Science Blog -- Fourth Consultation Meeting On Improving Indian Trust Asset Management Set for January 10 in Rapid City</b></p>

Bureau of Indian Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE�� CONTACT: Nedra Darling

January 4, 2002�� 202-219-4152

MEDIA ADVISORY

Fourth Consultation Meeting On

Improving Indian Trust Asset Management

Set for January 10 in Rapid City

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) � Interior Assistant Secretary � Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb and Deputy Assistant Secretary Wayne Smith will meet with tribal leaders on Thursday, January 10, 2002 in Rapid City, S.D., at the fourth 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 Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza (505 N. 5^th St.) starting at 9:00 a.m. (MST).

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, Minneapolis and Oklahoma City.� Additional meetings will be held in San Diego, Calif., on January 17; Anchorage, Alaska, on January 23 and 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 and

�� Deputy Assistant Secretary � Indian Affairs Wayne Smith.

WHEN:�� 9:00 a.m. (MST), Thursday, January 10, 2002.

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

�� Indian trust assets.

WHERE:� Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza, 505 N. 5^th St., Rapid City, S.D.

-BIA-