The Daily Spark

Senate unanimously passes bill updating Native tourism law

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation on Dec. 16 to update the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act, according to a press release from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The bill was authored by Sen. Brian Schatz, vice chairman of the committee, and updates the original NATIVE Act signed into law in 2016. The changes are intended to strengthen the program and make it easier for Native communities to access federal tourism resources.

According to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the NATIVE Act requires federal agencies with tourism assets to include tribes and Native organizations in national tourism efforts and strategic planning. The law also provides American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities with access to technical assistance and resources to develop cultural and recreational tourism infrastructure, support economic development and create jobs. Schatz said the updates are aimed at helping Native communities share their own stories and expand economic opportunities.

Ute Tribe alleges state interference in bid to buy Tabby Mountain land

The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation alleges a top Utah lawmaker interfered with its effort to buy back ancestral land in eastern Utah, according to Utah News Dispatch. The tribe sued the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration and multiple state officials, saying its nearly $47 million bid for the 28,500-acre Tabby Mountain property was the highest legitimate offer and was rejected due to racial discrimination. The agency ultimately decided in 2019 not to sell the land.

An amended lawsuit filed in November names Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and alleges he worked with other officials to block the sale and retaliate against the tribe through new legislation. Schultz declined to comment on the lawsuit but said in a joint statement that claims presented are inaccurate, according to Utah News Dispatch. The suit seeks a court order compelling the sale and punitive damages.

Blackfeet sisters develop horse-based mental health program after brother’s death

Two Blackfeet sisters are creating a horse-based mental health program on the Blackfeet Reservation after their brother, Wyatt Mad Plume, died by suicide at age 29, according to Montana Free Press. Lynn Mad Plume, who holds a doctorate in Indigenous health, and her sister Erika Mad Plume, a clinical social worker and addiction counselor candidate, are blending equine-assisted activities with clinical counseling to offer a free alternative to talk therapy through their nonprofit, Two Powers Land Collective.

According to Montana Free Press, the sisters say the program is designed to reach community members, particularly men and youth, who may resist traditional therapy. The effort comes amid persistently high suicide rates in tribal communities in Montana. The program has served dozens of children and adults since April and recently received grant funding to continue operations. The sisters said their goal is to support emotional regulation, cultural connection and long-term mental health in their community.

Energy Transfer seeks to block Greenpeace lawsuit filed in Netherlands

Energy Transfer asked the North Dakota Supreme Court on Dec. 18 to halt a lawsuit Greenpeace International filed against the company in the Netherlands while related litigation continues in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Monitor. The request stems from an ongoing case in Southwest Judicial District Court, where Energy Transfer accuses Greenpeace International and two other Greenpeace entities of conspiring to use unlawful tactics to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

According to the North Dakota Monitor, Greenpeace International denies the allegations and says the North Dakota lawsuit is intended to punish the organization for opposing the pipeline. Greenpeace International filed its Dutch lawsuit in February under a European Union directive aimed at addressing frivolous lawsuits, seeking monetary damages and alleging harm from Energy Transfer’s litigation. Judge James Gion denied Energy Transfer’s request to suspend the foreign case, finding the legal claims different. The state Supreme Court took the matter under advisement, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

Poetry reading set for Dec. 19 in Rapid City

Poet Anpo Jensen will host a reading today in Rapid City, South Dakota. Jensen is the author of “Hero Dreams Shine,” a collection of poetry about “a Lakota girl navigating the challenges of engineering school,” according to Jensen’s website. The reading will feature poetry centered on dreams, courage and global inspiration. The event is open to the public and will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at Aqua & Acre Market, 614 St. Joseph St.

A book signing with Jensen is scheduled for Dec. 20. Additional information about the event and the book is available through the @herodreamsshine account and on Jensen’s website, anpojensen.com.

Tribal nations seek new funding paths after federal clean energy cuts

According to Utility Dive, tribal nations pursuing clean energy projects are exploring alternative financing after the Trump administration rescinded federal grants tied to the Inflation Reduction Act, including the Solar for All program that had earmarked more than $500 million for tribal solar development. The Tribal Renewable Energy Coalition, which received more than $135 million in now-canceled funding, plans to use its existing project plans while seeking loans and philanthropy, Utility Dive reported.

Cody Two Bears, CEO of Indigenized Energy, was quoted as saying tribes now have “things teed up” to pursue new dollars. Chéri Smith, CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, said lost federal funding has made large-scale projects harder to finance but that opportunities remain. Clara Pratte, founder of Navajo Power, said there is investor interest but that markets need better understanding of how tribes work, according to Utility Dive.

Red Lake Nation signs cannabis cooperative agreement with Minnesota

The Bemidji Pioneer reports that Red Lake Nation has signed a cannabis cooperative agreement with the state of Minnesota. The agreement outlines how the state and Red Lake Nation will address public health and safety related to adult-use cannabis while supporting the tribe’s sovereignty, cultural identity and heritage, according to a press release.

Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Eric Taubel said the agreement creates a pathway for state-licensed cannabis businesses to partner with Red Lake Nation. Red Lake Nation Chair Darrell Seki Sr. said in the release that the tribe aims to produce cannabis products verified through consistent testing. Red Lake’s NativeCare dispensary was the first in Minnesota to sell legal adult-use cannabis after legalization took effect in August 2023, according to the release.

