TribalOppositeShoe

[BrendaBrandon <bbrandon@ross1.cc.haskell.edu>]

Interestingly enough, the Tribe has sometimes been guilty of looking out for the best interest of the people.  In this case, I do not find it appropriate to list specifics.  But, examples are in order.

A Tribal government can make agreements with Federal Agencies without holding public meetings.  In more than one instance, Tribes have lost trust with their leadership, due to this problem.  There are Tribal lands that have been receptacles for toxic waste, without public knowledge.  

It is up to the Tribal Community to stay informed on Environmental issues in the area.  If public meetings or public information is not being released, it may not necessarily be a problem with the involved Federal Agency.  Perhaps there is an agreement, say a MOU, between the Agency and Tribal Government or a Tribal Department that the Tribe holds its own public involvement meetings.  Can decisions or preliminary decisions be made behind closed doors, so to speak?  Careful when placing blame for these circumstances.  The Federal Agency may be sitting between a rock and a hard place, not being allowed to hold public meetings, yet, responsible for seeing that they take place.  What a quandary. It happens.

Brenda Brandon
Technical Outreach Services for Native American Communities Coordinator
Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center
Haskell Indian Nations University