[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 21 (Thursday, February 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9074-9075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02200]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[178A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act; Indian Dam 
Safety

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Tribal consultation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Trust Services, 
Division of Water and Power, will be conducting five consultation 
sessions to obtain oral and written comments on the implementation of 
the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act with regard to 
Indian dam safety.

DATES: Written comments must be received by March 3, 2017. Please see 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for dates of 
Tribal consultation sessions.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand delivery to: Ms. 
Elizabeth Appel, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 
U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Mail Stop 3642-MIB, 
Washington, DC 20240. Please note: If you provide comments by email, 
there is no need to provide a duplicate hard copy.
    Please see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
information on the Tribal consultation sessions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yulan Jin, Division Chief, Water and 
Power, (202) 219-0941, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Executive Summary

    The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act 
became law on December 16, 2016. Section 3101 of the WIIN Act provides 
for consultation with representatives of affected Indian tribes, as 
well as the solicitation and consideration of comments and 
recommendations from landowners served by relevant Indians dams, within 
60 days of the Act's passage. Section 3101 also requires the

[[Page 9075]]

Secretary to submit a report to Congress within 120 days of enactment 
(by April 14, 2017) on programmatic goals to address the deferred 
maintenance needs of Indian dams and funding prioritization criteria 
for distributing funds from the High-Hazard Indian Dam Safety Deferred 
Maintenance Fund and the Low-Hazard Indian Dam Safety Deferred 
Maintenance Fund.
    Section 3101 establishes a program to address the deferred 
maintenance needs of Indian dams and authorizes $32.75 million per year 
($22.75 million designated for high- and significant-hazard potential 
dams and $10 million designated for low-hazard potential dams), plus 
accrued interest, for each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2023. 
Subject to appropriation, the funds would be available to carry out 
maintenance, repair, and replacement activities for qualified Indian 
dams.
    Eligible high-hazard potential dams are those included in the 
safety of dams program established under the Indian Dams Safety Act of 
1994 that are either: (1) Owned by the Federal Government and managed 
by BIA, including dams managed under Indian Self-Determination 
contracts or compacts; or (2) have deferred maintenance documented by 
BIA. Eligible low-hazard potential dams are those covered under the 
Indian Dams Safety Act of 1994 and are either: (1) Owned by the Federal 
Government and managed by BIA, including dams managed under Indian 
Self-Determination contracts or compacts; or (2) have deferred 
maintenance documented by BIA.

II. Tribal Consultation Sessions

    The BIA will be hosting three in-person Tribal consultation 
sessions. Additionally, two webinars will be held for Tribes unable to 
make an in-person session. Tribes were notified of these consultation 
sessions by letter. Tribes potentially affected by the Indian Dam 
Safety component of the WIIN Act include all Tribes because, while BIA 
has an inventory of high-hazard potential dams, no such inventory yet 
exists for low-hazard potential dams. For this reason, BIA also asks 
that Tribes notify the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this notice of any low-hazard potential dams subject 
to the Indian Dams Act of 1994.
    Tribal consultation sessions will be held on the following dates at 
the following locations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Date                                       Time                                Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, February 6, 2017...........  1 p.m.-5 p.m. Local Time.......................  Bureau of Indian Affairs,
                                                                                       Medicine Wheel Room--
                                                                                       Third Floor, 2021 4th
                                                                                       Avenue North, Billings,
                                                                                       MT 59101.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017........  1 p.m.-5 p.m. Local Time.......................  Indian Pueblo Cultural
                                                                                       Center, Silver/Turquoise
                                                                                       Conference Room, 2401
                                                                                       12th Street NW.,
                                                                                       Albuquerque, NM 87104.
Friday, February 10, 2017..........  1 p.m.-5 p.m. Local Time.......................  Bureau of Indian Affairs,
                                                                                       Federal Building
                                                                                       Auditorium, 911 NE 11th
                                                                                       Avenue, Portland, OR
                                                                                       97232.
Monday, February 13, 2017..........  1 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern Time.....................  Call-in number: (888) 810-
                                                                                       4934, Passcode: 7199390.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017.......  1 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern Time.....................  Call-in number: (888) 810-
                                                                                       4934, Passcode: 7199390.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    BIA is developing drafts of the programmatic goals and funding 
prioritization criteria for discussion at the consultation sessions. 
These documents will be available at https://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OTS/IPSOD/index.htm by January 23, 2017 to allow time to review prior 
to the first session.

    Dated: January 27, 2017.
Michael S. Black,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-02200 Filed 2-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P