NEWS ARCHIVE
Tribal Leaders Oppose Wisconsin Mining Bill Approved by Assembly - January 26, 2012
Many Wisconsin tribal leaders oppose a bill which would ease the way for an iron ore mine, relax environmental standards involving wetlands, groundwater and rock disposal, and eliminate public participation processes known as contested case hearings.
California Cabazon tribe agrees to air quality monitoring - January 19, 2012
The Cabazon tribe granted authority to inspectors to enter sovereign tribal land to monitor environmental laws on a reservation industrial park and issue violations. This allowance comes in response to noxious odors which sickened nearby schoolchildren.
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) e-waste recycling program successful - January 16, 2012
The CNO program, which launched a year ago with an event during which 37,000 pounds of e-waste were collected, has been recognized with several awards, and is expected to be a profitable venture for the tribe while reducing environmental hazards.
Oklahoma awards grant to Intertribal Land Use Committee for asbestos abatement - January 10, 2012
The Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality has awarded a grant of $200,000 to the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Intertribal Land Use Committee. The grant will be used for asbestos abatement of five buildings on the Fort Sill Indian School campus at Lawton.
Appeals court hears case challenging planned use of treated wastewater at Arizona ski resort - January 10, 2012
A federal appeals court heard arguments in a case challenging the planned use of treated wastewater for snowmaking at a ski resort in the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, AZ which several American Indian tribes consider sacred.
Tribal-Specific Conservation Practices Get USDA Funding in California - January 5, 2012
For the first time in California the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) is making funding available to tribal farmers and ranchers for tradition-based tribal conservation practices.
EPA Seeking Nominations for Members to National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) - January 4, 2012
The EPA invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the NEJAC. There is currently one opening for a representative of tribal governments/indigenous groups. Please make nominations by Jan. 25, 2012.
Potawatomi Tribe proposes biogas energy project - December 7, 2011
The Forest County Potawatomi tribe is proposing to build a biogas energy project involving an anaerobic digester that would produce electricity, as well as heat for hot water and space heating, for the Menomonee Valley casino.
EPA gives Wisconsin tribe power to set water standards - October 5, 2011
The Bad River band of Lake Superior Chippewa reported that the EPA had approved its application to set standards for water quality for tribal waters. The approval could affect a proposed iron ore mine in the Bad River watershed.
Over 80 Tribal Schools in Arizona, Navajo Nation to improve environmental management - August 23, 2011
EPA Announces Settlement with the Department of the Interior to Resolve Violations at 164 DOI Schools in Indian Country, benefitting more than 40,000 students nationwide
"Fracking" Ramps Up on Blackfeet Reservation - August 17, 2011
Conservationists, GNP officials concerned about drilling for oil and gas
Smithsonian and Tribal Communities Launch Environmental Education Website - August 15, 2011
Developed in collaboration with the Akwesasne Mohawk of northern New York, the Campo Kumeyaay Nation of southern California, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe of northern Minnesota and the Lummi Nation of Washington state, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian launches a new educational website, "American Indian Responses to Environmental Challenges," that will target middle and high school teachers, students and the general public.
Coal Power Plants and Mercury on the Navajo Nation - August 8, 2011
Navajo and other Native people who live beneath the massive grid that carries power from the Colorado Plateau to distant cities have long criticized its creation of bad water and polluted air, particularly because they may not have electricity or running water themselves.
Oil, gas dilemma for Blackfeet Tribe: Revenue versus environment - August 6, 2011
Although the deal could be a financial windfall for a tribe badly in need of resources, some stakeholders are raising questions about what safeguards are in place to protect the land's natural resources and cultural significance.
Greenwashing: Corporations target Indian country with scams - August 5, 2011
Indian country targeted: Carbon credits and waste incinerator
Climate Change Hurts Indian Tribes Disproportionately, Report Finds - August 3, 2011
Droughts, water scarcity, fires, flooding, snowstorms are especially harsh for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Navajos closer to 1st wind farm - July 29, 2011
The Navajo Nation likely will get its first wind farm as the result of a deal announced Thursday to sell power to Salt River Project from a project to be built near Seligman.
California Extends Ban on Harmful River Mining; Protects Natural Resources, Saves Taxpayers Money - July 27, 2011
California has extended a ban on harmful suction dredge mining that will protect water quality, wildlife and cultural resources while saving taxpayers money.
EPA clarifies permitting process on tribal lands - July 27, 2011
Tribal economies could be boosted with a new rule that establishes how some industrial facilities can get permits on American Indian reservations while ensuring the air quality doesn't worsen significantly.
Forest Service provides environmental education to tribal youth - July 23, 2011
The Kaibab National Forest is working to make good on a promise to provide environmental education opportunities to tribal youth throughout northern Arizona.
Seeing Trends, Coalition Works to Help a River Adapt - July 20, 2011
For 10,000 years the Nisqually Indians have relied on chinook salmon for their very existence, but soon those roles are expected to reverse.
Sitting Bull College receives $300K to grow green jobs - July 12, 2011
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today awarded Sitting Bull College in Fort Yates, North Dakota a $300,000 Workforce Development and Job Training Grant to promote green jobs on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.
EPA wants input on Cass Lake Superfund site - July 8, 2011
Cass Lake, the location of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation as well as the St. Regis Paper Company Superfund Site, held a public meeting in June concerning cleanup options for contaminated soil.
"Bull Trout's Gift": Explaining the value of a river to the younger generation - July 4, 2011
As the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes continue their massive attempt to turn back the clock on the Jocko River and its watershed, they have also left room to explain -- with that explanation mostly geared toward a younger generation -- why they're doing it.
Iron County mine proposal pits jobs against environment - July 2, 2011
The project is emerging as a classic jobs-vs.-environment battle as opponents question how a large mine could influence another natural asset of the region -- its water resources.
Tribal environmental conference attracts elders, youth - July 1, 2011
Southeast tribal representatives met in Juneau this (last) week to discuss environmental issues and programs. The four-day conference attracted about 40 people who talked about traditional knowledge, recycling and working with government agencies.
American Indians Vital in Climate Change Discussions - June 30, 2011
Climate change poses a monumental problem for indigenous peoples who "are among the first to face the direct consequences of climate change, due to their dependence upon, and close relationship, with the environment and its resources," according to a report by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples.
Fort Berthold Reservation to Provide Backdrop for International Discussion on Energy and Climate Change - June 30, 2011
Alyce Spotted Bear joined Fort Berthold Reservation community organizers this week for final planning meetings on a national energy and climate change gathering scheduled late July in North Dakota. The group made plans while hundreds of semi-trucks zoomed across cracked and crumbled roads, shuttling oil and water to and from nearly 400 producing oil wells within reservation boundaries.
Lower Elwha Tribe, Clallam PUD and BPA partner to reduce energy costs and help the environment - June 24, 2011
Members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe saved energy and money while arming themselves against this unusually cold Northern Olympic Peninsula weather. The Tribe partnered with PUD No. 1 of Clallam County and the Bonneville Power Administration to use the grant funds to retrofit 42 homes with ductless heat pumps.
Navajos Hope to Shift From Coal to Wind and Sun - June 22, 2011
For decades, coal has been an economic lifeline for the Navajos, even as mining and power plant emissions dulled the blue skies and sullied the waters of their sprawling reservation.
