[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2436-2437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00529]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[L10300000.PH0000 19X LLWO220000]


Tribal and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects; 
Eligibility Criteria

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is establishing 
eligibility and selection criteria for Tribal Biomass Demonstration 
Project and Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Project proposals 
submitted for BLM-managed lands, as authorized by the Indian Tribal 
Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017.

DATES: This Notice takes effect on January 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Additional information about this notice and program may be 
obtained on the internet at https://www.blm.gov/https%3A//www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/forests-and-woodlands/biomass-and-bioenergy/tribal-biomass.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Tague, Division Chief, Forest, 
Range, Riparian, and Plant Conservation, telephone (202) 912-7222; 
email, [email protected].
    Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call 
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Mr. Tague 
during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, to leave a message or question regarding the project. You 
will receive a reply during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 202 of Public Law 115-325 amends the Tribal Forest 
Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115(a) et seq.) for the purpose of 
establishing tribal and Alaska Native biomass demonstration projects 
for federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations 
to promote biomass energy production by providing reliable supplies of 
woody biomass from Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands.
    For Tribal Biomass Demonstration Projects, the Act requires, for 
each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture 
and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into stewardship contracts 
or similar agreements (excluding direct service contracts) with Indian 
tribes to carry out at least four new demonstration projects to promote 
biomass energy production (including biofuel, heat, and electricity 
generation) on Indian forest land and in nearby communities by 
providing reliable supplies of woody biomass from Federal land.
    For Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration Projects, the Act requires, 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021, the Secretary of 
Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an 
agreement or contract with an Indian tribe or a tribal organization to 
carry out at least one new demonstration project to promote biomass 
energy production (including biofuel, heat, and electricity generation) 
by providing reliable supplies of woody biomass from Federal land.
    Indian tribe means: Any Indian tribe, band, nation or other 
organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or 
regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant 
to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as 
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United 
States to Indians because of their status as Indians. (25 U.S.C. 
5304(e)).

Eligibility

    To establish eligibility for a Tribal Biomass Demonstration 
Project, an Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)) must submit 
an application with the following information:
    (1) A description of the Indian forest land under the jurisdiction 
of the Indian tribe;
    (2) A description and location of the biomass utilization facility 
including its annual biomass consumption and details related to the 
application evaluation criteria;
    (3) A map depicting the BLM lands being proposed for harvest; and
    (4) A harvest plan proposing the means to carry out the biomass 
harvest.
    To establish eligibility for an Alaska Native Biomass Demonstration 
Project, an Indian tribe (as defined at (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)) needs to 
submit an application with the following information:
    (1) A description and location of the biomass utilization facility, 
including its annual biomass consumption and details related to the 
application evaluation criteria;
    (2) A map depicting the BLM lands being proposed for harvest; and
    (3) A harvest plan proposing the means to carry out the biomass 
harvest.
    The statute allows the Secretary of the Interior to establish 
additional criteria as needed. Such additional criteria will be posted 
on the website established for this purpose (see ADDRESSES).
    The eligibility applications comprise a collection of information 
that requires a control number from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3521). 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 OMB control number. For this reason, the BLM will 
request an OMB control number for these applications.

Application Evaluation Criteria

    In accordance with the Act, the BLM will evaluate applications by 
assessing whether the proposed project would:
    (1) Increase the reliability of local or regional energy;
    (2) Enhance the economic development of the Indian tribe;
    (3) Result in or improve the connection of electric power 
transmission facilities serving the Indian tribe with other electric 
transmission facilities;
    (4) Improve the forest health or watersheds of Federal land or 
Indian forest or rangeland; or
    (5) Otherwise promote the use of woody biomass.

Contracts and Agreements Selection

    In accordance with the Act, when evaluating applications the BLM 
will also take into consideration the following factors:
    (1) The status of the Indian tribe as an Indian tribe;
    (2) The trust status of the Indian forest land or rangeland of the 
Indian tribe;
    (3) The cultural, traditional, and historical affiliation of the 
Indian tribe with the land subject to the proposal;
    (4) The treaty rights or other reserved rights of the Indian tribe 
relating to the land subject to the proposal;
    (5) The indigenous knowledge and skills of members of the Indian 
tribe;
    (6) The features of the landscape of the land subject to the 
proposal, including watersheds and vegetation types;
    (7) The working relationships between the Indian tribe and Federal 
agencies in coordinating activities affecting the land subject to the 
proposal; and
    (8) The access by members of the Indian tribe to the land subject 
to the proposal.
    In accordance with the Act, the contract or agreement for a project 
must exclude from consideration any merchantable logs that have been 
identified for commercial sale.

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Submitting an Application

    A federally recognized tribe may submit an application to the BLM 
field office that has jurisdiction over the land where the project 
would occur. The application should contain the information outlined in 
the eligibility section of this notice.

Additional Information for Contract or Agreement Development

    After receiving an application to verify eligibility, the BLM will 
work with the tribe as appropriate to obtain additional information 
necessary to develop the contract or agreement. The information may 
include, but is not limited to:
    (1) A description of the harvesting methods, annual harvest 
tonnage, and transportation routes;
    (2) A start date and duration of source area usage; and
    (3) Information relevant to any necessary analysis of the project 
under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Casey Hammond,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.
[FR Doc. 2020-00529 Filed 1-14-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P