Hihanni Waste’, Mitakuyapi Oyasin
Cante’ Waste’ Nape’ Chi-yuzapi.
Winyan Wagatia hemiye’.
Good morning, I shake your hand with a warm and good heart, and my Lakota name is Woman of High Honor. I’d like to start by thanking The Albert Grass Post, Post 173, for posting our colors today, and the Iron Bull singers for lending their beautiful voices and drum to this very special occasion. I am honored to be here today and I am honored that Albert Grass Post and the Iron Bull singers could be here as well to share with you our proud culture, traditions, history, and achievements. I’d like to acknowledge our appreciation for the ND Tribal and State Relations Committee and those legislators who met with each of the Tribes this past year, as well as the ND Indian Affairs Commission, for your compassion and collaborative efforts towards addressing our needs and concerns across this great State. Governor Armstrong, Lt. Governor Strinden, Speaker Wiesz and the esteemed members of the North Dakota State Legislature, it is an honor to address you today and share this message as Chairwoman of the Standing

Rock Sioux Tribe on behalf of our five Tribal Nations: the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation; the Spirit Lake Nation; the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa; the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Nation; and Wab Kinew, Premier of the Province of Manitoba who travelled a long distance to be here today. I want to begin this address by sharing some history of my home, The Great Nation of Standing Rock. Among our Lakota and Dakota People, we say the Oceti Sakowin or Seven Council Fires of our Lakota—Nakota—Dakota Oyate or People/Nation. We have a proud tradition as Native Sovereign Nations among our Sioux Nation tribes. At Standing Rock, we have our Hunkpapa and Si ha’Sapa Lakota and our Yankton Dakota People, and we are all relatives united by our common history, traditions, and language as a People. Our 1851 Treaty with America reflects original Great Sioux Nation territory stretching from Minnesota to Montana, Canada to Kansas and
Colorado, and lands in between. Together with our sister Sioux tribes, we are the Dakota in North and South Dakota.

To defend our lives and our homeland, our People fought wars with the Cavalry. The 1868 Great Sioux Nation Treaty reflects the promise that war shall forever cease, and protects our lands as our permanent home. We are proud of our People, Sitting Bull, Rain-in-the-Face, Gall, Two Bears, John Grass, Running Antelope and so many others. Today, our homelands have been reduced to now only 2.3 million acres which straddles the common border with both North Dakota and South Dakota. My people are resilient, innovative, vibrant, educated, and persistent. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is committed to protecting the language, culture and well-being of its people through economic development, technology advancement, community engagement and education. But what I love most about our people, is our sense of community, our pride in our culture, and our determination to remember our past while building a bridge to the future. Thank you Governor Burgum for signing the dedication of the Cannonball Bridge as the Albert Grass Memorial Bridge. For context, Albert Grass, when he gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for this country during World War I, was not even a citizen of the United States but served heroically as a strong, indigenous, brave, yet humble Native American. His ancestors live today, and I believe some of them are in this room today, including me. Through the American Rescue Plan and other Federal Funding opportunities, all five Tribal Nations have experienced growth and success by building projects such as housing repairs, medical clinics, various types of rehab facilities, and energy projects.

