[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74123-74124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30228]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[167A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]


Receipt of Documented Petitions for Federal Acknowledgment of 
American Indian Tribes

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Under Part 83 of Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(25 CFR part 83), the Department of the Interior (Department) gives 
notice of three groups that have each filed a documented petition for 
Federal acknowledgment as an American Indian tribe with the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs. The Department seeks comment and evidence 
from the public on the petitions listed below.

DATES: Comments and evidence must be postmarked March 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the narrative portion of the documented petitions, 
as submitted by the petitioner (with any redactions appropriate under 
Sec.  83.21(b)), and other information are available at the Office of 
Federal Acknowledgment's (OFA) Web site: www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/OFA. Submit any comments or evidence to: Mr. R. Lee Fleming, Director, 
Office of Federal Acknowledgment, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS-
34B-SIB, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240 or by email 
to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. R. Lee Fleming, OFA Director, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, (202) 513-7650.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 31, 2015, the Department's revisions 
to 25 CFR part 83 became final and effective (80 FR 37861). A key goal 
of the revisions was to improve transparency through increased notice 
of petitions and providing improved public access to petitions. Today 
the Department informs the public that three documented petitions have 
been submitted under the current regulations, that portions of those 
petitions are publically available on the Web site identified below for 
easy access, and that we are seeking public comment early in the 
process on these petitions.
    Pursuant to the regulations, OFA notified 15 groups that the 
Department had identified them as having previously submitted complete 
documented petitions, under the 1994 acknowledgment regulations, which 
had

[[Page 74124]]

not yet received final agency decisions. Section 83.7 of the 
regulations allow petitioners that have submitted a complete documented 
petition but have not yet received a final agency decision to choose 
whether to proceed applying those standards and processes set forth in 
the current regulations or the standards and processes of the 
superseded regulations; 25 CFR part 83, revised as of February 25, 1994 
(59 FR 9280). This notice informs the public that three petitioners 
have submitted complete documented petitions and are proceeding under 
the standards and processes set forth in the current regulations. Two 
of these petitioners elected not to supplement their petitions, and one 
elected to supplement its petition and did so immediately.
    Under Sec.  83.22(b)(1), OFA publishes notice that the following 
groups have each filed a documented petition for Federal acknowledgment 
as American Indian tribes to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs:
    [cir] Muscogee Nation of Florida
    [ssquf] c/o Ms. Ann D. Tucker, 278 Church Road, Bruce, Florida 
32455;
    [cir] Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian Tribe of the Pueblo of San Juan 
Guadalupe
    [ssquf] c/o Mr. Edward Roybal, II, 4048 Calle De Estrellas, Las 
Cruces, New Mexico 88012; and
    [cir] Fernande[ntilde]o Tataviam Band of Mission Indians
    [ssquf] c/o Mr. Rudy Ortega, Jr., 1019 Second Street, #1, San 
Fernando, California 91340.
    Under Sec.  83.22, OFA also publishes on its Web site the 
following:
    (i) The name, location, and mailing address of the petitioner and 
other information to identify the entity;
    (ii) The date of receipt;
    (iii) The narrative portion of the documented petition, as 
submitted by the petitioner (with any redactions appropriate under 
Sec.  83.21(b));
    (iv) The opportunity for individuals and entities to submit 
comments and evidence supporting or opposing the petitioner's request 
for acknowledgment within 120 days of the date of the Web site posting 
(postmarked by the date in the DATES section of this notice); and
    (v) The opportunity for individuals and entities to request to be 
kept informed of general actions regarding a specific petitioner.
    Additionally, OFA is required under Sec.  83.22(c) to publish on 
the Web site other portions of the documented petition, to the extent 
feasible and allowable under Federal law, except documentation and 
information protectable from disclosure under Federal law, as 
identified by Petitioner under Sec.  83.21(b) or otherwise.
    The Department publishes this notice and request for comment in the 
exercise of authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.

    Dated: November 20, 2015.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-30228 Filed 11-25-15; 8:45 am]
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