OPA

Demonstrations of two newly established career development programs on the Navajo Reservation will be opened to visitors July 9 and 10.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson said that the programs at Tuba City, Arizona, and Shiprock, New Mexico, have been proposed as models for other reservations. BIA officials from all regions of the country, as well as congressional, state and tribal representatives have been invited to see demonstrations of the program operations.

The purpose of the new program is to help Indians successfully choose and pursue a career as well as to channel community manpower potential to fit community needs.

Testing, counseling and career information services are provided by specially trained staff members in newly equipped analysis and referral centers. Programmed kits of audio­visual materials are available to enable individuals to learn about the opportunities and challenges of different occupations or professions on and off the reservation. The programs are also developing skills banks on job applicants and job banks on skills needs of their areas. The area job needs banks will also be used by the counselors.

This is a new effort by BIA and the Navajo Tribe to link training and education to career and employment needs.

Nine American Indian high school students met their Congressmen, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and other Washington luminaries last week.

They were participants in the Washington Workshops Congressional Seminar June 15-22.

This week they are in New York City studying the operations of a large corporation as guests of the Union Carbide Corporation the Company also picked up the tab for the Washington seminar.

The seminar schedule included daily dialogue discussions with Congressmen, White House staff and other officials of Government. The students attended Congressional committee meetings and House and Senate chamber sessions and were briefed by Congressional staffers on the traditions and procedures of the Congress.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson spoke to the group Friday evening at the Mount Vernon College where the students lived for the week.

The Indian students are Janell Williams, Wanblee, South Dakota; Orla Wounded Knee, Fort Thompson, South Dakota; Amanda Dakota, Belcourt, North Dakota; Cheryl Connywerdy, Lawton, Oklahoma; Russell Taptto, Anadarko, Oklahoma; Alfredo Gonzalez, Sacaton, Arizona; Henry Salazar, Laveen, Arizona; Theresa Buckner, Omak, Washington; and Michael Gomez, Warm Springs, Oregon.

Acting Under Secretary of the Interior Kent Frizzell has approved an amendment to an existing water service contract relating to the use by Utah International, Inc. of water stored in the Navajo Reservoir for a proposed commercial coal gasification project near Farmington, New Mexico.

Utah International, Inc. (UII) will supply both the coal and the water for the coal gasification complex, to be constructed by the Western Gasification Co. (WESCO) on the Navajo Indian Reservation about 35 miles southwest of Farmington. The proposed complex would ultimately include four coal gasification plants capable of producing about 1 billion cubic feet per day of synthetic natural gas from coal mined by UII at its existing Navajo Mine.

The initial plant would be operative by late 1977 or early 1978, and all four plants would be operative by 1983 and under WESCO's proposed construction schedule.

Commissioner of Reclamation Gilbert G. Stamm said use of the water by UII was originally authorized in 1968 by Congress, which approved three contracts allowing the diversion of water from Navajo Reservoir for municipal and industrial uses.

At that time, UII proposed to use the water for cooling additional generating units at the Four Corners Power plant operated by the Arizona Public Service Co. near Farmington. UII provides coal for that generating facility. However, the additional units were not installed. Under its original water contract, UII was authorized to divert up to 44,000 acre-feet of water annually from the San Juan River downstream from Navajo Reservoir for municipal and indus­trial purposes at the power plant. The amendment to the contract will limit the water depletion to 35,300 acre-feet annually for the coal gasification process.

The original contract provided for renewal at 10-year periods beginning Jan. 1, 1972, and for two subsequent 10-year periods, but not beyond year 2005. It also carried the provision that the Federal Government would terminate the contract with respect to water not put to beneficial use by Jan. 1, 1977.

The proposed amendment would extend the date for beneficial use of water from Jan. 1, 1977, to Jan. 1, 1982, to allow for construction of the coal gasification complex. If the gasification project does not materialize, the water supply under the contract will revert to the U.S. Government.

Delivery of water under the amended contract will not be made until the completion of the final environmental impact statement which is now being prepared and a finding by the Secretary that the proposed use is environmentally acceptable.

The tribal plan for the use and distribution of $4.5 million awarded to the Yankton Sioux Tribe by the Indian Claims Commission is being published in the Federal Register.

The plan has been approved by Congress and is effective February 7, 1975.

It calls for a per capita distribution of 80 percent of the award to tribal members as of the effective date. It is expected that the tribal roll will have been brought current within 60 days of that date.

The remaining 20 percent will be used for various tribal programs. These include a land purchase and development fund higher education fund, elderly and handicapped fund, a community development fund and a miscellaneous fund.

Thank you, President Tonasket. Senator Jackson, Senator Nelson, Congressman Udall, Congressman Meeds, ladies and gentlemen.

Mrs. Hathaway and I are grateful for the opportunity to join the National Congress of American Indians in paying tribute to Senator Jackson and Congressman Udall. On behalf of the Interior Department, I want to express our appreciation for their significant efforts in securing passage of legislation settling the Havasupai boundary issue.

