Environment | National | Politics

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe questioned over stance on Keystone XL

Thursday, April 3, 2014

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is being questioned over its stance on the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Vice Chairman Boyd Gourneau said the tribe opposes the project. But tribal members and even other tribal leaders are wondering if that's true.

"Chairman Jandreau says they are supporting us on the pipeline. But yet, they are also going to provide electricity to them, so you can't do both. You have to do one or the other," Oglala Sioux Tribe President Bryan Brewer said at a meeting to discuss the matter, KSFY-TV reported.

"There's been some things said out there that we are here to get answers on. About a transmission line and about a power station. So we're here to get the facts," added Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Cyril Scott.

At issue is a purported agreement between the tribe and TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, for a power station. Gourneau denies a deal was signed.

"We haven't approved it, we haven't agreed with it. We were just informed it would provide additional capability to us," Gourneau told KSFY.

Chairman Michael Jandreau released a one-sentence statement to KSFY that did not address whether the tribe has an agreement related to TransCanada or the pipeline.

Get the Story:
Tribal members suspect Lower Brule not invested in KXL fight (KSFY 4/1)