[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46596-46597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18526]


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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 Office of the Secretary is announcing that the Secretarial 
Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform (the Commission) 
will hold a public meeting on August 19, 2013. During the public 
meeting, the Commission will: attend to operational activities of the 
Commission; gain insights and knowledge from invited speakers and 
attendees about the trust relationship, other trust models, and trust 
reform, and aspects of trust that are unique to Alaska; review 
Commission action items; and gain insights and perspectives from 
members of the public.

DATES: The Commission's public meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end 
at 1 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on August 19, 2013. Members of the 
public who wish to attend in person should RSVP by August 16, 2013, to: 
[email protected] to ensure adequate meeting packets will be 
made available. Members of the public who wish to participate via 
teleconference and Webinar should register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/358286632 by August 16, 2013, and 
instructions on how to join the meeting will be sent to your email 
address. Teleconference/Webinar participation is limited to 100 
participants.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Sheraton Anchorage 
Hotel & Spa, Kuskokwim Ballroom, 401 E. 6th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 
99501. We encourage you to RSVP to [email protected] by 
August 16, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Official, Sarah 
Harris, Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, 
Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Room 4141, 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 
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 these 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.
    The management consultant will be attending the upcoming Indian 
Trust Commission's meeting in Anchorage 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].

Public Meeting Details

    On Monday, August 19, 2013, the Commission will hold a meeting open 
to the public. The following items will be on the agenda:

Monday, August 19, 2013

     Invocation;
     Welcome, introductions, agenda review;
     Remarks from Sarah Harris, Designated Federal Official;
     Commission Operations Reports and Decision Making
     Insights and lessons learned regarding trust 
responsibility, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA) and the 
role of tribes going forward;
     Panel session regarding trust land and trust 
responsibility in Alaska;
     Review of draft recommendations of Commission and public 
comment;
     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.


[[Page 46597]]


    Dated: July 25, 2013.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013-18526 Filed 7-31-13; 8:45 am]
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