[Federal Register: February 11, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 28)]
[Notices]               
[Page 6271]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11fe02-71]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Special Trustee for American 
Indians, Office of Trust Transition; Tribal Consultation of Indian 
Trust Asset Management

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of 
the Special Trustee for American Indians, Office of Trust Transition, 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice of tribal consultation meetings; extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the 
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and the Office of 
Indian Trust Transition have been conducting consultation meetings with 
the public as noticed in the Federal Register publications of December 
5, 2001, December 11, 2001, and January 31, 2002. In the Federal 
Register notice of December 5, 2001 (66 FR 234), the Department noted 
that all written comments must be received by February 15, 2002. This 
notice extends that comment period to February 28, 2002.

DATES: All written comments must be received by February 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, 1849 C 
Street, NW, MS 4140 MIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne R. Smith, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street, NW, MS 4140 MIB, Washington, 
DC 20240 (202-208-7163).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the consultation meetings is 
to involve affected and interested parties in the process of organizing 
the Department's trust asset management responsibility functions. The 
Department has determined that there is a need for dramatic change in 
the management of Indian trust assets. An independent consultant has 
analyzed important components of the Department's trust reform 
activities and made several recommendations, including the 
recommendation that the Department consolidate trust functions under a 
single entity. The Department has already had seven (7) tribal 
consultation meetings and has scheduled another one for Portland, 
Oregon, on February 14, 2002, to discuss the merits of this 
reorganization. Because of the overwhelming public response to this 
effort, the Department believes it prudent to extend the comment period 
to February 28, 2002. The Department may extend this comment period 
further by additional notice as other meetings may be scheduled. This 
extension will facilitate the maximum direct participation of all 
interested persons in this important Departmental process.

    Dated: February 6, 2002.
J. Steven Griles,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-3284 Filed 2-8-02; 8:45 am]
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