224.53—What must an application for a TERA contain?
(1)
A proposed TERA between the tribe and the Secretary, signed by the authorized representative of the tribe, that contains the provisions required by § 224.63 ;
(2)
A statement that the Secretary recognizes the tribe as an Indian tribe and that the tribe has tribal land;
(5)
A map, legal description, and general description of the tribal land that the tribe intends to include in the TERA;
(7)
A statement describing the tribe's experience in negotiating and administering energy-related leases, business agreements, and rights-of-way issued under other Federal laws that includes descriptions of significant leases, business agreements, and rights-of-way the tribe has entered into with third parties or to which it has consented;
(8)
A description of the expertise that the tribe will use to administer the TERA and an explanation of how that expertise meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section;
(9)
A statement of the scope of administrative activities that the tribe intends to conduct and an explanation of how that meets the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section;
(10)
A statement that meets the requirements of paragraph (f) of this section describing the capability of the tribe to assume all of the activities the tribe has identified in the application;
(11)
A copy of the resolution or formal action of the tribal governing body or bodies under § 224.41 that approves submission of an application for a TERA; and
(12)
A designation of, and contact information for, the Designated Tribal Official who will receive notifications from the Secretary or the Director regarding the status of the TERA application.
(b)
The documents required by paragraph (a)(4) of this section include documents such as a constitution, code, ordinance, or resolution, that designate the tribal governing body or tribal officials that have authority to enter into leases, business agreements, or rights-of-way on behalf of the tribe.
(1)
If applicable, state that the tribe retains the option of entering into energy-related leases or agreements under laws other than the Act for any tribal land that the TERA includes; and
(i)
The tribe intends the TERA to include all tribal land, energy resources, and categories of energy-related leases, business agreements, and rights-of-way; or
(ii)
The tribe intends the TERA to include only certain tribal land, energy resources, or categories of energy-related leases, business agreements, or rights-of-way in the TERA. In this case, the statement must specify and describe the tribal land, energy resources, or categories of energy-related leases, business agreements, or rights-of-way that the tribe intends to include in the TERA.
(3)
State the tribe's intent to amend or modify leases, business agreements, or rights-of-way that exist when a TERA is approved if those activities are directly related to the activities authorized by the TERA. The tribe's ability to amend or modify such leases, business agreements or rights-of-way requires the agreement of the other parties to the lease, business agreement or rights-of-way, which must be stated in the TERA.
(d)
The statement required by paragraph (a)(8) of this section must describe the expertise that the tribe will use in the four areas specified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section. It must also address, at a minimum, the administrative and personnel resources specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.
(ii)
Evaluate the environmental effects, including those related to cultural resources, of leases, business agreements, or rights-of-way entered into under a TERA;
(iv)
Monitor the compliance of a third party with the terms and conditions of any leases, business agreements and rights-of-way covered by the TERA.
(i)
Existing energy resource development related departments or administrative divisions within the tribe;
(ii)
Proposed energy resource development related departments or administrative divisions within the tribe;
(iii)
Existing energy resource development related expertise possessed by the tribe, including a description of the relevant expertise of designated tribal employees, consultants and/or advisors; and
(iv)
Proposed energy resource development related expertise that the tribe may acquire, including a description of the relevant expertise of designated tribal employees, consultants and/or advisors that the tribe intends to hire or retain.
(e)
The statement required by paragraph (a)(9) of this section must describe the amount of administrative activities related to the permitting, approval, and monitoring of activities, as applicable, that the tribe proposes to undertake under any lease, business agreement, or right-of-way the tribe executes under an approved TERA.
(1)
If the tribe proposes to regulate activities, the tribe must state its intent and describe the scope of the tribe's plan for such administration and management in sufficient detail for the Secretary to determine the tribe's capacity to administer and manage the regulatory activity(ies).
(2)
The tribe's intended scope of administrative responsibilities may not include the responsibilities of the Federal Government under the Endangered Species Act or other inherently Federal functions.
(3)
If the tribe intends to regulate activities, it should also describe the regulatory activities it desires to assume in the geographical area identified in § 224.53(c)(2) with respect to leases, business agreements, and rights-of-way that exist when a TERA is approved.
(1)
Describe the tribe's ability to negotiate and enter into leases, business agreements, and rights-of-way;
(2)
Include a discussion of the estimated annual costs to the tribe to assume those activities the tribe has identified in the application and the proposed source of tribal funds to carry out those activities; and
(3)
Describe the estimated annual amounts needed to conduct those activities the tribe has identified in the application and identify the Federal program that may provide those funds, if one of the sources of tribal funds includes grants or contract awards from the Department, the Department of Energy, or other Federal agencies.
(i)
Compacts and contracts between the tribe and the Secretary under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, as amended;
(ii)
Environmental programs a tribe has assumed under the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251
et seq.) or the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.A. 7401); or
(iii)
Cooperative agreements under the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (30 U.S.C. 1701
et seq. ).