UPCOMING COMMENT DEADLINES

Due April 9: US Army Corps of Engineers Appendix C Rescission. On February 9, 2024, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) announced a rulemaking to formally rescind 33 CFR Part 325, Appendix C, which the Army Corps has used since 1980 to "comply" with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. In its place, the Army Corps will use 36 CFR Part 800 to comply with Section 106. A draft of NATHPO's comment letter, as well as a memo outlining legal deficiencies in USACE's adoption of Appendix C, are attached to this email. Comments are due to USACE on April 9, 2024.

Due April 12 Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. As part of Secretary Haaland's initiative "to highlight the troubled history of Federal Indian boarding school policies and their legacy for Indigenous Peoples," the Department held virtual Tribal consultations and is accepting comment on their initiative. (Details are HERE and in the letter attached to this email.) Comments may be sent by email to consultation@bia.gov and must be in by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, April 12, 2024.

Due April 7: Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) Comment Letter. The FPISC is seeking comment on their Draft Tribal Consultation Policy and Plan, background on which is attached to this email. The Council held a virtual consultation on March 7, 2024, and NATHPO will be submitting comment, which we will make available on our website when it is finalized. Comments are due April 7, 2024.

Due June 11: Bears Ears National Monument Draft Plan: The Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service are accepting comment on their Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, proposed recreational shooting closures, and proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern for Bears Ears National Monument. There will be several in-person and virtual public meetings, the details of which are at the link above, and comments are due June 11, 2024. NATHPO will be submitting comment, which we will make available on our website when it is finalized.

We're so excited to see more and more folks registering for the 24th Annual NATHPO Conference & Sacred Places Summit at the Ho-Chunk Gaming Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Register here and take advantage of early bird rates through April 30.

You can also check out our website HERE for more details about the conference including:

•        Details about our venue - the Ho-Chunk Gaming Resort in the Wisconsin Dells - as well as travel and lodging information;

•        A schedule-at-a-glance to get a feel for what kind of events we're planning for the conference;

•        Information for individuals and organizations interested in sponsoring our conference; and

•        How to nominate someone for our Excellence in Tribal Historic Preservation Award (nominations are due June 27).

Following the passage of a full FY 24 budget in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, PL 118-42, the National Park Service (NPS) released the figures for a FULL Apportionment of the FY 2024 THPO Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Annual Grants and announced that grant applications are due May 30, 2024.

You can read the full announcement from NPS in the email with the subject line: "FY24 HPF THPO Grant - FINAL APPORTIONMENT." If you have questions, NPS asks you to contact 202-354-2020 or Lea_Anne_Chapman@nps.gov for assistance.

This week, NATHPO Executive Director Valerie Grussing, Operations Director Melissa Madrigal, and lndigenization Director Stacy Laravie are at the Bridging The Gap meeting at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. They're there to hear about the great work Tribes are doing and continue to make connections and build relationships. Thanks to the Caddo Nation for hosting, and to all of the wonderful presenters who shared their work and wisdom.

One session Team NATHPO was particularly excited to attend was a lightening session on consultation preferences featuring THPO officials from the Caddo Nation, Quapaw Nation, Delaware Nation, Shawnee Tribe, and Comanche Nation. Here are two photos of the session, taken by members of Team NATHPO, including one of NATHPO Board Member Billie Burtrum, QHPP Director Deputy Director, Qwapaw Nation.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 2023 HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS

The Department of Interior recently announced it is now accepting nominations for their 2023 Historic Preservation Awards. If you want to nominate someone you think has made an outstanding contribution to the work of historic preservation, you can do so at the link below. Nominations are due May 24, 2024. Earlier this year, Former Tolowa Dee-ni' Tribal Heritage Preservation Officer Suntayea Steinruck, received the Secretary of the Interior's 2022 Historic Preservation Award. You can read more about that in the release from the Interior Department and NATHPO's Facebook post about the award, where we share a portion of the letter nominating Suntayea from THPO for the Pala Band of Mission Indians (and now NATHPO's Board Chair) Dr. Shasta Gaughen.

Stay current on important happenings using our new Calendar of Events, and post your own to share! And let us know if you have a job posting you would like to share and we'll post it on our Community Job Board. AND don't forget to browse our listing of relevant Grant Opportunities.

The 24th Annual NATHPO Conference & Sacred Places Summit will take place August 12-16, 2024, at the Ho-Chunk Gaming Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Register here and take advantage of early bird rates through April 30, stay tuned for more details, and be sure to mark these days on your calendars!

If you would like to become one of our conference sponsors, please contact please contact Melissa Madrigal at melissa@nathpo.org. Information about sponsorship rates is available HERE.

Valerie J. Grussing, PhD
NATHPO Executive Director
valerie@nathpo.org | 202-628-8476