Past News Items

The Department of the Interior has scored notable successes this summer in its war on drugs. Interior Secretary Don Hodel emphasized that drug enforcement is a top priority in his Department.

The summer-long effort to eliminate illegal drug activity on the Nation's public lands has led to the destruction of more than 166,000 marijuana plants on Interior lands. Almost 400,000 additional plants were eradicated in immediately adjacent areas in cooperative enforcement actions with state, local and other federal agencies.

A $178,907.28 contract for construction of two bridges on Navajo Route 1 in New Mexico was awarded today by the Department of the Interior.

These bridges in San Juan County will replace two timber structures that no longer will carry the heavy traffic which the oil and mining operations in northern Arizona and southeastern Utah have generated.

One 2-span pre-stressed concrete box-girder bridge will be constructed across Rattlesnake Wash west of Shiprock, New Mexico, and one 6-spansteel-girder bridge with a concrete deck will cross the Red Rock Wash.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Ross Swimmer today signed the Fort Peck Tribal Water Code, a model agreement for the administration of Indian water rights and the first code to be approved since 1975.

The code resulted from a 1985 compact between the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation and the State of Montana. The Fort Peck tribes own a portion of the Missouri River in northeastern Montana.

The Department of the Interior today announced its endorsement of H. R. 6128, a bill that will permit members of the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina to divide their tribal assets and discontinue their special Indian relations with the Federal Government.

The Catawba Indians have requested such legislation and have explicitly approved the provisions of H. R. 6128.

Ross Swimmer, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the Department of Interior, announced today a realignment of his office and the headquarters structure of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

A Secretarial Order signed March 18, creates four deputies for Swimmer -- each with specific areas of responsibility in (1) Tribal Services; (2) Education; (3) Trust and Economic Development; and (4) Operations. The order establishes a direct chain of command from the new deputies to the Assistant Secretary by abolishing two former deputy positions.

The Department of the Interior favors enactment of legislation initiated by the Choctaw Indian Tribe of Oklahoma which provides for disposition of the Tribe’s lands and funds and for eventual termination of its special relations with the Federal Government, Assistant Secretary Roger Ernst announced today.

In reporting to Congress on H. R. 2722, Mr. Ernst emphasized that the bill was introduced in Congress at the request of tribal officials.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has distributed draft regulations to Indian tribal leaders for two proposed grant programs scheduled to begin in Fiscal Year 1983 (October 1, 1982 - September 30, 1983).

Interior Assistant Secretary Ken Smith asked for an early reaction to the proposed regulations because he intends "to implement these grant initiatives as soon as possible contingent upon appropriations from the Congress.

The United States National Bank of Portland, Oregon, has been selected as trustee to manage the property of the 474 remaining members of the Klamath Indian Tribe under the provisions of Public Law 587 of the 83d Congress, as amended, the Department of the Interior announced today.

The property to be managed comprises 144,960 acres. The major portion--some 34,000 acres--is forest land and has 971,000,000 beard-feet of ponderosa pine and mixed species. It will be managed under a plan previously approved by the Department and in accordance with sustained-yield principles.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has agreed to provide neutral observers for the May 26 election of officials of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians of Minnesota.

Roy Sampsel, Interior's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said the four Departmental and BIA observers are being provided at the request of Band officials. "We will make technical assistance available regarding the conduct of balloting to choose three officers and four district representatives to serve four-year terms on the Band's governing body,” he added.

Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall announced today that from November 14 through 19 he will consult on outstanding Indian problems in Phoenix, Ariz., with five Indian leaders and eight prominent non-Indians interested in Indian affairs.

One of the consultants invited to the meeting is W. W. Keeler of Bartlesville, Okla., oil company executive and principal chief of Oklahoma's Cherokees, who served as chairman of Secretary Udall's Task Force on Indian Affairs earlier this year. The 12 other consultants are:

Barry DeRose, Globe, Ariz., attorney for Indian tribes;