OPA

Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall today announced approval of 35 Accelerated Public Works projects in 18 States and the Virgin Islands totaling $1,988,000 and simultaneously reported that these allotments have committed the total of APW funds for all Federal projects by the Department of the Interior.

Since start of the work-generating program the Department has launched 512 Federal projects and provided grants-in-aid to about 440 additional State fish and wildlife projects. The entire program will create 105,000 man-months of employment in a wide range of improvements touching many phases of conservation and benefiting most States.

The first allotment to the Department, made in October 1962, totaled $38 million. The second, approved May 28, 1963, was for $25 million, thus making the total available $63 million.

"These funds have been invested wisely and have resulted in immediate as well as long-term benefits," Secretary Udall said. "Their immediate benefit has been the creation of thousands of new jobs at the site of work and many other thousands in providing goods and services. The longer-range benefits now are being realized. Our rangelands, our national parks, our fish and wildlife refuges, our roads, our Indian Reservations have been improved. Fire hazards in timbered areas have been curbed, streams have been cleared, and new trails have been built. Costly soil erosion has been lessened. Also, we now have many new campgrounds, more parking areas, and additional boat-launching facilities, more swimming and picnicking areas.

"Many of these projects normally would have been years in developing. Today they are completed and the public is using them. “

The final projects announced today, all centering on forestry improvements and all certified by the Area Redevelopment Administration as important to allevi­ating unemployment in local areas, will generate 2,400 man-months of work. They are:

ARIZONA

Grand Canyon National Park

The National Park Service will rehabilitate boundary fences in Coconino County to prevent overgrazing in Grand Canyon National Park. This $35,000 project will provide 48 man-months of employment.

Navajo National Monument

In Navajo County, the National Park Service plans to improve fire trails in the Betatakin Canyon at Navajo National Monument. This project is estimated at $15,000 and will provide 18 man-months of work.

CALIFORNIA

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Ground improvements and reforestation work will be undertaken by the National Park Service at the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in Shasta County, near Redding. The $50,000 available for this work will provide 54 man-months of employment.

Yosemite National Park

In addition to a previous allocation of $150,000, Yosemite National Park is being provided with $188,000 to continue campgrounds and forest preservation work in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. This will increase the National Park Service employment in these counties by 240 man-months.

Eureka Project

In Humboldt County, an additional $15,000 has been allocated for the Bureau of Land Management to spray 500 acres for control of forest pests, to construct 4 miles of fire breaks, and to fell snags on 3,400 acres. The new investment will provide 15 man-months of employment. The total project funds are now $345,000.

Lassen Project

The Bureau of Land Management has been allocated an additional $25,000 for reforestation of 545 acres in Lassen County, which will provide 24 man-months of employment. Previously authorized funds were $50,000.

COLORADO

Conejos Project

Site improvement and tree planting on 40 acres of public lands in Conejos County has been authorized for the Bureau of Land Management. The work will involve mistletoe control and collection of forest tree seedlings. It will create 12 man-months of employment from an investment of $8,000.

FLORIDA

Jefferson County

Under a supplemental project for forest preservation, $100,000 additional will be invested by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. A previously approved project, already underway, was for $100,000, thus bringing the new total to $200,000. The latest allotment will create 120 man-months of on-site employment.

INDIANA

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

The National Park Service plans investing $40,000 in Spencer County on woodland clearing, seeding, and boundary marking work at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Some 120 man-months of employment will result from this project.

MAINE

Acadia National Park

In order to continue the rehabilitation of fire roads and trails started with a previous allocation of $28,000, the National Park Service has received an additional $10,000 to provide 12 man-months of employment at Acadia National Park in Hancock County.

MARYLAND

Catoctin Mountain Park

General cleanup and site restoration will be accomplished in Washington County where Catoctin Mountain Park has received $5,000 to provide 12 man-months of employment. The project will be supervised by the National Park Service.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Monument

The National Park Service will direct protective clearing and cleaning of wooded areas of and adjoining the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Monument in Allegany County. Sixty man-months of employment will be generated under an investment of $50,000.

