Self-Governance PROGRESS Act Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <SUBAGY>Bureau of Indian Affairs</SUBAGY> <CFR>25 CFR Part 1000</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. BIA-2024-0001; 245A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1076-AF62</RIN> <SUBJECT>Self-Governance PROGRESS Act Regulations</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Proposed rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The U.S. Department of the Interior (Department), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, proposes to revise the regulations that implement Tribal Self-Governance, as authorized by title IV of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act. This proposed rule has been negotiated among representatives of Self-Governance and non-Self Governance Tribes and the Department. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> • <E T="03">Proposed Regulations:</E> Please submit your comments on or before August 22, 2024. • <E T="03">Tribal Government-to-Government Consultations:</E> The Department will conduct in-person consultation sessions with federally recognized Tribes on July 15, 2024, July 17, 2024, and July 19, 2024. Additionally, the Department will conduct a virtual consultation session with federally recognized Tribes on July 22, 2024. • <E T="03">Information Collection Requirements:</E> If you wish to comment on the information collection requirements in this proposed rule, please note that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is required to make a decision concerning the collection of information contained in this proposed rule between 30 and 60 days after publication of this proposed rule in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> . Therefore, comments should be submitted to OMB (see “Information Collection Requirements” section below under <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> ) by August 14, 2024. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> All comments received may be posted without change to <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov,</E> including any personal information provided. You may submit comments by any one of the following methods. • <E T="03">Federal eRulemaking Portal:</E> Please visit <E T="03">https://www.regulations.gov.</E> Enter “RIN 1076-AF67” in the web page's search box and follow the instructions for submitting comments. • <E T="03">Email:</E> Please send comments to <E T="03">consultation@bia.gov</E> and include “RIN 1076-AF62—25 CFR part 1000” in the subject line of your email. • <E T="03">Mail:</E> Please mail comments to Department of the Interior, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Suite 229, Albuquerque, NM 87104. • <E T="03">Accessibility:</E> On request to the program contact person listed under <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> , individuals can obtain this document in an alternate format, usable by people with disabilities, at the Office of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs, Room 4660, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. • <E T="03">Information Collection Requirements:</E> Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) through <E T="03">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202405-1076-004</E> or by visiting <E T="03">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</E> and selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” and then scrolling down to the “Department of the Interior.” <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Oliver Whaley, Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action (RACA), Office of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, telephone (202) 738-6065, <E T="03">consultation@bia.gov.</E> Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> This proposed rule is published in exercise of authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs (Assistant Secretary; AS-IA) by 209 Department Manual 8 (209 DM 8). <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Statutory Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Negotiated Rulemaking Process</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Subpart-by-Subpart Summary of the Proposed Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Subpart A—General Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Subpart B—Selection of Additional Tribes for Participation in Tribal Self-Governance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Subpart C—Planning and Negotiation Grants</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Subpart D—Financial Assistance for Planning and Negotiations Activities for Non-BIA Programs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Subpart E—Compacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Subpart F—Funding Agreements for BIA Programs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Subpart G—Funding Agreements for Non-BIA Programs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Subpart H—Negotiation Process</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Subpart I—Final Offer</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Subpart J—Waiver of Regulations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Subpart K—Construction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Subpart L—Federal Tort Claims</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. Subpart M—Reassumption</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">N. Subpart N—Retrocession</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">O. Subpart O—Trust Evaluation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">P. Subpart P—Reports</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">Q. Subpart Q—Operational Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">R. Subpart R—Appeals</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">S. Subpart S—Conflicts of Interest</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">T. Subpart T—Tribal Consultation Process</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Areas of Disagreement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Subpart E—Compact</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Subpart F—Funding Agreements for BIA Programs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Subpart G—Funding Agreements for Non-BIA Programs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Subpart K—Construction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Subpart R—Appeals</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Procedural Requirements</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Regulatory Planning and Review (E.O. 12866, 14094 and E.O. 13563)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Congressional Review Act (CRA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Takings (E.O. 12630)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Federalism (E.O. 13132)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Consultation With Indian Tribes (E.O. 13175)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Energy Effects (E.O. 13211)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Clarity of This Regulation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. Public Availability of Comments</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Background</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Statutory Authority</HD> On October 21, 2020, the Practical Reforms & Other Goals to Reinforce the Effectiveness of Self Governance & Self Determination for Indian Tribes Act (PROGRESS Act) was signed into law. <E T="03">See</E> Public Law 116-180. The PROGRESS Act amends subchapter I of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), 25 U.S.C. 5301, which addresses Indian Self-Determination, and subchapter IV of the ISDEAA, which addresses the Department's Tribal Self-Governance Program. Section 413 of Public Law 116-180, 25 U.S.C. 5363 directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations using the negotiated rulemaking process to carry out subchapter IV of the ISDEAA, the Department's Tribal Self-Governance Program. Section 413(a)(3) of Public Law 116-180 establishes expiration of authority for the promulgation of such regulations. A Committee was established and commenced with the negotiated rulemaking process for this proposed rule. On April 20, 2023, the Committee's authority to promulgate regulations to meet the directive of the Progress Act expired under section 413(a)(3) of the same statute, thus leaving the Committee with no authority to continue the negotiated rulemaking for this proposed rule. Congress, however, on September 30, 2023, extended the Committee's authority until December 21, 2024. Public Law 118-15 at section 2102. The Department is requesting comment on this proposed rule to update regulations implementing Tribal Self-Governance at the Department. While the proposed rule does incorporate terms and processes that may be common to self-governance at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorized by Title V of ISDEAA, and the Department of Transportation (DOT) authorized by 23 U.S.C. 207, it is not the intent of this proposed rule to define or regulate any term or process that is applicable to HHS or DOT, even where such terms or processes are common between the agencies. The proposed rule should not be construed to bind HHS or DOT to any particular interpretation of a term or process. Accordingly, we seek comment on how to incorporate this distinction into a final rule. This proposed rule has been negotiated by representatives of Self-Governance and non-Self-Governance Tribes, and the Department. The intended effect is to transfer to participating Tribes control of, funding for, and decision making concerning certain Federal programs, consistent with updates contained in the PROGRESS Act. The Department anticipates this proposed rule will have a negligible cost burden for Tribes currently participating in Self-Governance, some startup costs for Tribes not currently participating in Self-Gover ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 414k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━