Cobell vs. Babbitt Case
Subject: Identification and Location of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Records
Relating to Indian Trust Reform and Related Litigation (Cobell vs Babbitt)
To: "DC - All District Chiefs",
"AO - All Administrative Officers"
Cc: "Catherine L Hill, ACH/Program Operations, Reston, VA" ,
"Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA" ,
"Kathy Long, Office Automation Asst., Reston, VA" ,
"Vicki Bass, Chief, Mgmt. Support Section, Reston, VA" ,
"Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" ,
In Reply Refer To:
ACH/Program Operations
Mail Stop 441
MEMORANDUM
December 6, 1999
To: District Chiefs
Administrative Officers
From: Catherine L. Hill /signed/
Associate Chief Hydrologist for Program Operations
Subject: Cobell vs. Babbitt Case
Attached is a memorandum forwarded by Barbara Ryan on Friday, December 3,
1999, concerning the Cobell vs. Babbitt case. Our Chief Hydrologist has
been asked to sign a statement, with penalty of perjury, stating that the
Water Resources Division does not currently hold any records which relate
to this case and that a complete search for these records has been
accomplished.
Please ensure that your files have been adequately searched for any records
or tangible items that refer to or relate to Individual Indian Monies,
especially records during the period of 1820 until 1983 in the geographical
areas of Lac Du Flambeu, Winnebago, Anadarko, Sill Apache, Wind River,
Papago, Uintah and Ouray, Ft. Hall, and Blackfeet Reservations.
Since all Indian records are permanent under the NARA Records Disposition
Schedule, these records should be available if your office worked in these
areas. Your search should also include any records that have been archived
to a Federal Records Center.
Should you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact
Vicki Bass, WRD Records Liaison Officer at 703-648-5036 or by e-mail at
vtbass@usgs.gov. Your assistance in meeting this short deadline is greatly
appreciated.
Attachment
----- Forwarded by Catherine L Hill/WRD/USGS/DOI on 12/06/99 07:33 AM -----
Barbara Ryan
To: "USGS Employees"
cc:
Subject: Identification and Location of U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) Records Relating to Indian Trust Reform and Related Litigation
(Cobell vs Babbitt)
In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 102
#11840
December 3, 1999
To: All USGS Employees
From: Barbara J. Ryan
Associate Director for Operations
Subject: Identification and Location of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Records Relating to Indian Trust Reform and Related Litigation
(Cobell vs Babbitt)
The Department of the Interior is required to produce all documents,
records, and tangible things that refer to or relate to Individual Indian
Monies as part of the ongoing work to reform trust management practices.
These efforts are the subject of litigation in the District Court for the
District of Columbia, Cobell vs Babbitt, Civ. No. 96-1285 (RCL).
The court-appointed Special Master who presides over the case requested
that the USGS provide any documentation on the 1986 change in Bureau of
Indian Affairs policy with respect to maintenance of tribal accounts; the
Pine Ridge Agency; and any document relating to individual Indian trust
beneficiaries. At the present, the geographic areas of interest are the
Lac Du Flambeu, Winnebago, Anadarko, Sill Apache, Wind River, Papago,
Uintah and Ouray, Ft. Hall, and Blackfeet Reservations. The time period
of interest is approximately 1820 until 1983 (when the Minerals
Management Service was created and the USGS files were appropriately
transferred to them).
If you have any documents or records that pertain to this case, please
notify your organizational contact as shown below by December 9, 1999.
Organizational Unit Records Liaison Contact Telephone E-Mail Address
------------------- -------------- -------- --------- --------------
Director's Office Valerie Leonard 703/648-4406 vleonard@usgs.gov
Ofc. of Program Support Debra A.Bradford 703/648-7221 dbradfor@usgs.gov
Biology Susan M. Fayad 303/202-4224 susan_fayad@usgs.gov
Geology Cheryl D. Smith 703/648-6105 cherylsm@usgs.gov
Mapping Arlene V. Ferguady 703/648-5554 aferguad@usgs.gov
Water Vicki Bass 703/648-5036 vtbass@usgs.gov
Thank you for your assistance in this matter. The Associate Directors
will be certifying that a complete search was accomplished for their
organizational units.