Form 1221-2

(June 1969)

UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

MANUAL TRANSMITTAL SHEET

Release

1-1780

Date

12/15/16

Subject: BLM Manual 1780 Tribal Relations (P)

1. Explanation of Material Transmitted: This release transmits the new Manual (MS) 1780, 

Tribal Relations, which replaces MS 8120, Tribal Consultation under Cultural Resources.

MS 1780 implements new administration and Departmental policies to provide 

comprehensive policy direction for all BLM managers and programs.

2. Reports Required: None.

3. Material Superseded: MS 8120. Release number 8-74

4. Filing Instructions: Remove and replace in accordance with the below instructions.

REMOVE All of MS 8120 INSERT All of MS 1780

Release 8-74

Neil Kornze

Director

Bureau of Land Management
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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1-1

1.1 PURPOSE ........................................................................................................................ 1-1

1.2 OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................... 1-2

1.3 AUTHORITY ................................................................................................................... 1-3

1.4 RESPONSIBILITY............................................................................................................. 1-7

1.5 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 1-12

1.6 POLICY......................................................................................................................... 1-13

1.7 FILE AND RECORDS MAINTENANCE ............................................................................. 1-19

CHAPTER 2. BLM RELATIONSHIP TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, 

INDIVIDUALS, AND NON-FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED GROUPS .............................. 2-1

2.1 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES.................................................................................. 2-1

2.2 INDIAN INDIVIDUALS AND NONGOVERNMENTAL TRIBAL GROUPS ................................ 2-1

2.3 GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES NOT FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED......................................... 2-2

CHAPTER 3. PROGRAM RELATIONSHIPS...................................................................... 3-1

3.1 TRIBAL RELATIONS INFORM DECISIONMAKING AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ............ 3-1

3.2 TRIBAL CONSULTATION OBLIGATIONS EXTEND TO INTER-AGENCY 

RELATIONSHIPS.............................................................................................................. 3-8

3.3 RELATIONSHIP TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS .................................................. 3-9

GLOSSARY OF TERMS.........................................................................................................G-1

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................... A1-1

APPENDIX 2 JUDGING THE ADEQUACY OF TRIBAL CONSULTATION ................................. A2-1

APPENDIX 3 BLM TRIBAL LIAISON POSITION DESCRIPTION ........................................... A3-1
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Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose

A. The United States has a unique legal relationship with federally recognized Indian 

tribes established through and confirmed by the Constitution of the United States, 

treaties, statutes, Executive orders, and judicial decisions. In accordance with that 

relationship, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charged with engaging in 

regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with federally recognized tribes 

in the development of Federal policies and decisions that have tribal implications. 

B. This manual defines the policies, roles and responsibilities, and standards for BLM 

tribal relations and government-to-government tribal consultation within a

comprehensive framework of those legal authorities affecting this relationship. This 

manual provides a reference source within the BLM Manual system that establishes 

policy governing BLM tribal relationships, including consultation, coordination, and 

trust responsibilities. Its purpose is to strengthen the BLM’s tribal relations policies 

and procedures, including those related to the agency’s trust responsibilities toward 

tribes. These policies encourage the BLM to establish ongoing relationships with 

federally recognized tribes (American Indians and Alaska Natives) through engagement 

in open, continuous, and meaningful consultation.

C. This manual provides policy direction on the BLM’s tribal consultation responsibilities 

across all BLM program areas.

D. This manual and its accompanying handbook, H-1780-1, Improving and Sustaining 

BLM-Tribal Relations, replace policies previously established in MS-8120, Tribal 

Consultation Under Cultural Resources (December 2004), and H-8120-1, General 

Procedural Guidance for Native American Consultation (December 2004). These 

updated directives reflect key provisions of those authorities listed below which have 

been issued since December 2004.

E. This manual establishes policy direction regarding government-to-government 

consultation with Indian tribes relating to BLM decisions to ensure that it—

1. Begins early in the life cycle of a proposed action;

2. Directly involves the agency official who has delegated authority for disposition 

of the proposed action;

3. Recognizes the transparent and deliberative nature of consultation;

4. Includes a reasonable and sustained effort to invite tribes to consult, which may 

include several invitations and/or other methods of offering engagement;
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5. Is carried out in the context of an ongoing relationship involving regularly 

scheduled meetings and other forms of communications; 

6. Communicates final decisions with a summary explanation of how tribal concerns 

were taken into account; and 

7. Does not terminate with the decision or authorization itself, but rather continues 

to engage tribes regarding land and mineral resources, land uses, treatments, all 

forms of mitigation (including data recovery, interpretation, funding for tribal 

social/cultural programs, lease stipulations, operating plan conditions-of-approval, 

etc.), inspections and monitoring, reclamation requirements, and dissemination of 

reports and information for the lands and resources affected.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of this manual are—

A. To develop and maintain productive government-to-government tribal relationships at 

the field, district, state, and Washington office levels with federally recognized tribes 

within the framework of the legal authorities listed at section 1.3.

B. To build long-term partnerships with tribal governments based on common interests in 

managing and protecting lands and resources important to Indian tribes and the 

American people.

C. To encourage the exchange of information regarding tribal issues and resources across 

all BLM programs.

D. To establish tribal consultation as a standard and routine BLM practice.

E. To ensure that BLM tribal consultation is consistent with departmental and national 

policy goals to—

1. Collect, evaluate, apply, and protect sensitive and confidential information 

relating to tribal concerns in a consistent manner;

2. Conduct timely, respectful, and meaningful two-way communication and 

consultation with tribes that—

a. Recognizes the ongoing BLM operational and fiduciary responsibility 

concerning Indian tribal trust minerals and other resource development on 

Indian trust lands.

b. Ensures appropriate opportunities for tribal input regarding the management 

of non-trust assets on public lands managed by the BLM; and 
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3. Foster positive relationships and trust between the BLM and tribes through 

collaborative stewardship in management of tribal and public land resources.

F. To carry out policies and operational guidance designed to meet these goals based on 

tribal consultation principles expressed in the Department of the Interior’s Policy on 

Consultation with Indian Tribes and the Consultation Committee of the Interagency 

Working Group on Indian Affairs, as adopted in the Departmental Manual – 512 DM 4 

and 5 (November 9, 2015). This manual adopts consultation principles derived from 

Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation (November 5, 2009) and Executive 

Order 13175 (November 6, 2000):

1. Respect tribal sovereignty;

2. Honor the government-to-government relationship;

3. Acknowledge trust responsibility;

4. Accept tribal self-determination and self-governance; and

5. Regard consultation as an ongoing process.

G. To establish a BLM tribal relations policy that recognizes each tribal government is 

unique in its views, concerns, and capacities. The BLM will endeavor to establish 

government-to-government relationships with each tribe that are responsive to the 

unique nature of each tribal government.

H. To acknowledge that tribes have different interests and capacities and to commit to 

working collaboratively with tribes to develop consultation procedures that meet the 

needs and capabilities of both the BLM and tribes.

1.3 Authority

Federal government and Indian tribal relationships reflect the political and historical 

development of the Nation. The BLM’s legal and political government-to-government 

consultation process is an expression of such fundamental legal principles as trust relationship, 

reserved rights, plenary powers, and tribal sovereignty. These legal tenets are further delineated 

in accordance with the following authorities and directives: 

A. Treaties. Treaties between tribes and the United States constitute negotiated 

agreements that served multiple functions, including recognizing a sovereign 

government, establishing economic relations, acquiring territory by the United States, 

and establishing reserves where tribal law and customs prevail. Some tribes reserved 

the right for their members to fish, hunt, and gather foods and medicine on their 

homelands beyond reserved land boundaries; other treaties were never ratified, 

however, thus providing an opportunity for those tribes to continue their claim to 

aboriginal title and inherent rights. The federal trust responsibility confirms that tribes 
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have a unique status and forms the basis for the relationship between tribes and the 

United States government. Under the treaties, tribes ceded significant portions of their 

aboriginal lands to the United States. Generally, in return, tribes reserved separate, 

isolated reservation lands under the treaties and retained certain rights to hunt, fish, 

graze animals, and gather resources on unoccupied lands ceded to the United States. 

These rights are known as “off-reservation treaty rights.”

B. Laws that serve as authorities for tribal consultation are—

1. The Act of April 8, 1864, Survey of Reservations (25 U.S.C. 176);

2. The Anti-Deficiency Act of 1870 (31 U.S.C. 1341);

3. Indian General Allotment Act of 1887 (25 U.S.C. 334);

4. Leases of Allotted Lands for Mining Purposes of 1909 (25 U.S.C. 396);

5. Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended through Public Law 113-67 (30 U.S.C. 

181);

6. Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934 (25 U.S.C. 5101, et seq.);

7. Leases of Unallotted Lands for Mining Purposes of 1938 (25 U.S.C. 396a);

8. National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. 300101);

9. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321);

10. Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (43 U.S.C. 1601, et seq.);

11. Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (25 U.S.C. 450);

12. Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1701);

13. American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 (AIRFA) (42 U.S.C. 1996);

14. Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA) (16 U.S.C. 470aa);

15. Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA) (16 U.S.C. 

1602–1784);

16. Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 (25 U.S.C. 1601);

17. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) (25 

U.S.C. 3001);

18. Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb); and
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19. Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3101, et seq.).

C. Regulations governing tribal consultation include—

1. 25 CFR Part 211, Leasing of Tribal Lands for Mineral Development;

2. 25 CFR Part 212, Leasing of Allotted Lands for Mineral Development;

3. 25 CFR Part 216, Surface Exploration, Mining, and Reclamation;

4. 25 CFR Part 224, Tribal Energy Resource Agreements Under the Indian Tribal 

Energy Development and Self Determination Act;

5. 25 CFR Part 225, Oil and Gas, Geothermal, and Solid Mineral Agreements;

6. 25 CFR Part 900, Contracts Under the Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Assistance Act;

7. 25 CFR Part 1000, Annual Funding Agreements Under the Tribal SelfGovernance Act Amendments to the Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Act;

8. 36 CFR Part 60, National Register of Historic Places;

9. 36 CFR Part 800, Protection of Historic Properties;

10. 40 CFR Part 1500, Purpose, Policy, and Mandate (of NEPA);

11. 43 CFR Part 7, Protection of Archaeological Resources;

12. 43 CFR Part 10, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation 

Regulations;

13. 43 CFR Part 46, Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969;

14. 43 CFR Part 1600, Planning, Programming, Budgeting;

15. 43 CFR 2650, Alaska Native Selections under the Alaska Native Claims 

Settlement Act;

16. 43 CFR Part 3000, Minerals Management: General;

17. 43 CFR Part 3160, Onshore Oil and Gas Operations (i.e., Oil and Gas Order 

No.1);

18. 43 CFR Part 3260, Geothermal Resources Operations;
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19. 43 CFR Part 3400, Coal Management: General;

20. 43 CFR Part 3590, Solid Mineral (Other Than Coal) Exploration and Mining 

Operations;

21. 43 CFR Part 8365, Rules of Conduct; and

22. 43 CFR Part 9180, Cadastral Surveys.