In recent years, there have been a number of legislative milestones in the formulation of Indian policy. The Indian Financing Act, the Self-Determination Act, the Menominee Restoration Act and a host of other bills were enacted in the spirit of non-partisanship. I think I can speak for all of us when I say we owe a great debt of gratitude to the Members of Congress. From my own stand­point, I look forward to working with the Congress as we face the remaining items on the agenda of Indian legislation.

Just a little under five years ago, a new Federal policy toward Indians was espoused in a major Presidential message. That message contained a series of legislative and administrative proposals, which taken together, would bring about the most significant change in the history of Federal Indian Policy. I do not mean to imply that the ideas and programs contained in the President's message of July 8, 1970, were new. In fact, most of the proposals in that message were concepts the Indian leaders had been trying to tell us for years. The novelty of that message lay in the fact that the Administration and the Congress were beginning to listen to what you were saying. It was also the first time that all these ideas were put together to form a coherent, rational policy.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Congress and the Administration, most of the proposals contained in that 1970 Message have been enacted into law. Of the remaining issues, two stand out prominently.

Since the Commissioner is with us tonight, I will mention the bill establishing in the Department a new position -- Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. It is time, I believe, that Indian Affairs assumes, in structure as it is in substance, its rightful place as a principal part of the Department.

I would also mention the proposed creation of an Indian Trust Counsel Authority. The United States Government, and particularly, the Secretary of the Interior, acts as the legal trustee for Indians in defending land and water rights. Because we also have obligations to the Nation as a whole, real and apparent conflicts sometimes arise. To dispel any doubt about the diligence with which we pursue our trust responsibilities to the Indian community, I favor the principle of an independent trust counsel authority. In all candor, the Department has some disagreements with the bill now before the Senate Interior Committee. But our commitment to the establishment of a Trust Counsel Authority is not diminished, and we want to work with the Indian community and with the Congress to secure a mutually acceptable bill.

I would like for a moment to discuss one element of the Presidential Message which has already been enacted into law. I am referring to the Indian Self Determination Act. In this law, the Congress has set forth a policy which represents a distinct departure from past practices toward Indians. It may-be the single most significant bill in the history of Federal Indian policy.

The Self-Determination Act authorizes Federal agencies to turn over management of specific programs to the tribal government. It is not the policy of this Act that tribal governments must take over the administration of Federal programs affecting their reservations. The policy is that tribal governments must have the choice of taking them over or not taking them over. Under this Act, the determination of a tribe's ability to undertake programs rests principally with the tribe itself.

In order that there be no misunderstanding about the meaning and purposes of the Self-Determination Act, I will emphasize that tribes are free at any time and at their own behest to relinquish administration of programs back to the Bureau or to Indian Health Service or wherever.

The Federal agency is then obligated, by law, to reassume operation of and responsibility for those programs. The intent of this Act is to strengthen tribal governments, but at their own pace, and without any underlying threat of termination of services. The Self-Determination Act, along with the Menominee Restoration Act, were designed to put that misguided experiment to rest -- forever.

I do not want to dwell on the history of Federal Indian policy. This is not the place to recite a litany of broken agreements and unenlightened efforts. What is needed --and what has been so difficult for many non-Indians to comprehend --is an understanding of the special relationship between the Federal Government and the Indian people. We need to recognize that the goods and services which the Government ·provides to the tribes are not donations given solely out of the goodness of our hearts. While these services and programs to Indians must be administered with sympathy and care, it must be understood that they are the result of solemn obligations undertaken by the Government in exchange for land and other considerations. In business ·parlance, it is a contractual agreement. As a Nation, we pride ourselves on maintaining our obligations with other nations with whom we have agreements. So must we pride ourselves on living up to our solemn promises, our contractual obligations, if you will, to our Indian citizens here at home.

The issue of energy development in the West is one which is squarely before me -- before the Congress and the Nation -- and before the Indian community. It is among my concerns that areas proposed for increased production of coal lie within, or intermingled with Indian lands. I can readily understand your feelings of apprehension about the prospects of large scale energy developments. To the extent that development is under our control, we will all have to work closely together to be sure energy projects are developed with long-range social, cultural and environmental impacts in proper perspective. We will attempt to keep the decision making process as open as possible, to aid in the flow of information so that all options are available and understood by the concerned entities. But I see here an opportunity -- an opportunity for jobs and a more stable economic base for many Indian communities, without the loss of the unique Indian heritage which is so valuable to us all. I see also an opportunity for the people in these places to play a positive role in helping the Nation meet its energy objectives. It will be the test of the self-determination policy and of our ability to carry out our trust responsibilities if energy sources on Indian land can be developed meeting these multiple objectives -- the people objectives as well as the energy and economic goals.

There are other important Indian issues on our agenda, notably the adjudication of water rights, and hunting and fishing rights and other jurisdictional issues. For my part, I recognize the responsibilities I bear, and the impacts of my decisions on your lives. There is a unique relationship between the Indian people and the office of Secretary of the Interior. I have a trust responsibility which I am pledged to carry out with diligence and compassion. I come to this office with a basic understanding of your concerns and with a sympathy for the difficulties you face. But I have much to learn. Only with an open and frank dialogue with Indian leaders can I hope to fulfill my obligations effectively. I pledge myself to that end.

