Media Contact: John Wright 202-208-6416
For Immediate Release: June 14, 2002

WASHINGTON - Interior Secretary Gale Norton will meet with American Indian leaders in Bismarck, N. D., June18, 2002, as part of ongoing consultations to review plans for improving the Department of the Interior's management of Indian trust assets. Members of the Joint Tribal Leaders/DOI Task Force on Trust Reform recently presented Secretary Norton a report on the group's efforts to evaluate proposals from tribal groups on ways to improve Interior's management of Indian trust funds and assets. The report identified several recommendations and options for management improvement.

WHO: Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton Tribal Task Force on Trust Reform

WHAT: Consultations with Tribal Leaders on Reform of Interior's Trust Asset Management

WHEN: Tuesday, June 18, 2002, 7 p.m. (Local time)

WHERE: The Radisson Inn, Bismarck, N. D.