[Federal Register: February 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 8054-8055]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12fe08-51]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood
Information Collection (CDIB), Submission
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of submission of information collection.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting to OMB an
information collection from persons seeking proof of American Indian or
Alaska Native blood for reinstatement, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act. The information collected under OMB Control No. 1076-
0153 will be used to document an applicant's Indian
[[Page 8055]]
ancestry and degree of Indian or Alaska Native blood. CDIBs are used by
individuals applying for BIA programs and services available to Indians
because they are Indian.
DATES: Submit comments on or before March 13, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments on the information collection to the Desk
Officer for the Department of the Interior either by facsimile at 202-
395-6566 or by e-mail at OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov. Please submit copy
of comments to Iris Drew, Office of Indian Services, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, 1001 Indian School Road, NW., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104.
Fax number: (505) 563-3060.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Iris Drew, Tribal Relations
Specialist, Tribal Government Services, (505) 563-3530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This collection was originally approved and
assigned OMB Control No. 1076-0153 when it was submitted with a
proposed rulemaking, 25 CFR part 70, which was published in the Federal
Register on April 18, 2000 (66 FR 20775). The proposed rulemaking was
not finalized due to various reasons. We are in the process of revising
the proposed rulemaking for processing applications for Certificates of
Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood (CDIB). A request for comments
on this information collection request appeared in the Federal Register
(72 FR 61366) on October 30, 2007. One comment was received during or
before the close of the public comment period of December 31, 2007.
Comment: We received one comment regarding (1) who needs to fill
out the form? Is it to be used only for new recognition applications or
for all enrolled persons; (2) does this establish a new ``blood''
requirement, i.e., \1/8\ or \1/4\?; and (3) do not reinvent Enrollment
for those who have already done it but have reasonable requirements for
new enrollees or those denied.
Response: (1) Most of the individuals who fill out the form are
non-enrolled Indians who wish to document their Indian or Alaska native
ancestry. Non-enrolled persons with one-quarter (\1/4\) or more degree
Indian blood may be eligible to receive various services provided to
Indians and Alaska Natives by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Other
Federal Agencies will accept a CDIB as proof of Indian ancestry. In
general, enrolled tribal members who can show proof of tribal
membership do not need a CDIB to demonstrate eligibility for services.
(2) Minimum Indian blood degree requirements are established by
Congress through federal statute or by tribes and Alaska Native
villages through tribal law. The Certificate Degree of Indian or Alaska
Native Blood does not establish a new ``blood'' requirement. Rather,
CDIBs are used by individuals who want to document their Indian or
Alaska native ancestry and degree of Indian blood. CDIBs do not
establish membership in any Indian or Alaska Native tribe.
(3) A CDIB is not an enrollment document. Tribes determine their
own membership and the BIA does not enroll tribal members.
Request for Comments: The Bureau of Indian Affairs requested
comments about the proposed collection to evaluate:
(a) The accuracy of the burden hours, including validity of the
methodology used and assumptions made;
(b) The necessity of the information for proper performance of the
bureau functions, including its practical utility;
(c) The quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(d) Suggestions to reduce the burden including use of automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology.
The public is advised that an agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information
that does not display a valid OMB clearance number. For example, this
collection is listed by OMB as control No. 1076-0153, and it expired
11/30/07. The response is voluntary to obtain or retain a benefit.
Please submit your comments to the persons listed in the ADDRESSES
section. Please note that comments, names and addresses of
commentators, are open for public review. Be aware that your name and
address may be available to the public on the OMB Web site. We cannot
guarantee that your personal information will be safeguarded.
Your comments should address: (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, such as through the use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information technology.
OMB has up to 60 days to make a decision on the submission for
renewal, but may make the decision after 30 days. Therefore, to receive
the best consideration of your comments, you should submit them closer
to 30 days than 60 days.
OMB Approval Number: 1076-0153.
Title: Request for Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native
Blood, 25 CFR part 70.
Brief Description of Collection: Submission of this information is
voluntary. However, not providing information may result in a
determination that an individual is not eligible to receive program
services based upon his/her status as an American Indian or Alaska
Native. The information to be collected includes: Certificates of birth
and death, probate determinations, court orders, affidavits, Federal or
Tribal census records and Social Security records.
Type of Review: Reinstatement.
Respondents: Individual Indians who may be eligible to receive
program services based upon their status and/or degree of Indian or
Alaska Native blood.
Number of Respondents: 154,980.
Estimated Time per Response: The reporting and record keeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.5
hours for each response for an estimate 154,980 requests per year or
232,470 hours, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources and gathering needed data. Thus, the estimated
total annual reporting and record keeping burden for this entire
collection is estimated to be 232,470 hours.
Frequency of Response: All information and documentation is to be
collected once from each requester.
Total Annual Burden to Respondents: 232,470 hours.
Total Annual Cost to Respondents: $6,199,200.
Dated: February 6, 2008.
Carl J. Artman,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-2535 Filed 2-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-4J-P