[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 19314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10685]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Receipt of Petition for Federal Acknowledgment of Existence as an 
Indian Tribe

    This is published in the exercise of authority delegated by the 
Secretary of the Interior to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 
209 DM 8.
    Pursuant to 25 CFR 83.9(a) (formerly 25 CFR 54.8(a)) notice is 
hereby given that the Biloxi, Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees, 
Inc., 1112 Daisy Street, Houma, Louisiana 70363, has filed a letter of 
intent to be considered for acknowledgment by the Secretary of the 
Interior that the group exists as an Indian tribe. This letter was 
received by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on October 24, 1995, and 
was signed by members of the group's governing body.
    The petitioner, the Biloxi, Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees, 
Inc. (BCCM) was part of the United Houma Nation (UHN, #56), which 
received a proposed finding December 22, 1994. The proposed finding 
stated that the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs proposed to decline 
to acknowledge the UHN in that they did not meet all seven mandatory 
critera under 25 CFR Part 83.
    The BCCM shall be treated as a separate petitioner from October 24, 
1995, forward. This is a notice that the petition is under active 
consideration. Notice that the petitioner has separated from the UHN 
will be sent by mail to the Governor of Louisiana, the Attorney General 
of Louisiana, the UHN, and other interested parties. The public comment 
period on the petition and proposed finding ends June 13, 1996. A copy 
of the technical report evaluating the evidence upon which the proposed 
finding was based is available upon written request to the BIA.
    Under Section 83.9(a) and 83.10(i) of the Federal regulations, 
interested parties may submit factual and/or legal arguments in support 
of or in opposition to the group's petition and proposed finding 
simultaneously to the petitioner and the BIA. Any information submitted 
will be made available on the same basis as other information in the 
BIA's files. The petitioner will be provided an opportunity to respond 
to such submissions prior to a final determination regarding the 
petitioner's status.
    The petition may be examined, by appointment, in the Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Branch of Acknowledgment and 
Research, Room 1362-MIB, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, 
Phone: (202) 208-3592.

    Dated: March 25, 1996.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-10685 Filed 4-30-96; 8:45 am]
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