A member of Laguna Pueblo, Haaland is the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary. Melendez was among those thrilled when Biden appointed Deb Haaland to lead the Interior Department.

Tribal members are concerned other culturally significant areas will end up in the path of a modern day Gold Rush that has companies scouting for lithium and other materials needed to meet Biden’s clean energy agenda. Rather than pursue its claims in court that the federal government failed to engage in meaningful consultation regarding the lithium mine at Thacker Pass, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony will focus on organizing a broad coalition to build public support for sacred places. Some tribal leaders have said consultation resulted in little more than listening sessions, with federal officials not incorporating tribal comments into the decision making. In New Mexico, pueblos have succeeded in getting the Interior Department to ban new oil and natural gas development on hundreds of square miles of federal land for 20 years to protect culturally significant areas.īut the colony in Reno and others like the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona say promises of more cooperation ring hollow when it comes to high-stakes battles over multibillion-dollar “green energy” projects. Many tribes have benefited, including those who led campaigns to establish new national monuments in Utah and Arizona. The administration also has touted more spending on infrastructure and health care across Indian Country.

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