FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE������� ����������������������� ����������������������� ��� CONTACT: Nedra Darling

January 18, 2002��������������� ����������������������� ����������������������� ����������������������� ����������� 202-219-4152

Sixth Consultation Meeting On

Improving Indian Trust Asset Management

Set for January 23 in Anchorage

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) � Interior Assistant Secretary � Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb will meet with tribal leaders on Wednesday, January 23, 2002 in Anchorage, Alaska, at the sixth in a series of consultation meetings on the Department�s plan to improve the management of Indian trust assets.� The meeting will be held at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel (500 West 3^rd Avenue) starting at 9:00 a.m. local time.

On November 15, 2001, the Department announced plans to transfer and consolidate Indian trust asset management functions currently administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other Interior agencies within a new Bureau of Indian Trust Assets Management.� The Department also announced the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for Indian Trust Assets Management to oversee BITAM and a new Office of Indian Trust Transition to implement the transfer and consolidation plans.�

Consultation meetings have already taken place in Albuquerque, N.M.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Oklahoma City, Okla., Rapid City, S.D., and San Diego, Calif.� Another meeting will be held in Washington, D.C (Arlington, Va.) on February 1.� A notice with meeting dates and locations was published in the December 11 Federal Register.

WHO:����������������� Interior Assistant Secretary � Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb.

WHEN:����������������� 9:00 a.m. local time, Wednesday, January 23, 2002.

WHAT:����������������� Interior Department tribal consultation meeting on improving the management of

����������������� Indian trust assets.

WHERE:� Hilton Anchorage Hotel, 500 West 3^rd Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska.

����������������� Ph: 907-272-7411/Fax: 907-265-7140.

-BIA-