D. Executive Orders/Presidential Memoranda addressing tribal relations include—

1. Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in 

Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (59 CFR Part 7629; February 

16, 1994);

2. Presidential Memorandum of April 29, 1994, Government-to-Government 

Relations with Native American Tribal Governments;

3. Executive Order 13007, Indian Sacred Sites (61 CFR Part 104; May 24, 1996);

4. Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal 

Governments (65 CFR Part 67249; November 6, 2000);

5. Presidential Memorandum of September 23, 2004, Memorandum on Governmentto-Government Relationship with Tribal Governments;

6. Presidential Memorandum of November 5, 2009, Tribal Consultation;

7. Presidential Memorandum of April 16, 2010, A 21st Century Strategy for 

America’s Great Outdoors; and

8. Executive Order 13592, Improving American Indian and Alaska Native 

Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities 

(3 CFR Part 13592; December 2, 2011).

E. Orders from the Secretary of the Interior include—

1. Secretarial Order 3087 (as amended), Organizational Restructuring of the 

Department of the Interior Minerals Management Functions (December 3, 1982);

2. Secretarial Order 3206, American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust 

Responsibilities, and the Endangered Species Act (June 5, 1997);

3. Secretarial Order 3215, Principles for the Discharge of the Secretary’s Trust 

Responsibility (April 28, 2000);
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4. Secretarial Order 3317, Department of the Interior Policy on Consultation with 

Tribes (December 1, 2011);

5. Secretarial Order 3323, Establishment of the America’s Great Outdoors Program 

(September 12, 2012);

6. Secretarial Order 3335, Reaffirmation of the Federal Trust Responsibility to 

Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Individual Indian Beneficiaries (August 

20, 2014); 

7. Secretarial Order 3336, Rangeland Fire Prevention, Management and Restoration

(January 5, 2015);

8. Secretarial Order 3342, Identifying Opportunities for Cooperative and 

Collaborative Partnerships with Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in the 

Management of Federal Lands and Resources (October 21, 2016).

F. Departmental Manuals include—

1. 512 DM 3, Departmental Responsibilities for Protecting/Accommodating Access 

to Indian Sacred Sites

2. 512 DM 4, Department of the Interior Policy on Consultation with Indian Tribes 

and Alaska Native Corporations

3. 512 DM 5, Procedures for Consultation with Indian Tribes

1.4 Responsibility

A. Delegation of Authority. Part 235 of the Departmental Manual (DM) delegates 

authorities from the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals

Management to the BLM Director. BLM state directors are generally authorized to 

perform in their respective states the functions of the BLM Director. BLM policy (MS 

1203.02) requires that authority for making specific agency decisions related to project 

approvals or land use allocations be delegated to the level of the organization (field 

office manager or district manager) most responsive to local communities, issues, and 

conditions. Department policy as stated in 512 DM 5 is “the appropriate DOI officials 

are those individuals who are knowledgeable about the matters at hand, are authorized 

to speak for a bureau/office, and who exercise delegated authority in the disposition and 

implementation of a bureau/office action.” The authorized officer carrying out tribal 

consultation for the BLM under such delegation is doing so on behalf of the Secretary 

of the Interior.

B. The Director and deputy directors have responsibility for ensuring that BLM programspecific policies and operations are consistent with the policies and principles on tribal 

relations as expressed in part by Secretarial Order 3335, including government-to-
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government consultation, and are followed by state, district, and field office managers. 

On an annual basis, the Director must report to the Secretary on the results of their

tribal consultation efforts in accordance with 512 DM 4. In carrying out the reporting 

requirements of 512 DM 4, the Director may meet with Indian tribal leaders regarding 

the BLM's management priorities and policies. Reporting is intended to be 

comprehensive and may include, but is not limited to, the scope of consultation efforts, 

the cost of these efforts, and the effectiveness of consultation activities. 

C. Assistant directors, acting through their respective divisions and staffs to the resource

programs or administrative processes involved, are jointly responsible for developing

the specific program- or process-related guidance, procedures, and directives needed to

ensure that tribal consultation is carried out consistently in accordance with this manual

among the BLM’s various programs and offices.

D. The tribal liaison officer is appointed by the Director to carry out the duties prescribed

in 512 DM 4. Such responsibilities include but are not limited to: enhancing

communications with tribes; promoting cooperation between agencies when a

Department of the Interior action with tribal implications arises; coordinating annual

reports describing efforts to promote consultation with tribes; supporting/participating

in the joint tribal-Federal mission to identify areas for improvements in the

Department’s consultation practices; and contributing to the development of annual

work plans that specify priorities to improve the quality of consultation practices.

E. State directors and associate state directors must develop and maintain a governmentto-government relationship with tribes. State directors are charged with—

1. Ensuring that tribal consultation responsibilities are accomplished;

2. Developing agreements for communication within the framework of the Bureau’s

government-to-government relationship with tribes;

3. Ensuring the development and use of sound technical information, policy

guidance, and procedures as needed;

4. Coordinating tribal consultation with other Federal offices at state and regional

levels where appropriate;

5. Developing procedures to facilitate consultation when BLM-tribal consultation

includes more than one field office;

6. Coordinating protocols that facilitate tribal consultation and tribal relations with

other BLM state directors, including the establishment of regional tribal liaisons,

when the tribes involved consult with multiple BLM states; and
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7. Cooperate with other state directors by facilitating regular coordination meetings 

and developing consistent tribal consultation procedures for tribes whose 

concerns regarding traditional lands may extend into multiple states.

F. District managers and field office managers (line officers) are expected to establish 

ongoing government-to-government relationships with elected tribal officials and those 

members of tribal government authorized by the tribe to engage in government-togovernment activities. Line managers must become familiar with the history of 

Federal-tribal relationships of the particular tribes with whom they consult. Such 

knowledge should include, where applicable, an appreciation for how property rights 

have been maintained as well as any specific off-reservation treaty rights and how they 

relate to or affect local tribes' use and access to resources on public lands. Given the 

complexity of laws, treaties, and other authorities, line managers must seek legal advice 

from Department of the Interior solicitors if legal questions arise regarding tribal rights 

and the management of public lands or resources. Line officers are directly 

accountable for carrying out BLM policies and decisions within a geographically 

designated administrative unit. They are authorized to speak for the BLM and have 

delegated project-level decisionmaking authority and responsibility, including—

1. Administering lands, cultural heritage, natural, and minerals resources programs 

in a manner consistent with Indian treaty rights, other applicable legal statutes, 

and the BLM’s responsibility to work in partnership with Indian tribes on a 

government-to-government basis;

2. Developing relationships and agreements to facilitate coordination and 

consultation when BLM-tribal consultation is limited to that particular field 

office;

3. Seeking opportunities to develop partnerships with tribes under all appropriate 

BLM authorities;

4. Facilitating tribal access to public lands for the purposes of religious use and other 

traditional uses, such as gathering natural resources, and avoiding unnecessary 

interference with traditional religious practices;

5. Ensuring that Indian tribes are consulted to gather information relating to public 

land resources of interest to tribes (such as firewood collecting, grazing, water 

use, and plants and animals of traditional importance) and to ensure that land use 

planning takes such concerns and interests into account;

6. Initiating contact and consulting with tribes pursuant to the requirements of laws, 

Executive orders, regulations, guidance, and agreements cited in sections 1.3 and 

1.5 and personally participating in key milestone meetings;
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7. Ensuring that potentially affected tribes, located inside and outside of field office 

boundaries, are consulted in order to identify their concerns to allow these

concerns to be considered in specific BLM decisions;

8. Ensuring that information on tribal issues receives good faith consideration during 

BLM decisionmaking;

9. Ensuring that the manner in which tribal concerns are considered and how these

concerns are addressed in the decisionmaking process is communicated clearly to 

the affected tribes;

10. Maintaining a professional staff capable of working cooperatively and effectively 

with tribal representatives so that proposed land use actions minimize adverse 

effects to lands or resources of importance to tribes to the extent permitted by law; 

and

11. Ensuring that tribal mineral records, sensitive and confidential information related 

to sacred sites as defined in Executive Order 13007, and traditional religious or 

cultural practices on the public lands are protected from public disclosure to the 

extent permitted by law.

G. State, district, and field tribal liaisons are responsible for providing professionally 

sound information, recommendations, and advice to line managers regarding 

coordination of all Bureau programs and activities with programs and interests of tribal 

governments. BLM tribal liaisons are charged with providing line managers with 

timely and appropriate information on how best to engage in effective government-togovernment consultation and ongoing relationships with tribal entities. Where multiple 

tribal liaison positions are created within a state, coordination from the State Office will

establish and implement uniform policies for tribal consultation so that approaches do 

not vary significantly across the state. A model position description for such a position 

can be found in appendix 3. Depending upon their location within the BLM 

organization, tribal liaison duties may include:

1. Advising line management on possible impacts of proposed agency actions and 

identifying potential preferred courses of action, where appropriate;

2. Advocating and promoting effective ongoing communication between the BLM 

and tribes;

3. Communicating issues and concerns raised by tribes during consultation to the 

project manager or other staff specialists;

4. Assisting BLM specialists and concerned tribal staff to craft solutions to conflicts 

concerning natural and heritage resources;
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5. Advising managers on conflicting or competing interests of various tribes 

regarding proposed land uses;

6. Ensuring that tribal issues and concerns are appropriately considered and 

addressed in the NEPA review process;

7. Documenting ongoing tribal consultation and providing it to the project manager 

or line officer;

8. Facilitating and providing staff support to all line officers engaged in governmentto-government meetings or joint field trips, including providing documentation of 

discussions;

9. Providing line and project managers with information regarding traditional uses of 

public lands, tribal practices and beliefs, and locations on public lands that may be 

associated with such practices and beliefs;

10. Working with tribes to develop and implement projects and programs of mutual 

interest that enhance opportunities for the education and training of tribal 

members and the public, including development of curriculum materials; and

11. Informing tribal youth of temporary seasonal employment opportunities, 

internships, or the Pathways Program for careers in the BLM, as directed by 

human resources staff and field managers.

