NEWSBLAST
________
Friday, February 28, 2014
Use the section links below to jump to the stories of interest to you, or use the scroll bar to the right to browse
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HEADLINES GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES UPCOMING EVENTS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES UPCOMING NATIVE
AMERICAN EVENTS
HEADLINES
N.M. Gov. Susana Martinez
Stops in Farmington &
Kirtland for Navajo
Allottees, New Jobs
Governor Martinez announced a new
partnership between the State, San Juan
College and the BIA Indian Minerals
Office that will expedite oil and gas leases
between Navajo allottees and the
petroleum industry. San Juan College will
place students at the Indian Leasing
Offices, where there is a backlog of lease
contracts.
PraxAir, a Fortune 250 company, is a key
stakeholder in this venture that will create
around 216 jobs. PraxAir participated in a
ribbon cutting ceremony in Kirtland, NM.
Click on title for link to story by The
Daily Times.
Leaders, Workers
Celebrate Navajo
Transitional Energy
Company’s Acquisition of
Navajo Mine
On Feb. 27th, the Navajo Transitional
Energy Company (NTEC) and BHP
Billiton celebrated 50 years of operation
of the Navajo Mine and the finalized
purchase the mine by NTEC. 250
workers and local leaders assembled in
Tiis Tsoh Sikaad. BHP will continue to
manage the mine until the end of 2016.
Steve Gunderson, the Chairman of the
NTEC Board of Directors said the mine is
purchased with revenue, after operating
costs are deducted. It is estimated that the
untapped minerals and energy is worth
$3.5 trillion. Management of the mine is
expected to remain the same. Click on
title link for article from The Daily Times.
House Approves Farm Bill
Agreement with Tribal
Provisions
The Senate joined the House in approving
major farm legislation (HR 2642), that
provides millions of dollars in grant
support for conservation, agricultural, and
rural development and housing programs.
The bill also provides support for a
number of major food and nutrition
programs.

Highlights of the agreement
include:
Food and Nutrition
The agreement continues the Food
Distribution program on Indian
reservations. The bill allows funding to be
used to purchase traditional foods, and
when practicable, foods produced locally
by Indian producers. To make it easier for
producers to receive certification, the bill
encourages USDA to work with: 1) tribal
organizations to enable the use of
accredited third party certifiers; 2)
existing infrastructure on reservations,
such as extension agents; or, 3) properly
trained and certified tribal employees or
officers.
 The bill also authorizes a Food
Insecurity Nutrition Initiative
designed to increase the purchase of
fruits and vegetables by low-income
consumers by providing incentives at
the point of purchase.



Conservation
Under the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program, the final
agreement allows for flexible funding
arrangements for Indian Tribes
Corporations. The bill continues to
award 60% of funds to livestock and
poultry producers. Tribes are also
eligible for flexible funding
arrangement under the Conservation
Stewardship Program.
The bill makes Indian tribes eligible
to participate in the soil and water
conservation program.
Regional Conservation Partnership
Program: Tribes continue to be
among eligible entities.

Regarding the Healthy Forests
Reserve program, the bill provides a
detailed definition of the acreage
owned by Indian tribes.
Community Development

Under the Highly Fractionated Land
Loan program, eligible activities now
include making loans to
intermediaries to support revolving
loan funds for the purchase of highly
fractionated land.
 Water/Waste Disposal: The bill sets
$60 million as the funding levels for
water and waste facility loans and
grants designed to alleviate health
risks. USDA may give priority to
applications from eligible entities that
provide services to colonias, the
residents of Indian reservations, rural
or native villages in Alaska and
Native Hawaiian home lands. Grants
to native tribal health consortiums
and public agencies will require a
match from the state in which the
project occurs.
 Reservation Extension Agent
Program: The agreement recognizes
that changes in the operation of this
grant program have impacted
required consultation between USDA
and tribes, and calls on the agency to
continue the dialogue on the
operation of extension programs with
the populations that they are serving.
 The bill continues a number of rural
development programs:
(1) Rural Business Development Grants
are competitive awards that go to
public agencies and nonprofit
community development
organizations for business
development, planning, technical
assistance, or job training in rural
areas;
(2) Rural Cooperative Development
Grants program provides competitive
grants to non-profit organizations that
work to establish rural business
cooperatives;
(3) Value-Added Agricultural Market
Development Program awards grants
for planning activities, for working
capital for marketing value-added
agricultural products, and for farmbased renewable energy. The program
sets aside a portion of funding for
projects benefiting beginning farmers
and ranchers;
(4) Business and Industry Direct and
Guaranteed Loan Program;
(5) Distance learning and telemedicine
grants and loans, which support
equipment and infrastructure
improvements that improve
telecommunications capabilities at
educational and medical facilities;
and
(6) Intermediary Relending program.
