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17th Annual Alaska Tribal Transportation Symposium March 11-13, 2019 at the; Anchorage Downtown Hilton Hotel Anchorage, Alaska (For 2018's Power Point Presentations, click on page next to the "Home" page above) NTICC The National Tribal Transportation in Indian Country Conference is; September 17th - 20th, 2018 in; Duluth, Minnesota (see Other Meetings and Links for weblink) ALERT!!! ALERT!!! ALERT!!! Re: Support to Extend Negotiated Rulemaking Authority for the Department of Transportation Tribal Self-Governance Program in the FAST Act, P.L. 114-194 July 13, 2018 Dear Tribal Leaders and Tribal Transportation Officials, This letter is an action alert to request your assistance with asking Congress for an extension of time for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the tribal members of the Tribal Transportation Program Self-Governance Negotiated Rulemaking Committee to restart and complete a good-faith negotiation of the rules governing self-governance at DOT. The Department’s conduct with respect to the rulemaking process has not been consistent with the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Indian Tribes, nor can the Tribal Committee members resolve serious and substantial policy disputes relating to the proposed rule in the little time remaining to publish a draft and final rule for the Program. We have attached a draft letter for your Tribe or Tribal Chairman to send to your congressional delegation and the leadership of important committees. Tribal leaders of the Committee are meeting with Congress on July 19 and 20, 2018, so it is important that you send the letters within the next week. Our suggested letter to Congress explains the Tribes’ justification for the extension request which requires an act of Congress. Please feel free to personalize the draft letter for your congressional delegation, and send it to the relevant committees and leaders identified. If you have questions, please contact your regional representative to the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, a list is attached, or to either of us at Principal Chief Kay Rhoads at chief@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov, (918) 968-3526 ext. 1004, or Head Councilman Joe Garcia at mistylake@cybermesa.com, (505) 660-0989. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Kay Rhoads, Committee Tribal Co-Chair Principal Chief, Sac and Fox Nation and, Joe A. Garcia, Committee Tribal Co-Chair Head Councilman, Ohkay Owingeh Please Share With Tribes In Your Area |
The FAST Act passed in December, 2015. This 5-year surface transportation authorization also includes Tribal Transit. The FAST Act is in affect through 2020.
Advocating for Alaska Tribes. Please help us!!! [SAMPLE TRIBAL LETTER TO CONGRESS] RE: Request for an extension for the Department of Transportation Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Negotiated Rulemaking Committee to complete its work. Dear [Member of Congress]: When Congress passed the FAST Act, P.L. 114-94, it provided for a Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program at the Department of Transportation (DOT) that will enable American Indian and Alaska Native tribes to employ the successful self-governance model to programs, services, funds, and activities at the Department and its Administration. As part of this self-governance program, Congress directed the Department to enter into a negotiated rulemaking with Tribal representatives to promulgate regulations via consensus, in line with the federal commitment to tribal self-governance and self-determination. Unfortunately, DOT unilaterally suspended the rulemaking process for more than sixteen months. As a result of its delays, there simply is not time for the Department to undertake a rulemaking that reflects the unique government-to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Tribes and the context of self-governance; the process Congress intended. The effect of the Department’s actions has been to marginalize and unfairly diminish the role of Tribes in the rulemaking process. On behalf of the ____________________, we ask that you work with your colleagues to extend the rulemaking authority under 23 U.S.C. 207(n) to allow the Rulemaking Committee much-needed time to work in good-faith to negotiate a draft rule for publication by June 4, 2019 and to finalize the rule by December 3, 2019. This additional time will enable the Committee to produce a rule with support of the Tribal committee members and one in line with the important tenets of self-governance and local, tribal control. Congress contemplated that DOT would work jointly with, not independent of, the Tribal Committee members to develop a regulation that would fulfill the decades’ old effort by Tribes to bring Tribal self-governance to DOT, its modal administrations, and its programs. Congress and Tribes envisioned the TTSGP as eliminating unnecessary regulations so that Tribes could break down transportation barriers that impede economic growth in our communities. The Department should not rush the rulemaking process for the sake of expediency. Without an extension to the rulemaking process by Congress, we do not see any way in which DOT will be able to produce an acceptable rule that is functional for Tribes and our programs. Tribes have decades of experience with self-governance, and we believe this extension would provide the time necessary to complete work on the negotiated rule that will work for both Tribes and the Department. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, [Tribal Leader] |