News by Year

Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus announced today that amended interim regulations governing off-reservation treaty fishing rights by Michigan tribes in the waters of Lake Michigan, Superior, Huron and connecting waters have been extended until May 11, 1981·

Secretary Andrus took the action after signing a memorandum of understanding with the involved tribes setting forth tribal-federal regulatory responsibilities for the 1981 and 1982 fishing seasons. The newly executed memorandum is substantially similar to a current memorandum of understanding which expires January 1, 1981.

Regulations governing the preparation of three separate rolls of Delaware Indians eligible to share in the distribution of $4 million in Indian Claim Commission awards were published December 17, 1980 in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William Hallett announced today.

The regulations which will become effective on January 16, 1981, implement legislation, enacted August 1, 1980, requiring the Secretary of the Interior to prepare rolls of certain Delaware Indians eligible to share in the distribution of the judgment funds.

Thomas W. Fredericks, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Department for Indian Affairs, today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Indian Education Programs has signed an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of the agreement is

1) to increase communications between the Bureau's Education Office and the Education Department, and

2) to procure specific Education Department services for education and vocational programs serving Indians, funded through the Bureau of Indian Affairs

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett announced today the appointment of Gene R. Powers as Assistant Area Director for administration in the Juneau Area Office.

A plan to generate more business opportunities for minority owned and particular, Indian owned firms, was announced today by Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett.

"The Minority Business Enterprise Plan will mean increased business opportunities and encourage development of minority and Indian owned businesses, which is the heart of economic development," Hallett said

Edward H. Hall, who is affiliated with the Arikara and Hidatsa Tribes, has been appointed superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Crow agency in Montana. For the past several months, Hall has been working as a special assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs

Dr. Gerald E. Gipp, a 39-year-old member of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian tribe of North Dakota, has been named President of Haskell Indian Junior College.

Presently Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Education in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., Gipp will assume his new duties upon the retirement of President Wallace Galluzzi in early January. He will be the first Indian ever to head the junior college.

Vincent Little, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Portland, Oregon Area Director, has been detailed to serve as the acting Phoenix Area Director for a period not to exceed 120 days.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William Hallett said that Little "is an excellent administrator who will provide effective leadership for the Phoenix area in a critical period of change."

A Mohave Indian, Little was named Arizona Indian of the Year in 1971 when he was in charge of the Phoenix Indian School.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett today initiated a policy to quicken the recruitment, employment, and promotion of Indian women employees for mid- and senior-level supervisory/management positions in grades 9 and above

Hallett directed each BIA Area Office as well as the Central Office to: (1) determine the status of Indian women employees relative to other employees, and (2) develop recruitment plans to upgrade Indian women to a status comparable to other employees.

The Interior Department honored 103 persons, including three Bureau of Indian Affairs employees, in its 47th Awards Convocation on October 21.

Theodore Krenzke, Acting Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau, and William Finale director of the Bureau's Sacramento Area Office, received Senior Executive Service Awards in the form of cash bonuses. Gabriel Aripa, BIA forestry technician for the Colville Agency, received the Department's valor award for courageously saving the lives of three children on the Colville Indian Reservation in Nespelem, Washington.

Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus announced today his agreement with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and Peabody Coal Company cancelling controversial coal leases and permits on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in southern Montana. The agreement resolves a long-standing dispute among the parties regarding coal development on the reservation.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett has named Jose "Abe" Zuni acting director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Juneau, Alaska area office. His appointment is effective immediately.

Zuni, a member of the Isleta Pueblo, is a 31-year veteran in the BIA. Since September of 1979 he has been the Bureau's Management Improvement Liaison Officer, stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has previously served as Director of the Office of Administration in Washington, D. C. and held other top management positions in the Bureau.

President Carter has named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Thomas W. Fredericks co-chairman of the new American Indian Task Force, one of 14 task forces the Administration established to carry out its Small Community and Rural Development Policy (SCRD) of 1979.

SCRD's goals are to meet unique needs of and provide opportunities for rural people, and to promote responsible use and stewardship of natural resources and environment while enhancing the quality of rural life.