H. Project managers ensure that line officers invite tribes to be cooperating agencies in 

preparing resource management plans (RMP) and EISs; as consulting parties under 

36 CFR Part 800; or as interested parties for any project review. Project managers 

support efforts by the appropriate line officer(s) to facilitate tribal consultation for 

multi-jurisdiction projects such as interstate rights-of-way which may affect tribal use 

and access to public lands or resources of concern to tribes. Project managers work 

with tribal liaisons to facilitate government-to-government consultation with Indian 

tribes by promoting open and ongoing dialogue. They ensure that documentation of 

tribal consultation is maintained and complete in the administrative record. They 

provide final decision documents, accompanied by an explanation of why the agency 

did or did not make changes requested by tribes, to all line officers responsible for 

consulting with tribal partners.

I. Applicants for BLM authorizations (permittees, lessees, licensees, grantees, etc.) cannot 

be delegated tribal consultation responsibilities. The appropriate use of applicants or 

their contractors will be determined by the BLM line manager and the tribes, following 

BLM-tribal consultation. The BLM remains responsible for the government-togovernment consultation process. Applicants, their employees, and contractors may not 

become involved in any aspects of tribal consultation in which BLM decisionmaking 

constitutes an inherently governmental function. However, applicants may assist the 
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BLM in such administrative support activities as gathering and analyzing data, 

preparing reports, facilitating field trip logistics, managing compilation of data and 

records as part of project documentation, or other approved activities. (See H-1780-1 

Chapter III. B. 3 for a more detailed description of the limited role of applicants in the 

facilitation of tribal consultation by the BLM).

1.5 References

A. Existing BLM manual guidance is found in—

1. MS-1203, Delegation of Authority, (including annual updates);

2. MS-1601, Land Use Planning;

3. H-1790-1, National Environmental Policy Act;

4. MS-4100, Grazing Administration—Exclusive of Alaska;

5. MS-6100, National Conservation Lands Management;

6. MS-6220, National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, and Similar 

Designations;

7. MS-6250, National Scenic and Historic Trail Administration;

8. MS-6330, Management of BLM Wilderness Study Areas;

9. MS-6340, Management of Designated Wilderness Areas;

10. MS-6400, Wild and Scenic Rivers—Policy and Program Direction for 

Identification, Evaluation, Planning, and Management;

11. MS-8100, Foundation of the Cultural Heritage Program;

12. MS-8110, Proactive Management of Heritage Resources; 

13. MS-8120, Heritage Resources in Land Use Planning;

14. MS-8130, Heritage Resource Stewardship and Protection;

15. MS-8140, Environmental Review in Heritage Resources;

16. MS-8150, Permitting Cultural Heritage Program Activities;

17. MS-8160, Managing Heritage Resource Data;

18. MS-8170, Managing Cultural Resource Collections; and
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19. MS-8180, Implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation 

Act

B. Agreements pertinent to tribal relations include—

1. Memorandum of Understanding among the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. 

Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of 

Energy, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Regarding 

Interagency Coordination and Collaboration for the Protection of Indian Sacred 

Sites (December 4, 2012);

2. Programmatic Agreement Among the Bureau of Land Management, the Advisory 

Council on Historic Preservation, and the National Conference of State Historic 

Preservation Officers regarding the Manner in which the BLM Will Meet its 

Responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act (February 9, 2012); 

and

3. Onshore Federal and Indian Energy and Mineral Lease Management Standard 

Operating Procedures (SOP) (signed by the DOI Assistant Secretary, PMB, on 

September 18, 2013, and amended on September 23, 2013).

C. Plans that address tribal relations include—

1. Department of the Interior, Environmental Justice Strategic Plan, 2012–2017.

1.6 Policy

The BLM’s policy for tribal relations is based on the recognition of tribal sovereignty and tribal 

self-governance as reflected in Principle 1 of Secretarial Order 3335. The BLM recognizes each 

tribal government is unique and that different tribes have varying levels of staffing, expertise, 

and interests.

The BLM commits to building and sustaining an ongoing relationship with Indian tribes. Such a 

relationship is founded upon consultation regarding planning and project-specific issues as well 

as long-term personal and institutional relationships resulting from collaborative and cooperative 

programs of mutual interest as reflected in Principle 4 of Secretarial Order 3335. Collaborative 

efforts include BLM education or employment opportunities for tribes and tribal members; joint 

training courses; management of natural and heritage resources; and exchanges of speakers and 

programs that increase cultural understanding.

The BLM affirms that government-to-government consultation is the official means for 

considering and incorporating tribal concerns into the BLM decisionmaking process. The BLM 

views consultation as a deliberative process that aims to create effective collaboration and 

informed land use decisions as addressed in Principle 6 of Secretarial Order 3335. Those 

individuals who are knowledgeable about the matters at hand, who are authorized to speak for 
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the agency, and who exercise delegated authority in the disposition and implementation of an 

agency action will represent the BLM in government-to-government consultation. BLM officials 

who have been delegated the authority to engage in government-to-government consultation 

include the Director, state directors, and their line officers.

The BLM engages in government-to-government consultation with elected tribal officials. 

Tribal leaders may assign a tribal staff member or other designee to be their official 

representative in discussions. Such a delegation often extends to such positions as Division 

Directors for Realty or Natural Resources or Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.

The BLM also acknowledges that Federal and tribal officials, staff, tribal elders, various 

specialists, contractors, and applicants often engage in ongoing interaction and discussion. Such 

information sharing or exchanges may contribute much of the information needed to support 

plan and project decisionmaking. These informal discussions are necessary to ensure the free 

flow of information among all parties and to ensure that both tribal officials and Federal 

managers are well informed about a common set of facts, perspectives, and issues when they 

engage in formal government-to-government consultation. Successfully achieving both 

meaningful consultation and a strong government-to-government relationship often depends 

upon these informal, staff-to-staff working relationships.

A. General. Several general policies are related to all tribal consultation situations:

1. The BLM formally engages federally recognized Indian tribes on a governmentto-government basis. These formal interactions are complemented by informal 

working relationships between BLM managers and tribal officials, and between 

BLM and tribal staffs.

2. The BLM conducts government-to-government consultation with Indian tribes to 

improve collaborative and informed Federal decisionmaking. The BLM 

understands government-to-government consultation to be an ongoing 

relationship between BLM officials and elected tribal officials that educates both 

parties and results in the best informed BLM land use decisions.

3. The BLM intends government-to-government consultation to be an open and 

ongoing dialogue between BLM line officers and elected tribal officials regarding 

both specific projects and general issues related to policy, planning, and other 

long-term concerns.

4. Information, opinions, or recommendations may be provided to the BLM from 

individual tribal members or traditional tribal religious leaders. In cases where 

such comments conflict with positions taken by official tribal representatives, the 

BLM will defer to the opinions and positions adopted by the tribal government. 

Should this occur, the comments will be treated as those received from the public. 

They will be handled accordingly by the BLM and tribal members notified. Only 

where specified in particular statutes (e.g., NAGPRA gives legal precedence to 
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lineal descendants) will the BLM consult with and give precedence to individuals 

other than official tribal government representatives. 

5. Only BLM line officers are authorized to speak for the agency and will exercise 

their delegated authority in the conduct of government-to-government 

consultation and decision-making.

6. The BLM consults with tribes for all actions where consultation is specifically 

required by statute, regulation, or policy and for any additional action that will 

have a substantial direct effect on tribal planning issues, including regulations, 

rulemaking, policy, guidance, or operational activities.

7. The BLM understands that project-specific consultation between the BLM and 

tribal technical staff should be established early in the planning cycle and 

continues during project implementation and afterward during long-term 

monitoring and reclamation.

8. When amending and revising land use plans the BLM seeks to be consistent with 

tribal land use and resource allocation plans (including Alaska Native village or 

regional corporation plans, as applicable) and other tribal resource planning 

documents to the extent consistent with the laws governing the administration of 

the public lands per 43 CFR 1610.3-2.

9. The BLM recognizes that it has a broad trust responsibility that in some cases 

includes a fiduciary duty related to Indian trust assets and property or interests 

reserved by or granted to Indian tribes or Indian individuals by treaty, statute, and 

Executive orders. The BLM also recognizes that Indian tribes may have reserved 

rights granted by treaties or authorized by specific legislation that applies to

water, fish, wildlife, or vegetative resources.

10. The BLM recognizes that Indian tribes are knowledgeable sources and experts 

concerning their own cultures. They can provide unique insight and explanation 

of tribal history and land uses. When provided with such information, the BLM 

will take this into account when making decisions related to the identification, 

evaluation, treatment, and management of natural and heritage resources.

11. The BLM recognizes Indian religious and cultural values as an important, living 

part of our Nation’s heritage. The BLM commits to addressing and, where 

practicable, minimizing potential disruption of the traditional expression or 

maintenance of these values that might result from BLM land use decisions.

B. Compensation to Tribes. The BLM traditionally contracts for services, including 

reports or studies, through the BLM acquisition and procurement procedures to obtain

data and documentation on resources it manages or that may be affected by its 

decisions. Such contractual relationships will continue. 
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All contractual obligations to tribes, labor, and financial outlays spent by the BLM to 

carry out tribal consultation policies and procedures expressed within this manual and 

H-1780-1 will be governed by provisions of the Anti-Deficiency Act. This Act 

prevents the incurring of obligations or the making of expenditures in advance or in 

excess of amounts available in appropriated funds.

