News of Note 1/10/25: 2nd Arctic Refuge Lease Failure, Indigenous Amazon Protection, Pipestone Reprieve
Top Stories
Curtain closes on another Arctic refuge lease sale after feds receive zero bids (Anchorage Daily News)
“The Gwich’in Steering Committee, representing villages that hunt caribou [that] use the refuge said the lack of interest shows oil companies recognize drilling in the refuge is not worth the economic risk and liability. [...] ‘We reaffirm our commitment to seeing it permanently protected and remain steadfast in protecting our way of life for our future generations,’ [Kristen] Moreland [Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee] said in a statement.”
Indigenous communities come together to protect the Colombian Amazon (Mongabay)
"In the Colombian Amazon’s Putumayo department, Indigenous women have come together to plant trees, collect waste, monitor water quality, launch educational campaigns, and denounce extractive activities that threaten the rainforest... Despite growing interest in Indigenous knowledge and preservation efforts, Indigenous communities remain underrepresented in political decision-making and the funding of conservation projects, and are also left exposed to attacks for their role as environmental defenders."
Minnesota Regulators Revoke Pipeline Permit Amid Tribal Pushback (Tribal Business News/Native News Online)
"The commission’s unanimous decision on Tuesday reversed its September 2024 approval that would have allowed Magellan Pipeline Co. to reactivate a southwest Minnesota petroleum pipeline. [...] The company proposed a 13-mile detour around the monument, but tribal nations opposed the route due to the site’s cultural significance. Pipestone National Monument, established in 1937, serves as both a ritual space and a source of red stone for pipes. Twenty three tribes maintain cultural affiliations with the quarries."
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IHS Allocates $700M for Tribal Water, Sanitation Projects (Tribal Business News/Native News Online)
Historic $121 Million Investment Announced to Boost Tribal Climate Resilience (Native News Online)
Indigenous business organization studying human rights impacts on mining (TBNewsWatch (Canada))
Complete coverage of the Native American mascot ban on LI (Newsday)