Tribal Natural Resources News

Native American tribes around the West are making critical decisions regarding the management of their resources — land, water, fossil fuels and renewable resources. The Tribal Natural Resources Desk aims to produce objective reporting to tell stories of tribes empowering themselves through stewardship and decision-making around their resources.
Learning lessons from one Hopi dry farmer on his last day in the cornfield
Gary Tso reflects on three decades of Hopi dry farming his mother's corn and the spiritual lessons that come with living his faith on a single-acre field at the bottom of Second Mesa.
Hand-roasting Pima 60-Day Corn is hard and expensive, but essential to preserve heirloom products
Project to provide water for White Mountain Apaches
The Bureau of Reclamation recently opened an Environmental Impact Statement on the Miner Flat Dam at Fort Apache to public comments.
Navajo officials lead tour of abandoned uranium sites near Cameron
Navajo President Jonathan Nez and tribal officials met with Arizona Congressman Tom O’Halleran and others recently to visit abandoned uranium mines near Cameron.
Tribes, conservationists back Grijalvas Great Bend of the Gila Conservation Act
For thousands of years, tribes living in what is now the Southwestern United States gathered at the Gila River. They left a legacy that conservationists would like to preserve, and Congressman Raul Grijalva has introduced legislation that could make that a reality.
Tribes along the Colorado River are finally getting their say on water policy
Historically, tribes along the Colorado River have been left out of decision-making about it, despite being senior water rights holders. But that's starting to change.
House approves bill to let tribes to lease Colorado River water
Sponsored by Democratic Reps. Raul Grijalva and Greg Stanton, the bill authorizes the Colorado River Indian Tribes to lease water gained through conservation.
New policy giving tribes a say could slow down AZ Snowbowl development
A change in policy by the Biden administration to give tribal voices more of a seat at the table has led to a controversy about proposed changes at Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff.
SCOTUS limits 2020 ruling on tribal lands in Oklahoma
The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that states can prosecute non-Native Americans for crimes committed on tribal land when the victim is Native American.
Court rules that mine can be built on sacred Apache land
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Friday ruled that Canadian-based Resolute Mining Company can build a copper mine on sacred Native American land east of Phoenix.
Havasupai send letter to ADEQ citing uranium mine concerns
The Havasupai Tribal Council sent a letter of opposition to ADEQ Friday, citing concerns over a proposed uranium mine.
Arizonas Havasupai push back as world interest in uranium grows
A growing global debate over an energy source with a deadly past is playing out amidst the sweet sage and pine trees of the forests right by the Grand Canyon. More than a decade since the disastrous Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, interest in uranium is on the rise again. And Arizona has cleared the way for a once stagnant mine to resume operations.
In southern Arizonas Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a race to save a tiny desert oasis
Quitobaquito a natural water source near the U.S.-Mexico border in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It’s a sacred site and historic homestead to a southern Arizona tribe and it houses some of the state’s most endangered species. But the site is now in peril.
Colorado River Indian Tribes to get funding for irrigation, utilities
The Department of the Interior announced this week that nearly $10 million will be allocated for irrigation projects and power utilities owned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Chairwoman hopes Lake Powell shortages will spur legislation
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Reclamation announced two drought mitigation measures to ensure the water level at Lake Powell doesn’t dip below what’s required to generate electricity. It’s a significant move one tribe in Arizona hopes will push other water legislation forward.
Dancing With The Universe | Native Style debuts this weekend
"Dancing With The Universe | Native Style” is a new Indigenous theatrical work debuting this weekend at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. The themes present in the songs and dances are centered on connecting to nature.
Uranium mine near Grand Canyon gets OK despite pushback
Arizona granted an aquifer protection permit to a mining firm recently that enables the company to prepare to start extracting uranium ore near Grand Canyon National Park.
Pond renewal work slated for Quitobaquito Springs
Renewal construction will soon be underway at Quitobaquito Springs, a cherished natural water source along the border at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
U.S. agency reviewing oil and gas leases near Native American world heritage site
A judge approved an agreement to pause oil and gas drilling near Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.
Ban on Russian uranium puts pressure on Southwest tribes
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused ripple effects across the globe, including one that could be felt strongest in the Southwest. And it involves an element found underground.
U.S. Senate committee hears 2 bills on tribal water rights in AZ
Two tribal leaders from Arizona testified to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Wednesday, defending a pair of bills brought by Sen. Mark Kelly and co-sponsored by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema that center on tribal water rights.
Grand Canyon National Park launches a webpage about associated tribes
If you’re planning a visit to the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service wants you to take some time to learn about the tribal communities that call the region home. Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park’s website will now see a new page dedicated to the Native American tribes associated with the region.

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