MONTHLY NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE

• The network is designed to be a powerful broadband LTE network for transmission of voice, data, video, images and texts free of network congestion.

• The network is intended to improve public safety by enabling information to be shared across jurisdictions.

• AT&T won the contract to build out the FirstNet network, meaning that they will almost certainly prioritize co-location on their own existing towers and on those where they have current lease agreements, however substantial new tower construction is almost certain to happen.

• Currently, 28 states and 2 territories have opted in for FirstNet.

• Those who choose not to opt-in may build their own radio access networks (RAN) that interoperate with FirstNet.

• To date, no state has officially opted out, but some states continue to investigate alternatives—including New Hampshire and Michigan.

• The impact of the construction of this network will create significant activity on tribal lands as well— much of it subject to Section 106 consultation.

FIRSTNET: BIG NEWS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS BUILDING THE FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK AND TRIBAL LANDS

iRESPONSE TEAM MEETS WITH DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

OUR RESPONSEPRESERVE.DEFEND.PROTECT.

FirstNet is an independent authority within the U.S. Department of Commerce, with a mission to deploy the first nationwide wireless network dedicated to public safety. Developing, building, and operating this network means potential for significant tower activity inside of states as well as on tribal lands.

Native Americans, tribal businesses and sovereign Nation leadership have all embraced technology as a key tool

to improving growth and overall well-being.

The new edition of Tribal GIS: Supporting Native American Decision-Making showcases tribal leaders who tell their individual stories of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to address challenges on tribal and ancestral lands, including applications with economic development, health, education, transportation, public safety, agriculture, as well as cultural and historical preservation.

As a technology company, iResponse salutes the book, and the efforts outlined in it. We believe you too will find this book a worthwhile guide—whether you’re new to GIS or have experience with it.

Stewardship of our lands and resources means making the best informed decisions we can—for all of our futures.

The iResponse team was invited to Washington, D.C. to meet with Mr. James Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary at U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).

Interest in the success of iResponse in successfully facilitating thousands of requests from Agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Tower Construction Notification System; the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); the Department of Forestry & National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); and the Army Corps of Engineers prompted the visit, along with Executive Order 13807, issued by President Trump in August of 2017.

This Order seeks “Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure,” which aligns well with iResponse capabilities as an efficient, cost-effective solution to

consultation opportunities for policy and infrastructure.

The iResponse team was invited to a return visit in May of 2018 to demonstrate specifically how iResponse can help the DOI better align with the Executive Order.

iResponse believes the cooperation of industry and government--working with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and Tribal leadership-- is critical to avoiding adverse effects on tribal and ancestral lands. iResponse was created in order to simplify this process for all parties involved, creating an accurate, effective, and timely means of Section 106 Consultation.

Doing this without disturbing any remains meant that iResponse had the opportunity to utilize our Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology. GPR uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. This is a nondestructive method of mapping under the ground, as the GPR creates pictures from reflected signals in the subsurface. GPR can be used in soil, rock, ice, fresh water, even under pavement and structures to detect subsurface objects. It is used often by iResponse in order

to map areas under Section 106 consultation for ground disturbing activity. The use of GPR helps ensure that no adverse effect occurs with any culturally significant artifacts or remains in the ground.

Graves were discovered after vegetation was removed from a grassland area near the Rocky Boy reservation in Montana. The visible graves were marked with flags, and the worthwhile goal of documenting and creating an interactive map of the cemetery with names and descriptions of those interred there.

Creating an interactive map of the cemetery with names and descriptions of those interred there

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR AND MAPPING OUR ANCESTORS

Preserve, Defend, Protect Tribal ancestral lands, historic religious sites with iResponse. Section 106 Consultation easy as 1,2,3

If you no longer wish to receive these emails from iResponse, please reply to this message with “unsubscribe” in the subject lineor simply click on the following link: Unsubscribe

Comments? Suggestions? We’re here to respond!

P.O. Box 230 Box Elder, MT 59521 (406)395-4215

i R E S P O N S E 1 0 6 . C O M

ETHAN RYANEthan Ryan is an iResponse Archaeological GIS and Ground Penetrating Radar Specialist. He’s completing his graduate degree in Anthropology-Cultural Heritage at the University of Montana this spring, with plans to begin his doctoral

dissertation after that. He’s worked for the Bureau of Land Management as an archaeological technician and has worked on research projects in Alaska, British Columbia, Montana, and Wyoming. So it was only natural that Ethan took on the task of mapping the cemetery.

To date, 1,080 total graves have been recorded, with 539 identified by name now. Work continues on the remaining 541. Links were created for the community to add information, and data discovered is entered into the Find-A-Grave website—an online database of cemeteries and graves.

Share

From Left to Right: John Tahsuda III, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs; Alvin Windy Boy, Sr., CEO iResponse; James E Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary at U.S. Department of the Interior.