Search Results for keywords:"Tribal consultation"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a draft comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for the Charles M. Russell Wetland Management District in Montana. This plan sets out the strategies and objectives for managing the wetland areas to benefit wildlife and promote recreational opportunities like hunting and fishing. The public is invited to review and comment on the draft documents by February 13, 2025, with copies available online or in person at the management district office. The plan seeks to comply with relevant laws and includes special considerations for consulting with Tribal entities regarding their interests and responsibilities.

The final rule permanently adopts changes to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) made by the interim rule published in January 2020. It responds to public comments and adjusts several program aspects, including clarifying definitions, addressing eligibility requirements for agricultural and wetland easements, and enhancing conservation and land management practices. The changes, based on the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, are intended to improve the program's efficiency, allowing for more flexible non-Federal cost-sharing and incorporating additional conservation planning. The rule emphasizes voluntary participation by landowners and seeks to enhance the conservation value of public investments.

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture intends to return 57 cultural items, which are considered unassociated funerary objects, to The Chickasaw Nation. These items, including ceramics and lithics, were excavated from a site in Stewart County, Tennessee in 1939. UTK has determined that these items are culturally linked to The Chickasaw Nation. Repatriation can occur on or after April 17, 2025, and additional requests can be made by other tribes or descendants who can prove their connection to the objects.