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of Lower Brule, South Dakota and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas of Bayfield, Wisconsin will be the first tribes to receive management assistance from the Tribal Managers Corps (TMC) Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett announced today

The tribes are now selecting managers who will work for the tribal governments on 18- to 24-month general management assignments similar to that of a city manager. They are choosing from a pool of nine managers selected by TMC, according to TMC Program Manager Bill Robinson.

Secretary of the Interior Cecil D, Andrus said the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, scheduled to be signed into law late today by President Carter will be the basis for 1 growth and progress for all citizens of the Pine Tree State

"This Act is the result of a cooperative endeavor over almost a decade involving the members of the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot and Maliseets tribes, other State citizens, the courts, State officials .and legislators, the Congress and the Carter Administration," Andrus said.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett today announced the appointment of new superintendents for the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Umatilla and Pima Agencies.

William D. Sandoval, a San Juan Pueblo/Navajo Indian, is the superintendent at Umatilla in Pendleton, Oregon. Edmund L. Thompson, an enrolled member of the Pima Tribe, has been selected as the superintendent at Pima in Sacaton, Arizona.

Proposed regulations governing the operation of special education programs for handicapped children enrolled or eligible for enrollment in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools were published September 29 in the Federal Register, Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Thomas Fredericks said today.

The proposed regulations are meant to combine in a single document all of the Federal requirements directly addressed to the identification and provision of educational services to handicapped children.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Thomas W. Fredericks today said he was pleased to accept the Overall Plan of Operation for the Osage Tribal Education Committee of Oklahoma

To date, the committee has approved 209 applications for grants totaling $61,900. Fredericks said scholarships for the 1980-81 school year are expected to exceed the 1980 total and will help more than 300 Osage students to meet the cost of higher education.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett today announced the appointment of Nathan Stoltzfus to his public information staff.

Stoltzfus will head the internal communications function for the BIA He has responsibility for soliciting and disseminating information about significant Interior Department and BIA issues, policies, and programs among Department and BIA officials. His duties include editing the biweekly newsletter, preparing briefing materials, writing speeches for the Commissioner, and writing press releases

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett today announced the appointment of Marilyn Youngbird as his personal representative for the Southwest Region, which includes the Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Navajo Area Offices.

Hallett said that "filling these key regional representative positions with very able, knowledgeable people like Youngbird will improve tribal access to my office and promote effective and efficient delivery of resources and services to the Indian people."

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett today announced the appointment of Alex Tallchief Skibine as Commissioner’s personal representative for the southern region, which includes the Muskogee and Anadarko Area Offices.

Hallett said that "filling these key regional representative positions with very able, knowledgeable people like Skibine will improve tribal access to my office and promote effective and efficient delivery of resources and services to Indian people."

The Hopi Tribe will receive $191,699 to plan for an abandoned mine reclamation program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus announced today.

The Tribe became eligible for the funding on signing a cooperative agreement with Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM).

Regulations governing the acquisitions of trust land for Indians published today (September 18) in the Federal Register. Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E, Hallett said today. The regulations are to be effective on October 18, 1980.

Proposed regulations to govern the preparation of three separate rolls of Delaware Indians eligible to share in the distribution of $4 million in Indian Claims Commission awards are being published in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today.

On August 1, 1980, President Carter signed legislation (P.L. 96-38) setting forth provisions for the distribution of the judgment funds among four Delaware groups: the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma, Cherokee Delawares, Kansas Delawares and Idaho Delawares.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William Hallett today announced the appointment of Susan Drake to his Public Information Staff in the Washington Office. Ms. Drake, who will head the publications function for the BIA, will be responsible for the annual report, fact sheets, newsletters, brochures and the many BIA publications distributed to the general public.

Henry A. Dodge, a member of the Navajo Tribe, has been appointed Superintendent- of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Fort Apache Agency at Whiteriver, Arizona, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today.

