Native American Policy for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 46043-46044 [2015-18918]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 2015 / Notices
tetraspis), false gavial (Tomistoma
schlegelii), Tracaja (Podocnemis
unifilis), Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis
nigra), radiated tortoise (Astrochelys
radiata), Cuban ground iguana (Cyclura
nubila nubila), and the Aruba Island
rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor). This
notification covers activities to be
conducted by the applicant over a 5year period.
Multiple Applicants
The following applicants each request
a permit to import the sport-hunted
trophy of one male bontebok
(Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled
from a captive herd maintained under
the management program of the
Republic of South Africa, for the
purpose of enhancement of the survival
of the species.
Applicant: Mark Corry, Washington,
UT; PRT–71117B
Applicant: Gary Loveless, Oklahoma
City, OK; PRT–71073B
B. Endangered Marine Mammals and
Marine Mammals
Applicant: Florian Schulz; PRT–61681B
The applicant requests a permit to
photograph polar bears (Ursus
maritimus) in Alaska for the purpose of
photography for commercial and
educational purposes from land and
boat. This notification covers activities
to be conducted by the applicant up to
a 4-year period.
Concurrent with publishing this
notice in the Federal Register, we are
forwarding copies of the above
applications to the Marine Mammal
Commission and the Committee of
Scientific Advisors for their review.
Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch
of Permits, Division of Management
Authority.
[FR Doc. 2015–18893 Filed 7–31–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
[FWS–HQ–NAL–2015–N111;
FXGO1660091NALO156FF09D02000]
Native American Policy for the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft
policy for public notice and comment.
AGENCY:
The Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) issues this draft Native
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:35 Jul 31, 2015
Jkt 235001
American policy for public comment.
The purpose of this policy is to further
the United States’ trust responsibility to
Indian tribes by establishing a
framework on which to base our
continued interactions with federally
recognized tribes as well as interactions
with Alaska Native Corporations. The
policy recognizes the sovereignty of
federally recognized tribes; states that
the Service will work on a governmentto-government basis with tribal
governments; and includes guidance on
co-management, access to and use of
cultural resources, capacity
development, law enforcement, and
education.
The Service will accept public
comment through September 2, 2015.
ADDRESSES: The draft Native American
policy is available at https://
www.fws.gov/policy/draft510fw1.pdf.
The existing policy is available in the
Fish and Wildlife Service Manual at
https://www.fws.gov/policy/nativeamerican-policy.pdf. To submit
comments, please mail or email them to
Scott Aikin (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Aikin, Native American Programs
Coordinator, by mail at U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Avenue,
Portland, OR, 97232; or via email at
scott_aikin@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Introduction
We are publishing this draft Native
American policy, which is available at
https://www.fws.gov/policy/
draft510fw1.pdf.
When it becomes final, we will
incorporate the policy in Part 510 of the
Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. The
purpose of the policy is to articulate
principles and serve as a framework for
government-to-government
relationships and interactions between
the Service and federally recognized
tribes to conserve fish and wildlife and
protect cultural resources. The policy
includes guidance on:
• The relationship between the
Service and federally recognized tribes,
inter-tribal organizations, including
Alaska Native Organizations (ANO), and
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
(ANCSA) corporations,
• Service employee responsibilities,
• Government-to-government
consultation and relations,
• Communication,
• Co-management,
• Tribal access to Service lands and
Service-managed resources for cultural
and religious practices,
PO 00000
Frm 00112
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
46043
• Tribal cultural use of plants and
animals,
• Law enforcement,
• Training and education,
• Capacity building and funding, and
• Guidance for implementing and
monitoring the policy.
This policy is not meant to stand on
its own. To implement this policy, the
Service will update its U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service Tribal Consultation
Handbook and develop training so that
Service employees will be able to better
perform duties related to this policy.
Draft Policy
We recognize that when the Service
and tribes work together on resource
matters, our longstanding relationship is
strengthened and resources are better
served. This policy provides guidance
on recognition of tribal sovereign status,
Service responsibilities, and
opportunities for the Service and tribes
to work together toward natural and
cultural resource conservation and
access. The purpose of this policy is to
provide Service employees with
guidance when working with
recognized tribes and other entities such
as Alaska Native Organizations and
Corporations.
