[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 149 (Thursday, August 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46106-46107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18891]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Tribal Listening Sessions on Sacred Sites on Federal Lands

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Indian Affairs will conduct listening sessions with Indian 
tribes to obtain oral and written comments concerning sacred sites 
located on Federal lands. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 
this notice for details.

DATES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for the 
dates of the tribal listening sessions. We will consider all comments 
received

[[Page 46107]]

by close of business on September 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
the locations of the tribal listening sessions. Submit comments by 
email to: [email protected] or by U.S. mail to: Office of the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
attn.: Dion Killsback, Mail Stop 4141 MIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dion Killsback, Counselor to the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, (202) 208-6939.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department, through the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, intends to develop policy to 
strengthen the protection of sacred sites on Federal lands. For many 
years the Department has received input on sacred sites and to that 
end, the Department is seeking input specific, but not limited to, the 
following topics regarding sacred sites
     Meanings of sacred sites and whether the Department should 
attempt to define the term ``sacred site'';
     Personal views of existing Departmental practices or 
policies, if any, that should be revised to protect sacred sites and 
steps necessary to make appropriate revisions;
     Potential development of Departmental practices or 
policies to protect sacred sites;
     How the Department should facilitate tribal access to 
sacred sites;
     How the Department should control and grant access to 
tribally provided information regarding sacred sites;
     Whom the Department should include (recognized leaders of 
tribal government, tribal spiritual leaders, et.al.) in determining 
whether a site is considered ``sacred'' by a tribe.
    Tribal listening sessions will be held at the following dates and 
locations:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Date                      Time                Venue
------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 13, 2012...............  1 p.m.-4 p.m.....  BIA Southwest
                                                    Regional Office,
                                                    Pete V. Domenici
                                                    Building, 1001
                                                    Indian School Road,
                                                    Albuquerque, New
                                                    Mexico 87104, (505)
                                                    563-3103.
August 16, 2012...............  9 a.m.-12 p.m....  Holiday Inn-Grand
                                                    Montana-Billings,
                                                    5500 Midland Road,
                                                    Billings, Montana
                                                    59101, (406) 248-
                                                    7701.
August 23, 2012...............  1 p.m.-4 p.m.....  Mystic Lake Casino
                                                    Hotel, 2400 Mystic
                                                    Lake Boulevard,
                                                    Prior Lake, MN
                                                    55372, (952) 445-
                                                    9000.
August 24, 2012...............  9 a.m.-12 p.m....  Mohegan Sun Casino, 1
                                                    Mohegan Sun
                                                    Boulevard,
                                                    Uncasville,
                                                    Connecticut
                                                    06382,(860) 862-
                                                    7311.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: July 27, 2012.
Donald E. Laverdure,
Acting Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-18891 Filed 7-30-12; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P