Indian Affairs Bureau – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice publishes an Approval of the Amendment to Interim Compact between the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation and the State of Montana regarding Class III Gaming on the Rocky Boy's Reservation.

This notice advises the public that date for the public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Absaloka Mine Crow Reservation South Extension Coal Lease Approval, Mine Development Plan and Related Federal and State Permitting Actions, announced in the Federal Register on March 21, 2008, (73 FR 15189) was incorrect. The correct date for the public hearing is April 23, 2008.

In accordance with the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, and as authorized by the Secretary of Transportation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) intends to make funds available to federally recognized Indian tribes on an annual basis for implementing traffic safety projects, which are designed to reduce the number of traffic crashes, death, injuries, and property damage within Indian Country. All project applications received will be reviewed and selected on a competitive basis. This notice informs Indian tribes that grant funds are available and that information packets are being mailed to all tribal leaders on the latest Tribal Leaders list that is compiled by the BIA. A copy of the Application Packet can also be obtained by contacting the BIA Indian Highway Safety Office.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire approximately 10.2 acres of land into trust for the Puyallup Tribe of Washington on March 14, 2008. This notice is published in the exercise of authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs by 209 Departmental Manual 8.1.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) as joint lead agencies, with the Crow Tribe of Indians, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as cooperating agencies, intend to file a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the EPA for the proposed extension of the existing Absaloka mine onto the Crow Indian Reservation and for related Federal and state permitting actions; and that the DEIS is now available for public review. The purpose of the proposed action is to maximize the economic benefit from the coal trust resource by continuing to provide benefits to the Crow Tribe, including royalty, tax income and employment; as well as allow Westmoreland Resources Inc. (WRI) to continue to access coal resources, owned by the Crow Tribe, for the sale to customers using it for electric power generation. This notice also announces a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIS.

Pursuant to 25 CFR 83.10(l)(2), notice is hereby given that the Department of the Interior (Department) declines to acknowledge the group known as the Steilacoom Tribe of Indians (STI) of 1515 Lafayette Street, P.O. Box 88419, Steilacoom, Washington 98388, c/o Mr. Danny Marshall, as an Indian tribe within the meaning of Federal law. This notice is based on a determination that the petitioner does not satisfy four of the seven mandatory criteria for acknowledgment, specifically Sec. Sec. 83.7(a), 83.7(b), 83.7(c), and 83.7(e), as defined in 25 CFR part 83. Consequently, the STI does not meet the requirements for a government-to-government relationship with the United States.

The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is promulgating final regulations providing that Indian tribes, at their discretion, may enter into business agreements and leases for energy resource development and grant rights-of-way for pipelines or electric transmission or distribution lines on tribal land without the Secretary's review and approval. Indian tribes entering into such business agreements, leases, and grants of rights-of-way must execute them under an approved tribal energy resource agreement (TERA) between the Secretary and the tribe. These final regulations provide the process under which a tribe may apply for, and the Secretary may grant, authority for an Indian tribe to review and approve leases and business agreements and grant rights-of-way for specific energy development activities on tribal lands through an approved TERA. The regulations also cover processes for implementation of TERAs, including periodic review and evaluation of a tribe's activities under a TERA, enforcement of TERA provisions, and administrative appeals. The regulations also include a process for a tribe's voluntarily rescinding a TERA.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as lead agency, with the National Indian Gaming Commission, the City of Calexico and the Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay Indians (Tribe) as cooperating agencies, intends to gather information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed 60.8-acre fee-to-trust transfer and casino project in Calexico, Imperial County, California. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential issues, concerns and alternatives to be considered in the EIS.

This notice publishes an approval of Amendment II of the Amended and Restated Class III Gaming Compact between the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the State of Oregon.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is seeking comments from the public on the renewal of a tribal enrollment information collection as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The information collected under OMB Control Number 1076-0165 will be used to establish that the applicants meet the eligibility requirements to share in the Western Shoshone judgment fund distribution authorized by the Act of July 7, 2004, Public Law 108-270.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as lead agency, with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Tribes), the Oregon Department of Transportation, the City of Cascade Locks, the Port of Cascade Locks, Hood River County and the Federal Highway Administration as cooperating agencies, intends to file a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed 25-acre trust acquisition and resort and casino project to be located within the City of Cascade Locks, Hood River County, Oregon, and that the DEIS is now available for public review. Public review of the DEIS is part of an administrative process designed to evaluate tribal applications that seek to have the United States to take land into Federal trust pursuant to 25 CFR part 151. Reviewers are advised that we will consider public comments carefully prior to deciding whether to approve or disapprove this application. This notice also extends the normal 45-day public comment period to 90 days in order to accommodate heightened public interest in this proposed action, and it announces five public hearings to receive comments on the DEIS.

In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance (OSG) establishes a March 3, 2008, deadline for tribes/consortia to submit completed applications to begin participation in the tribal self- governance program in fiscal year 2009 or calendar year 2009.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting to OMB an information collection from persons seeking proof of American Indian or Alaska Native blood for reinstatement, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The information collected under OMB Control No. 1076- 0153 will be used to document an applicant's Indian ancestry and degree of Indian or Alaska Native blood. CDIBs are used by individuals applying for BIA programs and services available to Indians because they are Indian.

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 6,883.54 acres, more or less, to be added to the Pueblo of Laguna Reservation (Laguna), New Mexico.

This notice announces that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act is soliciting comments on the Financial Assistance and Social Service program application forms in order to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance. This information collection request is cleared under OMB control number 1076-0017 and expires on July 31, 2008.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Amended Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians.

This notice publishes the Deemed Approved Amended Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in cooperation with the Soboba Band of Luise[ntilde]o Indians (Tribe), intends to gather information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed fee-to-trust land acquisition and casino and hotel project (Proposed Action) located within the City of San Jacinto, Riverside County, California. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to improve the tribal economy in order to better enable the Tribe to provide governmental services, perform governmental functions, create jobs and career opportunities for tribal members and develop programs that would assist tribal members to attain economic self- sufficiency. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential issues, alternatives and content for inclusion in the EIS.

This notice publishes the Approval of the TribalState Compact between the State of Montana and the Fort Belknap Tribe.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Secretary of the Interior is publishing final regulations addressing homeliving programs administered under the Bureau of Indian Education-funded school system.

Pursuant to 25 CFR 83.10(h), the Department of the Interior (Department) gives notice that the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs (AS-IA) proposes to determine that the Juane[ntilde]o Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation (JBA, Petitioner 84A), c/o Anthony Rivera, Jr., 31411-A La Matanza Street, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, is not an Indian tribe within the meaning of Federal law. This notice is based on a determination that the petitioner does not satisfy all seven of the criteria set forth in Part 83 of Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations (25 CFR part 83), specifically criteria 83.7(a), 83.7(b), 83.7(c), and 83.7(e), and therefore, does not meet the requirements for a government-to-government relationship with the United States.

This notice informs the public that the Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs proclaimed approximately 78.26 acres, more or less, as the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indian Reservation for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan.

This notice publishes the Approval of the Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Yurok Tribe.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) intends to file a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed Coeur d'Alene Tribal Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP), Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho, and that the FPEIS is now available to the public. The FPEIS analyzes the impacts of four alternative approaches to managing the natural, environmental and cultural resources of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. The purpose of the proposed action, approval of the tribe's implementation of the IRMP for a period of 20 years, is to protect and sustain these resources.