Indigenous Environmental Network - February 2008 :: The Indigenous Environmental Network

REDOIL ALERT
Yukon Flats Land Exchange

Deadline for Yukon Flats Land Exchange Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) comment is March 25, 2008

Overview: A proposed land swap between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and for-profit Doyon Ltd. would remove 110,000 acres of critical and irreplaceable wildlife subsistence habitat from the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to allow oil and gas development on the land. It also threatens Beaver Creek National Wild River and Victoria Creek in White Mountains National Recreation Area with an oil pipeline and haul road corridor. The Refuge would obtain scattered parcels of land nearer to villages which are not currently threatened by development, but now would be at risk of contamination from operations upstream in the watershed and eventual industrial sprawl. Yukon Flats communities and communities on the Yukon River subsistence way of life is under threat by this land trade.

Local communities are seriously concerned with the proposed land exchange and potential human and ecological impacts, as well as impacts to their subsistence way of life. Please see the following websites for more information on local opposition:

Learn more concerns from Fort Yukon tribal government: FortYukon.org
Visit the REDOIL website for documents on the issue:

Detailed information on the alternatives and the overall EIS can be found at: YukonFlats

Testify in opposition to the land exchange at one of the following public meetings:

Fairbanks: Thursday, February 21st, 5 p.m., Noel Wien Library, 1215 Cowles Street
Anchorage: Tuesday, March 4th 5 p.m., Public Conference Room, Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street

Submit written comments to:
Yukon Flats EIS Project Office
c/o ENSR
1835 South Bragaw, Suite 490
Anchorage, AK 99508
Submit on-line

Points to consider for your comments:

The primary beneficiaries of this proposed land trade are Doyon, Limited, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation who will acquire what are now refuge lands to contract with multi-national oil companies for oil and gas development, and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) who will acquire Native lands around Gwich’in villages through the trade from wellhead taxes once multi-national oil companies are invited to lease and contract and production of oil and gas development begins on what today are refuge lands within Gwich’in traditional ancestral territory. The FWS will also be able to purchase native lands in other wildlife refuges within the State with the proceeds, so this land trade is detrimental to other Native communities in the State of Alaska as well.

There really would be little or no genuine long-term benefits for the Gwich’in people within this deal, and the overall direct and cumulative impacts will be largely detrimental to lands that Gwich’in rely upon to meet subsistence needs. The Gwich’in people will be impoverished over time as their land base dwindles and they lose ownership and control within their ancestral territories, the resources they depend upon are irreparably damaged, their health and well being is compromised and overall they bear the brunt of all the negative consequences and suffer disproportionate harmful impacts from this proposal.

In traditional values, Gwich’in hold their lands in high respect, the land is there to provide for all time, the western value system of selling and buying land is a foreign concept that Native peoples in Alaska were forced into realizing when the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) went into effect. As Gwich’in elders have simply put it: “Our land is forever, money is short term”

Gwich’in concerns in regard to the proposed Yukon Flats Land Trade to facilitate oil and gas development within the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge and related oil and gas impacts: Some key concerns have been identified by Gwich’in people about the proposed Doyon/FWS Land Trade of the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge, some of which are: subsistence resources and rights (loss of habitat, hunting and fishing), water and air quality, roads and pipelines (access and competition for resources, loss of local control, introduction of alcohol and drugs) human and ecological health, socio- effects, land title, jobs, other issues.

