Native News Weekly (March 12, 2023): D.C. Briefs

Each of the ten HHS regions will again be hosting consultations with regional Tribes to discuss programmatic issues and Tribal priorities. Each session will include one-on-one opportunities with regional leadership. The sessions will largely take place in-person, with two regions offering virtual. Dates and locations for the following regions have been set:

The save the dates for all regions are noted in the same Dear Tribal Leader Letter as the Annual Tribal Budget Consultation. More details will be coming directly from each region to the Tribes in that region.

 

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jason Packineau (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna) as NEH’s first Strategic Advisor for Native and Indigenous Affairs.

Packineau will serve as the lead policy and strategy advisor for NEH’s outreach and engagement with tribal nations and Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. He will also coordinate NEH’s Tribal consultation policy, develop partnerships that enhance the agency’s support of Indigenous communities, and support convenings, listening sessions, capacity-building, and information sharing among state and jurisdictional Indigenous networks.

Most recently, Packineau was the Associate Director for the Harvard University Native American Program and currently serves as the Board President for the NACA-Inspired School Network (NISN), a nationwide organization that supports and promotes Indigenous-led education efforts. 

The Department of the Interior on Thursday announced that the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is awarding $135 million in fiscal year 2023 funding for Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grants. The six Appalachian states with the highest number of unfunded high priority abandoned mine land (AML) problems and three Tribes with approved AML programs are eligible for the grants.

 

The Crow Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, and the Navajo Nation are each allocated $3.91 million. States and Tribes will continue to work with local partners to identify projects that will bring the most environmental and economic benefits to their communities.

 

For more information about the AMLER Program and the grants process, please visit OSMRE’s website.

 

Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is making Community Project Funding Request forms for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) available for interested Alaskans on her website beginning today.

Interested Alaskans are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the CPF guidance, which is also provided on the website. Requests must be submitted by Friday, March 17, at 11:59pm EDT. 

“Alaska’s Congressional delegation has a strong track record of delivering results for our home,” Rep, Peltola said. “Alaska is a unique place with unique needs, and the federal appropriations process provides significant opportunities to address those needs. I look forward to advocating for Alaskans through this process and am excited to see what great ideas come forward.”