Section 1 of this policy recognizes the
unique relationship that Federal
governmental agencies have with
federally recognized tribes. It explains
that while this is a nationwide policy,
the Service maintains flexibility for
Service Regions and programs to work
more appropriately with the tribes and
ANCSA corporations.
Section 2 includes the definitions of
terms used in the policy.
Section 3 lists the authorities under
which the Service is able to take the
actions described in the policy.
Section 4 describes the
responsibilities of employees at all
levels of the Service to carry out this
policy.
Section 5 recognizes the U.S.
Government’s trust responsibility
toward federally recognized tribes,
tribes’ sovereign authority over their
members and territory, the tribes’ rights
to self-govern, and that government-togovernment communication may occur
at various levels within the Service and
the tribes.
Section 6 describes communication,
consultation, and information sharing
between the Service and tribes.
Section 7 sets out a range of
collaborative management opportunities
and establishes principles of comanagement where tribes and the
Service have shared responsibility.
Section 8 recognizes that, for
meaningful cultural and religious
E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM
03AUN1
46044
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 2015 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
practices, tribal members may need to
access Service lands and use plants and
animals for which the Service has
management responsibility.
Section 9 recognizes tribal law
enforcement responsibilities for
managing Indian lands and tribal
resources and encourages cooperative
law enforcement between the Service
and tribes.
Section 10 invites tribal governments
to work with the Service to develop and
present training for Service employees.
It also makes available Service technical
experts to help tribes develop technical
expertise, supports tribal selfdetermination, encourages crosstraining of Service and tribal personnel,
and supports Native American
professional development.
Section 11 establishes monitoring and
implementation guidance for the policy.
Section 12 describes the policy’s
scope and limitations.
Background and Development of This
Draft Policy
On June 28, 1994, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) adopted its
Native American Policy (available at
https://www.fws.gov/policy/nativeamerican-policy.pdf) to guide the
Service’s government-to-government
relations with federally recognized
tribal governments in conserving fish
and wildlife resources and to ‘‘help
accomplish its mission and
concurrently to participate in fulfilling
the Federal Government’s and
Department of the Interior’s trust
responsibilities to assist Native
Americans in protecting, conserving,
and utilizing their reserved, treaty
guaranteed, or statutorily identified
trust assets.’’
In July 2013, the Service convened a
Native American Policy Team to review
and update the policy. The Native
American Policy Team is comprised of
Service representatives from its Regions
and programs. In addition, the Service
invited all federally recognized tribal
governments across the United States to
nominate representatives to serve on the
team. A total of 16 self-nominated tribal
representatives from all of the major
Regions across the country joined the
team to provide input and tribal
perspective.
Tribal representatives from the
following tribal governments and
organizations participated in a series of
meetings with Service representatives to
review and update the policy: Cherokee
Nation, Chugach Regional Resources
Commission, Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde, Eastern Band Cherokee
Indians, Fond du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa, Gros Ventre and
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:35 Jul 31, 2015
Jkt 235001
Assiniboine of Fort Belknap, Great
Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe,
Native Village of Emmonak, Navajo
Nation, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Penobscot
Indian Nation, Quinault Indian Nation,
San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission
Indians, Central Council of Tlingit &
Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and
Yurok Tribe. Varying perspectives were
shared on a wide range of issues
including sovereignty, co-management,
law enforcement, and trust
responsibilities, among others.
Substantial focus and attention was
given to improving the implementation
and accountability aspects of the policy.
Although Service and tribal team
members took part in writing the draft,
full agreement was not possible on
every issue and some differences
remain. In November 2014, the Yurok
Tribe withdrew from the Service’s
Native American Policy Team. Other
tribal representatives have continued to
participate in an effort to work out
differences and make further
improvements to the policy.
In November 2014, the Service invited
federally recognized tribal governments
in each of its Regions and Alaska Native
Corporations to consult on a
government-to-government basis. The
Service provided an early working draft
of the updated policy for their review
and input. A total of 23 of the tribal
representatives submitted written
comments to further develop and refine
the draft updated policy.
From December 2014 to April 2015,
the Service also held 24 consultation
meetings and webinars within the
Regions and nationally. Representatives
from approximately 100 tribes attended
these meetings. In March 2015, the
Service revised the working draft of the
updated policy and distributed it for
internal Service review throughout all
levels, Regions, and programs within
the agency. We incorporated feedback
from the internal Service review and
additional comments received from
tribal governments into this draft
updated Native American Policy.
