[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49255-49256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17779]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[167 A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]


Renewal of Agency Information Collection for Tribal Energy 
Resource Agreements

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request for renewal of the collection of 
information for Tribal Energy Resource Agreements, authorized by OMB 
Control Number 1076-0167. This information collection expires July 31, 
2016.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
August 26, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments to the Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior at the Office of Management and Budget, by 
facsimile to (202) 395-5806 or you may send an email to: 
[email protected]. Also please send a copy of your comments 
to Ms. Elizabeth K. Appel, Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs & 
Collaborative Action, Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian 
Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, telephone: (202) 273-4680; 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth K. Appel, (202) 273-
4680; email: [email protected]. You may review the information 
collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the 
instructions to review Department of the Interior collections under 
review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    To assist Indian Tribes in the development of energy resources and 
further the goal of Indian self-determination, the Secretary of the 
Interior (Secretary) shall establish and implement an Indian energy 
resource development program to assist consenting Indian Tribes and 
Tribal energy resource development organizations in achieving the 
purpose, as authorized by 25 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq. The statute 
authorizes the Secretary to approve individual Tribal Energy Resource 
Agreements (TERAs). The intent of these agreements is to promote Tribal 
oversight and management of energy and mineral resource development on 
Tribal lands and further the goal of Indian self-determination. A TERA 
offers a Tribe an alternative for developing energy-related business 
agreements and awarding leases and granting rights-of-way for energy 
facilities without having to obtain further approval from the 
Secretary.
    This information collection conducted under TERA regulations at 25 
CFR 224, will allow the Office of

[[Page 49256]]

Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) to determine the capacity 
of Tribes to manage the development of energy resources on Tribal 
lands. Information collection:
     Enables IEED to engage in a consultation process with 
Tribes that is designed to foster optimal pre-planning of development 
proposals and speed-up the review and approval process for TERA 
agreements;
     Provides wide public notice and opportunity for review of 
TERA agreements by the public, industry, and government agencies;
     Ensures that the public has an avenue for review of the 
performance of Tribes in implementing a TERA;
     Creates a process for preventing damage to sensitive 
resources as well as ensuring that the public has fully communicated 
with the Tribe in the petition process;
     Ensures that a Tribe is fully aware of any attempt by the 
Department of the Interior to resume management authority over energy 
resources on Tribal lands; and
     Ensures that the Tribal government fully endorses any 
relinquishment of a TERA.
    The data will be maintained by BIA's IEED Office. The burden hours 
for this continued collection of information are reflected in the 
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden in this notice.

II. Request for Comments on Collection of Information

    The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs requests your comments on 
this collection concerning: (a) The necessity of this information 
collection 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 (hours and cost) of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) Ways we could enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Ways we could 
minimize the burden of the collection of the information on the 
respondents.
    Please note that an agency may not conduct or sponsor and an 
individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a valid OMB Control Number.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review at the location listed in the ADDRESSES section. Before 
including your address, phone number, email address or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

III. Request for Comments on Burden Reduction

    The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs also requests your comments 
on ways to revise and reduce the burden of the governing regulations 
for TERAs under 25 CFR 224. Currently, the total annual hour burden for 
this information collection is 10,752 hours with an estimated time per 
response from 32 to 1,080 hours. Please submit comments on the 
following topics to the contact listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice: (1) The aspects of this information collection you identify as 
having the greatest burden, (2) Whether these burdensome aspects are 
the likely reason for an underutilization of TERAs; (3) Whether these 
burdensome aspects are required under statute or regulation, and (4) 
Any opportunities to reduce the burden of information collection, 
including but not limited to opportunities to reduce burdens associated 
with the application process by issuing guidance or instructions for 
prospective applicants.
    Please also specify any language within the regulations that you 
believe should be adjusted in order to reduce the burden associated 
with this information collection. Additionally, if you believe that an 
adjustment to statutory language would reduce the burden associated 
with this information collection, please specifically identify this 
language.

IV. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1076-0167.
    Title: Tribal Energy Resource Agreements, 25 CFR 224.
    Brief Description of Collection: Submission of this information is 
required for Federally Recognized Indian Tribes to apply for, 
implement, reassume, or rescind a TERA that has been entered into in 
accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq., and 25 CFR 224. This 
collection also requires the Tribe to notify the public of certain 
actions and allows a petition from the public to be submitted to the 
Secretary of the Interior to inform of possible noncompliance with a 
TERA.
    Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Respondents: Federally recognized Indian Tribes and the public.
    Number of Respondents: 14.
    Number of Responses: 34.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Obligation to Respond: Responses are required to obtain or maintain 
a benefit.
    Estimated Time per Response: Varies from 32 hours to 1,080 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 10,752 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour Dollar Cost: $48,200.

Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action--Indian 
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-17779 Filed 7-26-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P