Chippewa Cree gain path to elect county commissioner

According to the Daily Montanan, the Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation will have the opportunity to elect a representative of their choice to the Chouteau County Board of Commissioners following a settlement approved by the U.S. District Court of Montana. The settlement resolves a Voting Rights Act lawsuit alleging the county’s at-large election system diluted Native voting strength and denied representation for more than a decade.

The agreement places the reservation within Chouteau County’s District 1, which will elect a commissioner through a single-member district election, according to a news release from the ACLU of Montana. Chippewa Cree Tribe Chairman Harlan Gopher Baker said the settlement gives the tribe a long-missing voice in county politics. The first election under the new district is scheduled for June 2026, according to the proposed consent decree.

Lumbee Tribe secures federal recognition through defense bill

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina secured federal recognition Wednesday after Congress approved legislation as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, according to the Associated Press. The state-recognized tribe has sought federal recognition for generations, and previous stand-alone legislation had stalled in Congress. The measure passed the Senate Wednesday afternoon and now awaits the president’s signature.

Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery celebrated the vote alongside tribal members in North Carolina and in Washington, D.C. “We have been second-class Natives and we will never be that again,” Lowery was quoted as saying. Federal recognition will allow the tribe to access federal resources, including Indian Health Service programs, and to place land into trust.

Half of South Dakota inmates return to prison, higher rates among Native Americans

South Dakota Searchlight reports that half of the people released from South Dakota prisons return within three years, according to the Department of Corrections’ 2025 annual report. The report shows the state’s recidivism rate is the highest in at least eight years and seven percentage points higher than last year. Among Native Americans released from prison, 59% return within three years, the highest rate of any racial group. Native Americans make up 39% of the state’s prison population, including 35% of incarcerated men and 61% of incarcerated women. The recidivism rate among Native American women is 66%, according to the report.

Department officials presented the data Wednesday to the South Dakota Correctional Rehabilitation Task Force in Pierre. Task force members approved 11 recommendations for the Department of Corrections, including restoring evening prison volunteers, designating the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate parole program as a flagship model and piloting a tribal cultural liaison position. State Rep. Kadyn Wittman said the figures show the state is “not appropriately supporting the Indigenous population.”

Heinrich reintroduces bill to expand tribal buffalo herds

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., reintroduced bipartisan legislation intended to strengthen federal support for tribal buffalo herds, according to SourceNM. Co-sponsored with U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., the Indian Buffalo Management Act would direct the Department of the Interior to work with tribes to develop, protect and grow buffalo herds nationwide and authorize up to $14 million annually for those efforts.

The InterTribal Buffalo Council endorsed the legislation, according to SourceNM. Council leaders, including Delbert Chisholm of Taos Pueblo, said in a statement that helping tribes reestablish buffalo herds “will be thoroughly welcomed by Tribes and Indian people across the country.” Versions of the bill have passed one chamber of Congress in recent years but not both, according to SourceNM.

Mni Sota Fund receives $7M Bush Foundation grant to expand Native wealth building

Mni Sota Fund received a $7 million Community Innovation grant from the Bush Foundation to support wealth building in Native American communities in Minnesota, according to MPR News. The Minneapolis-based Community Development Financial Institution said the grant advances its $18 million capital campaign and will expand lending, financial education and homeownership support.

Andrea Reese, interim executive director of Mni Sota Fund, said the organization takes a holistic approach to financial well-being rooted in Indigenous values, according to MPR News. Of the new funding, Reese said about $4 million will increase lending for entrepreneurs, small businesses and credit building, with plans to expand statewide through partnerships in Bemidji and Duluth. Another $3 million will support staffing to grow financial literacy and home buyer education programs.

Bush Foundation grantmaking director Eileen Briggs said in a news release that the foundation supports Native-led organizations that build systems responsive to their communities.

CDC panel vote raises concerns over newborn hepatitis B protection in AlaskaCDC panel vote raises concerns over newborn hepatitis B protection in Alaska

A federal vaccine advisory panel voted to drop a longstanding recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination of newborns, a change that could affect protections credited with sharply reducing the disease among Alaska Native children, according to the Alaska Beacon. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voted to recommend hepatitis B vaccination for infants younger than 2 months only if their mothers are infected or at risk. Current federal guidelines have recommended a dose at birth since 1991.

Hepatitis B was once widespread in Western Alaska, where Alaska Native children experienced high rates of liver cancer linked to the virus, Dr. Brian McMahon of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium said, according to the Alaska Beacon. McMahon said decades of screening and vaccination eliminated new symptomatic cases among Alaska Native children. He told the committee that universal newborn vaccination has been critical to preventing transmission. Alaska Native tribal health organizations plan to continue vaccinating newborns regardless of federal policy, McMahon said, according to the Alaska Beacon.

