Draft Alaska Native Relations Policy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 66255-66256 [2022-23931]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 212 / Thursday, November 3, 2022 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Chapter I
[Docket No. FWS–R7–EA–2022–0088;
FF07X00000–FXGO16600700000–223]
Draft Alaska Native Relations Policy of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Draft proposed policy; request
for comment.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), are making
available for public comment our draft
Alaska Native Relations policy. The
purpose of this policy is to build on the
Service’s existing Native American
policy by providing additional clarity
for employees on the Service’s
relationships with Tribes in Alaska,
Alaska Native organizations, and Alaska
Native corporations. We invite
comments on the draft policy from State
and Federal government agencies,
federally recognized Tribal
governments, inter-Tribal organizations,
non-federally recognized Tribal
governments, Alaska Native
corporations, and the general public.
DATES: The Service will accept
comments received or postmarked on or
before December 5, 2022.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may
obtain copies of the draft policy online
at https://www.regulations.gov. In the
Search box, enter the docket number,
which is FWS–R7–EA–2022–0088.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments by one of the
following methods:
• Internet: https://
www.regulations.gov. In the Search box,
enter the docket number, which is
FWS–R7–EA–2022–0088. You may
enter a comment by clicking on the
‘‘Comment’’ button. Please ensure that
you have found the correct docket
before submitting your comment.
• U.S. Mail or Hand Delivery: Public
Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
FWS–R7–EA–2022–0088; Policy and
Regulations Branch; U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike,
MS: PRB (JAO/3W); Falls Church, VA
22041–3803.
We will post all comments on https://
www.regulations.gov. This generally
means that we will post any personal
information you provide us (see Public
Availability of Comments and Personal
Information for more information).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Crystal Leonetti, Alaska Native Affairs
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:16 Nov 02, 2022
Jkt 259001
Specialist, via email at crystal_leonetti@
fws.gov; by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 1011 E Tudor Road,
MS–101, Anchorage, AK 99503; or by
telephone at (907) 230–8419.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
are making available for public
comment our draft Alaska Native
Relations policy. The purpose of the
policy is to build on the Service’s
foundational Native American policy,
and to serve as a framework for
relationships and interactions between
the Service and federally recognized
Tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native
organizations, and Alaska Native
corporations, in order to conserve fish
and wildlife and protect cultural
resources. It will provide additional
clarity for the Service on doctrines of
reserved rights, statutes, case law,
Executive Orders, and Secretarial
Orders. The policy is intended to
recognize the sovereignty of federally
recognized Tribes in Alaska, direct that
the Service work on a government-togovernment basis with Tribal
governments, and make clear that the
Service has a unique relationship with
Alaska Native organizations and Alaska
Native corporations. The policy
includes guidance on co-management,
subsistence, resource management,
capacity, law enforcement, and
education.
This policy is not meant to stand on
its own; when final, it will be part of the
Service’s existing Native American
policy. We will incorporate it into part
510 of the Fish and Wildlife Service
Manual as chapter 2.
To implement the Alaska Native
Relations policy, in addition to drawing
upon the overall Native American
policy, the Service will use the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal
Consultation Handbook and carry out
Alaska Native Relations 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 Indigenous peoples work together
on stewarding the land and wildlife, our
longstanding relationships are
strengthened and resources are better
stewarded. This policy will provide
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
66255
Service employees with guidance on
recognition of the unique Alaska Native
way of life, known in statute as
‘‘subsistence living,’’ and the Service’s
role in honoring those ecosystem
relationships. The policy will provide
Service employees with guidance when
working with recognized Tribes in
Alaska and Alaska Native organizations
and corporations.
The proposed structure of the policy
follows:
• Section 1 recognizes the unique
relationship that Federal governmental
agencies have with federally recognized
Tribes. It identifies which statutes make
specific provisions for Alaska Native
peoples and ways of life that are integral
to how the Service manages lands and
species entrusted to our care. It explains
why the Service has a unique
relationship with Alaska Native
corporations and organizations.
• Section 2 re-emphasizes the
sovereignty of 229 Tribes in Alaska and
the Service’s government-to-government
relationships with these Tribes.
