The Department of Energy has developed a draft of a new map and state registration form to support its determination that Rattlesnake Mountain is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places because of its tribal history.

However, before this version is finalized and sent to the Washington State Preservation Office, DOE plans to meet with ranchers concerned about a previous submittal. DOE thinks ranchers will find this one an improvement.

DOE also will consult with the Yakama Nation before finalizing the draft.

The earlier submittal showed a map of Laliik, land sacred to the tribes on Rattlesnake Mountain, that included a wide circle of private land in addition to the DOE land.

Ranchers are concerned that submitting a map to the state showing private land as sacred to the tribes could open the door to archaeological or other restrictions on how they use their property or any changes to it, such as modifying ditches.

The new draft submittal shows only the portion of Laliik on DOE land that is in the security perimeter of the Hanford nuclear reservation that now is part of the Hanford Reach National Monument.

The map and the written description have been revised in the draft to show only the portion of Laliik on DOE land and remains neutral on the rest of Rattlesnake Mountain.

"That's what we meant to convey" in the original submittal, said Geoff Tyree, spokesman for DOE.

DOE deputy manager Doug Shoop and Benton County Commissioner Max Benitz met Thursday to discuss the revision and had a productive meeting, Benitz said.

"The language is in the best interest of private property owners and the citizens of Benton County," Benitz said. "We were very pleased with the meeting."

DOE is preparing a letter to send to people who own land in the Rattlesnake Mountain area to discuss the revised submittal to the state, including the map, and will schedule a meeting with them before the registration is resubmitted to the state.

Previous letters on the issue have failed to reach all landowners, with DOE saying it had difficulty identifying all of them. Benitz has agreed to supply a list of landowners in Benton and Yakima counties for the new mailing.

Under the National Historic Preservation Act, federal agencies must take into account the effect of actions on any property eligible for the National Register, and DOE has long considered its land on Rattlesnake Mountain as eligible.

But the eligibility determination became an issue as DOE prepared to do work that would disturb dirt near the Rattlesnake Barricade on the only small piece of DOE land on the Rattlesnake Mountain side of Highway 240 that has not been preserved as part of Hanford Reach National Monument, according to DOE.

The state requested that DOE formalize its policy that Rattlesnake Mountain is eligible for the National Register. As part of that process, DOE was legally required to ask tribes what part of the mountain they considered to have cultural or religious significance, according to DOE.

The Yakama Nation responded that for at least the past 13,000 years, Laliik has been important to its people's religion and traditions and continues to be important to its heritage. The Yakamas drew the boundary to include not only the top of Rattlesnake Mountain, but also more private land than DOE land.

However, DOE is concerned only with eligibility for the National Register on federal land, DOE officials told ranchers and repeated again Thursday.