The Daily Spark

The Siletz Tribe has received a $1.56 million grant to reintroduce sea otters to the Oregon and Northern California coasts. The funding, part of the America the Beautiful Challenge, aims to restore a species crucial to local ecosystems and tribal culture. Sea otters play a vital role in maintaining kelp forests and controlling invasive species. The project involves multiple tribes and partners, with sea otters expected to be relocated from healthier populations.

The National Fund for Sacred Places is now accepting applications from historic congregations seeking funding for preservation projects. The program, supported by the Lilly Endowment and Gerry Charitable Trust, offers financial support to restore sacred sites with cultural, architectural, or historical significance. Applications are due by March 3, 2025. Projects should adhere to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The fund encourages submissions that highlight underrepresented communities, including Native Americans.

For full details, visit National Fund website here: https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/rfps/rfp17438-national-fund-for-sacred-places-invites-applications-from-historic-congregations.

More than 540 buffalo have been returned to their ancestral lands in a nationwide, Indigenous-led movement, involving over a dozen tribes and organizations like the InterTribal Buffalo Council and The Nature Conservancy. This initiative aims to restore buffalo populations, benefiting ecological systems, food sovereignty, and Native cultural practices. The return of buffalo symbolizes a journey of healing and partnership for Indigenous communities across the U.S..

President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum directing Doug Burgum, nominated Secretary of the Interior, to devise a plan for extending federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The Lumbee Tribe has sought recognition for over a century, but the process has faced legal and legislative challenges. While the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lumbee Fairness Act in December 2024, the bill did not advance in the Senate. The tribe continues to push for federal acknowledgment through legislation or a legal process.

Larry Rhoden was sworn in as South Dakota’s governor on Saturday after the resignation of Kristi Noem, who moved to Washington, D.C., to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Tribes in the state are hopeful for a fresh start with Rhoden, who previously served as lieutenant governor under Noem. Tensions between South Dakota’s tribes and Noem’s administration were marked by controversial statements and actions, but tribal leaders, like Standing Rock Chairwoman Janet Alkire, are optimistic that Rhoden’s leadership may foster better cooperation and relations.

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against two Oklahoma district attorneys, accusing them of prosecuting Native American citizens outside their jurisdiction. According to the lawsuit, the district attorneys violated the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which limits prosecution of crimes committed by tribal citizens to tribal or federal authorities. The Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Choctaw tribes condemned the actions, citing a threat to tribal sovereignty and public safety.

ASRC Industrial Services LLC, an Alaska Native-owned company, has filed a lawsuit in Washington federal court against Scaffold Engineering Inc., claiming faulty scaffolding designs caused a 2023 collapse at the Swift Dam Bulkhead Project. The collapse led to more than $1.4 million in damages for its subsidiary, Petrochem Industrial. ASRC seeks to cover costs, legal fees, and any damages owed to the contractor, JR Merit. The lawsuit includes multiple claims, such as breach of contract and professional negligence.

Enbridge Energy has asked a Michigan judge to delay a decision on the state's lawsuit over the Line 5 pipeline, urging the court to wait for U.S.-Canada treaty talks to progress. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's lawsuit challenges the pipeline's easement through the Straits of Mackinac, citing safety concerns. Enbridge argues the dispute is under federal jurisdiction and should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations. The judge has not yet issued a ruling.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is defending its decision to restrict a proposed tide gate replacement project in Washington state, citing threats to Puget Sound Chinook salmon and endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Skagit County Dike District 12 argues the agency misapplied scientific data in its biological opinion. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, whose fishing rights and traditions rely on salmon, was denied intervention in the case. A court ruling could impact future infrastructure projects in tribal waters.

The Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations are seeking to support the U.S. Department of Justice in lawsuits against two Oklahoma district attorneys, arguing the state lacks authority to prosecute Native Americans for crimes committed in Indian Country. The DOJ asserts such prosecutions violate federal Indian law, reaffirmed in the 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling. Tribal leaders say the district attorneys’ actions undermine tribal sovereignty and public safety.

Pipeline companies have urged the D.C. Circuit Court to uphold the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) approval of a natural gas pipeline project between West Texas and Mexico, asserting that FERC's review and authorization were lawful and should be affirmed.

