraw Tribal Funds from Trust Status, 25 CFR 1200.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
information collection or to obtain a copy of the collection 
instrument, please write to the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 
1320, which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-
13), require that interested members of the public and affected parties 
have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d). This notice identifies 
an information collection activity that the Office of the Special 
Trustee for American Indians is submitting to OMB for renewal.
    Public Law 103-412, The American Indian Trust Fund Management 
Reform Act of 1994, allows Indian tribes on a voluntary basis to take 
their funds out of trust status within the Department of the Interior 
(and the Federal Government) in order to manage such funds on their 
own. 25 CFR part 1200, subpart B, Sec. 1200.13, ``How does a tribe 
apply to withdraw funds?'' describes the requirements for application 
for withdrawal. The Act covers all tribal trust funds including 
judgment funds as well as some settlements funds, but excludes funds 
held in Individual Indian Money accounts. Both the Act and the 
regulations state that upon withdrawal of the funds, the Department of 
the Interior (and the Federal Government) have no further liability for 
such funds. Accompanying their application for withdrawal of trust 
funds, tribes are required to submit a Management Plan for managing the 
funds being withdrawn, to protect the funds once they are out of trust 
status.
    This information collection allows the Office of the Special 
Trustee to collect

[[Page 33768]]

the tribes' applications for withdrawal of funds held in trust by the 
Department of the Interior. If this information were not collected, the 
Office of the Special Trustee would not be able to comply with the 
American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, and tribes 
would not be able to withdraw funds held for them in trust by the 
Department of the Interior.

II. Data

    (1) Title: Application to Withdraw Tribal Funds from Trust Status, 
25 CFR 1200.
    OMB Control Number: 1035-0003.
    Current Expiration Date: November 30, 2012.
    Type of Review: Information Collection Renewal.
    Affected Entities: State, Local and Tribal Governments.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1.
    Frequency of response: Once per respondent.
    (2) Annual reporting and recordkeeping burden:
    Total annual reporting per respondent: 400 hours.
    Total annual reporting: 400 hours.
    (3) Description of the need and use of the information: The 
statutorily-required information is needed to provide a vehicle for 
tribes to withdraw funds from accounts held in trust for them by the 
United States Government.

III. Request for Comments

    The Department of the Interior invites comments 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 of the 
collection and 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 
other forms of information technology.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 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.
    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 Office of Management and Budget control number.

    Dated: May 30, 2012.
James P. Barham,
Director, Office of External Affairs, Office of the Special Trustee for 
American Indians.
[FR Doc. 2012-13857 Filed 6-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-2W-P