Past News Items

BISMARCK, N.D. —Government-to-government tribal consultation will occur Friday, July 27, 2012 in Bismarck regarding a proposal that would help the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) achieve the objectives of President Obama’s Executive Order 13592 concerning improving educational opportunities provided to American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Clarence W. Ringey, superintendent of the Umatilla Indian Agency, Pendleton, Oreg., will move to the comparable position at Western Washington Agency, Everett, Wash., on July 17 and will be replaced on July 31 by William E. Ensor, Jr., administrative officer of the Cherokee Agency, Cherokee, N.C., the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced today.

At Western Washington Mr. Ringey succeeds Melvin L. Robertson who transfers July 14 to be superintendent of the Menominee Agency, Keshena, Wis.

American Indian trust landowners have been given greater flexibility when they negotiate over electric power rights-of-way across their land, and the process of granting these rights-of-way has been streamlined with the abandonment of certain time consuming requirements, Marvin L. Franklin, Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, announced today.

This has come about through amendments to Title 25, code of Federal Regulations--which concerns American Indians and their trust lands--published recently in the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Donald “Del” Laverdure today participated with the White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs Jodi Gillette to moderate a panel of leaders from across Indian Country in celebration of the contributions made to the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC) initiative. The event, in honor of the one-year anniversary of the program’s launch, was streamed online at www.WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay today announced an extension in the term of office of John F. Davis as principal chief of the Creek Indian Tribe of Oklahoma until a successor can be duly qualified and appointed. The maximum period of extension is six months.

It is with a great deal of pleasure that I take this opportunity to address the 30th annual convention of the national congress of American Indians.

You have dedicated your convention and its efforts to the goal of restoration of the Menominee tribe to federal recognition and trust status and have adopted as your theme “Restoration now”.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Crow Tribe Apsáalooke Nation, the United States of America and the State of Montana executed the Crow Tribe-Montana Water Rights Compact in an historic signing ceremony today at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Crow Chairman Cedric Black Eagle and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signed the compact—marking a major milestone in implementing the Crow Tribal Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010.

Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton announced today that he has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to send one of its forestry experts immediately into northern Idaho for an investigation of timber sale prospects on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Mac Lean Sweeney today announced that the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) has awarded $5,382,606 in energy and mineral development grants to 24 federally recognized tribes in 11 states across the U.S. The grants will fund tribal efforts to identify, study, design, and/or develop projects using energy, mineral or natural resources on the tribes’ lands to achieve their economic development goals.

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk was awarded the 2012 Governmental Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians for his leadership on behalf of the tribal nations and his work building the foundation for a new era in nation-to-nation relations.