Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs: Distribution of Fiscal Year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads Funds
Highlights
GAO reviewed the Bureau of Indian Affairs new rule on distribution of fiscal year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads funds. GAO found that (1) the rule would require 75 percent of the fiscal year 2003 funds to projects on or near Indian reservations using the relative needs formula, and (2) the Bureau complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs: Distribution of Fiscal Year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads Funds, GAO-03-876R, June 16, 2003
B-292395
June 16, 2003
The Honorable Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Chairman
The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye
Vice Chairman
Committee on Indian Affairs
United States Senate
The Honorable Don Young
Chairman
The Honorable James L. Oberstar
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
House of Representatives
Subject: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs: Distribution of Fiscal Year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads Funds
Pursuant to section 801(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code, this is our report on a major rule promulgated by the Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), entitled Distribution of Fiscal Year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads Funds (RIN: 1076-AE34). We received the rule on June 2,
2003. It was published in the Federal Register as a temporary rule and request for comments on June 5, 2003. 68 Fed. Reg. 33625.
The temporary rule requires distribution of 75 percent of fiscal year 2003 Indian Reservation Roads Program funds to projects on or near Indian reservations using the relative needs
formula.
Enclosed is our assessment of the BIA's compliance with the procedural steps required by section 801(a)(1)(B)(i) through (iv) of title 5 with respect to the rule. Our review indicates that
the BIA complied with the applicable requirements.
If you have any questions about this report, please contact James W. Vickers, Assistant General Counsel, at (202) 512-8210. The official responsible for GAO evaluation work relating to the
subject matter of the rule is Robert Robinson, Managing Director, Natural Resources and Environment. Mr. Robinson can be reached at (202) 512-3841.
signed
Kathleen E. Wannisky
Managing Associate General Counsel
Enclosure
cc: Aurene M. Martin
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs
Department of the Interior
ENCLOSURE
ANALYSIS UNDER 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(B)(i)-(iv) OF A MAJOR RULE
ISSUED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
ENTITLED
"DISTRIBUTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2003
INDIAN RESERVATION ROADS FUNDS"
(RIN: 1076-AE34)
(i) Cost-benefit analysis
The rule will distribute $147 million of the $196 million available under the Indian Reservation Roads funds for fiscal year 2003. According to the BIA, the administrative costs of
disbursing the funds will be negligible. The benefits of the rule include the continuation of approximately 1,300 road and bridge projects at various states of completion and avoidance of
hardships on tribes and tribal members.
(ii) Agency actions relevant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 603-605, 607, and 609
The BIA states that it did not prepare a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis because the rule only applies to tribal governments, not state or local governments. We also note that an analysis
was not required under the Act because the rule was not issued following a general notice of proposed rulemaking.
(iii) Agency actions relevant to sections 202-205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1532-1535
The rule does not contain either an intergovernmental or private sector mandate, as defined in title II, of more than $100 million in any one year.
(iv) Other relevant information or requirements under acts and executive orders
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.
The Assistant Secretary of the BIA, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), has determined that notice and comment procedures are impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest and
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) has found good cause to make the rule effective immediately. To delay implementation of this rule would set back needed and planned road construction on the
reservations.
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520
The rule does not contain any information collections that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Statutory authorization for the rule
The rule is promulgated under the authority of section 1115 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, Pub. L. 105-178 and 23 U.S.C. 202(d).
Executive Order No. 12866
The rule was determined to be an economically significant regulatory action under the order by the Office of Management and Budget.
Executive Order No. 13132 (Federalism)
The BIA has determined that the rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.