• Section 3 describes communication,
consultation, and information sharing
between the Service and Tribes, Alaska
Native organizations, and Alaska Native
corporations.
• Section 4 sets out a range of
collaborative management opportunities
and establishes principles of comanagement where Tribes and the
Service have shared responsibility by
statute, land management authority, and
shared values.
• Section 5 recognizes the importance
of Alaska Native peoples’ traditional
and spiritual ways of life, including
recognition through the Alaska National
Interest Lands Conservation Act.
• Section 6 presents guidance for
Service law enforcement programs to
work collaboratively with Tribes and
Alaska Native organizations and
corporations, which may include
reviewing their draft regulatory
language to ensure it is enforceable.
• Section 7 outlines some of the ways
the Service supports Tribal, Alaska
Native organization, and Alaska Native
corporation capacity building and
assistance.
• Section 8 commits the Service to
offer training for employees that covers
diverse topics such as Alaska Native
history, Indigenous traditional
ecological knowledge, and the laws that
impact Alaska Native peoples. It
encourages Service personnel to seek
Alaska Native job applicants and
facilitate opportunities for Alaska
Native business partnerships.
• Section 9 describes the policy’s
scope and limitations.
E:\FR\FM\03NOP1.SGM
03NOP1
66256
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 212 / Thursday, November 3, 2022 / Proposed Rules
• Exhibit 1 provides a glossary that
supplements the glossary found in
chapter 1 of the Service’s Native
American policy.
• Exhibit 2 describes the
responsibilities of employees at all
levels of the Service to carry out this
policy.
• Exhibit 3 lists the authorities under
which the Service may take the actions
described in the policy.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Background and Development of the
Draft Policy
On January 20, 2016, the Service
adopted its updated Native American
policy 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 order to update the
Native American policy, in 2013 the
Service had convened a Native
American policy team to review the
original 1994 policy. The team was
comprised of Service representatives
from its regions and programs and 16
self-nominated Tribal representatives
from all of the major regions. As team
discussions evolved, it became apparent
that there was a large volume of Alaskarelated exceptions to Native American
policy, such as statutes guiding comanagement relationships and
subsistence on Federal lands. The
exceptions called for a separate chapter
on Alaska.
Representatives from the following
Tribes, Alaska Native organizations, and
Alaska Native corporations participated
in a series of meetings with Service
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:16 Nov 02, 2022
Jkt 259001
representatives to write the draft Alaska
Native Relations policy chapter:
Chugach Regional Resources
Commission, Central Council of Tlingit
and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska,
Ninilchik Tribal Council, Curyung
Tribal Council, Native Village of
Savoonga, Native Village of Afognak,
Village of Wainwright, Ruby Tribal
Council, Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove,
Kwethluk, Inc., Doyon, Ltd., and
Sealaska. The team used a consensus
decision-making process. The team
wrote the policy to mirror the existing
Native American policy, so that each
section of chapter 2 is parallel in
structure to the corresponding section in
chapter 1 and supplements chapter 1.
In April 2022, the Service invited
federally recognized Tribal governments
in Alaska, Alaska Native organizations,
and Alaska Native corporations to
consult on a draft of the new policy.
Five Tribal government representatives,
eight Alaska Native organization
representatives, and seven Alaska
Native corporation representatives
attended consultation events via web
broadcasts and telephone. The Service
also received written comments from
three Alaska Native organizations and
one Alaska Native corporation to further
develop and refine the draft Alaska
Native Relations policy.
Request for Comments and Information
While this publication opens the 30day public review and comment period,
we also invite and encourage Tribes,
Alaska Native organizations, and Alaska
Native corporations to continue to
review and submit comments within
this review period. The Service’s
invitation to federally recognized Tribal
governments to consult on a
government-to-government basis
regarding development of the Alaska
Native Relations policy continues until
the comment period closes (see DATES).
Comments from local, State, and Federal
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
government agencies; federally
recognized Tribal governments; interTribal organizations, non-federally
recognized Tribal governments; Alaska
Native corporations; and the general
public are welcome.
Public Availability of Comments and
Personal Information
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, 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.
Authority
The authority for this action is found
in the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act of 1980, as amended
(ANILCA; 16 U.S.C. 3101–3233), and
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act, as amended (ANCSA; 43 U.S.C.