But this success isn’t just from within the Tribe but through our common work as elected leaders. Our common citizens are our bridge and without the valuable supports they need to cross into a brighter future that infrastructure will collapse. Our kids need quality schools, good jobs, access to impactful health care, secure communities, and leadership that will support them. We, all of us in this room, are critical to their success. A bridge to the future needs infrastructure. America elected change this past November. Change that includes reducing the size of the federal government while also shifting programs more directly to the local level. Though we are not sure how these changes will be implemented or how they will impact the Tribes, the Tribes agree that a reduction in bureaucratic overhead could be extremely beneficial for Tribes like ours. In addition, the move to shift programs within the federal government to areas with stronger implementation infrastructures could result in better use of limited program dollars, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ENSURE THESE CHANGES HELP OUR COMMON CITIZENS. We must work together with our federal delegation to stress what is best for all our citizens, not just a few. Our tribes need to see improved access to healthcare. Under Medicaid Expansion, Standing Rock and Sisseton are able to exercise self-determination of our health care system access. Standing Rock holds education for its children in high regard. One major and impactful law that the ND State Legislature made was SB-2304. It ensures a greater understanding of Native American history and culture in the classroom and assures that the common student is afforded the opportunity to learn the true history of the plight of the Native Americans in this area. At this time, I would like to commend the State of North Dakota for acknowledging the truth of our past, and our traumas, so that we can move forward not on a path of historical trauma, but on a path of historical healing. Our common children attend both North Dakota schools and Bureau of Indian Education campuses. These students depend on us to ensure they are provided all the tools they need for success. As education bills move through the state and at the federal level, we want to work with you to ensure that the outcomes are in the best interest of all children. I know we agree that the children of our state deserve the best opportunities we can provide them. Some other ways to ensure a better future for our children includes our duty to implement economic development. Economic development on the reservations is critical to the economy of the state as a whole, and strategies must be mutually planned and supported by both Tribal nations and the State of North Dakota. This includes equally sharing of the gaming market to ensure fair opportunities for all. The state must conduct an unbiased and objective study on the economic impacts the five tribal nations have on North Dakota’s gross domestic production and overall economy. This is critical to understanding our joint relationship. We must know our impact on each other to strategize a cooperative future for our common citizens. We are asking for this specifically in the current session.

As leaders, we all understand that the success of building bridges in areas such as Economic Development weigh heavily on a sense of community and public safety. The federal government has been woefully underfunding our law enforcement budgets, creating a crisis that not only impacts our Tribes, but the State we have in common. “Crime doesn’t respect political boundaries”, as Councilman Delray Demery back home has stated many times. I do want to thank the State of North Dakota for supporting a regional Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Advanced Training Center located at North Dakota National Guard – Camp Grafton Training Center. We need the State’s assistance in working with Congress to receive that critical funding because it is a fact that we need additional officers, and to have those officers attend training locally.

I commend the three tribes which have entered into mutual agreements with State entities, such as the ND highway patrol and ND Bureau of Criminal Investigation. These are no doubt an exercise in tribal sovereignty to address public safety in their communities. At this time, I would like to mention and applaud Jayme Davis, District 9 State Representative, who plans to work on a bill which would create a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples’ Alert because of the stress that this issue has on our communities and is in greater need of support. The crisis and the impact of Drug Trafficking along with the MMIP between our shared borders is heart-breaking. For those of you who don’t understand the seriousness of MMIP, it is of epidemic proportions and most Tribes are under-served due to under-funding, so as a result violent crimes and criminal activities are much higher than in non-native areas which have adequate funding and adequate staffing.  As I previously stated, crime doesn’t respect political boundaries. Criminal behavior does not end at the reservation border. It spills over across our shared border resulting in criminal behavior in non-native communities as well. This must come to an end. At this time, I’d like to offer a moment of silence for the recent loss of a well-respected Standing Rock BIA Law Enforcement officer, Amber Johnson. The stress of these very demanding first responder positions, can be so mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging, on not only themselves, but also their families and the communities in which they serve.