This case highlights ongoing legal debates over energy infrastructure developments that may affect Native American lands and interests. Tribal communities are encouraged to stay informed about such projects due to potential environmental and cultural impacts.

Sean Sherman, founder of The Sioux Chef and executive director of the North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), served as the keynote speaker at the Tribal Econ Summit in Bismarck on Jan. 24. Sherman, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota tribe, discussed the importance of revitalizing Indigenous food systems and Native food sovereignty. He highlighted initiatives like the Indigenous Food Lab and Owamni by The Sioux Chef, explaining how these efforts are addressing economic and health challenges, creating wealth and empowering American Indian communities through the reclamation of traditional foodways. #IndigenousFood #NativeSovereignty #TribalEconSummit

Waukegan Potawatomi Casino LLC lost its bid to challenge the denial of a casino license after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the tribe did not have standing to sue. The court upheld a lower court's decision, emphasizing that the tribe lacked a vested legal interest in the licensing process. The ruling also confirmed that the licensing process had concluded with another casino receiving the license, making the challenge moot.

The casino had sued Waukegan, claiming discriminatory practices and violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act. However, the high court found that the legal arguments were without merit, dismissing the case.

President Donald Trump dismissed over a dozen inspectors general on January 24, 2025, including some of his own appointees, raising concerns about violations of federal law. Among those fired were Mark Greenblatt, the Interior Department’s IG, and Christi Grimm of Health and Human Services. Both Democrats and Republicans condemned the firings, with Senate Minority Leader Schumer calling it a "chilling purge" and Rep. Connolly decrying it as an attack on accountability.

The move reignites fears about political interference in oversight agencies, with some Republicans urging further clarification from Trump. The firings highlight ongoing concerns about transparency and the independence of government watchdogs.

The Cottonwood Environmental Law Center is calling for the reopening of a case related to bison management near Yellowstone National Park. The group argues that federal agencies, including the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, have failed to fully comply with a 2020 court order to conduct necessary analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. The lawsuit highlights concerns over the confinement of bison to small areas, causing safety issues from hunting and the enforcement of arbitrary boundaries set to prevent brucellosis transmission. Cottonwood is pushing for bison to roam freely on public lands, challenging the long-standing restrictions.

#BisonRights #Yellowstone #EnvironmentalAdvocacy #WildlifeManagement #BisonConservation

President Donald Trump’s "Unleashing American Energy" executive order is causing disruption in major ongoing litigation regarding the National Environmental Policy Act and the executive branch’s power to implement its regulations. The order, signed on January 20, rescinds a 1977 executive order issued by President Jimmy Carter and directs the White House Council on Environmental Quality to propose rescinding its NEPA regulations. This move has unsettled legal challenges in both the U.S. Supreme Court and the D.C. Circuit, especially in cases involving the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of a crude oil rail transport line and environmental groups’ challenges to federal agencies' actions. The Justice Department is reevaluating its stance in light of Trump’s order, adding further complexity to the legal landscape surrounding NEPA.

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is appealing a lower court's decision that ruled the U.S. Army doesn't have to repatriate the remains of two Indigenous children buried at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School cemetery in Pennsylvania. The tribe argues that the Army is exploiting the cemetery by conducting research and other activities that do not respect the sovereignty and traditions of Indigenous people.

The remains of Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley, among at least 180 children buried there, were disturbed during construction of the Army War College after the school closed in 1918. The tribe is pushing for the return of the children's remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The Army, however, claims the site is exempt from the law.

Cedric Cromwell, the former chair of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that reinstated his extortion convictions. Cromwell argues that federal extortion laws have never been applied to tribal officials and that Congress has not clearly included tribal leaders in the scope of the Hobbs Act.

The convictions stem from allegations that Cromwell solicited gifts, including a $10,000 check and an exercise bike, tied to a $1 billion casino project.

In Standing Rock, tribal leaders from across the country gathered to voice their opposition to the controversial pipeline projects that threaten Indigenous lands. The gathering focused on the ongoing fight to protect sacred sites and the environment from the potential damage caused by pipeline construction. Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Mike Faith emphasized the importance of unity in resisting projects that disregard Native sovereignty. The event highlighted the continued efforts by Native communities to safeguard their land, culture, and resources amid ongoing external pressures.