Dorchester County

In Dorchester County, an additional $100,000 will be invested by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife for forest preservation in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, creating 120 man-months of employment. An earlier $75,000 project already is underway.

MICHIGAN

Isle Royale National Park

Keweenaw County will benefit through the investment of $100,000 at Isle Royale National Park, where the National Park Service will improve its fire pro­tection facilities. The project is expected to create about 130 man-months of employment.

MONTANA

Projects on Five Indian Reservations

Forest preservation and multiple-use development projects now underway on five Indian Reservations in Montana have been expanded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The new works, valued at $150,000, are scheduled to begin within 30 days and will create 278 man-months of employment. The Indian Reservations are:

Crow Indian Reservation - A $25,000 increase will provide an additional 48 man-months of employment in Big Horn County, and will bring the total investment in the project to $105,000 and employment to 192 man-months.

Flathead Indian Reservation - Counties to benefit from a $50,000 increase in funds are Lake (48 man-months), Missoula (15 man-months), and Sanders (25 man-months). Flathead County is not affected by this increase. The new work will bring the total investment in the project to $162,000, with 302 man-months of employment.

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation - A $25,000 increase earmarked for use in Blaine County will create an additional 48 man-months of employment. The project, which includes work in Blaine and Phillips Counties, now totals $105,000, with 192 man-months of employment.

Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation - A $25,000 increase will provide an additional 48 man-months of employment in Rosebud County. The project, which includes work on reservation lands in Big Horn and Rosebud Counties, now totals $125,000 and will develop 228 man-months of employment.

Rocky Boys Indian Reservation. - New work valued at $25,000 will provide additional employment in Chouteau County (24 man-months) and Hill County (22 man-months). This work will bring the total investment in the project to $55,000 and employment to 94 man-months.

NEVADA

Lincoln Project

In Lincoln County, the Bureau of Land Management has been authorized $87,000 for construction of fire-control facilities, including a dispatch office and ware­house for storage of fire-fighting equipment. Improvement of 15 miles of forest access roads also will be accomplished with the new allocation, providing 144 man months of additional employment. Previous allocations bring the Lincoln County total to $210,000.

Goldfield Project

The Goldfield Project, in Esmerelda County, has been established for realign­ment and surfacing of JO miles of forest access roads on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. An investment of $35,000 will produce 40 man-­ months of new employment.

NEW MEXICO

Laguna Indian Reservation

A forest preservation and multiple-use development project valued at $50,000 is scheduled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Laguna Indian Reservation lands in Valencia County. The project will provide an estimated 85 man-months of employment.

NORTH CAROLINA

Blue Ridge Parkway--Watauga County

The National Park Service will undertake $115,000 in forest-protection activities along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Watauga County. Work will provide 280 man-months of employment.

Blue Ridge Parkway--Wilkes County

A similar forest-preservation project, reflecting an investment of $50,000, will be started by the National Park Service on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Wilkes County. The project will create 95 man-months of employment.

PENNSYLVANIA

Gettysburg National Military Park

At Gettysburg National Military Park in Adams County, the National Park Service will direct the removal of fire hazards by clearing and grubbing 130 acres of historic fields. The $75,000 project will create 180 man-months of employment.

­­Hopewell Village National Historic Site

Restoration of historic landscapes and reduction of fire hazards will get underway through the use of $5,000 which the National Park Service plans on investing at Hopewell Village National Historic Site in Chester County. Twelve man-months of employment will result.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Chesterfield County

­An earlier $300,000 project of forest preservation in the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge will be supplemented by $100,000, creating an additional 120 man-months of employment. The $400,000 project is being supervised by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.

Clarendon County

An additional $100,000 is being invested in forest preservation on the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, creating 120 man-months of employment. A $75,000 project already is underway. The new total thus is $175,000. The improvements are being directed by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.

TENNESSEE

Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park

In Hamilton County, the National Park Service will supervise rehabilitation of 10 miles of foot trails and vista clearing of 20 acres at Chickamauga­-Chattanooga National Military Park. The $15,000 project will create 36 man-months of employment.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The equivalent of 144 man-months of employment in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will result from a $45,000 project. The National Park Service will direct trail and related improvements and site restoration in portions of the park in Sevier and Cocke Counties.

