Memorandum of Understanding is among new actions Biden Administration announced today ahead of White House Tribal Nations Summit to support Tribal Nations and Native communities— MORE HERE
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Biden Administration’s announcement of important steps toward Tribal co-stewardship of Rattlesnake Mountain (“Laliik” in the Sahaptin language) at Hanford Reach National Monument, which is currently managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) demonstrating a shared commitment to exploring greater Tribal involvement in the protection and preservation of Rattlesnake Mountain as a sacred site. The announcement came as part of a series of new actions the Biden Administration is taking to support Tribal Nations during the White House Tribal Nations Summit in Washington, D.C. this week.
“Today’s announcement is an important step in the right direction—Rattlesnake Mountain, or Laliik, is a sacred site with profound significance to the Yakama Nation and other Columbia Basin Tribes, and acknowledging and empowering them as partners in co-stewardship of this sacred site is long overdue. This progress has been years in the making and paves the way for an eventual agreement on co-management—I look forward to continuing this conversation and hearing further details from Tribal leaders.
“The federal government must collaborate closely with Tribes on co-management plans, educate the public on its full history, and incorporate Tribal knowledge in its stewardship. I’m grateful that President Biden and his Administration have been steadfast partners to our Tribes, underscoring their respect for Tribal sovereignty and self-determination at every opportunity—I’ve been proud to help the administration deliver record investments to support Tribal Nations and Native communities, and as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I fully intend to build on these investments at every opportunity.”
The MOU announced today was developed after constructive discussions between the federal agencies and Tribal leaders. Pursuant to the MOU, an interagency team will be formed to support discussions with Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce, and Wanapum Tribal leadership to discuss the potential for additional protective measures and improved access for tribal members to conduct religious ceremonies and traditional gatherings. Discussions will also focus on potential opportunities for tribes to take a more active role in stewardship and for Indigenous Traditional Ecological knowledge to be incorporated in future management plans.
Rattlesnake Mountain, known as “Laliik” in the native Sahaptin language, is located within the Hanford Reach National Monument. In 2008, DOE determined the area is a historic property of cultural and religious significance to the tribes and eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property under the National Historic Preservation Act. The area is managed by DOI’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under a permit from DOE.
At the Tribal Nations Summit today, President Biden also signed a new Executive Order to revamp how the federal government funds and supports Tribal Nations by directing federal agencies to take action to ensure federal funding for Tribes is accessible, flexible, and equitable and create a one-stop-shop for federal funding available to Tribes.
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