Dodge has been the Supervisory General Engineer, Branch of Land Operations, in the Phoenix Area Office since 1977. He was the BIA Natural Resource Manager at the Chinle Agency on the Navajo Reservation 1972-76 and worked as Civil Engineer for the Bureau at Fort Defiance, Arizona, for more than 10 years.

Ray F. Maldonado, a member of the Yakima Tribe, has been appointed Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Olympic Peninsula Agency at Hoquiam, Washington, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett announced today.

Proposed regulations governing mining and mineral development on Indian lands are being published in the Federal Register, Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Thomas W. Fredericks said today.

The BIA's Office of Indian Education Programs has appointed new chiefs for four of its six Central Office Divisions, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs Sidney Mills announced today.

Dr. Noah Allen has been named Chief of Elementary and Secondary Education; Leroy Falling, Chief of Post-Secondary Education; Carmen Taylor, Chief of Student Support Services; and Dr. Charles Cordova Chief of Exceptional Education. Student

Support Services and Exceptional Education are new divisions created in compliance with Title XI of PL 95-561, the Education Amendments of 1978.

Final revisions to regulations dealing with the tribal purchase of certain property interests of decedents under special laws applicable to the Yakima Tribes of Washington, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho are being published in the Federal Register, the Department of the Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals announced today.

Albert D. Kahklen, an Alaska Native born at Haines, has been appointed Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Anchorage Agency in Alaska, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett announced today

Kahklen has been a regional development chief for the Alaska Area Native Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, in Anchorage since 1975. His appointment as the BIA Superintendent was effective July 13.

Interior under Secretary James A. Joseph said today that the Institute of American Indian Art will continue its operations at its campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

However, Joseph said that responsibility for the Institute will be transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.

Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus today commended the nomination by President Carter of Thomas W. Fredericks to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.

"We are pleased that Tom Fredericks will be returning to Interior, this time as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs," Andrus said. "This is an extremely important position to the Indian community and the Nation as a whole. He is among the Nation's most qualified Indians and will handle matters of great importance to Native Americans

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has published eligibility criteria and application procedures for Indian tribes interested in participating in the Tribal Managers Corps program, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today.

Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus announced today that amended interim regulations governing off-reservation treaty fishing rights by Michigan tribes in the waters of Lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron and connecting waters will be published in the Federal Register this week. The regulations will be effective immediately upon publication, Andrus said, and will govern fishing during the 1980 season pending preparation of final regulations.

Following President Carter's proclamation of April 22 as Earth Day '80, Commissioner Hallett today asked BIA Area Directors and Agency Superintendents to observe Earth Day by meeting with tribal officials to discuss environmental matters. The meetings are to be held the week of April 21-25 or soon after to "demonstrate the Bureau's recognition of our responsibilities for the protection and enhancement of environmental quality and our commitment to an ongoing dialogue with tribal officials regarding the environment," Hallett said.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs' 1981 budget request has been reduced by ~40.2 million as a part of the President's anti-inflation program. The President's revised budget proposals, sent to Congress March 31, cut some $15 billion from the total U.S. budget he proposed to Congress on January 28. The proposed cuts for the Bureau call for the closing of two off-reservation boarding schools, Stewart Indian School in Nevada and Fort Sill Indian School at Lawton, Oklahoma.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett announced today that a new Bureau of Indian Affairs agency is being established to serve the Laguna Pueblo

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today that Indian self-determination will be boosted by a recent decision by the President's Management Improvement Council, agreeing to sponsor the Tribal Manager Corps (TMC), a new initiative to strengthen and improve Indian tribal governments. The TMC project is designed to make professional managers/administrators from government agencies and private industry available to work with Indian tribe’s to help meet tribal management needs and, thereby, further Indian self-determination capabilities.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today that charges of financial abuses or mismanagement in the Comanche Indian Tribe of Oklahoma appear to be unfounded.

Hallett said that the Inspector General's Office of the Interior Department this month completed a survey of the tribe's financial records, including "documentation" presented to support charges made by some members of the tribe. It determined that there was no substantiation of the charges and that the tribe's financial records were in good order.