Open Comment Period
While this publication opens the 30day public review period, we also invite
and encourage tribes and Alaska Native
Corporations (ANCs) to continue to
review and submit comments. The
Service’s invitation to federally
recognized tribal governments to
consult on a government-to-government
basis regarding development of this
updated Native American Policy
continues until 30 days after this
Federal Register notification. Comments
from local, State, and Federal
PO 00000
Frm 00113
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
government agencies; federally
recognized tribal governments; intertribal organizations, non-federally
recognized tribal governments; ANCSA
corporations; and the general public are
welcome.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comments, you should be aware that
your entire comment, including your
personal identifying information, may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Dated: June 24, 2015.
James W. Kurth,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–18918 Filed 7–31–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLAZ910000.L12100000.XP0000 15X
6100.241A]
State of Arizona Resource Advisory
Council Meeting
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972, the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Arizona
Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will
meet in Phoenix, Arizona, as indicated
below.
DATES: The Arizona RAC Business
meeting will take place September 16,
2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the BLM Arizona State Office located at
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800,
Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dorothea Boothe, Arizona RAC
Coordinator at the Bureau of Land
Management, Arizona State Office, One
North Central Avenue, Suite 800,
Phoenix, Arizona 85004–4427, 602–
417–9500. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual during
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM
03AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46043-46044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18918]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-NAL-2015-N111; FXGO1660091NALO156FF09D02000]
Native American Policy for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft policy for public notice and
comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issues this draft
Native American policy for public comment. The purpose of this policy
is to further the United States' trust responsibility to Indian tribes
by establishing a framework on which to base our continued interactions
with federally recognized tribes as well as interactions with Alaska
Native Corporations. The policy recognizes the sovereignty of federally
recognized tribes; states that the Service will work on a government-
to-government basis with tribal governments; and includes guidance on
co-management, access to and use of cultural resources, capacity
development, law enforcement, and education.
DATES: The Service will accept public comment through September 2,
2015.
ADDRESSES: The draft Native American policy is available at https://www.fws.gov/policy/draft510fw1.pdf. The existing policy is available in
the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual at https://www.fws.gov/policy/native-american-policy.pdf. To submit comments, please mail or email
them to Scott Aikin (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Aikin, Native American Programs
Coordinator, by mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th
Avenue, Portland, OR, 97232; or via email at scott_aikin@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
We are publishing this draft Native American policy, which is
available at https://www.fws.gov/policy/draft510fw1.pdf.
When it becomes final, we will incorporate the policy in Part 510
of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. The purpose of the policy is
to articulate principles and serve as a framework for government-to-
government relationships and interactions between the Service and
federally recognized tribes to conserve fish and wildlife and protect
cultural resources. The policy includes guidance on:
The relationship between the Service and federally
recognized tribes, inter-tribal organizations, including Alaska Native
Organizations (ANO), and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)
corporations,
Service employee responsibilities,
Government-to-government consultation and relations,
Communication,
Co-management,
Tribal access to Service lands and Service-managed
resources for cultural and religious practices,
Tribal cultural use of plants and animals,
Law enforcement,
Training and education,
Capacity building and funding, and
Guidance for implementing and monitoring the policy.
This policy is not meant to stand on its own. To implement this
policy, the Service will update its U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Tribal Consultation Handbook and develop training so that Service
employees will be able to better perform duties related to this policy.
Draft Policy
We recognize that when the Service and tribes work together on
resource matters, our longstanding relationship is strengthened and
resources are better served. This policy provides guidance on
recognition of tribal sovereign status, Service responsibilities, and
opportunities for the Service and tribes to work together toward
natural and cultural resource conservation and access. The purpose of
this policy is to provide Service employees with guidance when working
with recognized tribes and other entities such as Alaska Native
Organizations and Corporations.
Section 1 of this policy recognizes the unique relationship that
Federal governmental agencies have with federally recognized tribes. It
explains that while this is a nationwide policy, the Service maintains
flexibility for Service Regions and programs to work more appropriately
with the tribes and ANCSA corporations.
Section 2 includes the definitions of terms used in the policy.
Section 3 lists the authorities under which the Service is able to
take the actions described in the policy.
