[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30324-30325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-12199]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[DR5A311IA000113]


Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and 
Reform (the Commission) will hold a public meeting on June 7, 2013. 
During the public meeting, the Commission will: Attend to operational 
activities of the Commission; receive an update on the leasing 
regulations/HEARTH Act implementation; gain insights and knowledge from 
invited speakers and attendees about the trust relationship, other 
trust models, and trust reform; review Commission action items; and 
gain insights and perspectives from members of the public.

DATES: The Commission's public meeting will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 
12 p.m. on June 7, 2013. Members of the public who wish to attend 
should RSVP by June 3, 2013, to: [email protected].

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott 
Downtown Oklahoma City, Two West Reno, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. We 
encourage you to RSVP to [email protected] by June 3, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Official, 
Lizzie Marsters, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary, Department of 
the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Room 6118, Washington, DC 20240; or 
email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Secretarial Commission on Indian Trust Administration and 
Reform was established under Secretarial Order No. 3292, dated December 
8, 2009. The Commission plays a key role in the Department's ongoing 
efforts to empower Indian nations and strengthen nation-to-nation 
relationships.
    The Commission will complete a comprehensive evaluation of the

[[Page 30325]]

Department's management and administration of the trust assets within a 
two-year period and offer recommendations to the Secretary of the 
Interior of how to improve in the future. The Commission will:
    (1) Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Department's 
management and administration of the trust administration system;
    (2) Review the Department's provision of services to trust 
beneficiaries;
    (3) Review input from the public, interested parties, and trust 
beneficiaries, which should involve conducting a number of regional 
listening sessions;
    (4) Consider the nature and scope of necessary audits of the 
Department's trust administration system;
    (5) Recommend options to the Secretary to improve the Department's 
management and administration of the trust administration system based 
on information obtained from the Commission's activities, including 
whether any legislative or regulatory changes are necessary to 
permanently implement such improvements; and
    (6) Consider the provisions of the American Indian Trust Fund 
Management Reform Act of 1994 providing for the termination of the 
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and make 
recommendations to the Secretary regarding any such termination.

Comprehensive Evaluation

    The Commission's purpose is to provide a thorough evaluation of the 
existing Indian trust management and trust administration system to 
support a reasoned and factually based set of options for potential 
management improvements. Grant Thornton LLP in partnership with 
Cherokee Services Group has been awarded a contract to perform a 
comprehensive evaluation of the Department's management of the trust 
administration system in support of the Commission's efforts.
    This evaluation will depend on a nationwide information-gathering 
effort to produce meaningful recommendations. Over the next few months 
the management consultant will be contacting individuals, tribes, and 
Interior bureaus and offices to discuss current approaches to trust 
management and recommendations for improvement. The management 
consultant will also be assessing past trust reform efforts and 
capturing current initiatives already underway which contribute to a 
more effective trust management effort.
    The management consultant will be attending the upcoming Indian 
Trust Commission's meeting in Oklahoma City and will be available to 
speak with if you wish to provide input and recommendations. The 
Commission encourages individuals to take the opportunity to provide 
Grant Thornton with your perspective on how the trust administration 
system currently operates. To contact Grant Thornton directly, you may 
send an email to [email protected].

Sovereignty Symposium 2013

    Members of the Commission have been asked to sit on a panel to 
discuss the Trust Commission's work and share any draft recommendations 
regarding trust management and administration, and invite feedback from 
attendees. Members of the public will need to register separately and 
pay appropriate registration fees by visiting the Sovereignty Symposium 
2013 Web page at www.thesovereigntysymposium.com. The Commission's 
panel session is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, 2013, from 1:30 p.m. 
to 5 p.m. at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, One Park Avenue, Oklahoma City, 
OK 73102. The Commission would like the attendees of the Sovereignty 
Symposium to be aware that Grant Thornton, the management consultant, 
will be onsite Thursday, June 6, to interview allottees, beneficiaries, 
and tribal representatives. The Commission encourages individuals to 
take the opportunity to provide Grant Thornton with your perspective on 
how the trust administration system currently operates. To contact 
Grant Thornton directly, you may send an email to 
[email protected].

Public Meeting Details

    On Friday, June 7, 2013, the Commission will hold a meeting open to 
the public. The following items will be on the agenda:

Friday, June 7, 2013

 Invocation
 Welcome, introductions, agenda review
 Commission operations reports and decision making
 Panel session regarding an update on leasing regulations and 
HEARTH Act implementation
 Gain insights and knowledge from invited speakers and 
attendees about the trust relationship, other trust models, and trust 
reform
 Review action items, meeting accomplishments and
 Closing blessing, adjourn

Written comments may be sent to the Designated Federal Official listed 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. All meetings are 
open to the public; however, transportation, lodging, and meals are the 
responsibility of the participating public. To review all related 
material on the Commission's work, please refer to http://www.doi.gov/cobell/commission/index.cfm.

    Dated: May 17, 2013.
David J. Hayes,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-12199 Filed 5-21-13; 8:45 am]
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