Upon issuance of this manual and H-1780-1, Improving and Sustaining BLM-Tribal 

Relations, the BLM will allow an expansion of compensation to include Native 

American contributions of information, comments, or input into the BLM’s decisionmaking processes. When it is in the BLM’s best interest to do so to facilitate land use 

decisions, managers may provide, or require that land use applicants provide, financial 

compensation to Indian tribes to help defray their costs for consulting with the BLM 

regarding land use planning or authorizations. Such compensation may cover the costs 

of travel, per diem, time of tribal elders or officials. This comprehensive compensation 

policy incorporates the following considerations:

1. The BLM acknowledges that tribal information and perspectives may be 

important for managers to make robust and defensible decisions and that

compensation may facilitate the decisionmaking process.

2. The BLM acknowledges that requests to tribes for consultation or information for 

the large number of land use authorizations processed annually can result in 

substantial administrative and personnel costs to tribes.

3. The BLM has the authority to implement policies and procedures to pay both for 

reports or investigations necessary to the decisionmaking process as well as to 

partially offset reasonable financial costs to tribes for government-to-government

consultation. Thus, compensation may be provided for both professional products 

and for tribal participation in BLM decisionmaking processes.

4. Field offices that request products from tribes must do so using standard 

procurement instruments such as contracts or assistance agreements.

5. Compensation for government-to-government consultation, which is neither 

legally prohibited nor required, is at the discretion of the responsible manager, 

and subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

6. Costs of providing compensation for consultation shall be charged to the 

benefitting subactivity.

7. Compensation must be approved by the appropriate federal official in advance.

8. Compensation will only be provided to tribal representatives whose consultation 

expenses are not otherwise provided by their tribe.
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9. When a line officer decides to provide compensation for reasonable consultation

costs, offices are strongly encouraged to execute agreements with tribe(s) to 

specify the level of reasonable compensation to be provided, to whom, and for 

what purpose (see H-1780-1, Improving and Sustaining BLM-Tribal Relations,

Appendix 2, Implementation of BLM Policy Regarding Compensation to Native 

Americans for Products and Their Participation in the BLM’s Decision-Making

Processes).

10. Tribal compensation policies and procedures will be implemented so as not to 

unduly burden BLM field offices with administrative details.

11. When the BLM requires a proponent to provide funding for tribal consultation or

services, the BLM shall explicitly inform the proponent what information the 

agency needs and shall specify reasonable limits and restrictions to the 

expenditures. It remains the BLM's responsibility to consult with tribes to 

determine how best to obtain that information.

12. In accordance with the appropriate governing sections of FLPMA (e.g., sections 

304(b) and 504(g)) or other legal authorities, proponents may be required to 

provide funding to carry out consultation when it is necessary for the BLM to 

process the application consistent with existing processing fee and cost recovery 

allowance guidance. This may include (a) a cost recovery agreement to reimburse 

BLM staff for their tribal consultation costs; (b) financial arrangements between 

the proponent and tribes to cover reasonable costs for consultation; and/or (c) 

compensation to tribal experts for application review or other services that 

contribute information necessary for the BLM to make a well-informed decision.

13. Offices may proceed with the expectation that interested Indian tribes will 

respond within a reasonable time period. If an office initiates consultation with a 

tribe but does not receive a response, the bureau/office should make reasonable 

and periodic efforts to repeat the invitation and, when feasible, should allow an 

Indian tribe to join an ongoing consultation.

C. Reburial of Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items Addressed by 

NAGPRA on Public Land. State directors may authorize the reburial of Native 

American human remains and cultural items, as defined in NAGPRA, on BLM public 

lands. Reburial may be authorized only after the NAGPRA process has concluded. 

When considering reburial requests, managers should comply with relevant NEPA and 

NHPA requirements as applicable and evaluate available legal and physical protections 

offered at the proposed location, future Bureau responsibilities, and accessibility for 

tribal members. Indian tribes may have expectations for future site protection against 

theft, disturbance, and such indirect impacts as erosion. Although reburial sites would 

probably not qualify as historic properties under NHPA, they may be considered as 

sacred sites under Executive Order 13007 and/or “places of special interest” under 

NEPA. The remains may also constitute archaeological resources under ARPA. The 
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BLM’s heritage resource specialists will maintain records of reburials as working files 

or as a layer of information separate and distinct from other heritage resources within 

site record databases. Such strategies including the securing of related records in 

locked cabinets will better protect culturally sensitive information.

D. Conclusion of Consultation. The BLM line manager must determine that sufficient 

tribal consultation has occurred in accordance with time frames required to make a 

decision regarding land use planning or proposed actions on the public lands. 

Department policy in 512 DM 5.5(D) requires bureaus to prepare a summary of the 

consultation activities upon completion of consultation for actions. This is usually done 

through the NEPA record. Tribes that have participated in consultation must be 

notified of the basis for the BLM decision. The BLM must clearly explain how tribal 

input affected the final decision. While the BLM prefers that it address tribal concerns 

or resolve potential effects , however, this is not always possible. Where the BLM was

not able to accommodate tribal desires, a clear explanation must be provided explaining 

why this was not possible. Avenues for protest or appeal of the BLM’s final decision 

must be provided. Correspondence shall make clear that, whether the tribe agrees with 

the BLM decision or not, the agency views tribal consultation as an open-ended 

relationship. In that spirit, BLM line managers shall ask tribes at the issuance of a 

decision if they wish to comment on future updating, monitoring, or reclamation tied to 

the planning or proposed action. 

E. Performance Measures. State, district, and field offices will create specific, measurable 

performance standards to ensure accountability of line officers in carrying out BLM 

tribal consultation policies. They will be uniform on a district or statewide basis. For 

all offices managing actions with tribal implications, line officers’ annual performance 

evaluations (i.e., employee performance appraisal plans) must contain at least one 

critical element, or sub-element, pertaining to BLM-tribal relations.

F. Staffing. State directors must ensure that each state’s table of organization includes 

sufficient staff expertise in tribal relations and other resources to effectively carry out 

timely and responsive tribal consultation. Staff tribal liaisons must provide input to all 

agency programs whose actions may affect tribal interests. Simply assigning tribal 

relations duties to onboard staff specialists, such as heritage resource specialists, will 

often not allow sufficient time or expertise for the accomplishment of tasks and duties 

listed in section 1.4.G above in a legally defensible manner. On a statewide basis, at 

least one full-time equivalent tribal liaison position should be staffed by an individual 

with knowledge and experience related not only to historic preservation but also to 

consultation policies of tribes, local tribes’ primary concerns, including socioeconomic 

concerns, environmental justice issues, cultural or treaty considerations, mineral trust 

concerns, and tribal customs and traditions. Tribal liaison positions may be located at 

the state, district, or field office level depending on where the work can be most

effectively performed. Tribal liaison positions must be established for administrative 

units where tribal relations are pronounced and routinely have a bearing on agency 
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decisionmaking processes. As discussed in section 1.6 B.11 above, where justifiable, 

state directors and field office managers shall utilize cost recovery agreements to the 

maximum extent possible to defray the costs of tribal liaison activities.

G. Tracking Costs of Consultation and Tribal Relations. All BLM employees engaged in 

tribal consultation must code their time to the appropriate program element in 

conformance with the BLM’s cost management structure, which emphasizes coding to 

the specific project/activity compelling the consultation, such as a right-of-way 

application, permit issuance, lease, or specific fire activity. In instances where no direct

cost, output-producing program element is applicable, labor and operations costs tied to 

consultation or tribal relations must be coded to “AJ” where available. All costs must 

be tracked by each BLM employee and accounted for in the appropriate annual 

reporting so the Director can provide accurate costs of tribal consultation to the 

Secretary pursuant to 512 DM 4.

1.7 File and Records Maintenance

See sections 1.2.E, 1.4, 1.6.A–D, and 1.9.A–C. Filing requirements are found in the General 

Record Schedules (GRS)/BLM Combined Records Schedule (Schedule 4).
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Chapter 2. BLM Relationship to Tribal Governments, Individuals, and Non-federally 

Recognized Groups

2.1 Federally Recognized Tribes

Federally recognized tribes are sovereign nations and the legal representatives ensure that 

tribal members may exercise rights and privileges held through treaties, Executive orders, 

and agreements with the United States, both on and off reservations. The special legal 

status of tribal governments requires that official relations with the BLM, including 

consultation pursuant to this manual section, must be conducted on a government-togovernment basis. Authorities and responsibilities of specific tribal governments are 

defined in the constitutions and bylaws of the individual tribes. 

Federally recognized Alaska Native tribes are afforded the same benefits and privileges as 

federally recognized tribes in the contiguous 48 states. Alaska tribes, as identified by the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) annually in the Federal Register, are acknowledged to have 

the immunities and privileges available to other federally recognized tribes by virtue of 

their government-to-government relationship with the United States, as well as the 

responsibilities, powers, and obligations of such tribes. An up-to-date tribal listing can be 

obtained from the designated native liaison in the Alaska State Office or a field office, or 

from the headquarters office of the BIA.

2.2 Indian Individuals and Nongovernmental Tribal Groups

As a matter of protocol and courtesy, initiation of contacts with tribal members must 

always be coordinated by BLM line officers through tribal officials. However, there are 

instances where individual Indians and Nongovernmental Tribal Groups have rights or 

privileges.

A. The religious observances of American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native 

Hawaiians are protected under the AIRFA and Executive Order 13007, regardless of 

whether they are members of a federally recognized Indian tribe.

B. Lineal descendants who may or may not be tribal members have rights to claim human 

remains and cultural items under the NAGPRA. Disposition, repatriation, and/or 

reburial of lineal ancestors may be conducted directly with family members. Tribal 

NAGPRA coordinators or other tribal officials must be involved, to the maximum 

extent possible given the wishes of the family, provided all other decision process and 

notification requirements of NAGPRA are met. 

C. During consultation, tribal groups such as cultural committees or elders may offer 

information or opinions that differ from those provided by official tribal 

representatives. The consultation record maintained within NEPA or NHPA Section 

106 documentation should acknowledge that differences of opinion were expressed to 
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the BLM but make clear that the agency is required to defer to the position of the 

official tribal representatives.