VIRGIN ISLANDS

Virgin Islands National Park

Virgin Islands National Park will augment its program of forest preservation and protection with an allocation of $100,000. The equivalent of 120 man-months of employment will be required to complete this project which centers mostly on improving access roads.

VIRGINIA

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

The National Park Service will supervise woodland preservation and protection work as well as trail improvements at George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Westmoreland County. This project valued at $20,000, will produce 96 man-months of employment.

WASHINTON

Quillayute Indian Reservation

An allotment of $18,000 for a forest preservation and multiple-use develop­ment project scheduled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Quileute Indian Reservation in Clallam County will provide an estimated 30 man-months of employment.

Mount Rainier National Park

With an allocation of $235,000, the National Park Service will direct construction of dormitory-type quarters for ranger personnel and rehabilitate structures and campgrounds in the Lewis County area of Mount Rainier National Park. About 120 man-months of work will result. The project earlier had received an allocation of $165,000.

WEST VIRGINIA

Harpers Ferry National Monument

In Jefferson County, the National Park Service will rehabilitate trails and increase fire protection at Harpers Ferry National Monument. Some 132 man months of employment will result from this investment of $47,000.

The Department of the Interior today announced its opposition to legislation now pending in Congress (S. 381) which would provide for Federal subsidies to States to finance the costs of law enforcement on Indian reservations.

Assistant Secretary John A. Carver, Jr., pointed out, that since 1940 eleven States have taken action under authorizing Congressional legislation to assume criminal or civil jurisdiction or both over some or all of the Indian reservations within their borders. These actions were taken, he added, with Indian approval or without strenuous Indian opposition and without thought of Federal subsidy. At present, however, it appears that certain State legislatures are being influenced to adopt similar legislation by the prospect or possibility that Federal subsidies will be provided to finance law enforcement costs on the Indian reservations.

"We think," Mr. Carver said, "that this situation is unfortunate from several points of view. First, it presupposes that the Federal Government will subsidize all activities of a State or local government in this field--which is not necessarily true. Second, the prospect of Federal subsidies under legislation such as S. 381 might well influence some States to assume jurisdiction in Indian areas prematurely and at a time when such action would not be in the best interests of the Indians or of local law enforcement agencies. Third, the bill could also have the effect of setting aside the Indian people as a special racial group entitled to extraordinary financial treatment because of their racial status."

Mr. Carver also pointed out that the costs of S. 381 to the Federal Government 'may be much greater than originally contemplated since there is nothing in its provisions to prevent the States which have already taken jurisdiction over Indian reservations from applying for and receiving the Federal subsidy payments.

Ten States now have jurisdiction over some or all of the Indian reservations within their borders. These are California, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. Similar action was taken by the North Dakota legislature several years ago but this was subsequently invalidated by a court decision.

In other States a combination of Federal and tribal jurisdiction prevails on Indian reservation lands.

Award of a $1,138,400 contract for the construction of two 300-pupil dormitories on the campus of the Flandreau Indian School, Flandreau, South Dakota, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

Each of the dormitories will be two stories high and will be constructed of insulated brick and concrete block masonry. Each will have an insulated built-up roof, reinforced concrete beams, floors and roof deck, and aluminum windows. The two together will have a total gross floor area of approximately 97,000 square feet.

When complete, the two structures will house the entire Flandreau School enrollment of approximately 600 students and will replace the existing dormitories which have been condemned as structurally unsound. The contract also includes some outside utility connections and site improvement work.

The successful bidder was Henkel Construction Co., of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Eleven higher bids, ranging from $1,186,566 to $1,598,077, were received.

The Department of the Interior today announced completion of plans developed by Indians on seven rancherias in California for distributing group property among themselves and taking it out of Federal trust supervision, under a 1958 law. The Indians accepted the plans at referendums at each rancheria.

