[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42817-42818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20951]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Receipt of Petition for Federal Acknowledgment of Existence as an 
Indian Tribe

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    This is published in the exercise of authority delegated by the 
Secretary of

[[Page 42818]]

the Interior to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.
    Pursuant to 25 CFR 83.9(a) notice is hereby given that the Point Au 
Chien Indian Tribe, Lower Hwy. 665 Box 1408, Montegut, Louisiana 70377, 
has filed a letter of intent to be considered for acknowledgment by the 
Secretary of the Interior that the group exists as an Indian tribe. 
This letter was received by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on July 
22, 1996, and was signed by members of the group's governing body.
    The petitioner, the Point Au Chien Indian Tribe (PACIT) was part of 
the United Houma Nation (UHN, #56), which received a proposed finding 
December 22, 1994. 62 Federal Register 8982. The proposed finding 
stated that the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs proposed to decline 
to acknowledge the UHN in that they did not meet all seven mandatory 
criteria under 25 CFR part 83. In response, this portion of the UHN has 
requested that it be considered separately from UHN.
    The PACIT shall be treated as a separate petitioner from July 22, 
1996, forward, with the same proposed finding as UHN. This is a notice 
that the petition is under active consideration. Notice that the 
petitioner has separated from the UHN will be sent by mail to the 
Governor of Louisiana, the Attorney General of Louisiana, the UHN, and 
other interested parties. The public comment period on the UHN proposed 
finding ended November 13, 1996. Under 83.9(a) of the regulations, 
PACIT and interested or informed parties have until 90 days from 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register to submit factual 
and/or legal arguments in support of or in opposition to the proposed 
finding as it pertains to PACIT. Comments must be provided 
simultaneously to the petitioner by the interested or informed parties. 
Under 83.10(h) a copy of the technical report evaluating the evidence 
upon which the proposed finding was based is available upon written 
request to the BIA. After the close of this response period, the BIA 
will issue an amended proposed finding, which will be published in the 
Federal Register.
    Under Section 83.10(i) of the regulations, the PACIT and interested 
or informed third parties will be provided 180 days from the date of 
publication of the amended proposed finding pertaining to the Point au 
Chien Indian Tribe in the Federal Register to submit factual and/or 
legal arguments in support of or in opposition to the group's amended 
proposed finding. The petitioner will have a 60-day period in which to 
respond to such submissions prior to a final determination regarding 
the petitioner's status.
    The petition may be examined, by appointment, in the Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Branch of Acknowledgment and 
Research, Room 3427, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, 
Phone: (202) 208-3592.

    Dated: July 28, 1997.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-20951 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]
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