Past News Items

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Kevin K. Washburn today announced that, starting on December 14, 2012, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (OJS) will begin its “Don’t Shatter the Dream” campaign throughout Indian Country to prevent impaired driving during this holiday season. The campaign is being conducted by BIA and tribal law enforcement agencies through January 1, 2013.

Distribution plans for judgment funds awarded to three western Washington Indian tribal groups are being published in the Federal Register. The awards, made by the Indian Claims Commission, are for additional compensation for land taken as a result of the point Elliot Treaty of 1885.

The tribes involved are the Lummi, Lower Skagit, and Kikiallus.

Secretary of Agriculture Clifford M. Hardin and Secretary of the Interior Rogers C. B. Morton announced plans today to operate 56,Youth Conservation Corps camps this summer for eight weeks, starting late in June.

Camp sites have been selected in 36 States, the District of Columbia and American Samoa on lands administered by agencies in the two Departments.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today applauded President Obama’s nomination of Tracie Stevens to be the chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission.

“Tracie Stevens is an outstanding choice as chair and will bring significant experience in both tribal government and gaming to the commission,” Salazar said. “She will provide strong leadership to the commission as it deals with the many complex issues associated with Indian gaming.”

Acting Secretary of the Interior, Kent Frizzell today announced approval of new procedures on appeals from administrative decisions of the Commissioner and the Area Directors of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Under the new procedures, review authority is given to the Board of Indian Appeals of the Department's Office of Hearings and Appeals on all appeals except those requiring the exercise of the Secretary's discretion and appeals from decisions concerning tribal enrollments.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs will. Prepare a roll of Indians originally from the central states are entitled to share in the distribution of more than $2 million in judgment funds, the Department of Interior announced today.

Tribes to be included are the Confederated Tribes of Weas Piankashaws, Peorias, and Kaskaskias, who merged under an 1854 treaty that combined their interests, distribution of more than $2 million in judgment funds, the Department of the Interior announced today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary Ken Salazar today announced the Interior Department’s plan of actions, as directed by President Obama in his memorandum dated November 5, 2009, to implement Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments, which directs Executive Branch departments and agencies to develop policies on tribal consultation and cooperation.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has requested an increase of $64.4 million in appropriated funds for fiscal year 1978. The Bureau's request submitted January 17 to Congress as part of the President's budget, asks for $842.3 million. This includes $654.7 for the operation of Indian programs: $87.2 million for the construction of irrigation systems, buildings and utilities; $70.3 for road construction, and $30 million for payments under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Bonus bids of over $27,000,000 were received for oil and gas leases on about 103,000 acres of' Navajo Indian land near the “four corners" area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton announced today.

The bids, which were opened November 11 at the Indian Bureau's Window Rock (Ariz.) agency office, represented the highest offering ever made for oil and gas leases on Indian lands at a single sale, Acting Bureau Commissioner W. Barton Greenwood reported.

Washington, D.C. – Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk today announced that the Indian Affairs program to recruit and train American Indian and Alaska Native postsecondary students in the field of energy and natural resources management is accepting applications for twelve internships in its 2010 class. The application deadline is March 15 for an internship period beginning May 25 through August 6.