09/27/2016
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is supporting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in its opposition against the Dakota Access Pipeline with a $250,000 donation to its legal fund. Tribal leadership noted that although Standing Rock's current issue is in the media spotlight at this time, the concern about proper consultation is a long-standing issue that impacts every Indian tribe in the country.
"We support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's effort to ensure the United States Army Corps of Engineers, or any other agency or department of the United States, strictly adheres to federal environmental review and tribal consultation requirements prior to authorizing any projects that may damage the environment or any sites that are of historic, religious, and cultural significance to any Indian tribe. We are calling on the Administration not only to follow the clear requirements of the law in this case and rescind the permit and require a full EIS, but to do what is morally right in protecting these lands that are sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux," Tribal Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe said. "Like the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the hundreds of tribes across the United States, we are stewards of the land and we must be ever vigilant to protect our ancestral lands and all of the resources therein for the many generations to come."
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians encourages other tribes and organizations to also get involved by donating or providing political support in this effort, which highlights the need for thorough government-to-government consultation related to federal decision making on all projects that incorporates tribal input in a meaningful way.
To provide support, go to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe website at: http://standingrock.org/news/standing-rock-sioux-tribe--dakota-access-pipeline-donation-fund/
