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Interior finalizes effort to improve fairness, clarity for the valuation of oil produced on American Indian lands, royalties likely to increase as result WASHINGTON – Advancing Presi- dent Obama’s ongoing commitment to work with Tribal leaders to build strong economies, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell released on April 30 the final regulations that will ensure Tribal com- munities receive all the royalties they are owed from oil production on their lands, reduce administrative costs and provide greater predictability to the oil industry. “As part of our trust and treaty respon- sibilities, these commonsense regulations will help protect and fairly value Indian oil assets, support exploration and devel- opment, and reduce administrative costs,” said Jewell, who chairs the White House Council on Native American Affairs. “This rule reflects the president’s strong commitment to Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, offering greater simplic- ity, certainty, clarity and consistency for energy companies that operate on Tribal lands, while potentially boosting royalties to Indian Country.” The Negotiated Rulemaking Commit- tee was formed in late 2011 and charged with bringing clarity and consistency to oil valuation regulations governing pro- duction on American Indian lands. The committee included representa- tives from American Indian Tribes, indi- vidual Indian mineral owner associations, the oil and gas industry, Interior’s Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It met nine times through 2012 and 2013. It reached agreement on a proposal to base royalties on the higher of gross proceeds or an index-based formula that captures a unique provision of Indian lease terms referred to as “major portion price” that refers to the highest price paid for the oil produced from a field or area. The final rule was published May 1 in the Federal Register. ONRR estimated that Indian lessors could experience significant increases in royalty returns as a result of the new rule. The Office of Natural Resources Revenue, part of the Department’s Office of Policy, Management and Budget, is responsible for collecting and disburs- ing revenue from energy production that occurs onshore on federal and American Indian lands and offshore in the outer continental shelf. The draft rule was published in the Federal Register on June 19, 2014, and ONRR carefully considered all of the public comments it received during the rulemaking process before final- izing the rule, which becomes effective July 1, 2015. During FY2014, the agency disbursed more than $13.4 billion to states, Ameri- can Indian Tribes and individual Indian mineral owners, and to various federal accounts, including the U.S. Treasury, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Reclamation Fund. Bill Schonely to join the Portland Choir & Orchestra in patriotic concert Concerts to honor veterans includes participation from 142 nd Fighter Wing and all branches of military PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Choir & Orchestra, with special guest Bill Schonely, will perform three concerts titled America My Home on June 26 at 8 p.m. and June 27 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Also participating will be a Color Guard with the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142 nd Fighter Wing and all five branches of the military. All concerts will be performed at the Skyview High Concert Hall in Vancouver, Wash. Tickets range from $15 to $20. The concerts will celebrate America, its veterans, the people who built it and the patriots who protect it. The event will be filled with great patriotic music, including Aaron Cop- land’s inspiring tone poem Lincoln Por- trait narrated by Schonely. Many great Americans have narrated this composi- tion, including Neil Armstrong, President Bill Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Tom Hanks, Katharine Hepburn, James Earl Jones and President Barack Obama. Other patriotic anthems performed include America the Beautiful, When the Saints Go Marching In, Armed Forces – The Pride of America, Skip to My Lou and Battle Hymn of the Republic. More information is available at MusicInPortland.org. Waves of fun await at Oregon Coast Aquarium during World Oceans Day NEWPORT, Ore. – During 364 days each year, the Oregon Coast Aquarium showcases the underwater world. Its interpretive exhibits and programs have earned consistent recognition as one of the 10 best aquariums in the nation. On June 6, the aquarium will take this mission to a whole new level in honor of the United Nation’s international World Oceans Day. The annual celebration is held in conjunction with organizations across the globe to promote understanding and stewardship of the watery realm that cov- ers more than 70 percent of our planet. Dozens of activities will connect peo- ple with the ocean, whether it is through their taste buds during Edible Ocean demonstrations or their competitive spirit during a treasure hunt that enters partici- pants to win free aquarium adventures. Sisbro Studios, the brother/sister team behind the award-winning children’s film The Shark Riddle, will make a stop on its national tour to dive into shark science with youngsters and their families. Visitors will get to know powerful and bizarre ocean creatures better than ever before by peering into their guts! A long- snouted lancetfish (alepisaurus ferox) and a broadnose sevengill shark (notorynchus cepedianus) will be dissected to shed light on the anatomy and physiology of these powerful ocean predators. Aquarium divers will plunge into the shark-infested Open Sea exhibit for edu- cational dive presentations. Guests also will be able to touch shark skin and teeth in the interactive Shark Discovery Zone. The 2015 international World Oceans Day theme, Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet, will be honored when upcycling becomes artistry as guests contribute to a marine debris wave and coral reef that will be on display throughout the day. WRN Youth Amba ssa dor Opportunity for Na tive youth to join the We R Na tive te a m! We R Native, a multimedia health resource for Native youth by Native youth, is designed to empower Native youth to take an active role in their own health and well-being. The program is asking American Indian and Alaska Native youth age 15-24 to join their team and: • • • • Make a positive difference in your community Travel to other communities and represent We R Native Host events to promote We R Native Get paid for your time Teens and young adults can apply online or by filling out a paper application. Learn more about past We R Native ambassadors and the program at wernative.org/Ambassador.aspx. Deadline for application: June 12. World Oceans Day activities are free with aquarium admission and advance registration is not required. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is open every day in the summer from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit us at 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road in Newport; aquarium.org or 541- 867-FISH. Follow us on Facebook.com/ OregonCoastAquarium, or Twitter.com/ OrCoastAquarium for the latest updates. Volunteer QUICWA Data Collectors Wanted • Are you interested in issues affecting the Native American community in Oregon? • Do you want to learn more about the juvenile court and the DHS child welfare system? • Do you have one afternoon (or more) a week to help with this project? The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law that seeks to keep American Indian/Alaskan Native children with American Indian/Alaskan Native families and was passed by Congress in 1978 in response to the alarmingly high number of Indian children being removed from their homes. (BIA guidelines for implementing the act were updated in 2015.) The Multnomah County QUICWA Project is part of a larger, growing statewide effort to monitor court hearings, come up with recommendations and ultimately increase compliance with ICWA. This exciting project has volunteers using a data instrument that was originally developed in Minnesota by the Minneapolis American Indian Center and later modified for Oregon to collect data on the juvenile court system’s compliance with ICWA, as well as track Tribal involvement, child placement histories, notice requirements, provision of qualified expert testimony, Tribal recommendations and hearing notes. When: Preliminary hearings occur between 2-5 p.m. M-F; other hearings times vary during the week. Where: Most hearings occur at the Juvenile Court, 1401 NE 68 th Ave.; some of the other hearings may be downtown. How do I become a QUICWA volunteer data collector? Call Jordana Leeb, volunteer coordinator for the Department of Human Services, 503-872-5586. You then will be asked to fill out an online application, attend a general volunteer orientation, complete a background check and participate in a court hearing training. June 2015 • SiletzNews • 15