A report on current governmental problems on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota:., prepared at the request of Interior's Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Sidney Mills, has been distributed to members of the Tribal Council of the Red Lake Band of Chippewas, Mills said today.

Interior's Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Sidney Mills said today that the Department continues to recognize Mrs. Stephanie Hanson as the Treasurer of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, despite a prior attempt by the tribal council to oust Mrs. Hanson from that role

Gordon E. Cannon, an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe has been appointed Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Red Lake Agency in Minnesota, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today.

Cannon, who had been Superintendent of the Fort Totten Agency in North Dakota, began his career with the BIA in 1961.

A United States Army veteran, Cannon, 42, previously served as realty officer for the Colville, Hoopa and Western Washington agencies.

Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus today announced the Justice Department will not seek offsets against future monetary awards in Indian claims cases f or federal monies paid out under the Indian Self-Determination Act

"I was concerned that the tribes not be made reluctant to take over the responsibilities for many of the programs in operation on their land," said Andrus. "The provisions of the Indian Self-Determination Act easily could be frustrated if the trade-off for self-determination is a cloud over pending tribal claims."

The establishment of an Administrative Services Center for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was announced today by Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett.

The Center will combine four separate administrative processing units from offices in Albuquerque and a management planning function of the Central Office. The Center will be a central location for the Bureau's Automatic Data Processing (ADP) systems development and administrative support.

A plan for the distribution and use of $6 million awarded to the Chiricahua Apache Tribes oy the United States Court of Claims is being published in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Kallett said today.

According to the plan, approved By Congress and made effective December 20, 1979, 69 percent of the award will go to the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico and the remaining 31 percent to the Fort Sill Apache Indian Tribe of Oklahoma This distribution is based on a 1913 census.

A Special two man negotiating team has been appointed by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Sid Mills to help settle the current governmental crisis on the Red Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota

The team members are former Bureau of Indian Affairs Commissioner Robert L. Bennett and Graham Holmes, a retired BIA official. Holmes will be dispatched immediately to Red Lake to begin consulting and planning with the tribal governing body, the petitioners and other Red Lake citizens.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has asked Congress for Federal funding of $1.011 billion for Fiscal Year 1981, an increase of approximately $5 million over 1980 funding.

For the operation of Indian programs, the Bureau requested $823.3 million, which includes $264.7million for education programs; $221.2 for Indian services; $74.6 for economic development and employment programs; $80.1 for natural resources development; $44.1 for trust responsibilities, and $138.6 for general management and facilities operations.

Assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest Gerard today released the text of a telegram sent to Red Lake Chippewa Tribal Chairman, Roger Jourdain. Gerard says the telegram was sent to meet objections about a petition presented to the tribal council on October 12, 1979. The council, in Resolution Number I-80 rejected the petitions on grounds the original petitions on grounds the original petitions were not filed with the council. The council received only copies of the original.

A meeting of the American Indian Art and Culture Review Panel, scheduled to be held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, January 26, has been transferred to Washington, D. C.

The group will meet January 26 in the Interior Department building.

The future location of the Institute of American Indian Art will be one of the agenda items.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest J. Gerard announced today Department approval of a coal mining and reclamation plan in the Navajo Nation Reservation in New Mexico.

The Restructured Mining and Reclamation Plan submitted by the Consolidation Coal Company and approved by the Navajo Nation calls for the mining of over 9,000 acres near the reservation's Burnham Chapter in New Mexico. The lease provides a royalty of 12~ percent of the value of each ton of coal. The company paid a bonus to the Navajo Nation of $5.6 million when the lease was approved in August 1977.

The American Indian Art and Culture Review panel will hold its first meeting on Saturday, January 26, 1980, at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Administration Building conference room. The review panel has been established to discuss the role of the federal government in the preservation of Indian culture and art. I f the panel determines there is a role for the federal government, it will then discuss options for federal involvement.

Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus announced today the appointment of Sidney L. Mills as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, effective January 19, 1980, when Assistant Secretary Forrest J. Gerard leaves the Department.

Gerard announced his resignation December 11 to return to private business.