Tribal relations

The bill directs USDA to create an
Office of Tribal Relations.
Education

The bill lists the current 1994 landgrant institutions, including the
following new additions: Aaniih
Nakota College, College of the
Muscogee Nation, Keweenaw Bay
Ojibwa Community College, and
Navajo Technical College.
Click on title link for additional
information; or go to:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS113hr2642enr/pdf/BILLS113hr2642enr.pdf
DOI Signals Approval of
Indian Self-Determination
Bill
S.919 - Department of Interior Tribal SelfGovernance Act of 2013 – Amends the
Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act to revise tribal selfgovernance requirements. This directs the
Secretary of the Interior to carry out the
Tribal Self-Governance Program. The
Secretary of DOI is authorized to select up
to 50 new Indian tribes per year from
those eligible to participate in selfgovernance; it maintains tribal
discretionary authority to enter selfgovernance agreements not just with the
Bureau of Indian Affairs but with nonBIA agencies in Interior. According to
Washburn, the bill ensures that “under
Title I and Title IV, Indian tribes will have
greater control and flexibility in the use of
these funds, reduced reporting
requirements, and the authority to
redesign or consolidate programs,
services, functions, and activities.”
Title I allows a tribe to contract individual
programs away from the Department and
operate the programs as tribal programs.
Title IV provides resources to Indian
tribes, enabling them to plan, conduct,
consolidate, and administer programs,
services, functions, and activities for tribal
citizens according to priorities established
by their tribal governments. Click on title
for link to this bill amendment.
Navajo Nation Election
Season Opens for Pres.,
Tribal Council
Published in the Daily Times is story on
election season that started Feb. 27th as
the filing period opened for tribal offices.
Currently, only one candidate, President
Joe Shirley Jr., has submitted paperwork
for tribal president. This election will
also determine the next Navajo Nation
Council, Navajo Board of Elections
Supervisors and Navajo Board of
Education. Click on title for link to
article.
An Honorable Budget?
No, But the Direction is
Right for Indian Country
Article from Albuquerque Journal
features story about interns who work
with Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to
teach native farming techniques. $10,000
in funding from PNM Resources
Foundation Grant is utilized for this
project. Squares in garden’s grid will be
assigned to campers using prayer; planting
vegetables like squash, corn and beans
“that team up and grow like a family.”
Click on title for link to article.
Military to Tour Housing
Units in Mescalero
The Ruidoso-News features article on tour
that will be held on March 7th at the
Mescalero Apache Reservation of 100
modular homes purchased from the
military base to help with housing needs.
Click on title for link to article.
GENERAL
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Remarkable Life,
Remarkable Senator
Indian Country covers story on President
Obama’s next budget proposal due to be
released March 4th. This budget would
boost the budget for major health
programs and give some relief to the
shrinking budget that has plagued the
Indian Health Service. This article
encourages American Indians to sign up
under the Affordable Care Act to move
funding for Indian health care. Click on
title for link to article.
Sacred Garden
Legislative Roundup won’t be around
on December 15 to wish this
gentleman a happy 90th birthday, so
we’re going to do it now. Happy
Birthday, Senator Pinto. For those of
you not acquainted with the Senator,
here is but a brief description of his
remarkable life and remarkable service
to the State of New Mexico.
Senator Pinto was born in 1924 on the
Navajo reservation to a family of
sheepherders. Pinto was raised in
Lupton, Arizona by relatives until he
was 12 years old when his parents took
him home to Gallup. He was brought
up in poverty. In a news interview in
2007, Pinto said, “My parents didn’t
have any education and didn’t have a
job, but gave me a good upbringing –
that’s why I’m here.”
Pinto was not able to start school until
he was 12. World War II interrupted
his education when he joined the
Marines, becoming a Navajo Code
Talker. After the war he worked at
some menial jobs before earning
enrollment at UNM after passing the
English test on the fourth try. He
graduated in 1963 and became a
teacher. He says it was the happiest
moment of his life.
He got involved in politics because he
saw that people needed help and
services. In his long career he has
been very effective in seeing that the
Navajo Nation and surrounding
communities have received capital
investments so necessary to build
schools, roads and other infrastructure.
