Contact: Vickie Briggs, 202-452-5194
Jerry Cordova, 202-452-7756
Robin Burgess, 202-785-6581
The Bureau of Land
Management has announced the schedule and locations for the regional tribal
listening sessions that it will host this spring. A copy of the invitation
letter from Acting BLM Director Mike Pool to each tribal leader is available at this link.
Tribal
listening sessions across the country will provide opportunities for tribes to
talk with BLM officials in person on a range of public lands topics of interest
to them. Information and recommendations obtained through the
meetings will benefit the BLM’s initiatives and objectives as it continues to
meet its tribal consultation and land management responsibilities.
Regional
listening sessions and the appropriate contacts are as follows:
April
8, 2009, Phoenix, Arizona
BLM
National Training Center, 12-4 PM
9828 N. 31st
Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85051
(602-906-5500)
Participating
States: Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico
Contact: Michael
D. Johnson (Michael_d_johnson@blm.gov
or 602-417-9236)
April
15, 2009, Billings, Montana
Hampton
Inn, 9 AM-Noon
5110
Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101 (406-896-5214)
Participating
States: Montana and Wyoming
Contact: Gary
Smith (gary_smith@blm.gov or
406-896-5214)
April
24, 2009, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Center
Marriott Journal Center, 4-7 PM
5151
Journal Center Boulevard, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 (505-823-1919)
Participating
States: New Mexico and Colorado
Contact: Signa
Larralde (signa_larralde@blm.gov or
505-438-7637)
May
6, 2009, Boise, Idaho
BLM Idaho
State Office, Natural Resource Center, 1-4 PM
1387 S.
Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83709 (208-373-4016)
Participating
States: Idaho, Nevada and Oregon
Contact:
Stan McDonald (stan_mcdonald@blm.gov or 208-373-4043) or Cheryle Zwang
(cheryle_zwang@blm.gov or 208-373-4016)
May
19, 2009, Reno, Nevada
Eldorado
Hotel and Casino, Bordeaux/Claret Rooms, 4-8 PM
345 N.
Virginia, Reno, Nevada 89501 (800-648-4597)
Participating
States: Nevada, California and Oregon
Contact: Tom
Burke (tom_burke@blm.gov or
775-861-6415)
May
20, 2009, Palm Springs, California
Spa Resort
Casino Hotel, Canyon Conference Center, 2-6 PM
100 N.
Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262 (888-999-1995).
Participating
States: California
Contact:
Rolla Queen (rolla_queen@blm.gov or
951-697-5386)
During the
listening sessions, agency officials will solicit ideas and recommendations for
improving how the BLM consults with tribes and any other suggestions for
enhancing their efforts to work with the tribes. If attending a listening
session is not possible and there is a need to meet individually with a BLM
State or Field Office, please get in touch with the contact person to make
appropriate arrangements.
This BLM
outreach effort will facilitate improving the agency’s procedures and policies
for consultation with tribes. Input will also augment appropriate
revisions to the national Programmatic Agreement.
The BLM
manages more land – 256 million acres – than any other Federal agency.
This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located
in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of
about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral
estates throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to
sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and
enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this
by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development,
and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and
other resources on public lands.