HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.cbhear/fdsysauld0001 and id is 1 raw text is: AUT-ENTICATED
US. GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION
GP
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRON-
MENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPRO-
PRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
U.S. SENATE,
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,
Washington, DC.
NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES
[CLERK'S NOTE.-The subcommittee was unable to hold hearings
on nondepartmental witnesses. The statements and letters of those
submitting written testimony are as follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE 1854 TREATY AUTHORITY
1854 TREATY AUTHORITY
The 1854 Treaty Authority (Authority) is a Tribal organization funded by a Public
Law 93-638 contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) under its Trust-Nat-
ural Resources Management-Rights Protection Implementation (RPI) budget.
-The Authority supports funding of the BIA Rights Protection Implementation
Program at the approved fiscal year 2017 level and a proportionate share for
the Authority. We believe that the funding (as well as any increase in funding)
should be allocated in the same proportions as it has historically been distrib-
uted.
-The Authority supports the full finding of contract support for its Public Law
93-638, Self-Determination contract.
-The Authority supports maintaining funding for the Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative budget at least at its current level.
The Authority is a Tribal organization responsible for protecting, preserving, and
regulating the Treaty-reserved hunting, fishing and gathering rights in the territory
ceded to the United States by the Chippewa in the Treaty of September 30, 1854,
10 Stat. 1109. The Bois Forte Band and the Grand Portage Band created the au-
thority following Federal court affirmation of the rights in 1988. As part of a court-
approved agreement with the State of Minnesota, the Bands have obligations to pre-
serve the natural resources in the five (5) million acre ceded territory and to regu-
late the activities of Band members through a conservation code, enforcement offi-
cers, and a court. The Authority has been involved with a variety of inter-agency
efforts to study the effect of invasive species, climate change, and other activities
that impact treaty resources.
Although it has significant responsibilities in a geographic area the size of Massa-
chusetts, the Authority has only fourteen (14) full-time employees. With those lim-
ited resources, the Authority has been able to collaborate with State, Tribal and
Federal agencies to become a prominent presence in the conservation of resources
critical to the subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering activities of the Chippewa.
The challenges facing all natural resource management agencies mean that we need
to continue cooperative research and restoration at the present level or risk setbacks
that have a negative impact on future generations.
The successes of the Authority are overshadowed by the challenges facing the
trust resources that are at the heart of the Treaty rights. For reasons unknown, the
Minnesota moose population has declined significantly in just a few years and both
terrestrial and aquatic invasive species and climate change threaten the Treaty fish-
ing and wild rice production areas across the ceded territory. In addition, human
activities continue to deplete or displace wildlife populations.
(1)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.cbhear/fdsysauld0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)