On behalf of all the Tribal Nations, I want to thank all the first responders for the job they do for ensuring
public safety. That Bridge to the Future I mentioned earlier, it is real. We all agree that we need easier access to services on the east side and west side of the Missouri River. Today, there are only two bridges at Bismarck and Mobridge, South Dakota, that connect the east to the west side of the state, leaving a vast gap of over 120 nautical miles in between. Building a new bridge would not only improve physical connectivity but also symbolize stronger relationships and collaboration between North Dakota and Standing Rock. I was encouraged to hear our legislative council express commitment to finding resources for this project, and I’m proud to share that we have recently secured a $14.5 million grant from the Department of Transportation to help turn this vision into a reality. The bridge serves as more than a physical structure—it represents the bridge to stronger relationships, mutual understanding, and continued collaboration between our tribal nations and the state. As I reflect on my leadership, I think about the impactful conversations and moments shared as a Mother, a Daughter, a Sister, an Auntie, a Tribal Leader, an Air Force Veteran, and citizen of North Dakota.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to former Governor Doug Burgum and all of the wonderful things he did to strengthen good relations between our five Tribal Nations and North Dakota. I have worked to maintain a strong relationship with former Governor Burgum. His ability to stay connected to Tribal leaders through texts, phone calls and in-person visits have strengthened partnerships that positively impact all tribes across North Dakota. I trust that Governor Burgum will serve Indian Country well as a nominee for the position of Secretary of the Department of the Interior because of his knowledge and support of Tribal Sovereignty. We are excited by the election of our Congressman to the North Dakota Governorship. Congratulations to Governor Armstrong and First Lady, Kjersti Armstrong and congratulations to all incoming legislators!! I look forward to our partnership together and continued relationship building with all five Tribal Nations. When we have a common goal, each the State and the Tribes should work together to leverage our networks for the betterment of common citizens, in education, law enforcement, health care, roads, and infrastructure. We are all North Dakotans. Governor Burgum once said that one of the first things he did as Governor was to reach out to Standing Rock to come meet with Tribal Leaders with a commitment to each other, to listen to each other. He also initiated the Government to Government (G2G) summit at the State level to create dialogue
between the State and the Tribes which we found helpful in preserving and nurturing the relationships we have
worked so hard at building. As public servants—whether legislators, council members, chairpersons, or governors—we all understand the personal cost of service to our families, our communities, and the people we represent. Our collective work can create lasting change and brighter futures for the next generation. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our tribal leadership, our governor, our legislators, and most importantly, our citizens. We may not always see eye to eye, but we must remain united in service to our people of the five nations and the State of North Dakota. Our shared commitment to progress and respect to one another will keep our relationships strong and our communities thriving for generations to come. I want to leave you with this thought. When I became the first woman to be elected to this position in 2021, and the first woman leader in over 70 years, I wanted to be guided by our values. It was clear, the two values I chose that would be my guideposts are: Truth and Compassion.

Truth, because its needed in all leadership positions. Compassion, because we all need to put ourselves in each other’s shoes.

As always, when we meet we call upon Wakan Tanka Tunkasila, our Grandfather the Creator, to guide us and watch over us. We thank the Creator for our lives and for this day and ask blessings upon all of our People. The generations that went before us, our mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, we remember today as we respect their spirit of independence, survival, strength of purpose and their sacrifice….their sacrifice for our existence. We remember who we are and we thank you for doing the same, and thank you to all my relatives who made the journey to be here today.

It’s been an honor to give this address today on behalf of all five nations.
Wopila Tanka. Mitakuye Oyasin

RESOLUTION NO. 474-24
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s Opposition Against the Magellan Pipeline Reroute
(MPUC Docket No. IP7109/PPL-23-109)
Pipestone Quarry — Minnesota

WHEREAS, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is an unincorporated Tribe of Indians,
having accepted the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934, with the exception of
Section 16; and the recognized governing body of the Tribe is known as the Standing
Rock Sioux Tribal Council; and,

WHEREAS, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council, pursuant to the amended
Constitution of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Article IV, Section 1 [a), 1 [c], 1 [h], and
1 [j], is authorized to negotiate with Federal, State, and local governments and others on
behalf of the tribe; is further authorized to promote and protect the health, education,
and general welfare of the members of the Tribe; and,

WHEREAS, the Pipestone quarries are in the lands of the Lakota/Dakota including the
surrounding area and are sacred to Oceti Sakowin Oyate and the four bands of Lakota –
Dakota Oyate on the Standing Rock reservation since time immemorial; and,
WHEREAS, the United States has acknowledged the importance and sacredness of
Pipestone, establishing in 1937 the Pipestone National Monument to protect the sacred
Pipestone quarries; and,

WHEREAS, the U.S. National Park Service has specifically acknowledged the
sacredness of the Pipestone quarries and the ties of Tribal Nations to this land, stating
that, “for over 3,000 years, Indigenous people have quarried the red stone at this site to
make pipes used in prayer and ceremony – a tradition that continues to this day and
makes this site sacred to many people,” and that “today, Pipestone National Monument
is officially affiliated with 23 tribal nations and Indigenous people from across the country
who keep ancient quarrying traditions alive to this day;” and,

