Trust Land Consolidation Draft Plan, 5528-5529 [2012-2400]

Download as PDF 5528 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 23 / Friday, February 3, 2012 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary National Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform Office of the Secretary, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: The Office of the Secretary is announcing that the National Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform (the Commission) will hold its first meeting in Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting is for the Commission to commence performance of the duties set forth in Secretarial Order No. 3292. This includes a thorough evaluation of the existing management and administration of the trust administration system to support a wellreasoned and factually-based recommendations for potential management and administration improvements. SUMMARY: The Commission’s first meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on March 1, 2012, and end at 4 p.m. on March 2, 2012. Attendance is open to the public, but limited space is available. Members of the public who wish to attend should RSVP by February 24, 2012 to: trustcommission@ios.doi.gov. DATES: The first meeting will be held at the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Room 5160, Washington, DC 20240. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Officer, Meghan Conklin, Associate Deputy Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240; or email to Meghan_Conklin@ios.doi.gov. Members of the public who wish to attend the meeting should RSVP to: trustcommission@ios.doi.gov by February 24, 2012. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of President Obama’s commitment to fulfilling this nation’s trust responsibilities to Native Americans, the Secretary of the Interior appointed members to serve on the National Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform established under Secretarial Order No. 3292, dated December 8, 2009. The Commission will play a key role in the Department’s ongoing efforts to empower Indian nations and strengthen nation-to-nation relationships. The Secretary selected the members after a public solicitation for nominations and evaluated the candidates on the basis of their expertise and experience, including in government and trust, financial, asset tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ADDRESSES: VerDate Mar<15>2010 20:48 Feb 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 and natural resource management. Members were selected in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act and will serve without compensation. The Commission will complete a comprehensive evaluation of the Department’s management and administration of trust assets within a two year period and offer recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior of how to improve in the future. The Commission will: (1) Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Department’s management and administration of the trust administration system; (2) Review the Department’s provision of services to trust beneficiaries; (3) Review input from the public, interested parties, and trust beneficiaries which should involve conducting a number of regional listening sessions; (4) Consider the nature and scope of necessary audits of the Department’s trust administration system; (5) Recommend options to the Secretary to improve the Department’s management and administration of the trust administration system based on information obtained from these Commission’s activities, including whether any legislative or regulatory changes are necessary to permanently implement such improvements; and (6) Consider the provisions of the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 providing for the termination of the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and make recommendations to the Secretary regarding any such termination. Meeting Details At the first meeting, the Commission will be discussing its goals and procedures, developing a meeting schedule and work plan, and reviewing past trust reform and FACA committee efforts. A final agenda will be posted on www.doi.gov/cobell prior to the meeting. All meetings are open to the public; however, transportation, lodging, and meals are the responsibility of the participating public. Please note: any member of the public who wishes to attend must RSVP to trustcommision@ios.doi.gov by February 24, 2012, and bring valid Government identification (such as a driver’s license) on the day of the meeting to obtain access to the building. Persons with a disability requiring special services, such as an interpreter for the hearing impaired, should contact Meghan Conklin at Meghan_Conklin@ios.doi.gov PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 at least seven calendar days prior to the meeting. Written comments may be sent to the Designated Federal Officer listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. Dated: January 27, 2012. David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2012–2401 Filed 2–2–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary Trust Land Consolidation Draft Plan Office of the Secretary, Interior. Notice of Availability. AGENCY: ACTION: The Cobell Class Action Settlement Agreement established a trust land consolidation fund to be used for consolidating Indian trust and restricted lands and acquiring fractional interests in these lands. We are seeking comments on the draft plan for accomplishing these goals. DATES: Submit comments by March 19, 2012. ADDRESSES: Send comments on the draft plan to: Elizabeth Appel, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1001 Indian School Road NW., Suite 312, Albuquerque, NM 87104; Email: elizabeth.appel@bia.gov. You can request copies of the draft plan by sending a letter or email to one of the above addresses or by calling 505–563– 3805. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meghan Conklin, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240. Email: meghan_conklin@ios.doi.gov. SUMMARY: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1996, Eloise Cobell filed class action litigation seeking redress for the alleged mismanagement of land trust accounts for American Indians. The litigation eventually included hundreds of motions, seven full trials, and dozens of rulings and appeals. On December 8, 2009, the Department reached a negotiated settlement agreement to resolve the issues that gave rise to the litigation. The settlement agreement: • Ended litigation regarding the federal government’s performance of an historical accounting for trust accounts maintained by the United States on behalf of more than 300,000 individual Indians. • Established a fund to be distributed to class members to compensate them for their historical accounting claims, and to resolve potential claims that E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM 03FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 23 / Friday, February 3, 2012 / Notices tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES prior U.S. officials mismanaged the administration of trust assets. • Established a trust land consolidation fund for the voluntary buy-back and consolidation of fractionated land interests. The draft plan we are making available for comment would implement the last of the above elements by carrying out a program of land consolidation within the 10-year deadline established in the agreement. The trust land consolidation fund is intended to remedy the proliferation of thousands of new trust accounts caused by the increasing subdivision or ‘‘fractionation’’ of land interests through succeeding generations. Fractionation is the result of the division among multiple heirs of increasingly smaller land interests. The land consolidation fund and the associated land consolidation program will provide individual American Indians an opportunity to obtain cash payments for fractionated land interests and will make consolidated lands available for use by tribal communities. The goal of the draft land consolidation plan, developed as a result of consultation with Indian tribal representatives, is to reduce land fractionation as quickly and economically as possible. The draft plan would achieve sufficient capacity and efficiency for the implementation of the land consolidation program under the settlement agreement and includes a land consolidation process consisting of three elements: • A targeted land fractionation program to focus on areas where land fractionation is greatest; VerDate Mar<15>2010 20:48 Feb 02, 2012 Jkt 226001 • A willing seller program to enable sales of fractionated interests from interested owners; and • The availability of cooperative agreements to maximize tribal involvement in the consolidation process. Copies of the complete draft plan are available at the address given in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. 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. Dated: January 27, 2012. David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior. [FR Doc. 2012–2400 Filed 2–2–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–10–P 5529 The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will use Form 0008 to issue commercial renewable energy leases on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). In the preamble to the April 29, 2009, Final Rule, ‘‘Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf,’’ BOEM stated that ‘‘we intend to develop a model lease form through a public process that will invite all interested and affected parties for their input.’’ (74 FR 19638, April 29, 2009). The BOEM developed a draft of the form included in this Notice, and published it in the Federal Register (76 FR 55090, September 6, 2011) with a 30day comment period (Draft Form). BOEM has reviewed all the comments received and revised the Draft Form where appropriate. For further information, including summaries of comments and BOEM’s response to those comments, visit BOEM’s Web site, at https://www.boem.gov/RenewableEnergy-Program/RegulatoryInformation/Index.aspx. SUMMARY: The lease form will be effective and available for use on February 21, 2012. DATES: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [BOEM–2012–0006] Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen A. Bornholdt, Program Manager, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, at (703) 787–1300 for lease questions. Dated: January 23, 2012. Tommy P. Beaudreau, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. BILLING CODE 4310–VH–P E:\FR\FM\03FEN1.SGM 03FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5528-5529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2400]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Trust Land Consolidation Draft Plan

