Search Results for agency_names:"Interior Department"

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the availability of a Record of Decision for the Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for the Rock Springs Field Office in Wyoming. Signed on December 20, 2024, this decision makes the new management plan effective immediately and covers land in several counties. The plan updates how these lands are managed, balancing uses like energy development and resource protection. The proposal was subject to public commentary and protests, which resulted in no changes to the final approved plan.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Spring Valley Gold Mine Project in Pershing County, Nevada. This project involves the construction and operation of a new surface gold mine. Public comments on the Draft EIS are welcome and must be submitted within 45 days of the Environmental Protection Agency's publication of the Notice of Availability. Public meetings will also be held to discuss the Draft EIS and gather feedback. The project aims to minimize environmental impacts, and public participation is encouraged to help identify and address any concerns.

The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University has completed an inventory of human remains collected in the 1930s from two Indian Schools in South Dakota and Oregon. They have determined these remains are of Native American ancestry and are culturally affiliated with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The repatriation process for these remains will begin on or after April 17, 2025, giving these tribes or any other culturally affiliated groups the opportunity to request the return of their ancestors' remains. This process is carried out under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

The University of California, Berkeley has completed an inventory of human remains and related objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These items were collected from various sites in Sacramento County and are linked to specific Native American Tribes. Repatriation of these items to the appropriate Tribal Nations or organizations may start on or after May 12, 2025. The notice specifies who may request repatriation, and it’s up to the University to determine the rightful claimants if there are multiple requests.

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is proposing to renew and revise its information collection for student admissions to Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute. The aim is to make the application process easier, including allowing digital submissions. Public comments on this collection effort are invited, especially on its necessity, accuracy, clarity, and ways to reduce burdens on respondents. The deadline to submit comments is March 31, 2025, and more details are available through provided online links.

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) is renewing an information collection regarding Tribal Trust Evaluations. The BTFA is asking for public comments by February 13, 2025, as part of an effort to reduce paperwork and assess the impact of these collections. This collection is crucial for administering trust fund accounts for Tribes and individuals. It involves evaluating how Tribes manage trust programs, with each Tribe required to participate once per year.

The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs announced that an amendment to the Tribal-State compact for class III gaming between the Chitimacha Tribe and the State of Louisiana has been approved by law. This amendment extends the compact's term by seven years and raises the dollar amount for Tribal licensing and State certification of vendors to the Tribe's gaming facilities. The approval took effect automatically since the Secretary of the Interior did not act within the required 45-day review period set by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The National Park Service (NPS) has drafted Director's Order #20 to outline its policies and processes for forming formal agreements with other entities using six specific types of agreements. Once implemented, it will replace the previous guidelines from July 23, 2003. The public can view and comment on this draft until January 27, 2025, through the NPS website. This document helps guide NPS managers and staff when they create, review, and approve agreements with both federal and non-federal entities, including tribes with self-governance.

The Department of the Interior is reopening the comment period for a proposed rule about oil and gas operations in the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf. This rule was initially published on December 9, 2020, and its comment period was set to close on February 8, 2021. Due to requests for more time, the comment period is now extended by 60 days, giving the public until April 9, 2021, to share their thoughts on the proposed changes. This proposal and its commentary are managed by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

The United States Forest Service has requested that the Secretary of the Interior withdraw over 264,000 acres of Federal land in the Ruby Mountains from leasing for minerals and geothermal energy for 20 years to protect the area's natural and cultural resources. This withdrawal request includes additional non-Federal lands that might be acquired by the U.S. in the future. During a two-year temporary segregation period from December 31, 2024, these lands will not be available for leasing, but public input is invited through a 90-day comment period, including a virtual meeting on February 14, 2025. The process for this application will follow existing regulations.