The Daily Spark
Small sparks from Indian Country, built to catch fire
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BIA Awards Tribal Resilience Grants to Tribes in South Dakota
The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced funding awards under the FY24 Tribal Community Resilience Program on January 8. Recipients include several tribes and organizations in the South Dakota:
- The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe received $250,000 to update its Tribal Water Code and implement GIS mapping for climate resilience.
- The Yankton Sioux Tribe was awarded $240,100 to develop a drought vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan.
- The Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance was granted $246,750 to create a Tribal Climate Adaptation Plan focused on water resource management.
Modoc Nation and Partners Challenge Counterclaims in Federal Court
This week, the Modoc Nation and its associated enterprises filed a reply brief in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, seeking dismissal or a stay of counterclaims against them. The case centers on disputes involving tribal businesses, raising significant questions about the application of federal and state laws to tribal entities.
The Modoc Nation’s filing underscores broader concerns across Indian Country about the balance of tribal sovereignty and external legal challenges, especially regarding the jurisdictional overlap between state and federal courts in tribal matters.