OPA

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest J. Gerard said today (December 4) that the challenge of educating Indian children is in the hands of tribal governments.

Gerard, speaking to the eleventh annual convention of the National Indian Education Association in Denver, said the tribes face a challenge "to raise a whole child, to instruct the intellect in the laws of nature, to educate a nation." "Children of the 1980's will determine the future of the Indian people," he said.

"The generation of the 1980's will receive the benefits of the crucial federal Indian policy changes of the 1970's--just as the legislation of the 1970's resulted from the unfinished agenda for racial and social justice in the 1960's," said Gerard. "The coming generation may take passing academic note of many of the bold initiatives achieved through great personal sacrifice by many in this assembly."

Gerard said another example of the Carter Administration's support of Indian education was the last stages of the implementation of public laws 95-651 and 95-471, Indian Education Amendments Act and the Indian Controlled Community College Act. He said that both of these acts were "milestones in Indian education which place authorities in the hands of the tribes and school boards unlike any of the past."

Regulations governing the off-reservation treaty-rights fishing of the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan were published in the Federal Register November 15, Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus said today

The Federal regulations were developed pursuant to a September 5 memorandum of understanding between the tribes and the Interior Department concerning the regulation of treaty Indian fishing in the Great Lakes and connecting waters.

Under this agreement the tribes were to develop one joint comprehensive set of regulations governing the fishing of their members. These regulations were to be developed in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The Interior Department was then to review the joint tribal regulations to see that they met conservation needs and to publish them as Federal regulations if they did so.

Several suggestions made by the State of Michigan have been incorporated into the regulations, with the acquiescence of the tribes. The Secretary has also included in the regulations a closure of the Lower St. Mary's River to net fishing as necessary for conservation purposes. This provision was inserted, without the consent of the tribes, under the Secretary's authority to act to protect the fishery resource.

Because of the immediate need for regulatory protection of the resource, the regulations became effective upon publication as interim regulations. Comments on the regulations, which would be considered for future changes, should be sent within 60 days to the Department of the Interior, Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs, 18th and C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.

Under Secretary of the Interior James A. Joseph announced today that the ceremonial installation of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett, will be held on December 14, 1979, in Denver, Colorado.

Joseph will administer the oath of office to Hallett in a 10:00 a.m. ceremony at the Denver Marina Hotel. Denver was chosen for the ceremony because of its central location.

In addition to tribal leaders, attendance is expected from the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest J. Gerard, BIA employees, the media, other Interior officials, and the general public.

Hallett, a Red Lake Chippewa, was nominated by President Carter on

September 28, 19 79, to be the 42nd Commissioner. He was confirmed by the

U.S. Senate on November 16, 1979.

Hallett was born May 18, 1942 in Red Lake, Minnesota. He graduated in 1960 from the Red Lake Indian High School. After two years at Brigham Young University, Hallett completed studies for a Bachelor's degree in business administration at Bemidji State College, Minnesota in 1965. He did post-graduate work in public administration at the University of New Mexico under the HUD Career Education Program.

Applications for grant funds for Indian tribes and organizations to use in the establishment and operation of Indian child and family service programs are now being accepted, Interior Assistant Secretary Forrest Gerard announced today.

A notice published in the Federal Register sets January 18, 1980, as the deadline for this initial application period. The grants are authorized under Title II of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 95-608). Additional periods for the receipt of grant applications be announced later if funds remain available after the first grant application period.

The Assistant Secretary said that the grant fund distribution formula, designed to provide a proportionately equitable share of available funds to all approved applicants, is also being published in the Federal Register.

Application materials and related information may be obtained from Bureau of Indian Affairs Area Offices.

Applications for this initial application period will be accepted in anticipation of appropriated funds for Title II purposes. All grant application approvals will be subject to availability of funds.

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages have completed balloting on a distribution formula as required by the 1978 Education Amendments Act (P.L. 95-561). After a year long effort, the Indians and Alaska Natives voted to keep the Johnson-O'Malley Act funding formula used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the last four years.

The Johnson-O'Malley Act provides funding assistance for supplemental programs in non-Federal schools serving Indian students. In fiscal year 1979 the appropriation for this purpose, serving approximately 171,000 students, was $31,675,000.

