Past News Items

Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) announced an agreement to coordinate responsibilities in ensuring compliance with environmental, historic preservation, and cultural resources requirements related to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP).

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland today announced that Haskell Indian Nations University, a Bureau of Indian Education-operated Tribal University in Lawrence, Kansas, is the recipient of a $20 million award from the National Science Foundation for an Indigenous science hub project. Funded under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the award is for five years and is the largest research award ever granted by the NSF to a Tribal college or university.

The Department of the Interior today announced that 2,184 landowners with fractional interests at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana have been sent more than $11.1 million in purchase offers from the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. Landowners who received offers with a cover letter date of June 28, 2022, have until August 12, 2022, to consider and return accepted offers.

The Department of the Interior today announced over 5,500 landowners with fractional interests at the Crow Creek Reservation have been sent more than $5 million in purchase offers from the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. Landowners who received offers have until July 11, 2022, to consider and return accepted offers in the pre-paid postage envelopes provided.

The Department of the Interior today announced over 3,000 landowners with fractional interests at the Lower Brule Reservation in South Dakota have been sent more than $2.8 million in purchase offers from the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. Landowners who received offers have until June 16, 2022, to consider and return accepted offers in the pre-paid postage envelopes provided.

In response to the April 2022 Cerro Pelado Fire, a BAER Team was brought in to evaluate soil burn severity and post-wildfire threats to human life, safety, and property as well as critical natural and cultural resources, important to each Pueblo.

Between May 6 and 12, 2022, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, the Moapa River Indian Reservation Police Department, Nevada State Police, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Henderson Police Department, and other federal agencies conducted a criminal interdiction operation within the Moapa River Indian Reservation that resulted in the seizure of millions of dollars’ worth of illegal narcotics.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced today that Steven Juneau, an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska, will be the Office of Justice Services acting deputy bureau director starting this month. Juneau is currently the associate director of the office’s Professional Standards Directorate, where he is responsible for leading national training, policy, recruitment, retention, inspections, and cultural resource investigations.

Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland wrapped up a weeklong tour of Alaska where he met Tribal leaders and community members to discuss investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Tribal climate resilience and the Department of the Interior’s ongoing efforts to support Alaska Native communities. Assistant Secretary Newland’s visit follows Secretary Haaland’s recent trip to Alaska where she highlighted ongoing efforts to support sustainable economies across the state.