Oglala lawmaker’s bill would make SD consult with tribes
By Talli NaumanNative Sun News Today Contributing Editor
nativesunnews.today PIERRE – Oglala Lakota Rep. Peri Pourier introduced a bill in the South Dakota Legislature on January 25 that would provide tribal oversight of cultural resources involved in state-permitted projects. The bill “to revise certain provisions on the protection of historic properties” would amend state law to require the same kind of supervision afforded projects under federal permit. Currently, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers must be consulted on permits in federal jurisdictions, such as those pertaining to the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks, or Army Corps of Engineers. However, approval of projects outside of those public lands does not require input from tribal government. “This bill will bring state law in alignment with federal law Section 106 of the National Historical Preservation Act requiring consultation with the tribes and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers,” Pourier said in a call for constituents to lobby their lawmakers’ for the amendment. The National Environmental Protection Act requires that Section 106 be respected in elaboration of environmental impact statements, but only in federal jurisdictions. On January 28, the bill went to the House of Representatives’ State Affairs Committee. It must obtain majority approval in the committee, if it is to reach a full vote in the House of Representatives. No committee hearing date was set for it by press time. Backers recommended contacting committee members to discuss the context of the proposals. Those who will determine the initial fate of the proposal are at the following email addresses: Lee.Qualm@sdlegislature.gov, Arch.Beal@sdlegislature.gov, David.Anderson@sdlegislature.gov, Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov, Drew.Dennert@sdlegislature.gov, Steven.McCleerey@sdlegislature.gov, Mike.Diedrich@sdlegislature.gov, Tim.Goodwin@sdlegislature.gov, Spencer.Gosch@sdlegislature.gov, Jon.Hansen@sdlegislature.gov, Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov, and Steven.Haugaard@sdlegislature.gov The language in the bill stipulates: “The South Dakota Legislature finds and declares that it is in the best interest of the state and its citizens to provide for the preservation of its historical, architectural, archaeological, paleontological, and cultural sites, and traditional cultural properties by protecting, restoring, and rehabilitating sites, buildings, structures, and antiquities of the state and of the Indian tribes of the state that are of historical significance.”
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