Mealey's (July 7, 2015, 3:24 PM EDT) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on June 29 released a final rule to reform the regulatory process by which the DOI officially recognizes Indian tribes.

(Final rule available. Document #96-150722-009X.)

“The updated rule promotes a more transparent, timely and consistent process that is flexible enough to account for the unique histories of tribal communities, while maintaining the rigor and integrity of the criteria that have been in place for nearly 40 years,” the DOI said in a news release.

The final...