FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28, 2026

The Honorable Kate MacGregor
Deputy Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240

Re: Agency Tribal Nations – Mendocino Indian Reservation
Necessary Confirmation for a Pending Federal Grant

Dear Ms. MacGregor:

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

I present this letter on behalf of the Agency Tribal Nations – Mendocino Indian Reservation and its duly appointed Head Chief, Geronimo Thomas Langenderfer, Tribal U.S. Federal Contractor and Awardee of the Interior. The purpose of this correspondence is fourfold:

1. To request formal confirmation from the Department of the Interior (DOI) regarding the Tribe's federal identifiers issued during 2016–2021, including OMB, GSA, FEMA, and IRS registrations.
2. To reaffirm the Tribe's rights under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Executive Order directing federal agencies to align U.S. policy with UNDRIP principles.
3. To confirm DOI's acknowledgment of the Tribe's completed Consultation, Emergency Operations Plan, and Shovel Ready Implementation Plan submitted to DOI and the White House on September 30, 2021.
4. To request DOI's assistance in securing Treasury confirmation of the Tribe's pending federal grant, which remains in review and has not yet been released.

The Mendocino Indian Reservation seeks to ensure that all federal registrations, consultation records, and pending allocations are properly recognized and aligned with the UNDRIP, ISDEAA, NAHASDA, and other governing federal frameworks.

II. BACKGROUND: FEDERAL IDENTIFIERS, LINEAGE, AND GOVERNANCE

A. Federal Identifiers and Contractor Status

Head Chief Geronimo Thomas Langenderfer holds active federal identifiers, including:

• EIN: 84-4663314, DUNS: 117417714, FEMA SID: 0005427312
• GSA Tribal U.S. Federal Contractor License: OMB-2700-0042-GSA-ERRC-Effective-Date-12-16-2016.eml
• GSA INTERACT Registration: IT Schedule 70, SIN 189216088 (Earth Observation Solutions – Cooperative Purchasing)

These identifiers appear throughout the Tribe's Shovel Ready Implementation Plan and Native Registration Package. The documents certify that Head Chief Geronimo Thomas Langenderfer is authorized to act under federal procurement, emergency management, and tribal self-determination authorities.

B. Lineage and Succession

The Tribe's Native Registration Package establishes the Head Chief's lineage from Cicilia Merales and Calvin Eugene Wright, confirming continuity from the original Mendocino Indian Reservation established on May 22, 1856 by President Franklin Pierce and Commissioner Manypenny. This lineage supports the Tribe's standing as a sovereign Indigenous Nation with historical, cultural and legal continuity.

C. Consultation and Federal Submissions

The Tribe has completed all required federal submissions, including:

• Pre-Consultation and Consultation under Executive Order 13175;
• Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) – completed September 20, 2020;
• Shovel Ready Implementation Plan – submitted September 30, 2021;
• Federal Assistance SF-424 filings (Alternative Earth, Inc., Mendocino Indian Reservation).

The Shovel Ready Plan states:

"This document serves as the review packet to validate the completed consultation process and the immediate distribution of funds to implement approved strategic economic development plans."

These submissions demonstrate the Tribe's readiness to administer federal programs and implement economic development initiatives.

III. UNDRIP AND EXECUTIVE ORDER ALIGNMENT

The Deputy Secretary of the Interior was nominated to lead federal alignment of UNDRIP with U.S. policy. Under UNDRIP tribals:

• Article 3 affirms Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination;
• Article 4 affirms the right to self-government in internal affairs;
• Article 26 affirms rights to lands, territories, and resources traditionally owned or otherwise occupied; and
• Article 37 affirms the right to recognition and enforcement of treaties and agreements.

The Mendocino Indian Reservation's historical establishment (1856), federal acknowledgment (1908), and subsequent filings - including the NASHA Economic Development Plan (2009–2010), fall squarely within these protections.

The Tribe's request for confirmation is consistent with UNDRIP and the Executive Order directing DOI to uphold Indigenous sovereignty, land rights and governance recognition.

IV. REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

On behalf of Agency Tribal Nations, we respectfully request DOI's written confirmation of the following:

1. Confirmation of Tribal Leadership: That Head Chief Geronimo Thomas Langenderfer is recognized by DOI as the duly appointed Tribal U.S. Federal Contractor and Tribal Government representative for the Mendocino Indian Reservation, consistent with federal identifiers issued 2016.
2. Confirmation of Tribal Government Status: That Agency Tribal Nations is recognized as a sovereign Tribal Nation established in 1856, with standing under ISDEAA, NAHASDA, and GSA OGP 4800.21.
3. Confirmation of Eligibility for Federal Programs: That the Tribe remains eligible to receive emergency allocations, economic development funds, and cooperative purchasing authority under: Executive Order 13175; UNDRIP alignment directives; GSA IT Schedule 70 (SIN 189216088); FEMA Emergency Operations Plan; VA GPD Special Needs Grant submissions; and USDA, DOE, and DOI Tribal programs.
4. Confirmation of Completed Consultation: That DOI acknowledges the Tribe's completed consultation process and the validity of the Shovel Ready Implementation Plan submitted September 30, 2021.
5. Confirmation of Pending Treasury Grant: That DOI provide written acknowledgment and coordination with the U.S. Department of the Treasury regarding the Tribe's pending federal grant, which remains in review. The Tribe respectfully requests confirmation of the grant's current status; whether additional documentation is required; and whether DOI can certify the Tribe's eligibility and standing to expedite Treasury's release of funds.

This confirmation is essential for the Tribe's economic development, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure implementation including a homeless program on the tribal reserve land.

V. CONCLUSION

The Mendocino Indian Reservation has fulfilled all federal requirements for consultation, emergency planning, economic development planning, and federal contractor registration. The Tribe now seeks DOI's formal confirmation to ensure alignment with UNDRIP, federal law, and the Executive Order governing Indigenous rights.

We respectfully request a response confirming the above matters and welcome any additional documentation DOI may require.

Kindest regards, I am

Respectfully submitted,