WHEREAS, due to the pipeline’s proximity to the Pipestone quarries, the region
surrounding the quarries where our People have traveled since time immemorial contains
cultural sites and cultural resources of significance to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
(Tribe), Oceti Sakowin, and burials of ancestors of our Oyate (people); and,

WHEREAS, any new ground disturbance above or below near the quarries in this region
will disturb or destroy our quarries, cultural sites, cultural resources, and burials; and,

WHEREAS, the Magellan Pipeline, L.P. owns a pipeline that was originally routed through
federal lands pursuant to a right-of-way 0.74-mile-long but has expired and was
decommissioned, within proximity to the quarry and Pipestone National Monument; and,
WHEREAS, the Magellan Pipeline, L.P. now seeks to construct a new segment of pipeline
around the quarries using a new route to resume operation; and

WHEREAS, the Magellan Pipeline, L.P. applied to the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission (MPUC) in 2023 for a permit to re-route the Magellan pipeline; and,
WHEREAS, the Magellan Pipeline is an 8-inch-diameter pipeline designed to transport
1,100 barrels per hour of toxic refined petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, and
jet fuel; and ,

WHEREAS, over the course of Minnesota PUC proceedings, four alternate routes
were proposed for the Magellan Pipeline re-route project; and,

WHEREAS, all four routes considered by the Minnesota PUC pose unacceptable risks
to the quarries including other natural and cultural resources surrounding the
Pipestone quarries; and,

WHEREAS, on October 22, 2024, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission officially
published their decision (vote: 3 – 2) and written report to grant a permit to Magellan
Pipeline, L.P., for Route RA 01 (Docket No. IP7109-23-109), but the National Park Service
has not initiated government-to-government consultation with the Standing Rock Sioux
Tribe or the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association (GPTCA) regarding this Project;
and,

WHEREAS, no National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping, review, and analysis
were conducted or have been undertaken on the four routes which is required early in the
pre-planning of this federal action, and the lead Federal agency National Park Service
is mandated to initiate government-to-government consultation with Tribes; and,

WHEREAS, various Federal laws and Presidential Executive Orders requests the Chief
Executive Officer and/or the elected Tribal leaders to respond in a timely manner to a
request for government-to-government consultation on pertinent issues; and,

WHEREAS, Executive Order 13175 – Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments, {65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000) was issued by President William J.
Clinton in 2000 which states in part:
Section 1. Definitions. (d) • ‘Tribal officials· ‘ means elected or duly
appointed officials of Indian tribal governments or authorized intertribal
organizations.
Section 5. “Consultation. (a) Each agency shall have an accountable
process to ensure meaning/it! and timely input by tribal officials in the
development of regulatory policies that have tribal implications. ”

WHEREAS, the Tribe recognizes that beyond government-to-government consultation it
includes formal Nation-to-Nation consultation which remains with the Standing Rock
elected leaders in service to its membership of the Tribe and with the GPTCA; and,

