Agency Information Collection Activities; Gathering of Certain Plants or Plant Parts by Federally Recognized Indian Tribes for Traditional Purposes

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the National Park Service (NPS) are proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 15, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and suggestions on the information collection requirements should be submitted by the date specified above in DATES to http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain . Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Please provide a copy of your comments to the NPS Information Collection Clearance Officer (ADIR–ICCO), 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, (MS–242) Reston, VA 20191 (mail); or phadrea_ponds@nps.gov (email). Please reference Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1024–0271 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Dorothy FireCloud, Native American Affairs Liaison, Assistant to the Director, Office of Native American Affairs at dorothy_firecloud@nps.gov (email); or (202) 354–2126 (telephone). Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or Tele Braille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States. 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), we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity 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.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on April 22, 2022 (87 FR 24194) and ended on June 21, 2022. We did not receive any comments in response to that notice.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. 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.

(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. 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: Gathering and removing plants or plant parts is currently prohibited in National Park System areas unless specifically authorized by Federal statute or treaty rights or conducted under the limited circumstances authorized by an existing regulation codified in 36 CFR 2.1(c). Regulations codified in 36 CFR part 2 allow the gathering and removal of plants or plant parts by enrolled members of federally recognized tribes for traditional purposes. The regulations authorize agreements between the NPS and federally recognized tribes to facilitate the continuation of tribal cultural practices on lands within areas of the National Park System where those practices traditionally occurred, without causing a significant adverse impact to park resources or values. The regulations:

• respect tribal sovereignty and cultural practices,
• further the government-to-government relationship between the United States and the Indian Tribes, and
• provide system-wide consistency for this aspect of NPS-Tribal relations.

The agreements explicitly recognize the special government-to-government relationship between the United States and Indian Tribes and are based upon mutually agreed upon terms and conditions subject to the requirements of 36 CFR 2.6(f). The agreements serve as the documents through which the NPS authorizes tribal gathering implemented by an accompanying permit authorized by 36 CFR 1.6. Only enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe are allowed to collect plants or plant parts, and the tribe must be traditionally associated with the specific park area. This traditional association must predate the establishment of the park. The plant gathering must meet a traditional purpose that is a customary activity and practice rooted in the history of the tribe and is important for the continuation of the tribe's distinct culture. Authorized plant gathering must be sustainable and may not result in a significant adverse impact on park resources or values. The sale and commercial use of plants or plant parts within areas of the National Park System will continue to be prohibited by the NPS regulations in 36 CFR 2.1(c)(3)(v).

The information collections associated with 36 CFR part 2 include:

(1) The initial request from a tribe that we enter into an agreement with the tribe for gathering and removal of plants or plant parts for traditional purposes. The request must include the information specified in part 2.6(c).

(2) The agreement defines the terms under which the NPS may issue a permit to a tribe for plant gathering purposes. To make determinations based on tribal requests or to enter into an agreement, we may need to collect information from specific tribal members or tribes who make requests. The agreement must contain the information specified in part 2.6(f).

(3) Tribes may submit an appeal to the NPS to provide additional information on the historical relationship of the tribe, traditional uses of plants to be gathered, and/or the impact of gathering on the resource of concern in the event of a denial by the NPS on this issue.

Title of Collection: Gathering of Certain Plants or Plant Parts by Federally Recognized Indian Tribes for Traditional Purposes, 36 CFR 2.

OMB Control Number: 1024–0271.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Indian Tribes.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 30.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 4 to 80 hours (times vary depending upon the activity).

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 530 hours.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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.).