2.3 Groups and Communities Not Federally Recognized

The BLM consults with non-recognized Native groups and communities in limited 

circumstances. In accordance with the ARPA regulations (43 CFR 7.7(a)(2)), the BLM 

may notify and consult with Native American groups that do not meet the definition of an 

Indian tribe under ARPA. The agency will consult with such groups in accordance with 

the terms of the AIRFA and those portions of the NAGPRA affecting lineal descendants

and Indian groups that are not federally-recognized. Non-recognized groups and 

communities and their individual members can participate in the BLM’s decisionmaking as 

members of the public. Since only federally recognized tribes qualify as governments 

under 25 U.S.C. § 5130, a non-federally recognized group may not serve as a cooperating 

agency in preparation of an EIS or environmental assessment (EA).
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Chapter 3. Program Relationships

3.1 Tribal Relations Inform Decisionmaking and Program Management

A. Relationship to Administrative Procedures. BLM managers utilize land use planning 

and environmental review to solicit and consider Indian tribal issues and concerns. 

Managers and staff must employ appropriate techniques through government-togovernment consultation to ensure the early identification and consideration of Indian 

tribal values potentially affected by BLM land use decisions. Such processes should be 

routine during the collection and evaluation of land use and resource information at the 

very earliest stages of land use plans and environmental document preparation.

1. Tribal Consultation and Public Participation. Tribal interests are not on an equal 

footing with the interests of most other groups and individuals. Tribes are 

different from other public land constituencies. They are neither stakeholders nor 

just another public group whose interests should be considered. Their special 

relationship with the United States Government is rooted in history and defined 

by law. Indian tribal issues and concerns must be identified through governmentto-government consultation and public participation techniques, including those 

forms of notification utilized in the NEPA process (e.g., scoping, public notices, 

and informational mailings). In addition as noted below in 3.A3, managers shall 

establish any additional effective means necessary for consulting with Indian 

tribes regarding any proposed actions which may affect traditional religious or 

cultural practices or traditional land uses. For example, BLM offices may need to 

schedule presentations and discussions at tribal chapter houses in isolated 

communities where routine public scoping meetings might be unlikely to result in 

adequate tribal attendance and participation. 

2. Inventory. At the initiation of land use planning and environmental review, 

government-to-government consultation should be used to define and consider

Indian tribal issues and conflicts as they apply to various proposed program 

actions and decisions. Interdisciplinary team members will share their knowledge 

of known sensitive and significant resources based on inventory data, 

ethnographic or historic literature, or other documentation.

a. Special techniques may be needed to supplement existing BLM databases to 

identify resources potentially affected by BLM land use decisions. These 

techniques may include—

 Review of natural or heritage resource literature, including credible 

ethnographic sources;

 Interviews with knowledgeable members of the Native American 

community, who may or may not be official representatives of the 

tribal government or ANCSA Corporation; and
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 Problem-oriented research focusing on Native American land use.

b. Interviews and new ethnographic fieldwork must incorporate appropriate 

safeguards for collection and use of, and access to, potentially sensitive 

information acquired through interviews and direct ethnographic techniques. 

This may include locational information, tribal requirements for ethnographic 

studies, details concerning sacred sites or properties of traditional religious 

and cultural importance, cultural uses of plants and animals on the public 

lands, and the names of interview subjects or other contacts who are not 

official governmental representatives of affected groups.

3. Consideration During Decisionmaking. Managers must make a reasonable and 

good faith effort to consider information regarding tribal concerns and issues, but 

such level of effort should be commensurate with the tribal issue/resource at issue 

and the potential requirements associated with particular statutory or regulatory 

direction or policy considerations.

4. Cooperating Agency Status. Federally recognized tribal governments are eligible 

to serve as cooperating agencies in the preparation of EISs and RMPs. In 

accordance with Department’s NEPA regulations and BLM planning regulations, 

managers are expected to make a reasonable effort to identify tribes who have 

special expertise concerning a proposed RMP or EIS and must extend an 

invitation to those identified. The Council on Environmental Quality regulations 

implementing NEPA also allow Federal agencies to invite tribal governments to 

serve as cooperating agencies in preparation of environmental documents where 

effects occur on reservation lands. A tribe may choose to serve as a cooperating 

agency or not. Establishment of cooperating agency status with a particular tribe 

does not relieve the BLM of its ongoing responsibilities to consult on a 

government-to-government basis with that tribe regarding proposed decisions or 

actions.

5. Consistency Review. Whether or not tribes elect to serve as cooperating agencies 

in the preparation of environmental documents, they will be given advanced 

notification of proposed projects/plans as is provided for cooperating agencies. In 

addition, under section 202(c)(9) of the FLPMA, as implemented by 43 CFR 

1610.3, BLM’s resource management plans must be consistent with the land use 

and resource-related plans of affected Indian tribes, to the extent consistent with 

federal laws and regulations and the purposes, policies, and programs 

implementing such laws and regulations.

6. Special Designations. Designations of “areas of critical environmental concern” 

(43 CFR Part 1610) and other appropriate forms of special recognition and 

protection of lands and resources of interest to tribes provide opportunities to 

consult with Indian tribes to consider, protect, and provide access to places of 

importance to them.
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7. Documentation. NEPA and NHPA Section 106 documentation serve as the 

principal administrative record for identification steps taken and consideration 

given to Indian tribal concerns. NHPA Section 106 consultation obligations and 

requirements for tribal consultation may be appropriate even if the BLM’s 

proposed action is covered by a department categorical exclusion that relieves the 

agency of the need to prepare an EIS or EA. BLM should also take care to 

consider that the proposed action covered by the categorical exclusion does not 

involve “extraordinary circumstances” relating to potential impacts to Native 

American land uses, access, or cultural or religious values, as articulated in the 

Department of the Interior’s NEPA regulations at 43 CFR 46.215. If, for any 

reason, a NEPA document will not be prepared, an appropriate non-NEPA 

document should be used to substantiate identification and consideration of 

Native American concerns and places of importance to them. Such non-NEPA 

documentation may consist of BLM-tribal consultation logs, inventory reports, 

data recovery reports, etc. These documents should be maintained and housed 

with the administrative record for the project.

8. Agreements. Written agreements, such as memoranda of understanding, between 

the BLM and Indian tribes and other groups, are encouraged to define 

relationships, issues of concern, contacts, and coordination and consultation 

procedures. 

9. Protection of Sensitive Tribal Information. Tribes must have confidence that the 

BLM is doing all that is within its power to protect sensitive information from 

public disclosure. See H-1780-1 Chapter II. B for a discussion of legal and 

practical limits for insuring such confidentiality.

B. Environmental Justice. The Department of the Interior’s Environmental Justice 

Strategic Plan, 2012–2017 provides important policy direction. The identified goals:

1. Outreach. “Ensure minority, low-income, and tribal populations are provided 

with the opportunity to engage in meaningful involvement in the Department’s 

decision making processes.”

2. Effects analysis and mitigation. “The Department will, on its own or in 

collaboration with partners, identify and address environmental impacts that may 

result in disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental 

effects on minority, low-income, or tribal populations.”

3. Partnering. “Use existing grant programs, training, and educational 

opportunities, as available, to aid and empower minority, low-income, and tribal 

populations in their efforts to build and sustain environmentally and economically 

sound communities.”
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C. Relationship to Specific BLM Resource Management Programs. While specific 

instances of Indian tribal coordination and consultation might focus on particular lands 

and resources or a single BLM management program or project, Indian tribal concerns 

generally cross-cut program boundaries and involve several programs simultaneously. 

1. Cadastral Survey. The BLM is responsible for performing cadastral surveys on 

all Federal and Indian trust lands. These surveys provide tribal land managers 

with information necessary for the management of their lands. The program has 

established strong relationships with the BIA’s Real Estate Services program and 

the Office of Special Trustee for the purpose of providing cadastral services on 

Indian trust lands. Under the fiduciary trust model approved by the Secretary, 

cadastral surveys are provided to tribes, individual American Indians, and Alaska 

Natives. The BLM prioritizes inventory needs on Indian trust lands based on the 

application to trespass abatement, timber harvest, mineral leasing, and other 

priorities related to Indian trust assets and the disbursement of funds into 

individual Indian monetary accounts.

2. Heritage Resources. The BLM has an obligation to consult with Indian tribes 

when making decisions regarding heritage resource inventories and evaluations, 

use allocations, National Register nominations, public interpretation, public 

education, protection, and management. The nature, extent, and degree of tribal 

involvement, including what types of actions, sites, and in what areas the tribes 

wish to be consulted, will be determined through consultation and specified in 36 

CFR Part 800, state protocols, or project-specific Programmatic Agreements. 

Identification of tribal traditional religious and cultural properties and public land 

heritage properties associated with those values, and preparation of 

ethnological/sociological elements in class I inventories provide an opportunity 

for tribal consultation when tribes request the participation by tribal consultants. 

Offices should also consider tribal review for accuracy, sufficiency, and data 

security. Consultation is also necessary as part of compliance with NAGPRA and 

the agency’s responsibilities for completing summaries and inventories of Native 

American human remains and cultural items in museum collections as well as 

those discovered on the public lands. Tribal consultation may also be appropriate 

when issuing ARPA permits.

3. Fire and Aviation. The wildland fire, community assistance, fire planning, fuels 

management, safety, and training components all frequently affect Indian 

communities. Plans to implement Secretarial Order 3336, Rangeland Fire 

Prevention, Management and Restoration, include processes for tribal 

consultation. National fire prevention and education teams work with local Indian 

residents to reduce human-caused fires and implement fire prevention programs. 

The BLM sponsors workshops to help people live safely in the wildland-urban 

interface. The fuels management program treats millions of acres and invests 

significantly in contracts to local Indian communities for fuels treatments, 
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biomass utilization, and contracting. Employment as firefighters provides a 

significant economic boost to tribal communities.

4. Forestry. Proposed resource allocations and use authorizations should be 

sensitive to Native American requirements for the noncommercial use of 

renewable forest and woodland products (e.g., firewood, house and sweat lodge 

logs, food plants, traditional craft plants, medicinal plants, and ritual plants). Offreservation treaty rights must be accommodated where applicable in accordance 

with principles 2 and 5 of Secretarial Order 3335. Discretionary forest and 

woodland management activities (e.g., herbicide spraying, commercial pinion nut 

harvesting) should involve tribal input, as appropriate. Special authorizations 

relating to subsistence uses in Alaska will follow policies developed under the 

authority of the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act for the 

Secretary of the Interior through the Federal Subsistence Board. Restoration of 

forested lands, including thinning, prescribed fuels treatments, and treatment of 

insect infestations may be contracted to tribes in accordance with the 2004 Tribal 

Forest Protection Act.

