[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28035-28036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10091]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[201A2100DD AAKC001030 A0A501010.999 253G; OMB Control Number 1076-
0177]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Tribal Energy 
Development Capacity Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs (AS-IA) are 
proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
July 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the Winter Jojola-Talburt, Deputy Division Chief, 
13922 Denver West Parkway Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80401; or by email to 
[email protected]. Please reference Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1076-0177 in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Winter Jojola-Talburt by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 720-407-0668. 
Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal 
Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. You may also view 
the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all 
information collections require approval under the PRA. We may not 
conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection 
of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This 
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements 
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public 
understand our information collection requirements and provide the 
requested data in the desired format.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency 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 technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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.
    Abstract: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorizes the Secretary of 
the Interior to provide assistance to Indian Tribes and Tribal energy 
resource development organizations for energy development and 
appropriates funds for such projects on a year-to-year basis. See 25 
U.S.C. 3502. When funding is available, the Office of Indian Energy and 
Economic Development (IEED) may solicit proposals for projects for 
building capacity for Tribal energy resource development on Indian land 
from Tribal energy resource development organizations and Indian 
Tribes, including Alaska Native regional and village corporations under 
the TEDC program. For the purposes of this program, ``Indian land'' 
includes: All land within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, 
pueblo, or rancheria; any land outside those boundaries that is held by 
the United States in trust for a Tribe or individual Indian or by a 
Tribe or individual Indian with restrictions on alienation; and land 
owned by an Alaska Native regional or village corporation.
    Those who would like to submit a TEDC project proposal must submit 
an application that includes certain information and, once funding is 
received must submit reports on how they are using the funding. A 
complete application must contain the following:
     A formal signed resolution of the governing body of the 
Tribe or Tribal energy resource development organization demonstrating 
authority to apply;
     A proposal describing the planned activities and 
deliverable products; and
     A detailed budget estimate, including contracted personnel 
costs, travel estimates, data collection and analysis costs, and other 
expenses.
    The project proposal must include the information about the Tribe 
or Tribal energy resource development organization sufficient to allow 
IEED to evaluate the proposal based on the following criteria:
    (a) Energy resource potential;
    (b) Applicant's energy resource development history and current 
status;
    (c) Applicant's existing energy resource development capabilities;
    (d) Demonstrated willingness of the applicant to establish and 
maintain an independent energy resource development business entity;
    (e) Intent to develop and retain energy development capacity within 
the applicant's government or business entities; and
    (f) Applicant commitment of staff, training, or monetary resources.

The IEED requires this information to ensure that it provides funding 
only to those projects that meet the goals of the TEDC and the purposes 
for which Congress provides the appropriations.
    Title of Collection: Tribal Energy Development Capacity Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1076-0177.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Indian Tribes and Tribal energy 
resource development organizations under 25 U.S.C. 3502.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 26 per year, on 
average; 9 project participants each year, on average.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 26 applications per 
year, on average; 18 progress reports per year, on average.

[[Page 28036]]

    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 40 hours per application; 
1.5 hours per progress report.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,067 hours (1,040 
for applications and 27 for progress reports).
    Respondent's Obligation: Responses required to receive a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per year for applications; 2 times 
per year for progress reports.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $0.
    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.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq).

Elizabeth K. Appel,
Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action--Indian 
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-10091 Filed 5-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P