Public Law 95-561 established that the distribution formula should be chosen by a majority vote of the tribes and Alaska village groups.

A task force appointed by the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs published proposed formulas, received numerous contents and held hearings before submitting eight formulas to tribal vote last spring. Since none received the necessary 51 percent, a run-off election involving the two formulas receiving the greatest number of votes was held this fall.

The winning formula, by a vote of 153 to 108, provides straight per capita payments for all students, with increases allowed for states which spend above the national average for education.

The other formula was a straight per capita plan which made no allowance for cost of education in the state.

Forrest J. Gerard, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, today announced his resignation effective January 19, 1980, to re-enter private business.

Gerard, a Presidential appointee who has served since September 1977 as the Department's first Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said in a letter to President Carter: ''My decision to re-enter private business was not easily reached. In these difficult times, however, my responsibility to assist two of my daughters with their college education left me but a single choice."

"As I return to private life, I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to have served the public and the Indian people as the first Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. I wish to commend your Administration for creating this important position to address the essential policy issues and direct the overall approach to the complex and intricate field of Indian Affairs.''

Secretary of the Interior Resignation but understood the has served with distinction as

Indian Affairs," he said. "As assignment he has proven himself an alert executive in handling Cecil D. Andrus said he greatly regretted Gerard's considerations which led to the decision. “Forrest has first Assistant Secretary of the Interior for expected when he was selected for this difficult to be a vigorous advocate of Indian causes and the administration of Indian issues."

Gerard was nominated by President Carter in July 1977 as the culmination of a selection process involving more than 40 persons who were recommended by tribal leaders and others. A member of the Blackfeet Tribe, Gerard was staff assistant for the Senate Subcommittee on Indian Affairs from 1971 through 1976. He was involved in the development of the Indian Self-Determination and Education

Assistance Act and other major legislation involving Indian affairs. He opened his own consulting office after leaving the Senate Subcommittee staff in December 1976.

Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest Gerard today announced a policy decision governing the procedures for planning Indian water projects.

The new policy will provide for a more appropriate analysis of water development projects on Indian lands as part of the implementation of the Principles and Standards for Planning Water and Related Land Resources of the Water Resources Council.

Under the policy, economic effects of water projects on Indians will be calculated and will be considered along with national economic and environmental quality effects. This information will aid the Secretary in determining whether such projects merit departmental approval. In addition, this new policy requires, for the first time, an assessment by the affected tribe of the extent to which a particular project does or does not contribute to the social well-being of the tribe. The assessment includes demographic effects on the reservation, effects on sacred sites, fish and wildlife habitats and on archaeological and historical sites.

Secretary Andrus said the policy was a direct result of President Carter's Water Policy message of June 6, 1978. In his message, Carter strongly favored a negotiated process to settle Indian water claims. However efforts to pursue negotiated settlements have been hampered because the current water planning procedures as applied have not embodied adequate recognition of the trust relationship that exists between Indian tribes and the Federal Government.

Assistant Secretary Gerard said: "This new policy should not only help to encourage water rights-talks in many areas of the country, but will also help to correct a long-standing inequity.”

Gerard said that "comparisons of median income and unemployment statistics clearly show that Indian tribes have not shared in the increasing wealth of our Nation equally with others over the years. I feel that this new Interior policy is a major step toward bringing President Carter's call for the maintenance of Indian reservations as 'permanent tribal homelands' closer to reality. "

Interior Secretary Cecil D. Andrus and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Forrest Gerard today announced a policy decision governing the procedures for planning Indian water projects.

The new policy will provide for a more appropriate analysis of water development projects on Indian lands as part of the implementation of the Principles and Standards for Planning Water and Related Land Resources of the Water Resources Council.

Under the policy, economic effects of water projects on Indians will be calculated and will be considered along with national economic and environmental quality effects. This information will aid the Secretary in determining whether such projects merit departmental approval. In addition, this new policy requires, for the first time, an assessment by the affected tribe of the extent to which a particular project does or does not contribute to the social well-being of the tribe. The assessment includes demographic effects on the reservation, effects on sacred sites, fish and wildlife habitats and on archaeological and historical sites.

