1982-02-01 Char-Koosta News

              PABLO, MONTANA 59855 ISSN: 0528-8592
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NEWSPAPER OF THE SAUSH, PEND d'OREILLE AND KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION, WESTERN MONTANA VOLUME 10 NUMBER 18 NEW MOON OF BANDS SPREAD ALL OVER FEBRUARY 1,1982
Water and Power Committee meets with BPA
The Tribal Council voted January 22 to direct Richard Baenen, a member of the Tribes' Washington, D.C. law firm of Wilkinson, Cragun and Barker, to work with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) on issues of common concern. Re-stating his interpretation of the motion, Baenen said,
"Neither party has a mandate to commit, but both have a mandate to explore, right?"
The motion marks a new trend of open discussion between the Council and BPA.
Two items of common interest are still-pending licensing of Kerr Dam and BPA's proposed intention of upgrading some of its transmission lines
crossing the Flathead Reservation.
Baenen spent the better part of the morning session of the Water and Power Committee meeting discussing Kerr Dam. He gave a brief history of the project, and mentioned a few ideas concerning the dam's future. He explained that the Montana Power Company's current temporary license will continue to be renewed each May (the anniversary date) until the Federal Energy Regulation Commission decides to let either MPC or the Tribes operate the site on a more permanent basis. He said a hearing on the subject could come within a year. (BPA is in a position to buy the power from whichever entity is granted a license.)
The second topic, BPA's power transmission lines, is more controversial. The Federal agency feels it has a perpetual right-of-way for the corridor, while the Tribes maintain BPA only has a 50-year deal, 30 years of which have already passed.
On a less "heated" subject, BPA representatives James Normandeau and Gordon Brandenburger told the Council that the agency has grants available to tribes for enhancing conservation efforts on reservations developing renewable resources. Our Tribal Recreation Specialists, David Rockwell and Herschel Mays, and crew, have been hard at work, preparing proposals for some of that money.
Tribal severance taxes upheld
The U.S. Supreme Court struck a blow for Tribal sover-        The Jicarilla ruling will "make for some interesting de-
eignty January 25 when it ruled that the Jicarilla Tribe of velopments in this state," State Indian Affairs Co-ordinator
New Mexico has the authority to impose taxes on natural James Parker Shield told the Associated Press,
resources extracted from its reservation wm^ mm^ mm^ —.      > m .  m^ m
The decision could have an impact on other tribes whose INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
reservations have mineral resources. The Crow Tribe of Tribal Council Directory..................................................Page 2
eastern Montana, for instance, has enacted a 25% severance Camel Update......................................................................Page 15
tax on coal mined on its reservation. The decision could February Calendar............................................................Page 23
have an effect here, too, depending on the type, quantity Council Meeting minutes...............................................Page 24
and marketability of minerals lying beneath the Flathead. mmm^ «^ «^ mmm¥ ^ m^ mmm^ _^