[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 966-967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00109]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

[15XD0120AF-DT21200000-DST000000-T7AC00.241A]


Notice of 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.

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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, is announcing its intention to 
request renewal approval for the collection of information for 
Application to Withdraw Tribal Funds from Trust Status, OMB Control 
Number 1035-0003. This collection request has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The 
information collection request (ICR) describes the nature of the 
information collection and the expected burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection request, but may respond after 30 days; therefore, public 
comments should be submitted to OMB by February 8, 2016, in order to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for 
the Department of the Interior (1035-0003), by telefax at (202) 395-
5806 or via email to [email protected]. Also, please send a 
copy of your comments to the Office of the Special Trustee, Office of 
External Affairs, Attn: Roberson D. Becenti, 4400 Masthead St. NE., 
Room 259A, 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, see the contact information provided in the ADDRESSES 
section above. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to: 
http://www.reginfo.gov and select Information Collection Review, 
Currently Under Review.

SUPPLEMTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, 
which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-131), 
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 has submitted to OMB for renewal.
    Public Law 103-412, The American Indian Trust Fund Management 
Reform Act of 1994 (Act), 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 and invest 
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)

[[Page 967]]

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 for American Indians to collect 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 
for American Indians would not be able to comply with the American 
Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-412), 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: January 31, 2016
    Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected Entities: Tribal Governments.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: One respondent per year.
    Frequency of response: Once per tribe per trust fund withdrawal 
application.
    (2) Annual reporting and record keeping burden:
    Total annualized reporting per respondent: 1.
    Total annualized reporting: 750 hours.
    (3) Description of the need and use of the information: The 
statutorily-required information is needed to approve tribal 
applications to withdraw funds from accounts held in trust for tribes 
by the United States Government, for self-management.
    (4) As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice 
soliciting comments on the information collection was published on 
October 19, 2015 (80 FR 63253). No comments were received. This notice 
provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the proposed information collection activity.

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 techniques.
    ``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.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review. Before including Personally Identifiable Information (PII), 
such as your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
information in your comments(s), you should be aware that your entire 
comment (including PII) may be made available to the public at any 
time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold PII from public 
view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. If you wish to 
view any comments received, you may do so by scheduling an appointment 
with the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians by using 
the contact information in the ADDRESSES section above. A valid picture 
identification is required for entry into the Department of the 
Interior.
    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: December 30, 2015.
David Beeksma,
Director, Office of External Affairs, Office of the Special Trustee for 
American Indians.
[FR Doc. 2016-00109 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
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