Secretary Andrus said the policy was a direct result of President Carter's Water Policy message of June 6, 1978. In his message, Carter strongly favored a negotiated process to settle Indian water claims. However efforts to pursue negotiated settlements have been hampered because the current water planning procedures as applied have not embodied adequate recognition of the trust relationship that exists between Indian tribes and the Federal Government.

Assistant Secretary Gerard said: "This new policy should not only help to encourage water rights-talks in many areas of the country, but will also help to correct a long-standing inequity. "

Gerard said that "comparisons of median income and unemployment statistics clearly show that Indian tribes have not shared in the increasing wealth of our Nation equally with others over the years. I feel that this new Interior policy is a major step toward bringing President Carter's call for the maintenance of Indian reservations as 'permanent tribal homelands' closer to reality. "

Secretary of the Interior Rogers C. B. Morton today addressed a group of 21 teachers of Indians from 14 states who were attending a workshop in environmental education at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington D. C., and Catoctin National Park Maryland.

The program, part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Earth week celebration, was designed in cooperation with the National Park Service. It climaxes a series of regional workshops for BIA teachers and students that concluded last month. The Earth week Workshop opened today in Washington, D.C. and will continue through Friday, April 23rd at Catoctin National Park.

Secretary Morton’s remarks were focused on the cultural tradition of American Indians who he said “viewed all living things as possessing the right thing to life.” he called on teachers of Indian children to help their pupils assume the role of “action people in our national effort to improve the environment.”

“I can think of no approach to modern education that will have more lasting meaning for school children then one which relates an examination of their environment to other spheres of human knowledge,” he said.

“It is appropriate and gratifying that Indians are among the first to relate ecologically concerns to their educational objectives,” he continued “their history, religion and philosophy all reflect within nature. In this sense one might call Indians the “first environmentalists.”

The teachers, he added are “Pioneers on a new frontier of learning.”

Director of the National Park Service George B. Hartzog, also addressed to the group during the opening session, pledging continuing National Park Service assistance in making National Park facilities are available for the Environmental Education effort.

The secretary was introduced by Miss Wilms Victor, Choctaw Indian and former BIA educator recently appointed to his Special Assistant for Indian Affairs

Also in attendance were Educators and environmentalists from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service.

The environmental approach to teaching being developed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs relies upon study materials developed in cooperation with the Park Service NEED (National Environmental Education development) program and the companion NESA (National Environmental study area) program. The Catoctin National Park provides such a study area, a setting for classes out of doors.

Bureau of Indian Affairs schools are among the first in the country to make use of the park study areas. About 53,000 descendants of the “first environmentalists” currently involved in environmental agent studies in their classrooms and outdoor study areas.

With the conclusion of the school year is series of environmental awards for noteworthy projects any Indian schools and communities will be presented incorporation with Indian tribal school board officials.

I have called this news conference today to announce a series of actions relating to Indian water rights, contracts, roads, self-government, and legislative programs.

My purpose in taking these initiatives towards Indian self-government is setting a course for the Bureau of Indian Affairs designed to protect Indian Resources and effectively with the roads of Indian dissatisfaction poverty unemployment and inadequate educational background in my opinion to advance the cause of the Indian people of this nation.

First, water rights.

Most reservations are in the arid West and depend for a development upon adequate water supplies. In the past, Indian rights have not been protected. I intend to change that I intend to do my best to see that Indians get their fair share of water.

To insure effective advocacy of Indian water rights, I am establishing an Indian water rights office. It will serve as an interim body until enactment of legislation proposed by the president which calls for creation of an Indian Trust Counsel Authority.

This office will include members of the solicitor's office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Geological Survey. It will be the focal point for seeing that appropriate action is taken to protect Indian water rights including timely preparation of suits for submission to the justice department for filing in the courts.

This office will report to the commissioner of Indian Affairs, and he will report directly to me on water rights matters. In this way we can ensure that proper emphasis and priority continues to be given to this activity. I am also inviting the national tribal chairmen's Association to appoint an Advisory Board to work with the Indian water rights office.

