Great Plains leaders object to ‘consultation’ process regarding Interior Department’s overhaul of federal trust obligations

Tribal leaders from the Great Plains region were invited to meet with representatives from the Department of Interior on June 12 in Bismarck, North Dakota at the Radisson hotel. While the meeting was billed as a consultation, Buffalo’s Fire talked to several tribal leaders who attended the convening. Leaders in attendance all expressed dismay because the gathering was in violation of consultation protocols.

The Interior Department called it a consultation and sought a response on how it is implementing administrative services and budget cuts for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education and Bureau of Trust Funds Administration under Executive Order 14210 and Secretary’s Order 3429. Interior began consolidating human resources, finance and IT across its other bureaus in April and is now gathering tribal input on how the reorganization should work in Indian Country. Interior Department representatives, none with any decision making power, said the consultation series will refine implementation details, but the consolidation itself is moving ahead.

Tribal leaders objected to the restructuring plans and said they had no say in the changes. They all agreed that it was too late for the DOI to call it a consultation. A number of tribal leaders sought support from each other to join in a lawsuit against the department.

Feedback from this and other sessions, listed on the Indian Affairs website, will also guide Interior’s 2026-30 strategic plan that is expected to go into effect in October 2025.

Tribes were asked how to speed funding, strengthen self-governance compacts, cut paperwork and respond to proposed fast-track energy permitting rules issued under a national emergency declaration.