He was one of the first Native
Americans to be elected to the State
Legislature. Known for his gentle and
kind manners and a smile for
everyone, he is a treasure of New
Mexico. We could all learn and
benefit from his philosophy, especially
in these days of such great political
division. Senator Pinto says, “We
should all work together as brothers
and sisters for the betterment of New
Mexico. That’s the way I feel.”
Happy Birthday Senator, and God
bless.
Our compliments to the Abq Chamber
Legislative Roundup for running this
story in the 2/17/14 newsletter.
Labor Market
Information Publication
Release
Providing a Home for New
Mothers Trying to End
Drug Abuse
The New Mexico Department of
Workforce Solutions provides data for
occupational groups. To view this data,
please open the attachment entitled
‘Labor Market Info. Publ. Release’.
Program: Services Grant Program for
Residential Treatment for Pregnant and
Postpartum Women (CFDA 93.243).
Funding: 16 grants totaling $8.3
million, maximum awards are
$524,000, with matching requirement.
Eligibility: Public and private nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes
and other tribal organizations. 2011 &
2012 grantees not eligible to apply.
Deadline: March 31, 2014. This grant
supports comprehensive, residential
substance abuse treatment, prevention,
and recovery support services for
pregnant and postpartum women and
their minor children, including services
for non-residential family members of
both the women and children.
For additional information click on title
for link to RFP; and/or contact Eileen
Bermudez at (240) 276-1412; e-mail:
eileen.bermudez@samhsa.hhs.gov.
2014 Indian Related
Legislation
The New Mexico Legislature concluded
this year’s session on February 20th.
Please click on the link to review Native
American Legislation addressed. To
view the legislative bills you may also
go to the New Mexico Legislature
website at: New Mexico Legislature.
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
OSAP Evidence-Based
Prevention RFP
The Office of Substance Abuse
Prevention, Behavioral Health Services
Division, NMHSD has issued two
Requests for Proposals:
1) Evidence-Based Prevention
Services through SAPT Block
Grant;
2) Evidence-Based Prevention
Services for San Miguel County.
These documents may be viewed by
clicking on the title link.
NM Gas Company - 2014
Native American
Scholarship Program
New Mexico Gas Company announces
the availability of 15 scholarships for
the 2014-15 academic year to eligible
Native American students residing in
New Mexico pursuing post-secondary
education. Only online applications
will be accepted from Feb. 28-Apr. 25,
2014 at www.nmgcnasp.com; You may
click on title link for website, &/or
attached flyer and guidelines.
Grants to Promote Tribal
Historic, Cultural
Preservation
The National Park Service is looking to
award 15 grants ranging from $5,000 to
$40,000, except for category 2.B.,
which can be submitted up to $60,000.
This funding is from the Historic
Preservation Fund for American Indian
tribes to assist with the preservation of
historic and cultural sites, and to
preserve, protect and pass on skills and
traditions between generations. Click
on title link, then click on ‘2014
Guidelines and Application
Instructions’ for details. Deadline to
apply is March 21, 2014.
Helping Tribes to Prepare
for Transportation
Emergencies
Program: The Hazardous Material
Emergency Preparedness Program/
Native American Tribes (CFDA
20.703). 20% Matching Funds
required. Agency: Transportation Dept.
Eligibility: Tribes; Deadline: March
31, 2014.
This program provides grants to tribes
to help train and prepare public sector
transportation employees to respond to
emergencies involving the
transportation of hazardous material.
The goal is to improve the ability to
safely and efficiently handle hazardous
material-related accidents and incidents,
enhance implementation of Emergency
Planning and Community Right-toKnow Act, and encourage a
comprehensive approach to emergency
training and planning. Click on title
link for funding opportunity; and/or call
(202) 366-1109; e-mail:
HMEP.Grants@dot.gov.
Social and Economic
Development Strategies
Grant
Funding: $5 million total; Award
ceiling per grant $40,000, award floor
$5,000. Eligibility: Tribes, tribal
governments, non-profits, others.
Deadline: April 15, 2014. The
Admini. for Native Americans (ANA),
within the Admin. for Children &
Families (ACF) announce this FOA of
FY 2014 funds for community based
projects under the ANA Social and
Economic Development Strategies
(SEDS) program, which is focused on
community-driven projects designed to
grow local economies, strengthen
Native American families, including
preservation of cultures, and decrease
the high rate of current challenges
caused by lack of community-based
businesses, and social and economic
infrastructure in Native American
communities. For details and funding
instructions, please click on heading
link above.
TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES
SAMHSA Tribal Trng. &
Tech. Asst. Center
SAVE THE DATE! On March 5th at
12:00 p.m. (MST) the 1st part of a 3 part
webinar series on Community Readiness
Model as related to suicide prevention
will be taking place. To register, please
click on title link above. Parts 2 & 3 will
be held March 12th and March 26th,
respectively. Please see attached flyer for
additional information.
MIAC Pueblo Weaving
Workshop
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
presents Louie Garcia for a 2-day weaving
workshop at the museum in Santa Fe. The
workshop will take place on March 1516, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
with weaving instructions, history and
loom set up. Supplies will be provided,
lunch on your own. Please contact Rita
Iringan at (505) 476-1271 or Museum
Shop at (505) 982-5057. Space will fillup fast, so register soon! See attached
flyer.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Walter Echo-Hawk Book
Talk at UNM Law School
On March 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Walter EchoHawk will be doing a book talk on his
recent book “In the Light of Justice:
The Rise of Human Rights I Native
America”, with a book signing
afterwards, at UNM Law School, Room
2402 (Parking in Lot L). See attached
flyer for details.
IAIA Hosts Indigenous
Intervention on Progress
Conference
The Institute of American Indian Arts
(IAIA) is hosting this conference on
March 13-15, 2014 at the Nativo
Lodge in Albuquerque. This is an
interdisciplinary conference exploring
the idea of progress in many areas, and
responses by indigenous people. Click
on heading link for details and
registration information.
2014 National Native
HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day Events
National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day (NNHAAD) is on March 20th.
There are three interesting events
happening in Albuquerque on March
13, 14, & 15. Details are on the
attached flyer.
Treating Adults and
Teens with Addiction
Problems
David Burns, MD will have a
workshop at the Albuquerque
Convention Center March 20-21, 2014
on his new cognitive-behavioral
treatment protocol for addictions. Dr.
Burns’ bestselling book “Feeling
Good” revolutionized the treatment of
depression. His workshop will provide
high-speed treatment and relapse
prevention strategies and provide
participants with cutting-edge CBT
tools they can put to immediate use in
any practice setting. This is Dr. Burns’
first appearance in New Mexico and he
is particularly interested in supporting
treatment programming in Indian
Country.
See attached flyer for registration
information and fees.
Tribal Energy Program
Review
SAVE THE DATE – This will be held
March 24-27, 2014 at the Denver
Marriott West in Golden CO. This
Annual Program Review provides tribes
with an opportunity to meet and learn
from other tribes that are pursuing
energy sufficiency and reduced carbon
pollution through energy efficiency
and/or renewable energy development,
and to share in each other’s successes.
Click on title link for additional
information.
4th Annual Prof. Devel.
Trng. on Indigenous
Prevention-Substance
Abuse/Drugs
The Native American Training Institute,
Inc. invites health practitioners and
service providers representing Native
Americans to the 4th Annual Indian
School on April 27-May 2, 2014 in
Albuquerque. See attached flyer and
agenda for details.
EMPLOYMENTS
OPPORTUNITIES
IT Director for Pueblo of
Jemez
The Pueblo of Jemez is seeking a fulltime IT Director in their Tribal
Administration. Salary range is
$61,214-$76,518 Annually. Please
review attached ‘Jemez Pueblo IT
Director Position’ for position
description and application instructions.
UPCOMING NATIVE
AMERICAN EVENTS
Sherman Alexie at Popejoy
Hall
Sherman Alexie will be performing at
the Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque on
March 30, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. He is a
famous Native American author and
screen writer and producer. He will
share tales of contemporary American
Indian life laced with razor-sharp
humor, unsettling candor and biting wit.
Click on the title link to be directed to
the Popejoy site to purchase your
tickets. Popejoy Hall will give 40%
discounts to Native People who want to
attend.
2014 Listing of Pueblo
Feast Days
For a schedule of Pueblo Feast Days this
year, please click on the link above,
which will direct you to the website for
the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Gathering of Nations April
24-26, 2014 in
Albuquerque, NM
It’s never too early to plan for a big
event like this. If you are involved and
would like to advertise, you may view
the attached “Gathering of Nations Rate
Card 2014.pdf” for additional
information. The deadline to submit for
this is March 28, 2014.
NOTE: The NM Indian Affairs
Department NewsBlast publishes news
and items of interest to keep
constituents and stakeholders informed
about important American Indian news
and updates. Publication of a news clip
is not an endorsement of its viewpoint
or accuracy.
Please send comments, questions or suggestions
to:
Michelle Redmond
Director of Government Affairs
New Mexico Indian Affairs Department
505-476-1681
michelle.redmond@state.nm.us