5. Lands and Realty. Land actions that would change the ownership or the use of 

public lands may be of concern to Indian tribes. Land tenure adjustments must 

consider how proposed changes in land ownership would affect off-reservation 

treaty rights since many tribes have the right to hunt, fish, and gather plant 

materials on unoccupied Federal lands. Early and meaningful tribal consultation 

is important to address the impacts of rights-of-way permitted undertakings on

resources, public land uses, and Indian religious practices. The use of trails, 

traditional gathering areas, and access to sacred sites and other traditional use 

areas all can be affected by these projects.

6. Minerals. The BIA serves as the leasing agent for trust minerals on Indian lands 

when a tribe chooses to develop their mineral resources. The BIA follows the 

regulations at 25 CFR Parts 211, 212, and 225, which mandate the development 

of the mineral resources in a manner that maximizes the economic interests of 

Indian mineral owners. The BIA is responsible for addressing any adverse 

environmental or heritage resource impacts resulting from such development on 

tribal trust lands. The BLM trust responsibilities involve mineral evaluations to 

support the leasing process as well as post-lease activities covered under

administrative authorities pursuant to 43 CFR Parts 3160, 3260, 3400, and 3590. 

Specific BIA and BLM responsibilities are described in Onshore Federal and 

Indian Energy and Mineral Lease Management Standard Operating Procedures 

(SOP) listed in section 1.5.B.3. The SOP describes the responsibilities and 

information sharing required among bureaus and offices under the jurisdiction of 

the Assistant Secretaries for Policy, Management and Budget; Land and Minerals 

Management; Indian Affairs; and the Office of the Special Trustee for American 

Indians in carrying out the Department of the Interior’s trust responsibilities for 
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Indian mineral lease management and accounting. As delineated in the SOP, the 

BLM has the statutory and regulatory responsibility for oversight of coal and 

other mining operations on Indian land and provides technical assistance to Indian 

tribes, allottees, and the BIA, including preparing economic, resource, and mining 

assessments and analyses; approving exploration and mine and reclamation plans; 

supervising exploration, development, and abandonment of operations; 

recommending bonds; and conducting inspection, enforcement, and production 

verification. The BLM also administers mineral activities for certain allotted and 

unallotted Indian lands in accordance with authorities in section 1.3 above, as 

implemented by 25 CFR Parts 211–214 and 216.

7. Procurement. As authorized by the Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Assistant Act (Pub. L. 93-638), the BLM awards contracts to federally recognized 

Indian tribal governments so they can manage programs and services otherwise 

conducted by the BLM for Indians. Contracts, grants, and cooperative 

agreements are authorized. BLM programs involved are primarily cadastral 

survey and minerals management. Potentially, aspects of the cultural heritage, 

forestry, range, recreation, and wildlife and fisheries programs could participate if 

they are of specific geographic, historical, or cultural significance to the Indian 

tribes.

8. Rangeland and Plant Conservation. Due consideration must be given to Indian 

tribal rights established by treaties, and to requests by tribes consistent with such 

rights, in the administration of the grazing management and range improvement 

programs. For example, grazing season of use may be adjusted to accommodate 

traditional use of native plant resources. Similarly, proposed vegetation 

treatments such as burning, chaining, spraying, and seeding may need to be 

weighed in terms of tribal needs for maintenance of traditional plant use areas. 

Range improvement projects (such as water developments) may have the potential 

to affect properties of traditional religious or cultural importance. Where tribes 

hold grazing preference on public lands, they generally are required to follow 

standard permitting application and NEPA processes for permitted actions similar 

to nontribal entities. BLM assists tribal nurseries with native plant materials 

development and partners with tribes that grow local native seed crops for use by 

BLM in range restoration and rehabilitation.

9. Recreation. Native American cultural and religious concerns should be 

considered when collecting recreation inventory information, preparing recreation 

management plans, developing or maintaining recreation facilities, designating 

travel routes, establishing use limitations, and processing special recreation use

permits. For example, visual resource management classification should account 

for landscapes with attributed sacredness; seasonal off-road vehicle limitations 

might be necessary when traditional uses could be disrupted; and areas used for 

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away from them. Programs and materials for interpreting areas or subjects related 

to traditional Native American cultures and practices will incorporate the 

perspectives of the Native Americans as appropriate.

10. Renewable Energy. Geothermal, solar, and wind energy development proposals 

on public lands may be of concern to Indian tribes. The use of trails, traditional 

gathering, fishing, and hunting areas, access to sacred sites and traditional use 

areas, including traditional cultural properties, can all be affected by these 

landscape-scale projects. Early and meaningful tribal consultation is required to 

address the impacts of right-of-way permitted undertakings upon resources, public 

land uses, and Indian religious practices.

11. Soil, Water, and Air. Any proposed action that could affect water use must 

provide for Indian tribal water requirements in accordance with established treaty 

rights, as confirmed by the responsible State water right authority or pertinent 

legal decisions. Indian tribal water rights based on reserved water rights are not 

governed by State law but in many cases have been perfected under State water 

right adjudications. Traditional tribal areas related to off-reservation treaty rights 

may extend well beyond the United States-imposed ceded and reservation 

boundaries. Also, a fiduciary trust obligation may exist when the effects of 

actions on BLM lands reach Indian lands. Therefore, situations may arise in 

which actions affecting soil and air resources will be of concern to Indian tribes 

and be the focus of tribal consultation.

12. Wilderness. Wilderness study reports and wilderness management plans should 

recognize areas used historically for Native American traditional activities, such 

as gathering medicinal plants and conducting religious ceremonies. The BLM 

may consider granting access by elders or other traditionalists with limited 

mobility via motorized transportation if the use of minimum tool can be justified. 

Although wilderness designation may protect traditional use areas from 

incompatible use or development, designation and management as wilderness 

may also have the unintended effect of disrupting established traditional uses. 

13. Wildlife and Fisheries. Court decisions have affirmed a treaty right to “take fish”

includes tribes’ access to their usual and accustomed fishing places and stations 

for the taking of anadromous fish on public lands. Tribes with reserved rights to 

usual and accustomed fishing locations retain those rights, including access to 

those locations even when the lands have passed from Federal ownership, unlike 

treaty reserved rights to hunting and gathering. In addition, Title VIII of the 

Alaska Native Interest Lands Conservation Act created a Federal responsibility to 

manage fish and wildlife resources needed for subsistence on Federal public 

lands for certain Alaska residents, including Native Americans. As part of the 

Federal Subsistence Board, the BLM is uniquely responsible for the management 

of subsistence resources and uses on BLM lands, including fresh waters that run 

in or are adjacent to BLM lands. When BLM field offices prepare habitat 
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management plans or improvement projects, they must consult with Indian tribes 

and take care that proposed conservation measures will not hinder usual and 

accustomed tribal taking of fish or hunting of game on public lands. Indian tribal

concerns should also be taken into account when developing management and 

recovery plans for species valued for non-subsistence reasons (e.g., eagles).

3.2 Tribal Consultation Obligations Extend to Inter-Agency Relationships 

A. Planning. In the review of other Federal agencies’ land use plans under section 

202(c)(9) of FLPMA and 43 CFR 1610.3- the BLM should give special recognition and 

consideration of Native American issues and concerns. Consultation is normally the 

responsibility of the Surface Managing Agency that is preparing the land use plan. The 

BLM will review other agency's plans to ensure they meet BLM needs and, if they do 

not, will engage with other agencies to conduct joint consultation to ensure agency 

needs are met.

B. Environmental Review. When the BLM acts as lead agency for the environmental 

review of a proposed action, the BLM is responsible for identifying Indian tribal 

concerns and issues for all potentially affected lands, through consultation with tribes 

and cooperating agencies, through the NEPA scoping process, and through other 

appropriate information gathering methods. Examples include EISs for interstate 

pipeline projects, oil and natural gas development, coal and other mine developments, 

and interstate transmission line projects. When the BLM is not the lead agency, the 

BLM will coordinate government-to-government consultation with the lead agency but 

will focus its own efforts on those tribes that have interests or concerns regarding the 

effects of the action upon lands managed by the BLM.

C. Exchange of Information. The BLM and other Federal agencies should routinely share

pertinent non-confidential information about Native American concerns and issues. 

Sensitive information obtained under promise of confidentiality may not be shared 

without explicit permission from its source. Explicit guidance concerning the sharing 

of minerals information is contained in attachment E of the SOP.

D. Cooperation. The BLM should explore opportunities to cooperate with the BIA or 

other Federal agencies to improve opportunities for Indian tribes to enter into 

cooperative agreements/assistance agreements (e.g., education, training, interpretation, 

museum work/curation, basic data collection, and ethnographic inventory). Potentially 

sensitive programs that may involve several agency jurisdictions should be coordinated 

to the greatest degree possible (e.g., wild and scenic river designations in areas of 

Native fisheries). Regional and interagency meetings should be organized when such 

an approach lessens the burden of consultation for tribes and when such coordination 

can make the process more efficient or timely. Such coordinated interagency meetings 

may supplement but cannot replace the BLM’s government-to-government consultation 

requirements with individual tribes.
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3.3 Relationship to State and Local Governments

A. Consistency. In addition, under section 202(c)(9) of the FLPMA, as implemented by 

43 CFR 1610.3, BLM’s resource management plans must be consistent with the land 

use and resource-related plans of affected Indian tribes, to the extent consistent with 

federal laws and regulations and the purposes, policies, and programs implementing 

such laws and regulations. Native American cultural and religious issues shall be part 

of this consistency review. The BLM should implement its programs, as they relate to 

Native American concerns, as consistently as practical with State and local laws and 

ordinances. However, where Federal lands are concerned, Federal law has precedence 

over State and local law.

B. Exchange of Information. The BLM should share pertinent non-confidential 

information relating to Native American issues and concerns with State and local 

governments in the same manner and with the same limitations as outlined in section 

1.9.B.3 above.
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Glossary of Terms

 -CConsultation: The conduct of mutual, open, and direct two-way communication in good faith to 

secure meaningful and timely participation in the decisionmaking process, as allowed by law. 