In my own State of Wyoming, we do not have a large Indian population. In fact, we do not have a large population, period. But, we pride ourselves on our ability to get along with each other and our ability to understand the other fellow's point of view. I think I can manage to keep that little bit of Wyoming with me as I assume my duties here.

President Tonasket, ladies and gentlemen, together we face a number of critical Indian issues. We must work together to see many of these most serious issues resolved.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson said today that many of the recommendations made in a recently released report on the troubled conditions on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation were being implemented.

The report was prepared by a special commission appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. It dealt with problems in law enforcement and judicial services, tribal government, trust management functions, and provision of services to outlying areas of the reservation.

Thompson said that he would be meeting with tribal officials, BIA area and agency staffs and other involved governmental agencies to plan future actions on the reservation. Steps already taken, Thompson said, included:

The addition of 26 new positions to the law enforcement staff;

Appointment of a new special officer in charge of police operations;

Acquisition of needed new police vehicles and uniforms;

Upgrading of law enforcement positions and initiation of concentrated training programs;

Provision of $65,000 to assist the tribal court to catch up on a backlog of cases;

Administration Communication with the tribe and the Law Enforcement Assistance concerning the construction of a new detention and court facilities; Provision of $20,000 through the Bureau's Office of Trust Responsibilities to initiate a new land records system for the reservation; Provision of $10,000 to the tribe to plan improved communications on the reservation, and Scheduling of more than 75 miles of paved road construction for the present fiscal year. Thompson said that he considered the choice of a new Superintendent for Pine Ridge, the second largest reservation in the country, of major importance.

He added that he supports the Commission recommendation that a new position of Deputy Superintendent be established at the Pine Ridge Agency. "The Deputy might assume major responsibility for the internal administration of programs and thus free the Superintendent to work more closely with the tribal council and people throughout the reservation."

Thompson said that a greater proportion of the law enforcement staff would be deployed in the outlying areas and that efforts would be made to provide detention and court facilities at Kyle to serve some of these areas.

The reservation has been beset with extraordinary problems, including frequent eruptions of violence, since the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. Most recently two FBI agents and one Indian were shot to death in late June.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today that the lists of all adult persons (18 and over) of Osage Indian descent are being prepared by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. One will contain the names and known addresses of persons of at least 1/4 degree Osage blood; the other will list Osage descendant persons possessing less than 1/4 degree of Osage blood and their known addresses.

The lists will be used to conduct a poll among the Osage Indians to determine whether a change in the present structure of the Osage tribal government is desired.

Preliminary lists have been prepared by the Bureau and sent to all Bureau field offices for public posting as well as to interested Osage organizations and Postmasters throughout Osage county. The list is divided into two sections.

Protests concerning the omission or inclusion on the lists of any person, or the blood quantum classification, should be sent to the Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D.C., before August 18. Corrections in mailing addresses should also be sent to the Secretary.

Commissioner Thompson stressed that the lists being prepared will be used only for the conduct of the poll. They will have no bearing on Osage Tribal membership rolls or the present system of managing Osage "headright" mineral interests.

When the lists are completed, each person named on them, whose address is known, will be mailed a copy of a proposed bill authorizing a change in the Osage government, an explanation of the effect of the bill should it be enacted, and a ballot to indicate preference.

The poll will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association.

Additional information can be obtained from the Office of Indian Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. 20245.

A plan for the distribution of more than $260,000 awarded by the Indian Claims Commission to the Ottawa Indians of Oklahoma is being published in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today.

This award represents additional payment for six tracts of land in Northwestern Ohio that were ceded to the United States by four bands of Ottawa Indians under treaties of 1833 and 1831.

The plan, approved by Congress and made effective June 17, 1975, calls for a per capita distribution of the funds to those persons whose names appear on the final roll of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, published in the Federal Register August 13, 1959. The shares of deceased enrollees will be paid to their heirs or legatees.

Pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956, Federal trust responsibilities for the tribe were terminated and the Ottawas ceased to function as Federally organized tribal entity in 1959.

The BIA's Muskogee, Oklahoma, Area Office will be responsible for the administrative work in making the per capita distribution.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today that a plan for the use of approximately $750,000 awarded by the Indian Claims Commission to the Zia, Jemez and Santa Ana Pueblos is being published in the Federal Register. The award represents payment for land in central New Mexico taken from the Pueblos from 1905 to 1936.

According to the plan, approved by Congress and made effective June 17, 1975, the funds will be equally divided between the three Pueblos.

There will be no per capita payments to individuals in any of the three Pueblos. Rather the funds will be invested by the tribal governing bodies for social and economic development purposes, including the acquisition of land.

The plan permits the use of principal funds, as well as investment income, for tribal purposes.

Edward McCabe, Jr., a member of the Navajo Tribe, has been named Superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Shiprock Agency in northwestern New Mexico. Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced that the appointment is effective immediately.

McCabe, 54, has been Senior Program Director for the School of Business at the University of New Mexico. He has in the past served as Treasurer, Acting General Manager of the Utility Division and Director of Administration for the Navajo Tribe.

A veteran of World War II, McCabe has a B.S. degree from Tulsa University and an M.Ed. in Education Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.