The rancherias are Strawberry Valley consisting of one townsite lot in Yuba County, Cache Creek comprising 160 acres in Lake County, Buena Vista with 67.5 acres in Amador County, Ruffeys with 441 acres in Siskiyou County, Mark West with 35.13 acres in Sonoma County, Paskenta with 260 acres in Tellama County and Table Bluff with 20 acres in Humbolt County. These are the first seven of 41 rancherias covered by the 1958 law all of which may eventually be affected by similar property distribution plans.

The lands of the Paskenta Rancheria were sold by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Glencoe Forest Products Company of Sacramento for $13,000 and the proceeds were distributed to two Indian beneficiaries. In all other six cases the lands comprising the rancherias were transferred in fee simple title to Indians named in the distribution plans.

There were three distributees at Ruffeys (including one for whom a conservator was named, at his own request, by the Superior Court of Siskiyou County), three at Cache Creek, two at Buena Vista, eighteen at Table Bluff and one each at Mark West and Strawberry Valley.

With the completion of these distribution plans and removal of the property from Federal trust supervision, the Department announced that the 53 Indian members of the seven rancherias are, under the 1958 law, no longer entitled to special services performed by the United States for Indians because of their status as Indians. All Federal statutes which affect Indians because of their status as Indians no longer apply to them. And the laws of the several States now apply to them as they do to other citizens or persons within their jurisdiction.

Under the 1958 law property received by the Indians through the distribution plans is not subject to taxation at the time of distribution. After distribution, however, it becomes subject to the same taxes that apply to property generally.

The Department of the Interior today announced the award of a $976,677.84 contract for construction of 18 miles of roadway on Navajo Route 1, starting approximately 38 miles west of Shiprock, New Mexico, and running westerly to Walker Creek, Arizona.

This section is part of the presently unimproved portion of Navajo Route 1 located south of the famous Four Corners Area of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. It will form a link in the Indian Bureau's extensive road program now underway on the Navajo Reservation, connecting at the east with a project recently completed and extending the paved highway westward into Arizona from the Junction with U.S. Highway 666 to a total of approximately 56 miles.

As sections of Route 1 are completed, it is anticipated that increasingly heavy traffic will use this important connecting route from southwestern Colorado, through the Navajo country to the Grand Canyon and West Coast. The rapidly developing Four Corners oilfield lies to the northwest and considerable traffic is expected as the field expands into northern Arizona.

Schmidt Construction Co. of Arvada, Colorado, was the successful bidder. Seven other bids were received, ranging to a high of $1,195,300.

The Department of the Interior today announced the selection of Robert D. Holtz, Indian Bureau area director at Minneapolis since 1955, to head the Bureau's area office at Portland, Oregon, effective May 1. He replaces Don C. Foster who retires April 14 after 26 years with the Bureau and seven years as area director at Portland.

In his new post Holtz will supervise all Indian Bureau operations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. His successor at Minneapolis has not yet been named.

Holtz first came with the Bureau in 1931 as a forest ranger at the Klamath Agency in Oregon and later served in the same capacity at the Zuni Agency in New Mexico, and as forest supervisor at the Papago Agency, Sells, Ariz.

In 1939 he rose to the position of superintendent at the former Truxton Canyon Agency, Valentine, Ariz., and subsequently was superintendent of the Mescalero Agency, Mescalero, N. Mex., and the Fort Apache Agency, Whiteriver, Ariz. In 1951 he became area forester in the area office at Phoenix, Ariz. and after three years in this position was transferred to the Gallup, N. Mex. area office as assistant director for resources. In 1955 he transferred to the same position at Minneapolis and later that year was designated as area director.

A native of Iowa, Holtz received his bachelor of science degree in forestry from Iowa State College at Ames in 1930, and took post graduate work at Oregon State College, Corvallis, Oreg.

Transfer of Charles S. Spencer, superintendent of the Flathead Indian Agency in Montana, to head the Fort Hall Agency in Idaho, effective May 15, 1961 was announced today by the Department of the Interior. He replaces Frell M. Owl who has been superintendent at Fort Hall since 1954 and is now joining the branch of tribal programs in the Bureau's central office at Washington, D. C.

A successor to Spencer at the Flathead Agency has not yet been selected.