See government-to-government consultation for the specific form of tribal consultation.

Coordination: Communication and dialogue between the BLM and Indian tribes involving 

leadership or staffs to increase cooperation between the two parties and the effectiveness of their 

relationship.

-DDirector: Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

Disposition: Transfer of control over Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred 

objects, and objects of cultural patrimony by a museum or Federal agency under NAGPRA for 

three types of situations: custody for those excavated intentionally from, or discovered 

inadvertently on, Federal or tribal lands after November 16, 1990; repatriation to lineal 

descendants and culturally affiliated Indian tribes; and disposition of culturally unidentifiable 

human remains with, or without associated funerary projects (43 CFR 10.2(g)(5). 

-EEthnography: Structured and systematic analysis of the culture of a community or other 

distinctive social unit, through fieldwork-based study with members of the community as well as 

other sources. In the land management context, this usually refers to an in-depth study of 

cultural patterns and understandings through intensive participation of members of the subject 

society or community. Ethnographies are holistic studies presented from the point of view of the 

subjects. They are reflexive and record all observed behavior. These studies emphasize an emic 

perspective and accept multiple realities.

Ethnohistory: Study of a cultural group’s past based on various sources, including ethnography, 

oral tradition, linguistics, ecology, and other relevant disciplines.

-FFederally recognized tribes: A federally recognized tribe is an American Indian or Alaska Native 

tribal entity that is recognized as having a government-to-government relationship with the 

United States, with the responsibilities, powers, limitations, and obligations attached to that 

designation; and is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Furthermore, federally recognized tribes are recognized as possessing certain inherent rights of 

self-government (i.e., tribal sovereignty) and are entitled to receive certain federal benefits, 
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services, and protections because of their special relationship with the United States. At present, 

there are 567 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages.

-GGovernment-to-government consultation: The consultation between BLM officials with decision 

making authority and elected tribal officials or those tribal representatives specifically delegated 

by elected tribal officials to engage in such consultation and decisionmaking. It is built upon the 

government to government exchange of information and aims to create effective collaboration 

and informed decision-making. Consultation is an accountable process that ensures meaningful 

and timely input by tribal officials into the development of regulatory policies and agency 

decisions that have tribal implications.

Government-to-government relationship: The unique legal relationship between the United 

States and tribal governments.

-IIndian allottee: Any Indian for whom land or interest in land is held in trust by the United States 

or who holds title subject to Federal restriction against alienation.

Indian lands: Any lands title to which is either (1) held in trust by the United States for benefit of 

any Indian tribe or individual or (2) held by any Indian tribe or individual subject to restrictions 

by the United States against alienation.

Indian organization: This includes (1) those federally recognized, tribally constituted entities 

designated by their governing body to facilitate BLM communications and consultation activities

or (2) any regional or national organizations whose board is composed of federally recognized 

tribes and elected/appointed tribal leaders. These organizations represent the interests of tribes 

when authorized by those tribes, such as the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation 

Officers.

Indian tribe: Any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that 

the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe pursuant to the Federally 

Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a.)

Indian trust assets: Lands, natural resources, money, or other assets held by the Federal 

Government in trust or that are restricted against alienation for Indian tribes and individual 

Indians. In the case of the BLM, this term usually applies to any trust mineral lease (fluids or 

solids) for which the BLM has responsibilities on or within the boundaries of defined Indian 

lands and allotments, although fiduciary trust obligations may exist when the effects of actions 

on BLM lands reach Indian lands.

Inherently governmental function: As defined by the Federal Activities Inventory Reform 

(FAIR) Act of 1998 and 2003 Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, these are 
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functions that, as a matter of Federal law and policy, must be performed by governmental 

employees and cannot be contracted out. They are functions so intimately related to the public 

interest as to require or mandate performance by government personnel. These activities require 

the exercise of substantial discretion in applying governmental authority and/or in making 

decisions for the government. Inherently governmental functions normally fall within two 

categories: the exercise of sovereign governmental authority or the establishment of procedures 

and processes related to the oversight of monetary transactions or entitlements.

-NNative American: Any individual descended from a native group of the Americas, including 

Aleuts, Eskimos, and American Indians who may also be members of federally recognized tribes 

or American Indian and Alaska Native organizations.

Non-trust asset: An asset that is not held in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian 

tribe. Examples include natural and heritage resources not on tribal trust lands including sacred 

sites, human remains, and cultural items subject to NAGPRA.

-PPolicies that have tribal implications: Regulations, legislative comments, or proposed legislation

as well as other policy statements or actions that potentially have substantial direct effects on one 

or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal government and Indian tribes, or 

on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian 

tribes.

Property of traditional religious and cultural importance: A form of heritage resource referenced 

within 36 CFR Part 800; a tangible property (district, site, building, structure, or object) that is 

associated with cultural practices or beliefs of a living community that (1) are rooted in that 

community’s history and (2) are important in maintaining the cultural identity of the community. 

The significance of these properties lies in the role that they play in a community’s historically 

rooted beliefs, customs, and practices. This term may be considered synonymous with 

traditional cultural property (TCP; see below) and, like TCPs, properties of traditional religious 

and cultural importance may or may not meet the National Register criteria.

-RReburial: An action requested of Federal agencies by lineal descendants or Indian tribes 

concerning human remains and/or other NAGPRA “cultural items” that (1) have been repatriated 

from museum collections or (2) for which custody has transferred following an intentional 

excavation or inadvertent discovery.

Repatriation: Transfer of control of human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects 

of cultural patrimony by museums or Federal agencies to a lineal descendant or culturally 
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affiliated Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization in accordance with NAGPRA and its 

regulations at 43 CFR 10.10. 

Reservation: Unless another definition is required by Federal statute or regulation, the area of 

land reserved for a tribe or tribes under treaty or other agreement with the United States, 

executive order, proclamation, Secretarial order, or federal statute.

Reserved rights: Those rights not specifically extinguished through a treaty or agreement. Rights 

may include hunting, fishing, and gathering privileges, or water and other resource use 

guarantees.

-SSacred site: “Any specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on Federal land that is 

identified by an Indian tribe, or individual determined to be an appropriately authoritative 

representative of an Indian religion, as sacred by virtue of its established religious significance 

to, or ceremonial use by practitioners of an Indian religion; provided that the tribe or 

appropriately authoritative representative of an Indian religion has informed the agency of the 

existence of such a site” (Executive Order 13007, section 1(b)(iii)).

Secretary: The Secretary of the Interior.

Subsistence use: The customary and traditional use by Native Americans of renewable resources. 

For Alaska, specific statutory definition of “subsistence uses” comes from section 803 of the 

Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 and is paraphrased as “the customary 

and traditional uses by rural Alaska residents of wild renewable resources for direct personal or 

family consumption as food, shelter, clothing, tools, or transportation; for the making and selling 

of handicraft articles out of nonedible by-products of fish and wildlife resources taken for 

personal or family consumption; for barter, or sharing for personal or family consumption; and 

for customary trade.”

-TTradition: Longstanding, socially conveyed, customary patterns of thought, cultural expression, 

and behavior, such as religious beliefs and practices, social customs, and land or resource uses

that contribute to the shared heritage of a group. Traditions are shared generally within a social 

and/or cultural group and span generations. They represent a continuity of understanding 

relative to some activity, way of life, or mode of expression, which guides particular actions and 

beliefs. Traditions are not static but evolve to reflect changing economic, political, and 

technological circumstances.

Traditional: Conforming to tradition or customary activity.

Traditional cultural property (TCP): A phrase often used in reference to a "property of 

traditional religious and cultural importance" as defined in the NHPA, which are identified by 
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Indian tribes. The property derives significance from traditional values associated with it by a 

social and/or cultural group such as an Indian tribe or local community. It commonly refers to a 

culturally sensitive area that may qualify for the NRHP if it meets the criteria and criteria of 

exceptions at 36 CFR 60.4. See National Register Bulletin 38.

Tribal government: The governing body of an Indian tribe as determined by tribal law.

Tribal land: Unless another definition is required by Federal statute or regulation, land held in 

trust by the United States on behalf of an Indian tribe, land held by an Indian tribe in fee subject 

to Federal restrictions against alienation, or land held by an Indian tribe in fee status.

Tribal notification: A one-way form of communication that provides information, data, or reports 

to Indian tribes by the BLM, leading to tribal consultation if the tribe so requests.

Tribal officials: Elected or duly appointed tribal leader or official designated in writing by an 

Indian tribe to represent the tribe in government-to-government consultations.

Tribal trust resource: Resources held in trust by the United States on behalf of Indian tribes.

Tribe: See Indian tribe.

Trust relationship: The unique relationship between the United States and Indian tribes and 

individual Indians that is guided by the trust responsibility.

Trust responsibility: The highest moral obligations that the United States must meet to ensure the 

protection of tribal and individual Indian lands, assets, resources, and treaty and similarly 

recognized rights. This responsibility extends to all Federal agencies. reg. 
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Appendix 1 – Acronyms and Abbreviations

AIRFA American Indian Religious Freedom Act

ARPA Archaeological Resources Protection Act

BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs

BLM Bureau of Land Management

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DM Departmental Manual

EA Environmental Assessment

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

FLPMA Federal Land Policy and Management Act

NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act

Pub. L. Public Law

RMP Resource Management Plan

SOP (Onshore Energy and Mineral Lease Management Interagency) Standard 

Operating Procedure

Stat. Statute

TCP Traditional Cultural Property

U.S.C. United States Code
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Appendix 2 – Judging the Adequacy of Tribal Consultation

A. Introduction

There are few legal standards that define what constitutes adequate tribal consultation. The 

clearest standard pertains to compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). 

The NHPA requires federal agencies, as part of the NHPA Section 106 process, to consult with 

Indian tribes that attach religious and cultural significance to historic properties potentially 

affected by an undertaking. 54 U.S.C. 302706. The regulations implementing NHPA Section 

106 require federal agencies to make a “reasonable and good faith effort” to identify historic 

properties within the area of potential effect in part through consultation with Indian tribes. 36 

CFR 800.4(b). However, this standard only applies to the agency’s effort to consult with Indian 

tribes regarding historic properties of religious and cultural significance in the context of NHPA 

Section 106 and not the other specific and general authorities that require tribal consultation on a 

government-to-government basis. 

