In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three
years. OMB requests that the agency consult with up to nine outside
entities once every renewal, even if the collection of information
has not changed. To estimate the burden hours in future renewals,
NIGC should consider providing ranges in the collection’s annual
burden, historic data from stakeholders to support changes in
collection burden, and/or proxies from other federal agencies with
similar collections or respondents in the renewal.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2023
36 Months From Approved
05/31/2020
8
0
3
43
0
27
494,132
0
14,846,686
Pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. § 4321, et seq., federal agencies are
required to prepare (or cause to be prepared) environmental
documents for agency actions that may have a significant impact on
the environment. The Commission has taken the position that the
NEPA process is triggered when a tribe and a potential contractor
seek approval of a management contract under 25 U.S.C.
2711.
US Code:
25
USC 2701 Name of Law: Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
It should be noted at the
outset that tribal gaming operations and their business practices
are unique to each gaming Tribe and influenced by many local,
state, and regional factors. Tribal gaming facilities vary in size
and complexity and range from small truck stops to world-class
casino resorts. The amount of time and resources that gaming tribes
expend fulfilling regulatory requirements can vary dramatically and
is further complicated by their varying levels of investment in,
and adoption of, new technologies and technical expertise. For
these reasons, estimates provided by a statistically insignificant
group of rotating tribal contacts has limited value and it would be
improper to claim to be able to extrapolate from this feedback any
definitive trends. It should also be noted that, in previous years,
the NIGC did not include wage costs in its data but it does so now
and will continue doing this in all future renewals. As mentioned
in item number 8 of the Supplementary Statement, the Commission
consulted with 2 tribal gaming financial directors and/or tribal
gaming commissioners. Based on this tribal feedback, the Commission
has made adjustments to its estimated burdens. The estimated annual
burden hour total has slightly increased, however, behind these
numbers there is marked decline in EA/EIS burden hours and this is
mainly due to two reasons: 1) the NEPA process for the construction
of a gaming operation is sometimes triggered prior the NIGC action
and, therefore, the NIGC is able to incorporate some of the time
already invested in the NEPA process, and 2) there is a concomitant
rise in handling NEPA requirements under the Categorical Exclusion
process which, generally requires less investment of time than an
EA or an EIS The estimated annual total cost has been significantly
reduced and this is primarily due to the fact that the estimated
average cost of an EIS has been reduced from $7,304,277 to
$256,000. Add to this, based on information gained since the last
renewal cycle, the number of estimated total annual EA/EIS
responses has been reduced 3 to 2 per annum.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.