ICYMI: Secretary Jewell on Tribal Opposition to Keystone XL: “They know their lands better than we do”
Last night, when asked about tribal opposition to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, which would run through Sioux tribal lands in South Dakota, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell told MSNBC’s Jose Diaz-Balart:
“I think the fact that tribal nations are standing up and saying, ‘We are concerned about this. We’re concerned about water quality. We’re concerned about tribal sovereignty. We’re concerned about what this pipeline may do for our lands and our rights,” needs to be heard. So in my role as Secretary of the Interior, we will make sure that there is a platform for those tribal voices to be heard and I think they will be able to make a very effective case because they know their lands better than we do.”
Tribal leaders in Nebraska and South Dakota have long expressed concern about the risk of toxic tar sands spills from the Keystone pipeline, which would threaten the land and water they’ve depended on for generations.
Last month, the Rosebud Sioux tribe declared that an approval of the pipeline would constitute an act of war against the tribe. “The Rosebud Sioux Tribe will not allow this pipeline through our lands,” said the tribe’s President Cyril Scott. “We are outraged at the lack of intergovernmental cooperation. We are a sovereign nation and we are not being treated as such. We will close our reservation borders to Keystone XL. Authorizing Keystone XL is an act of war against our people.”
Until now, tribal leaders have not been adequately consulted as part of the approval process for the risky tar sands pipeline. Secretary Jewell’s comments give hope that the Obama Administration is prepared to take their concerns seriously and reject Keystone XL.
For more information contact:
Aldo Seoane, aldoseoane@gmail.com, 855-942-2669, ext. 701
Jason Kowalski, jason@350.org, 202-670-5345
Jane Kleeb, jane@boldnebraska.org, 402-705-3622