NOTICES
Public Comment Requested on
Distributing Migratory Bird Feathers
to American Indians
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviee
is seeking publie comment on a pro
posal to develop regulations that would
allow American Indians to obtain mi
gratory bird parts and feathers of birds
other than eagles for religious or spiri
tual use.
The Notice of Intent to prepare an
Environmental Assessment (EA) was
published in the June 15 Federal Register.
The EA would assess potential im
pacts on the natural and human envi
ronment that might result from different
alternatives for legalizing the acquisition
of feathers other than those from
eagles, including impacts to American
Indian culture and religion.
Currently, no federal regulations
govern the acquisition of migratory
bird parts by American Indians.
Between 1990 and 2000, the Fish
and Wildlife Service's National Eagle
Repository distributed migratory bird
parts and feathers from birds other than
eagles to enrolled members of feder
ally recognized American Indian tribes.
In 1999, the service suspended dis
tribution of non-eagle feathers due to
administrative resource constraints.
Since that time, it generally has not is
sued permits to enrolled tribal mem
bers for the use of non-eagle feathers
in religious and cultural ceremonies.
The service regularly receives in
quiries regarding the availability of mi
gratory bird parts and feathers to
American Indians for religious and
cultural use. It acknowledges the value
of this resource in preserving Ameri
can Indian religion and culture and
seeks input on nine topics:
•
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•
•
•
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•
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The sources of the parts and feath
ers that would be made available
Criteria or conditions that should
be established for eligibility
How different means of legal ac
quisition may affect tribes
How American Indian tribes could
be affected if such authorization is
extended to others in addition to en
rolled members of federally recog
nized tribes
The extent of American Indian de
mand for such feathers and parts
Whether the types of feathers be
ing requested should be limited to
those historically significant to the
tribes acquiring them
Which species of migratory birds
are most valuable for American
Indian religious/spiritual purposes
Potential impacts to migratory bird
populations and other wildlife; and
other concerns about this initiative
The service does not expect to au
thorize any means of distribution of
non-eagle feathers and parts that would
affect migratory bird or wildlife popu
lations or impact wildlife habitat, and
14
does not anticipate taking live birds
from the wild through hunting or any
other method.
Copies of the Notice of Intent may
be found on the service's Web site at
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/
MidwestBird, or obtained by writing:
Andrea Kirk. Permits Administrator.
USFWS Migratory Bird Permits, 1 Fed
eral Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111,
or calling 612-713-5436.
Comments must be submitted by
Aug. 14 and may be sent via e-mail to
olherfeathers@fws.gov, submitted via
www.regulations.gov, by fax to 612-
713-7179 or by mail to Andrea Kirk at
the address above. Please reference
RIN I0I8-AV14 when submitting com
ments by any of these methods.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is the principal federal agency respon
sible for conserving, protecting and
enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and
their habitats for the continuing ben
efit of the American people.
It manages the 95-million-acre
National Wildlife Refuge System,
which encompasses 544 national wild
life refuges, thousands of small wetlands
and other special management areas.
It also operates 69 national fish hatch
eries, 64 fishery resources offices and
81 ecological services field stations.
The agency enforces federal wild
life laws, administers the Endangered
Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally signifi
cant fisheries, conserves and restores
wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and
helps foreign and American Indian
tribal governments with their conser
vation efforts.
It also oversees the Federal Assis
tance program, which distributes hun
dreds of millions of dollars in excise
taxes on fishing and hunting equipment
to state fish and wildlife agencies.
Find Grant
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There’s a lot to choose from and
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• - Siletz Newfijc; • • August20QZ*
Above: Tribal members wait patiently in line outside the Tribal Community
Center during a fish distribution in July. More than 500 packages of
spring-run ehinook were given out. The fish came from the
McKenzie Hatchery and the Dexter Hatchery
Below: Tristen John hands a package offish to Marty Lockhart while Lavera
‘‘Babe” Simmons signs in with Kelley Ellis, (photos by Diane Rodriquez)
PSU Position
Open in Salem
The site coordinator/advisor posi
tion for Portland State University’s Ex
tended Campus Program at Chemeketa
Community College in Salem, Ore.,
is open.
Responsibilities include recruiting
and advising students; participating in
advising/recruiting activities, such as
new student orientations and classroom
presentations; and acting as a liaison
between students and PSU departments
on campus.
For a full job description and details
on how to apply, visit www.hrc.pdx.edu.
Review of applications will begin im
mediately; position will be open until
finalists are identified.
PSU is an Affirmative Action, Equal
Opportunity institution and. in keeping
with the president's diversity initiative,
welcomes applications from diverse
candidates and candidates who support
diversity.
Nominations
Open for School
Board Award
Magna Awards - American School
Board Journal (ASBJ) is accepting
nominations online for the 2008 Ma
gna Awards through Oct. 1, 2007. Pre
sented in cooperation with Sodexho
School Services, winners of the Magna
Awards for leadership receive national
recognition in a special supplement to
ASBJ and are honored at a luncheon
at the National School Boards Asso
ciation's annual conference.
Awards are handed out in three
enrollment categories - under 5,000,
5,001 to 20.000. and more than 20,000.
Grand prize winners in each category
receive a $3.500 cash award from
Sodexho.
Nominations this year are being
accepted only online. For more infor
mation, call 703-838-6739 or visit
www.asbj.com/magna/.