WHEREAS, the Tribal Chairpersons and Tribal Presidents are the executive officials
who administer all tribal action and shall carry out all decisions for the Tribe(s)
pertaining to the health, safety, and well-being of all their tribal members including
solidifying their spiritual and cultural wellbeing needed to maintain their birthright to the
Pipestone quarries connected to our sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Pte San Win and
our Canupa Owanyaka; and,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council
strongly opposes the Magellan Pipeline, L.P. project and route situated near or within
the Pipestone National Monument and the Pipestone Quarries, and demands the
National Park Service initiate government-to-government consultation with the Standing
Rock Sioux Tribe through the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association and demand
NPS establish a one-mile no-build boundary around the Pipestone National Monument
and quarries; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that on October 22, 2024, the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission officially published their decision (vote: 3 – 2) and written report to grant a
permit to Magellan Pipeline, L.P., for Route RA 01 (Docket No. IP7109-23-109), this
decision by a non-federal State agency violates two Federal laws, and circumvents
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, (NHPA) as amended and the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe requests the support
of the Oceti Sakowin leadership to reject the decision of the MPUC permitting agency
whose decision to co-mingle their State approval action before the Magellan Pipeline
project became a Federal undertaking, after the fact, is unlawful, and other reasons
including but not limited to:
1.) This State MPUC decision “foreclosed” the ability of the NPS to comply with
Section106 administering their Federal responsibilities under NHPA regulations
(36 CFR 800, Appendix A, (c) (2));
2.) Triggers the potential for an anticipatory demolition situation (Section 110 (k) of
NHPA);
3.) Fails to allow the NPS initiate the NEPA analysis (Environmental Impact
Statement) to be conducted with the placement of the Magellan Pipeline within
the boundary or near the Pipestone National Monument and this action must be
rejected by the NPS.
BE IT FURTHER RSOLVED, that the Chairwoman and Secretary of the Tribal Council are
hereby authorized and instructed to sign this resolution for and on behalf of the Standing Rock
Sioux Tribe.
CERTIFICATION
We, the undersigned Chairwoman and Secretary of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, hereby
certify that the Tribal Council is composed of 17 members, of whom .!1 constituting a quorum,
were present at a meeting duly and regularly called, noticed, convened and held on the 7th day if
November, 2024, and that the forgoing resolution was duly adopted by the affirmative vote of
16 members, with J!.. opposing, and with J_not voting. THE CHAIRMAN’S VOTE IS NOT
REQUIRED EXCEPT IN CASE OF A TIE.
DATED THIS 7m DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024.

ATTEST:
Susan Agard, Secretary
Janet Alkire, Chairwoman

MEETING DATE: 11-7-2024

October 14, 2024

STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE FILES #NODAPL FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SEEKING IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

Standing Rock/Fort Yates, ND -Today, on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed a historic lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking immediate shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline, pending full compliance with federal laws and regulations. The Tribe claims the operation of DAPL violates the federal Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, among other important laws and regulations, and the Tribe is at great risk as a result. The lawsuit addresses the need to protect Standing Rock’s water, cultural resources, and treaty rights threatened by the Corps by its failure to regulate DAPL, despite the lack of a required easement since 2020 and absence of a lawful environmental impact analysis.

The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,174 mile-long hazardous liquid material pipeline with an original capacity of 574,000 barrels per day. The Dakota Access Pipeline crosses into unceded
treaty lands guaranteed by the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie to the Oceti Sakowin Oyate (“Seven
Council Fires,” commonly known as Great Sioux Nation) at the crossing of the Heart River in
present-day central North Dakota. Originally rerouted from a crossing above Bismarck, North
Dakota, the pipeline crosses the Missouri River at the mouth of the Cannon Ball river on the
Lake Oahe reservoir, less than one-half mile upstream from the Standing Rock reservation. On
March 25, 2020, the D.C. Circuit Court vacated the easement, due to defendants’ failure to
comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. §4231 et seq ..
Standing Rock v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 471, F.Supp.3d 71, 77-78 (D.D.C. 2020).
Despite this and the fact that any release of oil will directly and adversely affect public health
and welfare of the Tribe, the Corps has failed to act to adequately protect the Tribe.
The lawsuit raises these treaty rights violations along with several other issues, including the
intentional destruction of Native American burials and traditional cultural properties by Energy
Transfer LP. Under the National Historic Preservation Act Section 11 0(k) mandates federal
agencies like the Corps to ensure no federal permits issued to any applicant that intentionally
avoids Section 106 consultation or intentionally adversely affects a historic property. 54 U.S.C.
§306113. The case recalls Energy Transfer’s September 3, 2016 destruction of burial sites and
stone features identified by the Tribe’s expert on traditional cultural and historical sites, Makoche
Wowapi. This intentional destruction, the Tribe argues, renders Energy Transfer ineligible for
any easement given the intentional adverse effects to historic and cultural properties.
The case also calls attention to the 2022 federal debarment of Energy Transfer due to 23
criminal convictions in Pennsylvania for polluting the water. Under Article 1 of the 1868 Fort
Laramie Treaty, the United States guaranteed it would keep “bad men” out of Sioux Treaty
territory. The lawsuit argues that allowing Energy Transfer (a corporate “person” and “bad man”)
to operate DAPL on Treaty land is an abuse of Corps discretion and a treaty violation. In
addition, the debarment renders Energy Transfer ineligible for the critical NWP 12 easement
across Lake Oahe, currently still under consideration by the U.S. Army Corps.
“Energy Transfer and the Corps continue to avoid their obligations to the Tribe. We’ve asked for
unredacted Emergency Response Action Plans continuously, but instead what we get are
redacted plans over and over again with no actual plan to clean up a worst case oil discharge or
spill during low water conditions,” said Doug Crow Ghost, Standing Rock’s Water Resources
Director. “We deserve better than that. Our children deserve better. We shouldn’t have to worry
about whether the water from Mni Sose that has given life to our people for centuries, will be
safe tomorrow.”