1601–1629h).
Signing Authority
Martha Williams, Director of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, approved this
action on October 27, 2022, for
publication. On October 31, 2022,
Martha Williams authorized the
undersigned to sign the document
electronically and submit it to the Office
of the Federal Register for publication as
an official document of the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
Madonna Baucum,
Regulations and Policy Chief, Division of
Policy, Economics, Risk Management, and
Analytics of the Joint Administrative
Operations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–23931 Filed 10–31–22; 4:45 pm]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
E:\FR\FM\03NOP1.SGM
03NOP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66255-66256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23931]
[[Page 66255]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Chapter I
[Docket No. FWS-R7-EA-2022-0088; FF07X00000-FXGO16600700000-223]
Draft Alaska Native Relations Policy of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Draft proposed policy; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are making
available for public comment our draft Alaska Native Relations policy.
The purpose of this policy is to build on the Service's existing Native
American policy by providing additional clarity for employees on the
Service's relationships with Tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native
organizations, and Alaska Native corporations. We invite comments on
the draft policy from State and Federal government agencies, federally
recognized Tribal governments, inter-Tribal organizations, non-
federally recognized Tribal governments, Alaska Native corporations,
and the general public.
DATES: The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or
before December 5, 2022.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the draft policy
online at https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter the
docket number, which is FWS-R7-EA-2022-0088.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the
following methods:
Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box,
enter the docket number, which is FWS-R7-EA-2022-0088. You may enter a
comment by clicking on the ``Comment'' button. Please ensure that you
have found the correct docket before submitting your comment.
U.S. Mail or Hand Delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: Docket No. FWS-R7-EA-2022-0088; Policy and Regulations Branch;
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB (JAO/3W);
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide
us (see Public Availability of Comments and Personal Information for
more information).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Leonetti, Alaska Native
Affairs Specialist, via email at [email protected]; by U.S. mail
at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E Tudor Road, MS-101,
Anchorage, AK 99503; or by telephone at (907) 230-8419. Individuals in
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), are making available for public comment our draft Alaska
Native Relations policy. The purpose of the policy is to build on the
Service's foundational Native American policy, and to serve as a
framework for relationships and interactions between the Service and
federally recognized Tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native organizations, and
Alaska Native corporations, in order to conserve fish and wildlife and
protect cultural resources. It will provide additional clarity for the
Service on doctrines of reserved rights, statutes, case law, Executive
Orders, and Secretarial Orders. The policy is intended to recognize the
sovereignty of federally recognized Tribes in Alaska, direct that the
Service work on a government-to-government basis with Tribal
governments, and make clear that the Service has a unique relationship
with Alaska Native organizations and Alaska Native corporations. The
policy includes guidance on co-management, subsistence, resource
management, capacity, law enforcement, and education.
This policy is not meant to stand on its own; when final, it will
be part of the Service's existing Native American policy. We will
incorporate it into part 510 of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual as
chapter 2.
To implement the Alaska Native Relations policy, in addition to
drawing upon the overall Native American policy, the Service will use
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Consultation Handbook and
carry out Alaska Native Relations 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 Indigenous peoples work
together on stewarding the land and wildlife, our longstanding
relationships are strengthened and resources are better stewarded. This
policy will provide Service employees with guidance on recognition of
the unique Alaska Native way of life, known in statute as ``subsistence
living,'' and the Service's role in honoring those ecosystem
relationships. The policy will provide Service employees with guidance
when working with recognized Tribes in Alaska and Alaska Native
organizations and corporations.
The proposed structure of the policy follows:
Section 1 recognizes the unique relationship that Federal
governmental agencies have with federally recognized Tribes. It
identifies which statutes make specific provisions for Alaska Native
peoples and ways of life that are integral to how the Service manages
lands and species entrusted to our care. It explains why the Service
has a unique relationship with Alaska Native corporations and
organizations.
Section 2 re-emphasizes the sovereignty of 229 Tribes in
Alaska and the Service's government-to-government relationships with
these Tribes.
Section 3 describes communication, consultation, and
information sharing between the Service and Tribes, Alaska Native
organizations, and Alaska Native corporations.