NM Environmental Law Center calls for greater access to Project Jupiter air permit review

The New Mexico Environmental Law Center urged the New Mexico Environment Department to make air permit applications for Project Jupiter accessible to the public and to extend opportunities for public participation, according to a letter submitted to the department’s Air Quality Bureau. The nonprofit said large portions of the applications submitted by Acoma, LLC for two proposed microgrid power plants in Santa Teresa are redacted, limiting the public’s ability to review and comment.

The law center requested broader notice of the applications in English and Spanish and asked the department to extend the standard 30-day public comment period by an additional 30 days. It also called for any public hearing to be held no earlier than 90 days after the department releases its analysis and to take place in Santa Teresa. Staff attorney Kacey Hovden said impacted residents must be able to access documents and participate meaningfully in the permitting process. Senior staff attorney Maslyn Locke said accessible hearings require complete information, adequate review time and language access.

State report shows Native children make up more than 70% of South Dakota foster care

Native American children accounted for more than 70% of children in South Dakota’s foster care system at the end of fiscal year 2025, according to South Dakota Searchlight. The outlet reported that the state Department of Social Services’ annual Child Protection Services report lists 1,201 Native American children among 1,709 children in foster care statewide. White children made up 23% of the foster care population while representing about 70% of the state’s overall population, according to the report.

About 32% of children were placed in kinship care with relatives or close family friends, up from 30% the previous year, according to South Dakota Searchlight’s review of the data. The department reported 793 registered foster homes during the fiscal year, the lowest number since 2020. Ninety-three homes, or nearly 12%, were Native American. Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff said in an emailed statement to South Dakota Searchlight that kinship care is “a priority,” citing new licensing standards implemented in June to reduce barriers for families.

Ninth Circuit rules tribal officials lack immunity under PACT Act

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that tribal officials cannot claim tribal sovereign immunity or qualified immunity in lawsuits brought under the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, according to a legal analysis published by JD Supra. In State ex rel. Bonta v. Del Rosa, the court held that California may pursue enforcement claims against individual officers of the Alturas Indian Rancheria Tribe for alleged failures to remit cigarette taxes required under federal law.

The case arose from a 2023 lawsuit against Azuma Corporation, a tribally owned cigarette manufacturer and distributor, and three tribal business committee members who managed tobacco operations. While claims against the company were dismissed based on sovereign immunity, the courts allowed claims against the individual officials to proceed. According to JD Supra, the Ninth Circuit found that the PACT Act permits injunctive relief against tribal officials and that qualified immunity does not apply when a state seeks to enforce federal and state laws.

Ojibwe community members recognized for cultural and youth leadership

Two Native community members are among seven Minnesotans awarded the 2025 Virginia McKnight Binger Heart of Community Honor, according to MPR News. The award recognizes individuals across the state who have made a significant impact on Minnesota communities.

Joshua Jones of Red Lake Nation was selected as the northwest region recipient for his work in youth programming. According to MPR News, Jones is a hydrologist with the Red Lake Nation Department of Natural Resources and leads internship and outdoor work programs that provide paid experience while connecting youth to Ojibwe culture. Wanetta Thompson of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe was named the central region recipient for her work through Bear Paws Cultural Art. MPR News reported that her organization offers free art workshops focused on cultural revitalization, community healing and engagement between Native and non-Native participants. Both were honored at an award ceremony held by the McKnight Foundation in late November.

NDN Collective launches ‘Feed the People’ campaign to address SNAP disruption

NDN Collective has launched the “Feed the People” campaign to support Indigenous families affected by the disruption of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the Oceti Sakowin. According to NDN Collective, the campaign seeks immediate funding to purchase and distribute bison meat boxes, combining food relief with cultural revitalization grounded in reciprocity and respect for the animal.

According to NDN Collective, the effort will prioritize those most impacted by the SNAP crisis, including elders, children and people with accessibility needs. Meat will be sourced from tribally managed or Native-led bison herds to strengthen Indigenous food sovereignty. The organization said the goal is to provide direct food relief while reinforcing traditional food systems and community health in Rapid City, South Dakota, and surrounding rural areas.

California State University adoptsy policy to return Native remains, cultural items

The California State University system has adopted a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act policy requiring the return of human remains and cultural items held across its campuses, according to the Long Beach Current.

The policy sets systemwide standards for repatriation and consultation with tribal nations and acknowledges the harm caused by withholding ancestors and sacred belongings. Twenty-one CSU campuses currently hold Native remains or cultural items. Each campus must hire a full-time repatriation coordinator, report regularly to the Chancellor’s Office and Legislature and consult with tribes on reburial options.

Prairie Band Potawatomi faces backlash over ICE detention center contract

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is facing criticism from other Native Americans after a tribally owned company signed a nearly $30 million contract to help design immigration detention centers, according to the Associated Press. The contract, awarded in October to KPB Services LLC, a newly formed business affiliate, was made without competitive bidding. The The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the Prairie Band LLC fired economic development officials involved in the deal last week.

Amid growing outrage, tribal leaders said they are seeking to end the agreement. “We know our Indian reservations were the government’s first attempts at detention centers,” Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said in a video message, adding, “We must ask ourselves why we would ever participate in something that mirrors the harm and trauma once done to our people.”

The contract’s disclosure comes as federal scrutiny increases over tribal partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.