BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

BIA Receives Approval of Special Master to Bring
Integrated Records Management System (IRMS) back On-line

Washington, DC - The U.S. District Court appointed Special Master Alan Balaran has concurred with a Department of the Interior proposal to bring the Bureau of Indians Affairs' Integrated Records Management Systems (IRMS) back on-line to begin processing grazing lease payments to Indian Country.

"We look forward to the day when we'll be operating at 100% capacity and will continue to work with the Special Master to move things in the right direction," said Neal McCaleb, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs. In order to provide better security for the system, the Bureau will limit access to the Integrated Records Management System (IRMS) by regional offices. BIA Regional offices should be able to begin transaction processing on January 25, 2002. "We are making substantial progress toward securing our information systems to better serve Indian Country."stated McCaleb. "Our people continue to work around the clock and I commend them for their efforts."

At this time, a proposal to reconnect the Mineral Management Service's Mineral Resource Management system to the Internet is pending before the Special Master, oil and gas royalty payments still cannot be made to recipients. This system is important to our efforts to bring trust systems back on-line.

The Department's information systems were disconnected from the Internet on December 5, 2002 due to a Temporary Restraining Order issued by U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth in Washington, DC. Subsequently, on December 17, 2001, Judge Royce C. Lamberth extended a consent order which provides a process for seeking the concurrence of the Court to reconnect information technology systems to the Internet. Thus far, the Department has submitted several proposals to the Court's Special Master including the one noted above.

The Department of the Interior trust responsibilities for American Indians dating back to 1887 to manage, among other things, rents and royalties from grazing, mining, logging, and oil drilling on Indian lands.

-BIA-