Section 4 sets out a range of collaborative management
opportunities and establishes principles of co-management where Tribes
and the Service have shared responsibility by statute, land management
authority, and shared values.
Section 5 recognizes the importance of Alaska Native
peoples' traditional and spiritual ways of life, including recognition
through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
Section 6 presents guidance for Service law enforcement
programs to work collaboratively with Tribes and Alaska Native
organizations and corporations, which may include reviewing their draft
regulatory language to ensure it is enforceable.
Section 7 outlines some of the ways the Service supports
Tribal, Alaska Native organization, and Alaska Native corporation
capacity building and assistance.
Section 8 commits the Service to offer training for
employees that covers diverse topics such as Alaska Native history,
Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge, and the laws that impact
Alaska Native peoples. It encourages Service personnel to seek Alaska
Native job applicants and facilitate opportunities for Alaska Native
business partnerships.
Section 9 describes the policy's scope and limitations.
[[Page 66256]]
Exhibit 1 provides a glossary that supplements the
glossary found in chapter 1 of the Service's Native American policy.
Exhibit 2 describes the responsibilities of employees at
all levels of the Service to carry out this policy.
Exhibit 3 lists the authorities under which the Service
may take the actions described in the policy.
Background and Development of the Draft Policy
On January 20, 2016, the Service adopted its updated Native
American policy 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 order
to update the Native American policy, in 2013 the Service had convened
a Native American policy team to review the original 1994 policy. The
team was comprised of Service representatives from its regions and
programs and 16 self-nominated Tribal representatives from all of the
major regions. As team discussions evolved, it became apparent that
there was a large volume of Alaska-related exceptions to Native
American policy, such as statutes guiding co-management relationships
and subsistence on Federal lands. The exceptions called for a separate
chapter on Alaska.
Representatives from the following Tribes, Alaska Native
organizations, and Alaska Native corporations participated in a series
of meetings with Service representatives to write the draft Alaska
Native Relations policy chapter: Chugach Regional Resources Commission,
Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Ninilchik
Tribal Council, Curyung Tribal Council, Native Village of Savoonga,
Native Village of Afognak, Village of Wainwright, Ruby Tribal Council,
Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove, Kwethluk, Inc., Doyon, Ltd., and Sealaska.
The team used a consensus decision-making process. The team wrote the
policy to mirror the existing Native American policy, so that each
section of chapter 2 is parallel in structure to the corresponding
section in chapter 1 and supplements chapter 1.
In April 2022, the Service invited federally recognized Tribal
governments in Alaska, Alaska Native organizations, and Alaska Native
corporations to consult on a draft of the new policy. Five Tribal
government representatives, eight Alaska Native organization
representatives, and seven Alaska Native corporation representatives
attended consultation events via web broadcasts and telephone. The
Service also received written comments from three Alaska Native
organizations and one Alaska Native corporation to further develop and
refine the draft Alaska Native Relations policy.
Request for Comments and Information
While this publication opens the 30-day public review and comment
period, we also invite and encourage Tribes, Alaska Native
organizations, and Alaska Native corporations to continue to review and
submit comments within this review period. The Service's invitation to
federally recognized Tribal governments to consult on a government-to-
government basis regarding development of the Alaska Native Relations
policy continues until the comment period closes (see DATES). Comments
from local, State, and Federal government agencies; federally
recognized Tribal governments; inter-Tribal organizations, non-
federally recognized Tribal governments; Alaska Native corporations;
and the general public are welcome.
Public Availability of Comments and Personal Information
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, 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.
Authority
The authority for this action is found in the Alaska National
Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, as amended (ANILCA; 16 U.S.C.
3101-3233), and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended
(ANCSA; 43 U.S.C. 1601-1629h).
Signing Authority
Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
approved this action on October 27, 2022, for publication. On October
31, 2022, Martha Williams authorized the undersigned to sign the
document electronically and submit it to the Office of the Federal
Register for publication as an official document of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
Madonna Baucum,
Regulations and Policy Chief, Division of Policy, Economics, Risk
Management, and Analytics of the Joint Administrative Operations, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-23931 Filed 10-31-22; 4:45 pm]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P