Bureau of Indian Affairs April 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the extension of the Class III gaming compact between the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation and the State of South Dakota.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency in cooperation with the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians (Moapa Band), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and other agencies, intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will evaluate the development of the Chuckwalla Solar Projects (Projects) on Moapa River Indian Reservation (Reservation) tribal lands. This notice announces the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify potential issues related to the EIS. The BIA requests comments concerning the scope of the analysis, and identification of relevant information, studies, and analyses. It also announces that two public scoping meetings will be held virtually or in person to identify potential issues, alternatives, and mitigation to be considered in the EIS.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are proposing to renew an information collection.

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is seeking stakeholder input on its plans to rely upon the latest U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance regarding reopening its K-12 schools, residential facilities, and post- secondary schools for safe delivery of in-person and hybrid instruction and determine if BIE schools should include additional guidelines.

The Department of the Interior (Department) proposed revisions to its regulations governing probate of property that the United States holds in trust or restricted status for American Indians. We are reopening the comment period to effectively extend original March 8, 2021 comment deadline. Any comments received after the original March 8, 2021 comment deadline and before the new comment deadline will be accepted as timely submitted. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) proposes a new regulation to implement the recently enacted Native American Business Incubators Program Act. The Indian Business Incubators Program (IBIP), also known as the Native American Business Incubators Program, is a program in which IEED provides competitive grants to eligible applicants to establish and operate business incubators that serve Tribal reservation communities. These regulations establish who is eligible for the program, how to apply, how IEED will evaluate applications and make awards, and how IEED will administer the program.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan Business Site Leasing Ordinance under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2012 (HEARTH Act). With this approval, the Tribe is authorized to enter into business leases without further BIA approval.

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will conduct Tribal listening sessions to obtain oral and written comments on the Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) and Student Transportation funding formulas to inform formal tribal consultation planned for the summer.

In accordance with a statute and as authorized by the Secretary of Transportation through the Secretary of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), under the Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP), will make funds available to federally recognized Indian Tribes on an annual basis for implementing traffic safety programs and projects designed to reduce the number of traffic crashes, death, injuries, and property damage within these populations. All project applications received will be reviewed and selected on a competitive basis.