The Departments of the Army, the Interior and Justice Invite Tribal Leaders to Participate in Formal Government-to-Government Consultations on Infrastructure Decision-Making

Date: September 23, 2016
Contact: Interior_press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Departments of the Army, the Interior, and Justice today invited representatives from all 567 federally recognized tribes to participate in formal, government-to-government consultations on how Federal decision-making on infrastructure projects can better allow for timely and meaningful tribal input. Starting with a listening session on October 11, formal tribal consultations are scheduled in six regions of the country, from October 25 through November 21. The deadline for written input will be November 30.

The three Departments previously announced on September 9 the intention to hold these consultation sessions after important issues were raised by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other tribal nations and their members regarding the Dakota Access pipeline specifically, and infrastructure-related decision-making more generally.

The consultations will focus on how the federal government can better ensure meaningful tribal input into infrastructure-related decisions and the protection of tribal lands, resources, and treaty rights, and will also explore with tribes whether new legislation should be proposed to Congress to alter the current statutory framework to promote those goals.

For a copy of the invitation letter that was sent to all tribal leaders today, please click here.