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Cobell Class Action Settlement Agreement established a 
trust land consolidation fund to be used for consolidating Indian trust 
and restricted lands and acquiring fractional interests in these lands. 
We are seeking comments on the draft plan for accomplishing these 
goals.

DATES: Submit comments by March 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the draft plan to: Elizabeth Appel, Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, 1001 Indian School Road NW., Suite 312, Albuquerque, 
NM 87104; Email: elizabeth.appel@bia.gov. You can request copies of the 
draft plan by sending a letter or email to one of the above addresses 
or by calling 505-563-3805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meghan Conklin, Department of the 
Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240. Email: meghan_conklin@ios.doi.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    In 1996, Eloise Cobell filed class action litigation seeking 
redress for the alleged mismanagement of land trust accounts for 
American Indians. The litigation eventually included hundreds of 
motions, seven full trials, and dozens of rulings and appeals. On 
December 8, 2009, the Department reached a negotiated settlement 
agreement to resolve the issues that gave rise to the litigation. The 
settlement agreement:
     Ended litigation regarding the federal government's 
performance of an historical accounting for trust accounts maintained 
by the United States on behalf of more than 300,000 individual Indians.
     Established a fund to be distributed to class members to 
compensate them for their historical accounting claims, and to resolve 
potential claims that

[[Page 5529]]

prior U.S. officials mismanaged the administration of trust assets.
     Established a trust land consolidation fund for the 
voluntary buy-back and consolidation of fractionated land interests.
    The draft plan we are making available for comment would implement 
the last of the above elements by carrying out a program of land 
consolidation within the 10-year deadline established in the agreement. 
The trust land consolidation fund is intended to remedy the 
proliferation of thousands of new trust accounts caused by the 
increasing subdivision or ``fractionation'' of land interests through 
succeeding generations. Fractionation is the result of the division 
among multiple heirs of increasingly smaller land interests. The land 
consolidation fund and the associated land consolidation program will 
provide individual American Indians an opportunity to obtain cash 
payments for fractionated land interests and will make consolidated 
lands available for use by tribal communities.
    The goal of the draft land consolidation plan, developed as a 
result of consultation with Indian tribal representatives, is to reduce 
land fractionation as quickly and economically as possible. The draft 
plan would achieve sufficient capacity and efficiency for the 
implementation of the land consolidation program under the settlement 
agreement and includes a land consolidation process consisting of three 
elements:
     A targeted land fractionation program to focus on areas 
where land fractionation is greatest;
     A willing seller program to enable sales of fractionated 
interests from interested owners; and
     The availability of cooperative agreements to maximize 
tribal involvement in the consolidation process.
    Copies of the complete draft plan are available at the address 
given in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
    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.

    Dated: January 27, 2012.
David J. Hayes,
Deputy Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2012-2400 Filed 2-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-10-P
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