[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3116-3117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01164]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[222A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Notice of Consultations on Federal Subsistence Policy in Alaska

AGENCY: Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary--
Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Tribal and Alaska Native corporation consultation 
sessions.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (Departments) recognize that subsistence is vital to the 
cultures and life ways of Alaska Natives and Alaska Native communities. 
Under Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA), the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
Agriculture jointly implement the Federal Subsistence Management 
Program. This program provides a preference for take of fish and 
wildlife resources for subsistence uses on Federal public lands and 
waters in Alaska. In accordance with The White House Tribal Nations 
Summit Progress Report, the Departments will jointly conduct 
consultation sessions with federally recognized Tribes and with Alaska 
Native corporations on Federal subsistence policy in Alaska.

DATES: Consultations: The Departments will conduct consultations with 
Tribes, Tribal consortia, and Alaska Native organizations on Thursday, 
January 20, 2022, and Friday, January 21, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
AKST, and with Alaska Native regional and village corporations on 
Friday, January 28, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. AKST.
    Written comments: To ensure consideration, written comments must be 
submitted via email by Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: Consultations: The Departments' Tribal and Alaska Native 
corporation consultations will be held via Zoom and telephone. Please 
see Tribal Consultation and Comment under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, 
below, for details.
    Written comments: Written comments must be submitted via email to 
[email protected], with the subject line ``Subsistence 
Consultation.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rose Petoskey, Senior Counselor to the 
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, telephone: (202) 208-7163, or 800-
877-8339 (TTY); email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Departments will conduct virtual 
consultations with Tribes, Tribal consortia, Alaska Native 
organizations, and Alaska Native regional and village corporations on 
Federal subsistence policy. The listening session and consultations 
reflect the Departments' commitment to strengthen government-to-
government relationships with federally recognized Tribes and meet 
requirements for consultation with Alaska Native corporations. The 
Departments' procedures for outreach, notice, and consultation ensure 
involvement of Tribes and Alaska Native corporations, to the extent 
practicable and permitted by law, before making decisions or 
implementing policies, rules, or programs that affect federally 
recognized Tribal governments or Alaska Native corporation interests. 
These consultations are open to official representatives of federally 
recognized Tribes and Alaska Native corporations. Further detail will 
be provided in the invitation letters.

Background

    Under Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation 
Act (ANILCA) (16 U.S.C. 3111-3126), the Secretary of the Interior and 
the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretaries) jointly implement the 
Federal Subsistence Management Program. This program provides a 
preference for take of fish and wildlife resources for subsistence uses 
on Federal public lands and waters in Alaska. The Secretaries published 
temporary regulations to carry out this program in the Federal Register 
on June 29, 1990 (55 FR 27114), and published final regulations in the 
Federal Register on May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22940). The program regulations 
have subsequently been amended a number of times. Because this program 
is a joint effort between Interior and Agriculture, these regulations 
are located in two titles of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 
Title 36, ``Parks, Forests, and Public Property,'' and Title 50, 
``Wildlife and Fisheries,'' at 36 CFR 242.1-242.28 and 50 CFR 100.1-
100.28, respectively. The regulations contain subparts as follows: 
Subpart A, General Provisions; Subpart B, Program Structure; Subpart C, 
Board Determinations; and Subpart D, Subsistence Taking of Fish and 
Wildlife.

Tribal Consultation and Comment

    As expressed in Executive Order 13175, ``Consultation and 
Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments,'' the Departments are 
committed to honoring the unique government-to-government political 
relationship that exists between the Federal Government and federally 
recognized Indian Tribes (Tribes) as listed at 86 FR 7554 (January 29, 
2021).
    Consultation with Alaska Native corporations is based on Public Law 
108-199, div. H, Sec. 161, Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 452, as amended by 
Public Law 108-447, div. H, title V, Sec. 518, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 
3267, which provides that: ``The Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget and all Federal agencies shall hereafter consult with Alaska 
Native corporations on the same basis as Indian tribes under Executive 
Order No. 13175.''
    The ANILCA does not provide specific rights to Tribes for the 
subsistence taking of wildlife, fish, and shellfish. However, because 
Tribal members are affected by Federal subsistence policy, the 
Secretaries are consulting with federally recognized Tribes and Alaska 
Native corporations.
    The Departments are seeking Tribal and Alaska Native corporation 
perspectives pertaining to the following questions:
    1. How has climate change affected subsistence? What changes could 
be made to subsistence policies, regulations, or laws to help you adapt 
to those changes?
    2. How can Federal agencies better cooperate with Alaska Native 
Tribes, Alaska Native consortia, Alaska Native organizations, and 
Alaska Native corporations to promote subsistence harvest opportunities 
and protect habitat?
    3. How does the state management regime affect implementation of 
the Federal priority for rural residents?
    4. How can the Federal Subsistence Board and the Federal 
Subsistence Program be changed to better accommodate subsistence needs?
    5. How should the Federal Subsistence Board define rural residents 
for purposes of the Federal subsistence priority?
    6. What difficulties have you experienced in accessing subsistence 
resources?

[[Page 3117]]

    The Departments' Tribal and Alaska Native corporation consultations 
will be held via Zoom and telephone as follows:
     On Thursday, January 20, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
AKST. The consultation is open to Tribes and Tribal consortia. Please 
register in advance using following Zoom link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItc-ivpjgrEplmxYnru1AOR773ePbx65U. You may also join 
by telephone by using the following dial-in information: 1 (669) 254-
5252, Meeting ID: 1604178318, Passcode: 598591; or 1 (646) 828-7666, 
Meeting ID: 1604178318, Passcode: 598591.
     On Friday, January 21, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. AKST. 
The consultation is open to Tribes, Tribal consortia, and Alaska Native 
organizations. Please register in advance using following Zoom link: 
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdOGgqTgsHRk7c4Rxe4bu3OyF_aEw_F8. You may also join by telephone by 
using the following dial-in information: 1 (669) 254-5252, Meeting ID: 
1603887367, Passcode: 905674; or 1 (646) 828-7666, Meeting ID: 
1603887367, Passcode: 905674.
     On Friday, January 28, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. AKST. 
The consultation is open to Alaska Native regional and village 
corporations. Please register in advance using following Zoom link: 
https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItceivrz0tH97YP3lOioApp4DvFTrniW0. You may also join by telephone by 
using the following dial-in information: 1 (669) 254-2525, Meeting ID: 
1606171675, Passcode: 956167; or 1 (646) 828-7666, Meeting ID: 
1606171675, Passcode: 956167.

Reasonable Accommodations

    The Departments are committed to providing access to these meetings 
for all participants. Please direct all requests for sign language 
interpreting services, closed captioning, or other accommodation needs 
to Rose Petoskey, telephone: (202) 208-7163, or 800-877-8339 (TTY); 
email: [email protected].

Heather Dawn Thompson,
Director, Office of Tribal Relations, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Raina Thiele,
Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Alaska Affairs & Strategic Priorities, 
U.S. Department of the Interior.
Bryan Newland,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2022-01164 Filed 1-18-22; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P