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Tribal Natural Resources News
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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.
More than 250 volunteers from 41 utilities across 16 states are expected to travel between now and July to the largest reservation in the U.S. to donate their time and talents during the fourth annual Light Up Navajo mutual aid project.
→ More tribal natural resoures stories
→ More tribal natural resoures stories
Apr. 22, 2024
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.
Aug. 22, 2022
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.
Aug. 9, 2022
Sponsored by Democratic Reps. Raul Grijalva and Greg Stanton, the bill authorizes the Colorado River Indian Tribes to lease water gained through conservation.
Aug. 1, 2022
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.
July 1, 2022
The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that states can prosecute non-Native Americans for crimes committed on tribal land when the victim is Native American.
June 30, 2022
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.
June 25, 2022
The Havasupai Tribal Council sent a letter of opposition to ADEQ Friday, citing concerns over a proposed uranium mine.
May 31, 2022
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.
May 19, 2022
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.
May 9, 2022
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.
May 6, 2022
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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.
May 5, 2022
"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.
May 3, 2022
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.
May 2, 2022
Renewal construction will soon be underway at Quitobaquito Springs, a cherished natural water source along the border at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
April 13, 2022
A judge approved an agreement to pause oil and gas drilling near Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.
April 8, 2022
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.
March 31, 2022
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.
March 23, 2022
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.
Feb. 23, 2022
A federal appeals court has ruled against environmental groups and an Arizona tribe in their bid to keep a uranium mine south of the Grand Canyon from operating.
Feb. 23, 2022
The federal infrastructure law funds mine reclamation projects in 22 states, but the Navajo Nation is the only tribe set to receive direct funding.
Feb. 10, 2022