Section 4 describes the responsibilities of employees at all levels
of the Service to carry out this policy.
Section 5 recognizes the U.S. Government's trust responsibility
toward federally recognized tribes, tribes' sovereign authority over
their members and territory, the tribes' rights to self-govern, and
that government-to-government communication may occur at various levels
within the Service and the tribes.
Section 6 describes communication, consultation, and information
sharing between the Service and tribes.
Section 7 sets out a range of collaborative management
opportunities and establishes principles of co-management where tribes
and the Service have shared responsibility.
Section 8 recognizes that, for meaningful cultural and religious
[[Page 46044]]
practices, tribal members may need to access Service lands and use
plants and animals for which the Service has management responsibility.
Section 9 recognizes tribal law enforcement responsibilities for
managing Indian lands and tribal resources and encourages cooperative
law enforcement between the Service and tribes.
Section 10 invites tribal governments to work with the Service to
develop and present training for Service employees. It also makes
available Service technical experts to help tribes develop technical
expertise, supports tribal self-determination, encourages cross-
training of Service and tribal personnel, and supports Native American
professional development.
Section 11 establishes monitoring and implementation guidance for
the policy.
Section 12 describes the policy's scope and limitations.
Background and Development of This Draft Policy
On June 28, 1994, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
adopted its Native American Policy (available at https://www.fws.gov/policy/native-american-policy.pdf) to guide the Service's government-
to-government relations with federally recognized tribal governments in
conserving fish and wildlife resources and to ``help accomplish its
mission and concurrently to participate in fulfilling the Federal
Government's and Department of the Interior's trust responsibilities to
assist Native Americans in protecting, conserving, and utilizing their
reserved, treaty guaranteed, or statutorily identified trust assets.''
In July 2013, the Service convened a Native American Policy Team to
review and update the policy. The Native American Policy Team is
comprised of Service representatives from its Regions and programs. In
addition, the Service invited all federally recognized tribal
governments across the United States to nominate representatives to
serve on the team. A total of 16 self-nominated tribal representatives
from all of the major Regions across the country joined the team to
provide input and tribal perspective.
Tribal representatives from the following tribal governments and
organizations participated in a series of meetings with Service
representatives to review and update the policy: Cherokee Nation,
Chugach Regional Resources Commission, Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde, Eastern Band Cherokee Indians, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa, Gros Ventre and Assiniboine of Fort Belknap, Great Lakes
Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Native
Village of Emmonak, Navajo Nation, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Penobscot Indian
Nation, Quinault Indian Nation, San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission
Indians, Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska,
and Yurok Tribe. Varying perspectives were shared on a wide range of
issues including sovereignty, co-management, law enforcement, and trust
responsibilities, among others. Substantial focus and attention was
given to improving the implementation and accountability aspects of the
policy.
Although Service and tribal team members took part in writing the
draft, full agreement was not possible on every issue and some
differences remain. In November 2014, the Yurok Tribe withdrew from the
Service's Native American Policy Team. Other tribal representatives
have continued to participate in an effort to work out differences and
make further improvements to the policy.
In November 2014, the Service invited federally recognized tribal
governments in each of its Regions and Alaska Native Corporations to
consult on a government-to-government basis. The Service provided an
early working draft of the updated policy for their review and input. A
total of 23 of the tribal representatives submitted written comments to
further develop and refine the draft updated policy.
From December 2014 to April 2015, the Service also held 24
consultation meetings and webinars within the Regions and nationally.
Representatives from approximately 100 tribes attended these meetings.
In March 2015, the Service revised the working draft of the updated
policy and distributed it for internal Service review throughout all
levels, Regions, and programs within the agency. We incorporated
feedback from the internal Service review and additional comments
received from tribal governments into this draft updated Native
American Policy.
Open Comment Period
While this publication opens the 30-day public review period, we
also invite and encourage tribes and Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs)
to continue to review and submit comments. The Service's invitation to
federally recognized tribal governments to consult on a government-to-
government basis regarding development of this updated Native American
Policy continues until 30 days after this Federal Register
notification. Comments from local, State, and Federal government
agencies; federally recognized tribal governments; inter-tribal
organizations, non-federally recognized tribal governments; ANCSA
corporations; and the general public are welcome.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be
aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: June 24, 2015.
James W. Kurth,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18918 Filed 7-31-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