Spencer has been with the Bureau since 1931 when he was appointed farm agent at Crow Agency, Mont. He spent four ye8rs there. Then he worked for seven years as extension agent at Western Shoshone Agency, Owyhee, Nev., and for ten years as soil conservationist at Wind River Agency, Fort Washakie, Wyo. He was named superintendent at Standing Rock Agency, Fort Yates, S. Dak., in 1952 and transferred to Blackfeet Agency in Montana in 1954 and to Flathead three years later. He is a native of Victor, Idaho, and was graduated from the University of Idaho with a B. S. degree in agriculture in 1929.

Award of a $69,451.06 contract for construction of additional irrigation works that will bring water to about 750 acres now unirrigated on the Pine River Project of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in Colorado was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

The contract provides chiefly for the construction of approximately 4.5 miles of ditch and appurtenant structures with a capacity of approximately 15 cubic feet per second. By opening up irrigation farming on the additional acreage, the new construction will give eight Indian families located in the area better opportunities than they have previously enjoyed to make an adequate living.

McGechie Construction Company of Cortez, Colorado, was the successful bidder for the contract. Five higher bids, ranging from $72,669.31 to $101,549.90, were received.

Award of five contracts totaling $878,597 for road and bridge construction on three Indian reservations in South Dakota was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

The contracts are for road and bridge construction work on the Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, and Pine Ridge Indian Reservations.

The largest contract--for $341,076-·-was awarded to Rand Construction Company, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota for grading, draining, crushed gravel surfacing, and construction of one bridge on 19.2 miles of Cheyenne River Reservation Road Route No, 8 extending easterly and northeasterly from State Highway 63. The project will provide an all-weather road to serve Indian farms and ranches. Nine other bids ranging to $389,372 were received for construction of this project.

Another road contract was awarded to Hall Construction Company Westport, South Dakota on a bid of $49,886, the lowest of six bids received ranging to a high of $62,237.

This contract covers grading) draining, and surfacing of 6.2 miles of road in the eastern section of the Cheyenne River Reservation which will serve as an access road to the main reservation road extending from U, S. Highway 212 to Promise.

A third contract on the Cheyenne River Reservation is for grading, draining, crushed gravel surfacing, and construction of one bridge on 9.5 miles of road extending easterly from State Highway 63 on the north side of the Moreau River Valley. It will complete construction of an all-weather road from Whitehorse west to State Highway 63 near Greengrass and serve farm and ranch homes in the Moreau River Valley for school bus transportation and farm-to-market travel, and will further the development of Indian ranching enterprises in that section of the reservation. Dewey County has agreed to accept maintenance responsibility for this road upon completion of its improvement as covered by this contract. Eleven bids were received ranging from $177,391 to $215,639. The successful bidder was the Rand firm of Rapid City, which also won the Standing Rock Reservation contract for grading, draining, crushed gravel surfacing, and construction of three bridges on 11.1 miles of road from U. S. Highway 12 through Mahto to a road junction near Wakpala. The winning bid of $184,586 was the lowest of six bids received ranging to a high of $209,813. The road serving the Mahto and Wakpala communities will be improved to provide for all-weather school bus and farm to market travel needs. The local government has agreed to take over the road upon completion of its improvement and assume maintenance responsibility.

A $125,656 contract for grading and draining of 8.2 miles of road running southeasterly from Kyle towards Allen on the Pine Ridge Reservation was awarded to R. S. Krage Company, Sioux City, Iowa. Eight other bids were received for this project ranging to a high of $174,416. The project will provide road improvement needed for farm-to-market travel and school bus transportation for more than 60 Indian children. The contract provides for improvement of the first section of the main reservation road route between the Kyle and Allen communities.

The road contracts are not located in areas applicable for small business preference to the successful bidder nor are they located in areas designated for distressed or labor area preference. All bidders on the work under these contracts qualify as small businesses.

The Department of the Interior today announced award of a $693,122 contract for 16 miles of road construction on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona.

Upon completion, the project will provide an all-weather route from State primary road systems to Round Rock and Lukachukai which will serve the needs of the communities in the Chinle Valley area of the reservation.

The successful bidder was Daniels Construction Company of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Six other bids were submitted, ranging to a high of $1,057,960.20.