The BLM’s tribal consultation efforts are much broader than the identification of historic 

properties, and thus, it is important to weigh the adequacy of the agency’s overall effort to 

consult with tribes under all applicable authorities listed in section 1.3 of this manual.

B. Factors Affecting the Amount of Consultation Needed

BLM line managers engaged in tribal consultation should devote enough time and resources to 

this obligation commensurate with the following factors:

 Scope and complexity of proposed land use action;

 Availability of alternatives that would reduce or eliminate potential harm or disruption;

 Completeness and appropriateness of the list of Indian tribes and individuals with whom 

consultation has already been documented;

 Nature of issues raised;

 Intensity of concern expressed;

 Legal requirements posed by treaties, if applicable;

 Potential to resolve issues through further discussions; and

 Need for further consultation.

C. Sufficient Consultation

Recent Federal district and appellate court cases and Interior Board of Land Appeals’ decisions

related to compliance with tribal consultation under the NHPA shed light on how courts judge 

the adequacy of agency-tribal consultation efforts. In cases where agency efforts were judged to 
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be sufficient, consultation and decisionmaking benefitted from—

 A pattern of numerous and repeated efforts to engage in consultation through various 

means of communication even when the tribe did not respond;

 A pattern of regularly scheduled consultation meetings with tribes;

 Early engagement to allow maximum contribution from tribes, when the agency has the 

maximum flexibility and before any alternatives have been finalized;

 Communications through a variety of mediums, including face-to-face meetings, 

telephone conference calls, notices, shared documents, field trips, and site visits;

 Direct involvement of BLM line officers and elected tribal officials in consultation;

 An engagement with tribes that allows for a reasonable opportunity to identify their 

concerns, provide input on the projects effects, and participate in resolving any adverse 

effects;

 The opportunity for tribes to conduct on-site inspection of projects and potentially 

affected resources;

 Documentation that the agency obtained and considered tribal input and that final 

decisions took that input into account; and

 Continuation of dialogue after initial authorizations and the involvement of tribes in 

monitoring, mitigation, and reclamation activities

D. Failure to Adequately Consult

In judicial rulings critical of agency consultation efforts, these fatal flaws were identified—

 Initiation of consultation with tribes late in the planning/decision process;

 Failure to fully share all relevant information with tribes;

 Meetings and communications that were of an informational nature rather than two-way 

communication designed to obtain and consider tribal views and recommendations; and

 Consultations restricted to individual tribal members or meetings limited only to BLM 

and tribal staff, rather than government-to-government consultation between elected 

tribal representatives and the designated representatives of the United States.

E. Conclusion

Developing an ongoing long-term relationship with tribes who have expressed ties to public 

lands and information relating to them can make the difference between success and failure in 

government-to-government consultation. The sufficiency of consultation will be viewed 

holistically by the courts; it is the sum of the consultation effort that determines its adequacy, not 

individual steps in the consultation process. The sheer number and volume of letters, meetings, 
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or reports provided to tribes are not enough to demonstrate appropriate consultation. Rather, a 

good way to gauge whether the BLM’s consultation efforts have been defensible is to consider 

the degree to which an objective review of the decision record would find a good faith effort to 

identify, notify, respond, and meaningfully involve and include comments received from Indian 

tribes potentially affected by a proposed decision and by avoiding preventable interference with 

traditional religious and cultural practices.
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Appendix 3 – BLM Tribal Liaison Position Description

A. Introduction

This position is the direct outgrowth of Secretarial Orders 3175 and 3317, formalized in 512 DM 

5. The orders emphasize the responsibility of each federal agency in fulfilling United States trust 

responsibilities to sovereign Indian nations. A primary means in fulfilling these responsibilities 

is through establishment and maintenance of government-to-government relations.

The position is to be located in the BLM XXXX Office and report to the XXXX Manager. 

Primary responsibility will be to facilitate formal relations between the BLM and the tribal 

governments of those federally recognized tribes expressing interests in the actions of the BLM 

unit.

B. Major Duties and Responsibilities

The tribal liaison officer—

 Assists line officers in performing their tribal consultation responsibilities with particular 

Indian tribes having interests in the management unit. The incumbent will coordinate the 

programs of the Bureau with programs of the tribes;

 Advises line management in BLM on the possible impact of alternative courses of action 

and of the negotiated reasons for a preferred course of action;

 Is responsible for communication with each agency office on policy issues where 

differing interpretation or policy positions exist among the agencies as to how those 

decisions impact any Indian tribe;

 Evaluates sensitive problem issues and recommends to the appropriate agency action 

officer the necessary steps to solve those issues;

 Has primary responsibility for monitoring all BLM programs which affect the Indian 

communities and communicating potential issues with managers and staff concerning 

Native American perception of the status of projects and programs;

 Attends tribal meetings where invited and agency presence is appropriate. Due to the 

need for government-to-government communication, the liaison often must adapt agency 

guidelines, regulations, and policy to tribal situations while maintaining integrity of 

congressional and agency purposes;

 Attends events and participates in ceremonies on behalf of the agency when requested; 

 Develops and maintains knowledge of Native American cultures, philosophies, and needs 

as they pertain to analyzing Indian tribal needs and effecting workable solutions to those 

needs in relation to agency programs; 
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 Maintains working knowledge of the history of treaties with the Indian tribes and of the 

current operative laws which affect the government-to-government communication and 

the Secretary’s trust responsibilities; and

 Is aware of the training available from the agency on various programs which might be of 

benefit to the Native American workforce, maintains communication with agency 

training, and informs the tribal leaders of appropriate ways to seek training from the 

agency.

 Attends formal tribal consultation meetings, assisting BLM line managers in ensuring 

that information on tribal issues receives good faith consideration during BLM 

decisionmaking and is fully reflected in the administrative record.

C. Factors

1. The following knowledge is required by the position:

 Incumbent must have detailed practical knowledge of the principles, concepts, and 

regulations that govern the relation between managers of the public land and Indian 

tribes.

 Incumbent must be thoroughly familiar with the consultation polices of tribes with 

which government-to-government consultation will take place.

 Incumbent must have highly sensitive awareness for the interplay between the various 

Indian tribes and respect that interplay while not attempting to interfere with it.

 Incumbent must have a working knowledge of the minerals trust responsibilities of 

the Secretary of the Interior as they relate to Indian lands.

 Incumbent must have a working knowledge of laws such as the Native American 

Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and amendments to the American Indian Self 

Determination and Education Assistance Act, which is a foundation for understanding 

the relationships between the United States and various Indian tribes.

 Incumbent must have working experience and knowledge of how to do business with 

other cultures and people for whom English is not the primary language.

 Incumbent must be able to consult and advise effectively with representatives of 

private and public organizations and all levels of the agencies.

 Incumbent must have the ability to develop new solutions to problems not readily 

resolved by accepted methods.

 Incumbents must have well-honed listening skills and be able to understand the 

appropriate time to listen and the appropriate time to express agency concerns.

 Incumbent will be working in and around the jurisdictions of several BLM managers 

and other Federal agencies. The liaison must have the communication skills and 

knowledge to provide assistance without causing a sense of disruption among the 
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various agency managers. This requires a keen understanding of the agencies’

organizational structure, chain-of-command relationships, and channels for 

communication. 

2. Supervision

Incumbent will be representing BLM State Director or BLM District Managers (list field

offices). Because the job will be located in the BLM XXXX Office and because

administrative support for the position will come from the BLM XXXX Office, the

position will report directly to the appropriate Deputy State Director or District Manager

of the XXXX Office. Differences of opinion among the BLM management will be

coordinated through the BLM XXXX State Office.

Work will be assigned by XXXX Manager. Request for incumbent’s assistance by the

various BLM field offices will coordinated through the XXXX Manager or their

designee. The position will be on the BLM XXXX State Management Team.

3. Guidelines

Guidelines are broadly stated, such as basic legislation and interpretation of that

legislation. Incumbent must be resourceful in administering and developing new methods 

of proposed new policies.

4. Complexity

The work consistently varies in the range of problems and processes which can involve

several complex problems of a sensitive nature and which can have national and

intergovernmental implications. The incumbent can be directly involved in matters that

can be controversial or sensitive and that can involve other agencies and organizations.

Because of the legal ambiguities and overlapping geographic range of interests of various

Indian nations, incumbent must exercise extreme tact and ingenuity in obtaining

cooperation from all concerned parties.

There must be a demonstrated ability to counsel and evaluate all levels of government

through collaborative techniques and through the patience required to demonstrate respect 

and caring.

5. Scope and Effect

Decisions require constant effort and awareness of their potential impact on the public,

Federal resources, Indian resources, and agency policy. Decisions must be made in

keeping with agency policy and regulations and with legal and legislative mandates of

these rights.
MS-1780 – IMPROVING AND SUSTAINING BLM-TRIBAL RELATIONS (P)

A3-4

BLM MANUAL Rel. No. 1-1780

Supersedes Rel. 8-74 12/15/16 

 

6. Personal Contacts

Personal contacts are with leaders of the various Indian nations, with the respected 

spokesmen and women, and with the religious leaders. These include all levels of contact 

from casual visits to formal meetings. Personal contacts, as coordinated with various 

agency officials, will include meetings with affected other tribes in the region. Contacts 

also include the working relationships which build trust with each of the land managers 

within whose jurisdiction the incumbent is working. Regular and routine contacts by the 

incumbent will be made with the district and field office managers to keep them informed 

on the content and progress of issues, concerns, activities, etc. regarding Indian tribes in 

their areas of responsibility.

7. Purpose of Contacts

The purpose of the contacts is often to negotiate, justify, defend or settle significant 

matters. Contacts involve meetings, presentations, hearings, etc. Such contacts typically 

involve different and apparently irreconcilable differences, and require the incumbent to 

achieve a solution or find acceptable options. Another purpose of contacts will be to 

serve as a functional model for other applications of these skills and to communicate both 

successes and failures to interested parties.

8. Physical Demands

The work requires travel, often to remote sites. The work will often require long hours of 

meetings and distance driving. The work will also require careful documentation of 

communication.

9. Work Environment

Work is typically performed in offices, meeting rooms, etc. Travel will involve exposure 

to moderate discomforts.