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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country this past week..
Training sessions for tribal governments to happen this week
The Treasury is hosting a training session on how to submit the Final Report for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA1) grant closeout. This session will take place Tuesday, January 10, at 3:00 pm EST.
There are two different close out dates that are distinguished by Group A and Group B.
Group A: For Tribal recipients that did not receive reallocation funding, the grant must be closed out by January 30, 2023. Grant closeout activities include finalizing journal entries, returning unused funds if applicable, and submitting the closeout report. Please see the ERA1 Closeout Resource for detailed information.
Group B: For Tribal recipients that did receive reallocation funding, the next quarterly report is due for the period covering 10/01/2022 - 12/29/2022 on January 17, 2023. The grant must be closed out by April 28, 2023.
Deadline to submit written comments on HHS Tribal Consultation Policy EXTENDED
The deadline to submit written comments regarding the Health and Human Services Tribal Consultation Policy has been extended to January 27, 2023. Comments can be submitted to [email protected].
Bill to return sacred land to California Tribes signed into law
Friday, January 6, a series of bills were signed into law that would restore Tribal stewardship of sacred federal lands and ensure that our federal land management laws respect Tribal sovereignty.
Approximately 3,500 acres of land previously owned by the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management will be moved into trust for two tribal governments in California.
The Agua Caliente Land Exchange Fee to Trust Confirmation Act will move more than 2,500 acres of land in the San Jacinto Mountains into trust for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
The Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act will transfer ownership of roughly 1,000 acres of sacred lands from the U.S. Forest Service to the Department of the Interior to then be placed into trust for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe.
Recreation and Public Purposes Tribal Parity Act will allow Tribal governments to participate in an existing program “Recreation and Public Purposes Act” that allows the Bureau of Land Management to sell and lease certain public lands below market value if used for specified purposes.
Previously, Tribal governments have been excluded from this program. This law corrects this.
Neely Bardwell (descendant of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians), a Michigan State University student who is a staff reporter for Native News Online, contributed to these briefs.
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