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Federal infrastructure dollars are making their way to the Pine Ridge Reservation.
This money will go toward the Oglala Dam, which has been out of commission for some time.
South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s C.J. Keene reports.
The dam failed about five years ago.
Representatives from the Interior Department were on hand this week to break ground on the new development.
Putting the dam back into use will help mitigate floods in lower-elevation communities and rebuild the lake ecosystem in the area.
Bryan Newland (Ojibwe) is the assistant secretary of Indian Affairs.
He explains the problem at the dam.
Newland says it’s an example of real investment in reservations from the Biden Administration.
“This is a perfect example of the commitment. This is not just mouthing the words ‘trust, responsibility, or commitments to tribes.’ We’re putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to things like this. Serving all Americans including American Indian people, tribes and communities that are so often overlooked.”
Local tribal representatives on hand were happy to see real steps being taken. That includes water resources director Reno Red Cloud.
“It’s an exciting time today with the spillway dedication. We can see that there’s improvements coming to our tribe. It’s an improvement for us to move forward for another 60-70 years.”
The dam was first built in the 1940s and was taken out of commission following a severe flood.
The U.S. and Canada have struck a deal over pollution flowing from British Columbia coal mines into a lake and river system in Montana.
Montana Public Radio’s Aaron Bolton explains.
Tribes in the U.S. and Canada have raised concerns for years about selenium levels harming fish reproduction in Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River.
That selenium is flowing from coal mines along the Elk River in British Columbia.
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes chairman Tom McDonald says the pollution puts cutthroat trout and threatened species like bull trout at risk.
“We have to be able to have a clean and healthy environment that we can be able to catch fish and eat fish out of any river system that’s in our aboriginal territory that we’ve relied on for the past 10,000 to 30,000 years.”
The U.S. and Canada agreed to let the International Joint Commission set up a governing body for the transboundary watershed.
That body will make recommendations for provincial, state, and federal governments.
While not legally binding, IJC recommendations are usually implemented.
Teck Resources, which owns the mines, says it wants to learn more about the IJC process, but noted it’s willing to work with all parties.
B.C. provincial officials released a statement saying they support IJC involvement.
Courtesy Angus Reid Institute
A new poll suggests that Manitoba’s new Indigenous premier has the highest approval rating among Canadian premiers.
As Dan Karpenchuk reports, Wab Kinew’s polling shows a sharp difference from his predecessor who ranked last in four previous polls.
It’s apparent that the honeymoon phase between Manitoba voters and premier Wab Kinew (Onigaming First Nation) is far from over.
The latest Angus Reid poll shows Kinew with an approval rating of 57% and more than 20% of them say they strongly approve.
Kinew of the New Democratic Party campaigned for the October election on the promise of fixing health care making life more affordable.
“So today is a new day in our province and people are feeling very optimistic about the future and now it’s up to our administration to deliver.”
Chris Adams is an adjunct professor of political studies.
“You don’t wanna hang your hat too strongly on these numbers, but at the same time, it’s good to compare this premier to the other premiers. Knowing the polling data from the past number of years, it’s the first time Manitoba’s premier has been so high up in the numbers.”
At the same time Adams says Kinew has made some commitments that might be difficult to keep and he adds that he would be surprised if the current numbers hold. But he says many Manitobas are feeling a sense of optimism about Wab Kinew’s election.
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