This last concern is highlighted by the lawsuit’s claim of a violation of the Clean Water Act, which requires Energy Transfer LP to submit a rational Facility Response Plan for DAPL designed to clean up a worst case discharge of oil. The Tribe has only received redacted plans which fail to provide practicable solutions and no realistic process to remediate a spill. The Corps is currently weighing whether to grant Energy Transfer a new easement for the pipeline and has yet to issue a Record of Decision after closing its public comment period last year on the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), which discounted much of Energy Transfer’s spill record as irrelevant. On August 28, 2024, the Tribe sent a letter to the Corps requesting information on reports of a 1.4 million gallon release of drilling fluid into Lake Oahe akin to the drilling fluid releases that contaminated the water of Pennsylvania and Ohio and led to Energy Transfer’s debarment. The letter also asked the Corps to re-open the public comment period on Dakota Access Pipeline EIS. The Corps has not provided a response to the Tribe. This lawsuit asks the D.C. Circuit court to prohibit Energy Transfer from continued DAPL operation pending full compliance with the requirements of federal law. The Tribe is represented by attorneys Peter Capossela and Jeffrey Parsons.

August 26, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Office of Chairwoman Janet Alkire

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Sign Historic Document

Dakota Prairie National Grasslands Co-Stewardship Agreement

On August 22, 2024 at the Pactola Visitor’s Center in the Black Hills, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST) signed a Co-Stewardship Agreement with the Under Secretary for Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment, Homer Wilkes and Chairwoman Janet Alkire, SRST. Accompanying Mr. Wilkes in the signing was Randy Moore, Chief of the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

Securing the signing of the Co-Stewardship Agreement was an initiative Chairwoman Alkire made as a priority at the beginning of her administration with the ultimate goal to get all the National Grasslands located within the Standing Rock Reservation returned back to the Tribe. Since the early 1990’s the Tribe has been seeking the return of these lands, this is the first step in making that become a reality for our future generations.

The SRST acquired the Shambo Ranch later in the 1990’s consolidating a large block of previously intermingled private fee lands and tribal lands. The Shambo Ranch lies within the Rock Creek District on the Standing Rock Reservation and is part of the most isolated portion of the eight districts on the reservation.

The Rock Creek District manages the approximately 15,000-acre Shambo Ranch, where a community buffalo herd has already been established. The Rock Creek District is working towards converting the ranch to all bison. Chairwoman Alkire and her Administration are thankful for support from tribal Councilmembers with this Agreement.

The Agreement consists of a multi-faceted Co-Stewardship project on lands administered by the Dakota Prairie Grasslands Grand River Ranger District within the Shambo Allotment and tribal lands administered by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Agreement states in part:

“The Agreement includes transitioning the Shambo allotment from a cattle allotment to a bison operation including reconstructing or new construction of critical allotment infrastructure, restoring previously cultivated lands within the allotment to native grasslands species, planting native woody species, and integrating a youth engagement component to this work.”

I want to thank the Rock Creek District for their support. For further information please contact Tim Mentz Sr. at 701-854-8500 or timothy.mentzsr@standing.org.