Protect and Restore Salmon, Southern Resident Orcas, and Treaty Rights

/0 Comments/in , /by
Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:         Pass → Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
19-07 Natural Resources/Lands Taylor Aalvik Protect and Restore Salmon, Southern Resident Orcas, and Treaty Rights X


 2019 Winter Convention 

Portland Oregon 

RESOLUTION #19 – 07 

“PROTECT AND RESTORE SALMON, SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS, 

AND TREATY RIGHTS” 

PREAMBLE 

We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians is a regional organization comprised of American Indians in the States of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and 

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians; and 

WHEREAS, as indigenous peoples, we honor in all ways our relation to Creation and in that spirit acknowledge a sacred obligation to ensure all our relations are treated in a dignified manner that reflects our tribal cultural values passed down since time immemorial; and 

WHEREAS, our ATNI youth leaders recognize that our salmon, traditional foods and resources need bold action in order to sustain our families and future generations for as long as the rivers flow; and 

WHEREAS, the Federal Government has the trust responsibility to protect our salmon, lamprey, steelhead and southern resident orcas, for future generations; and 

WHEREAS, the Columbia River basin’s salmon and steelhead runs were once among the largest in the world, with around 10-16 million fish returning to the basin annually, but have declined significantly, as have the populations of other critical species, including lamprey and sturgeon; and 

WHEREAS, climate change is placing an increasing strain on the ecosystem of the Columbia River basin; and 

WHEREAS, chinook salmon comprise at least 80% of the diet of endangered southern resident orcas – over 50% of it from the Columbia River basin (which includes the Snake River watershed) – and dwindling chinook runs are the leading cause for the decline of those orcas to a critically low breeding population of fewer than 30 individuals; and 

WHEREAS, the removal of dams in the Columbia River basin may prove to be the most effective way to protect and restore for future generations the natural resources on which our communities depend; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI is concerned that current federal laws concerning the Columbia River basin have not been developed to fully protect and restore cultural, natural, and treaty-reserved resources; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI hereby calls upon its member tribes and upon federal and state legislators to identify and advocate strategies for strengthening federal and state laws and regulations governing natural and cultural resource protection throughout the Columbia River basin; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these strategies and proposed revisions to federal environmental laws and regulations should consider the impacts of climate change on tribal and treaty-protected natural and cultural resources, and should require a meaningful evaluation of dam removal in the Columbia River basin. 

CERTIFICATION 

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2019 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon, on January 28-31, 2019, with a quorum present. 

______________________________ ______________________________ 

Leonard Forsman, President Norma Jean Louie, Secretary 

Calling on the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to Conduct Meaningful Government- to-Government Consultation with Pacific Northwest Tribes Regarding the Proposed Endangered Species Act Rule Changes

/0 Comments/in , /by
Res #: Committee: Submitted by: Title:         Pass → Yes No Amended/Tabled To NCAI
19-06 Natural Resources/Lands Taylor Aalvik Calling on the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to Conduct Meaningful Government- to-Government Consultation with Pacific Northwest Tribes Regarding the Proposed Endangered Species Act Rule Changes X

X

 2019 Winter Convention 

Portland, Oregon 

RESOLUTION #19 – 06 

“CALLING ON THE SECRETARIES OF COMMERCE AND THE INTERIOR TO CONDUCT MEANINGFUL GOVERNMENT–TO-GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION 

WITH PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRIBES REGARDING THE PROPOSED 

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT RULE CHANGES” 

PREAMBLE 

We the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and 

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; and 

WHEREAS, the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior proposed three major rule changes to Endangered Species Act on July 25, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Secretarial Order 3206, “American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities, and the Endangered Species Act,” requires the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce to conduct government-to-government consultations when proposed Endangered Species Act regulations may affect Indian lands, tribal trust resources, or the exercise of American Indian tribal rights; and 

WHEREAS, tribal trust resources and tribal rights are threatened by the proposed July 25, 2018 rule changes; and 

WHEREAS, tribal leaders have expressed that proposed rule changes threaten tribal trust resources and tribal rights through public comment, as Agencies have not appropriately used tribal consultation; and 

WHEREAS, tribes requesting government-to-government meetings have been offered staff-to-staff meetings; and 

WHEREAS, additional requests for government-to-government meetings have been repeatedly delayed; and 

WHEREAS, Agency staff have indicated that Agency directives are to propose final rules in early 2019; and 

WHEREAS, Agency staff cannot confirm that Agencies will fulfill tribal trust responsibilities by adequately reviewing and responding to tribal concerns prior to proposing final rules; and 

WHEREAS, the Departments of Commerce and Interior have federal trust responsibilities to take into consideration the impacts of their actions and policies under the Act on Indian use of listed species for cultural and religious purposes; and 

WHEREAS, the Departments of Commerce and Interior are failing to meet this basic obligation to Pacific Northwest tribes; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI tribes believe that Agencies’ consultation practices are currently highly flawed and biased towards deregulation rather than protecting endangered species, which overlap with trust resources and treaty rights, under established rules; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI tribes believe that absent significant tribal government-to-government consultation, the Agencies will prepare a final rule which does not protect Tribal trust resources and treaty rights; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby call upon the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior to direct their staffs to immediately respond to tribal concerns associated with the July 25, 2018 proposed Endangered Species Act rule changes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI calls upon the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior to immediately begin meaningful government-to-government tribal consultation to hear tribal leadership’s concerns and address those concerns in a manner ‘clearly stating the rationale for the recommended final decision and explain how the decision relates to the Services’ trust responsibilities. 

CERTIFICATION 

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2019 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton- Portland, Oregon, January 28 – 31, 2019, with a quorum present. 

______________________________ ______________________________ 

Leonard Forsman, President Jeanie Louie, Secretary 

2018 Farm Bill Passes U.S. Senate

/0 Comments/in , , , /by
June 28, 2018
2018 Farm Bill Passes U.S. Senate
Early this evening, the U.S. Senate passed the 2018 Farm Bill which included provisions to support Indian Country, Native producers, and communities. See the statement below from National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Jefferson Keel.
“This is a strong Farm Bill for Indian Country, and we welcome this bipartisan legislation that would increase tribal access to programs across the United States Department of Agriculture. We appreciate the tireless efforts of Chairman Hoeven and Vice Chairman Udall, who have worked closely with the Agriculture Committee, Chairman Roberts, Ranking Member Stabenow and many other members on this bill. Tribal governments are often the drivers of rural economies, and the opportunities presented in this legislation, including the establishment of the first USDA self-determination program, will provide a brighter future for those in and around Indian Country.”
-President Jefferson Keel, National Congress of American Indians