After further consultation with Indian leadership reveal announce the director, deputy director and other appointees supplementing their work will be correspondingly constituted.

Two million dollars will be funded for the first years of operation of the Indian water rights office and its field team program.

I have recommended to the justice department that it file suit to protect underground water rights of the Lummi Indian Washington State Department is also intervening in the Escondido case now before the federal power commission and in a state of Idaho proceeding (Duck Valley) Moreover, the department also intends to intervene in another Federal power commission matter involving the Chippewa Dam.

Next, Contracting and Self- Government Programs.

The expressed desire of many Indian tribes and groups is to contract with the BIA so that they may provide services hitherto performed by the BIA. In addition to the 724 contractors with Indians that have been renewed since May 1st, 1971, I have approved 93 new contract with the total value of $2,435,000.

These numbers show that contacting has by no means come to your halt despite allegations from a few quarters that this is the case. Nevertheless there's much more to be done in this direction.

I feel confident that the House and Senate interior committees will soon provide us an opportunity to appear before them in support of the president's proposed new legislation providing for broader Contracting Authority.

In the meantime we will continue to work out self-governing agreement under the authority of the Snyder act the Johnson O'Malley Act and the Buy Indian Act to the greatest extent possible within budgetary restraint we will continue to issue contracts for the procurement of goods and services from Indians and Indian groups.

Moreover, we are establishing a full-time training program to train BIA employees and Prospective contractors in procedures and methods relating to the Contracting process, to insure that effective Arrangements will result. We will also work with Indian organizations, tribal or otherwise to help them equip themselves to qualify for contract. Existing training projects now handled under the office of Economic Opportunity will be expanded. Tribal and government Management training contacts will be set up in cooperation with the Department of Labor.

Next, Roads for Indian Reservations.

A modern network of Roads is the prime physical system upon which social and economic development depend. Indian Reservation communities live in the 1930s with respect to the adequacy of their surface Transportation roadways. This is an obstruction to Health Services, today schooling, to Industry, tourism, to housing and sanitation.

Until 1935, no roads were constructed on federally related Indian reservations. Since that time, the pace of construction has fallen far short of being commensurate with highway and road building in the US as a whole. The Indian areas are doomed to continuing in isolation and poverty until modern roads are built. The BIA has developed a comprehensive construction plan under the direction of Alexander McNabb. I'm working in the Office of Management and budget and the Department of Transportation to seek funding that will open up in Indian communities through modern roads systems.

Now, a few comments on legislation.

I am releasing the text of a letter of September 20th 1971 from assistant Secretary Loesch to senate interior committee chairman Henry Jackson clarifying the Department's position on the importance of items in the president's Indian legislation program. Certainly the creation of an Indian first Counsel Authority is of prime importance to implement the president's program for Indians.

I will be the leadoff witness for the Indian First Counsel and other presidential legislative proposals as soon as the Senate intelligence committee confirms its schedule of hearings on these bills.

I am delighted to see the House and Senate interior Committee Action on the Alaska Native Claims bill, a matter so important to Indians the bills reported out already close to the version proposed by the president. What this shows is that there is a consensus among executive and the lawmakers of both parties reflecting fairness and equity in matters affecting this nation's first Americans. I am sure the other Indian measures proposed by the president will receive equally favorable treatment in Congress.

Now to other actions I am taking.

On the recommendation of the board of directors of the national Tribal Chairman's Association I am creating Advisory Board to assure better Communications among the Bureau of Indian Affairs secretary's office in the national Indian Community. as the NTCA board suggested the group will be comprised of 15 members including representatives from the National Congress of American Indians the national tree tribal chairmen's Association and other Indian groups from reservation and otherwise.

I am instructing assistant secretary Loesch and Commissioner Bruce to have a special briefing prepared on the fiscal year 1973 budget of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This briefing will be presented for information and advice to officers of the national tribal chairmen's Association and of the National Congress of American Indians prior to the secretary's final approval there off.

I feel that these measures will help move the BIA efficiency and successfully on its course of implementing President Nixon's program which he outlined in his July 1970 message to Congress.

But I do not suggest that these steps are the only ones necessary. As further need to become apparent or additional actions are needed we are committed to respond constructively to them.