[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 47 (Monday, March 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 10926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5760]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Determination of Trust Land Acquisition

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is publishing this notice 
to provide notification of the determination that public Law 98-602 
land settlement claim funds were used to purchase trust land in Kansas 
City, Kansas for the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma (Tribe).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George T. Skibine, Director, Office of 
Indian Gaming Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs 1849 C Street NW, 
MS-2070 MIB, Washington, DC 20240; by telephone at (202) 219-4066 (this 
is not a toll-free number); or by telefax at (202) 273-3153.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published in exercise of 
authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 
DM 8 and in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 2, 9, 2710.

Background

    The statutory authority for the Wynadotte Tribe's acquisition of 
the Kansas City tract (Shriner's Building) is Public Law 98-602, 98 
Stat. 3149, enacted on October 30, 1984. It expressly provides that 
``$100,000 of such funds shall be used for the purchase of real 
property which shall be held in trust by the Secretary for the Tribe.'' 
Public Law 98-602 Sec. 105(b)(1). When section 602 funds were received 
by Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma, the Tribe purchased $100,000 of 
mortgage obligation bonds on May 14, 1986. Interest and bond dividend 
earnings were retained in an existing cash account. As bonds were 
redeemed and additional bonds purchased, the funds flowed through the 
cash account, which contained other tribal monies.
    Beginning in 1989 the Tribe held an investment account which paid 
some dividends and interests directly to the Tribe's main accounts. In 
December 1991, the Tribe eliminated one account and combined the 
section 602 funds (principal, cash, dividends, and interest) into its 
main investment account.
    At the time of the July 12, 1996 disbursement of $180,000 for the 
Shriner's Building purchase, the remaining accumulated amount of 
section 602 funds and the dividends and interest of those funds, was 
$212,169.65.
    An analysis of the accumulation of interest and dividends on 
section 602 funds was completed by KPMG, L.L.P., a public accounting 
firm. The analysis procedures included tracing balances from bank 
account statements, testing the appropriateness of the allocation of 
interest and dividends to section 602 funds and other funds deposited 
in the main account, tracing the use of the section 602 funds to 
purchases and sell securities, and the mathematical accuracy of the 
analysis. KMPG ``found that the computations were appropriate and that 
the ending value that resulted from the initial $100,000 investment was 
$121,170 at the time of the land purchase.'' The analysis and findings 
were presented to the Tribe in a November 26, 2001 letter from KPMG.

Determination

    The Secretary of the Interior has determined that the funds used to 
purchase the Shriner's Property in Kansas City, Kansas were from the 
section 602 settlement of specific land claims. The Secretary affirms 
that trust status of the subject lands.

    Dated: February 22, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-5760 Filed 3-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-4N-M