The fight over the Dakota Access pipeline in North Dakota has brought to the fore tensions over whether tribes are adequately consulted about development that could affect them. Now, the Secretary of the Interior has issued an order addressing that.
Secretary Sally Jewell’s order directs agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to collaborate more with tribes on resource management.
Specifically, it suggests more cooperation on issues affecting fish and wildlife resources, cultural sites and public information created by agencies about the tribes.
The order notes that many agency bureaus already consult with tribes on a variety of public lands issues. It encourages those that don’t look at whether more collaboration might be appropriate.