{"id":10754,"date":"2021-04-27T11:59:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T15:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=10754"},"modified":"2021-04-27T12:35:15","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T16:35:15","slug":"interior-secretary-deb-haaland-takes-action-for-tribal-homelands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/04\/27\/interior-secretary-deb-haaland-takes-action-for-tribal-homelands\/","title":{"rendered":"Interior: Secretary Deb Haaland takes action for tribal homelands"},"content":{"rendered":"\"debhaaland\"\r\n
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Photo: U.S. Department of the Interior<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n
Interior Department Takes Steps to Restore Tribal Homelands, Empower Tribal Governments to Better Manage Indian Lands<\/div>\r\n
Tuesday, April 27, 2021<\/div>\r\n
Source: Department of the Interior<\/div>\r\n
doi.gov<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013- The Department of the Interior today took several steps to honor our nation-to-nation relationship with Tribes and uphold our trust and treaty responsibilities to them. Today\u2019s actions reverse a series of steps taken in the previous administration that undermined the ability of Tribes to establish and consolidate their homelands. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nTaking land into trust is one of the most important functions Interior undertakes on behalf of the Tribes. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland<\/a> issued Secretarial Order 3400<\/a>, which re-delegates the authority to review and approve applications to place land into trust to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regional directors. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Secretarial Order will not apply to gaming applications. This action reverses steps taken in 2017 that unnecessarily elevated land-into-trust decisions to the Department\u2019s headquarters staff, increasing the complexity of the decision-making process and causing delays.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cAt Interior, we have an obligation to work with Tribes to protect their lands and ensure that each Tribe has a homeland where its citizens can live together and lead safe and fulfilling lives,\u201d said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. \u201cOur actions today will help us meet that obligation and will help empower Tribes to determine how their lands are used \u2013 from conservation to economic development projects.\u201d \r\n

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M-37069<\/a><\/div>\r\n
M-37069: Withdrawal of M-37064 and Announcement of Consultation on the Department\u2019s Interpretation of the Indian Reorganization Act and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in Connection with the Secretary\u2019s Land into Trust Authority<\/a> \r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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M-37070<\/a><\/div>\r\n
\r\nM-37070: Withdrawal of Certain Solicitor M-Opinions, Reinstatement of Sol. Op. M-37029\r\nThe Meaning of \u2018Under Federal Jurisdiction\u2019 for Purposes of the Indian Reorganization Act, and Announcement Regarding Consultation on \u201cUnder Federal Jurisdiction\u201d Determinations<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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SO-3400<\/a><\/div>\r\n
Secretarial Order: Delegation of Authority for Non-Gaming Off-Reservation Fee-to-Trust Acquisitions<\/a> <\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nFederal policies dating back more than a century have eroded the land base of Indian Tribes across the United States. By placing lands into trust status through the Department of the Interior, Tribes are able to reacquire lands within or near their reservations, establish a land base for Tribal communities, and clarify jurisdiction over their lands. Tribes have faced delays and increasing costs in efforts to develop housing projects, manage law enforcement agencies, and develop local economies as a result of unnecessary hurdles in the land-into-trust process.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThe patchwork of landholdings within existing reservation boundaries can make it difficult to develop coherent law enforcement and regulatory policies on reservations, restricting the ability to sustain community and economic development,\u201d said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary \u2013 Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. \u201cThese important actions are a step in the right direction to restore homelands that will strengthen Tribal communities.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nIn addition to the Secretarial Order, the Solicitor\u2019s office withdrew three previous opinions that impeded the Department\u2019s ability to take land into trust for Tribes and that were issued without adequate Tribal consultation. Going forward, the Department will engage in meaningful and robust consultation with Tribes to learn about the challenges they face in the fee-to-trust process and in managing their own lands.\r\n

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