By MICHAEL STEELE
SACRAMENTO, CA. – Fort Hall Business Council Vice Chairwoman Donna Thompson joined Tribal leaders from across the Western U.S. and Alaska on May 22 to participate in a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) consultation regarding recent Executive Orders impacting Indian Country.
The consultation provided Tribal leaders an opportunity to provide suggestions to the BIA on topics including how to restructure Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribes, and to comment on accelerating processes for emergency permitting procedures in response to the National Energy Emergency declared by President Trump.
Brian Mercier, Director of the BIA, opened the consultation by expressing the Department of Interior’s (DOI) commitment to upholding the Trust and Treaty responsibilities to Tribes, its focus on utilizing DOI’s resources efficiently, and the mandate to ensure the department is aligned with Executive Orders. He also emphasized DOI Secretary Doug Burgum’s guidance to identify problems and look for solutions.
Vice-Chair Thompson expressed alarm about recent incentives driving BIA employees to resign or retire from local and regional agencies.
“This reduction in force is an overt attempt to rush self-governance on Tribes without providing the time, resources, and technical assistance to enable success,” said Thompson.
She then explained that actions to “optimize” operations should only be considered after agreements are made, mandatory funding provisions are in place, and a plan exists that ensures that Trust and Treaty obligations are met. Thompson also addressed the need for appraisers at local BIA offices to eliminate the backlog of land transactions and the broken fee-to-trust process.
She concluded by voicing opposition to accelerated timelines to process environmental assessments. Thompson emphasized that the new proposed timelines for comments are impossible to meet, using the Gay Mine and FMC Mine as examples of what remains when proper environmental protocols are not followed.
Other Tribal leaders echoed concerns about fee-to-trust delays, shared the need to streamline funding to Tribes, and addressed BIA’s backlog processing probate cases. Leaders also emphasized that Tribes are sovereign nations. Therefore, they should not be required to enter into agreements with states to advance Tribal economic development opportunities.
Mercier stated that comments from this and six other consultations will be consolidated along with written comments. Findings from the consultations will be released later this summer.