[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 82 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20372-20373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08747]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Fund 17XD4523WK; Functional Area: DWK000000.000000; Funds Center: 
DS10100000]


Secretary's Indian Water Rights Office; Proposed New Information 
Collection: OMB Control Number 1094-ONEW, Indian Water Rights 
Settlements: Economic Analysis

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Secretary's Indian Water Rights 
Office.

ACTION: 30-day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary's Indian Water Rights Office (SIWRO) has 
submitted an information collection request to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) to complete a new information collection to identify 
and track social and economic changes that occur as a result of the 
implementation of enacted Indian water rights settlements (IWRS).

DATES: The OMB is required to respond to this information collection 
request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum 
consideration, written comments should be received on or before May 31, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or email 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior. Additionally, please provide a copy of your comments to 
Rachel Brown, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., MS 
7069-MIB, Washington, DC 20240, fax 202-208-6970, or by electronic mail 
to [email protected]. Please mention that your comments concern the 
Indian Water Rights Settlements: Economic Analysis, OMB Control Number 
1093-0NEW.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection request, any explanatory information and related forms, see 
the contact information provided in the ADDRESSES section above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3521) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 provide that an agency may 
not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection of 
information, you are not obligated to respond. In order to obtain and 
renew an OMB control number, Federal agencies are required to seek 
public comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities 
(see 5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)).
    As required at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), the SIWRO published a 60-day notice 
in the Federal Register on October 17, 2016 (81 FR 71528), and the 
comment period ended December 16, 2016. The SIWRO received no comments. 
The SIWRO now requests comments on the following subjects:
    1. The following are examples of the types of questions that SIWRO 
may use in the information collection: Was the infrastructure included 
in the agreement put in place; is the infrastructure functioning as 
expected; if water leasing is allowed for under the agreement is such 
leasing taking place, and with whom; what are the perceived benefits to 
the tribal nations, local communities and other parties to the 
settlement; to what extent have economic and social benefits been 
realized from any infrastructure or other arrangements or agreements 
implemented pursuant to the settlement; are the benefits of the actions 
taken under the settlement expected to continue in the future; have 
there been any unintended consequences of the actions taken under the 
settlement. If commenters would like specific questions asked during 
the targeted interviews, SIWRO encourages that those questions be 
submitted as comments on this ICR.
    2. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper functioning of the SIWRO, including whether the information will 
have practical utility;
    3. The accuracy of the SIWRO's estimate of the burden of collecting 
the information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    4. The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
    5. How to minimize the information collection burden on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
    Please send comments as directed under ADDRESSES and DATES. Please 
refer to OMB control number 1093-ONEW in your correspondence. 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.
    The following information pertains to this request:
    Title: Indian Water Rights Settlements: Economic Analysis.
    Form: None.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Abstract: The Secretary's Indian Water Rights Office (SIWRO) is 
tasked with overseeing and coordinating the Federal Government's Indian 
water rights settlement program and is undertaking a study on the 
economic outcomes associated with Indian water rights settlements. The 
purpose of the study is to identify and track social and economic 
changes that occur as a result of the implementation of enacted 
settlements. The Office of Indian Water Rights is located within the 
Secretary's

[[Page 20373]]

Office. The Office leads, coordinates, and manages the Department's 
Indian water rights settlement program (109 Departmental Manual 
1.3.E(2)).
    Indian reserved water rights are vested property rights for which 
the United States has a trust responsibility, with the United States 
holding legal title to such water in trust for the benefit of Indian 
tribes. Federal policy supports the resolution of disputes regarding 
Indian water rights through negotiated settlements. Settlement of 
Indian water rights disputes breaks down barriers and helps create 
conditions that improve water resources management by providing 
certainty as to the rights of all water users who are parties to the 
disputes. At a time of increasing competition for Federal funds, it is 
important to quantify and describe the economic impacts and net 
benefits of the implementation of enacted Indian water rights 
settlements.
    Frequency: One time.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local & Tribal Governments as 
well as some Private Sector entities.
    Estimated Number of Responses Annually: 60.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden Annually: 
164.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden 
Annually: None.
    The estimated burdens are itemized in the following table:

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                                                                                                  D. Total hours
                     A. Type of response                         B. Number of     C. Hours per     (column B x
                                                                  responses         response        column C)
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Interview and data sharing...................................              60             2.73              164
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Jeffrey M. Parrillo,
Department of the Interior, Departmental Information Collection 
Clearance Lead.
[FR Doc. 2017-08747 Filed 4-28-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4334-63P