Subsistence-Gwich’in communities that rely on the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge to provide for their primary subsistence needs are very concerned for their way of life. The subsistence species that provide for Gwich’in communities such as moose, sheep, waterfowl, and Yukon River salmon will be put in detriment from this land exchange.
Hunting and Trapping-Gwich’in are concerned that the changes in land status and oil and gas development would affect hunting and trapping and traditional land use sites. Oil and gas development facilities and activities could prevent Gwich’in hunters from access to their hunting areas within the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge because hunting is banned or not safe near and within a certain proximity to the vicinity of oil and gas development projects. Besides that, who would want to hunt where there are pipelines, considering how much damage was done by one bullet hole in the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Many Gwich’in residents have trap lines within the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge as well, including within the area where Doyon would obtain lands that are currently refuge lands. Access to the traplines may also become an issue if oil and gas development is allowed in the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge. Finally, negative impacts from oil and gas exploration and development may alter animals' health, distribution, populations, or habitats and harm both the availability and access to these subsistence resources that we have depended on for millennia.
Water Quality - The potential effects of both acute (oil spills) and chronic pollution of the watershed with special attention to the downstream environments where toxic substances may be transported to, and accumulate over time. This watershed analysis should address the potential degradation of habitat values over the long term for lands proposed to be transferred to the Refuge as well as current Refuge lands and other lands downstream that will remain as native lands. The potential for pollution extending down the Yukon River beyond the Refuge boundary as a result of the proposed action should also be addressed. Furthermore, the transboundary impacts to Yukon River salmon in Canada and the subsistence livelihood of villages located downriver in Alaska needs to be addressed. Therefore the water quality impacts must be analyzed in the EIS. Prime waterfowl and salmon habitat will likely be negatively impacted as toxic spills affect the water table. Impacts to and mitigation measures regarding water quality and quantity, including water uses and potential water pollution need to be evaluated and analyzed within each alternative.
Air Quality-Potential effects to air quality is another concern for local people, especially air quality being compromised when toxics bioaccumalate within the Yukon Flats due to cold spells in the winter when air can be socked in by air inversions for weeks as the temperature dips to -40 below. International and National studies have shown that Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS) are known to bio-accumulate in cold regions and return to the environment into the food chain. Local people of the region are aware of this and have deep concern for the effect of toxins within the food chain that will have impact to the quality of health of the animals within the region as well as the human population that relies upon them for subsistence. Heavy metals created from oil development are known POPS. On the North Slope the National Academy of Sciences report of 2003 stated that air quality impacts to human health has lead to higher cases of Asthma and upper respiratory illnesses in local communities such as Nuiqsut.
Roads and Pipelines-Gaining access to potential oil and gas resources by roads and pipeline corridor will have several negative factors that cause severe impacts to Yukon Flats communities in various ways and these impacts must be analyzed as well: Loss of local control within traditional hunting and fishing areas, possible influx of non-natives who will compete with locals for the subsistence resources, the species that provide for communities will then decline due to competition, more quotas will be placed on local people, causing the subsistence way of life to decline. Alcohol and drugs may be transported from cities to Gwich’in communities from the roads.
Human Health-Another consequence that deserves thorough evaluation in consideration of this land trade are the negative impacts related to human and ecological health in the face of oil and gas development. The health and well being of the people is directly related to the health and well being of the land. Health statistics that will follow any oil and gas development will be: higher rates of Cancer, Diabetes, Asthma, Upper Respiratory Illnesses and Obesity due to compromise and loss of subsistence resources. The social factors that cannot be mitigated and will have long term negative impact to local communities are high statistics of alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, alcohol or drug related fatalities, incarceration, domestic violence and other forms of abuse etc. There would be the need for endless meetings related to oil and gas development, and the introduction of greater sources of conflict among community members. Oil and Gas development within Indigenous territories usually leaves behind these sort of devastating social effects as has been cited by the National Academy of Sciences in Cumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and gas Development on Alaska’s North Slope “Effects on the Human Environment” study of 2003.
Native Land Acquisition and Loss - This deal sets a bad precedent in acquisition of Native lands [allotments] including the discussion of ANCSA village corporation lands and allotments in Phase II which will ultimately lead to the diminishment of Native Lands within the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge and other refuges across the State. In Phase I, this deal primarily targets Doyon lands near their villages and this means a loss of Native lands closest to them and increased competition for subsistence resources in close proximity to those lands. The loss of Native lands will lead to eventual loss of control within subsistence use areas and ancestral homelands. This is highly unacceptable to Gwich’in people; especially Gwich’in council’s who even have council policy in place addressing sales of lands to non-natives. Gwich’in are the best stewards of the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge lands and native allotments which was the only title granted under the terms of ANCSA. Maintaining Native land title is the best option for maintenance of the purposes for the protection of wildlife and habitat within the Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge.
Jobs- Many promises of jobs being provided to Gwich’in are touted within the land trade discussions, but the reality in most cases of oil and gas development projects in Alaska is that Native people who may actually maintain long term jobs are a small minority while the majority of jobs are usually taken by a primarily non-native workforce.

There is too much at stake with potential long term harm to the environment that sustains the Gwich’in subsistence lifestyle. The land will provide for generations to come if left intact. The costs to the Gwich’in people far outweigh the benefits in the long-term within the Yukon Flats Land Trade proposal. Deadline for comment is March 25, 2008

CONTACTS:
Nicole Whittington-Evans, The Wilderness Society:
(907) 351-8844, nicolewe@tws.org
Pam Miller, Northern Alaska Environmental Center:
(907) 452-5021 ext 24, or (907) 441-2407
Dacho Alexander, First Chief, Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich’in Tribe:
(907) 662-3284
Faith Gemmill, REDOIL
(Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands):
(907) 750-0188
Fran Mauer, Retired Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
(907) 455-6829

Environmental Racism of Indigenous Peoples Reported to United Nations

Image from: americas.irc-online.org/

The following is a segment of the Consolidated Indigenous Shadow Report of the International Indian Treaty Council to the United Nations Committee on Racial Discrimination, to be presented in February in Geneva.

Environmental Racism and its Effects on Indigenous Human Rights

Environmental Racism in the United States affects all aspects of Indigenous life ways and their survival as Peoples. It affects our health and well being and the health and well being of our future generations, Their major means of subsistence, their Spiritual and cultural practice, and life itself, both of our people and all our relations are severely and negatively affected. Environmental racism affects biodiversity, traditional medicines and traditional knowledge, cultural expression, all that is required to continue being Indigenous, of being who we are.

You cannot damage the land without damaging those who live upon it. You cannot destroy the land without destroying those with a Spiritual and material relationship with it. Ongoing and planned actions by the United States and its corporate and private entities are taking place on lands that Indigenous Peoples have traditionally and currently use for hunting, gathering, religious, cultural, and other traditional uses.[1] The use of the land for these purposes serves as a vehicle to share knowledge about traditional Indigenous practices between elders and youth. The destruction of the lands and natural environment on and surrounding Indigenous Sacred Lands proves devastating to the perpetuation of Indigenous culture.

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) and the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) participated in the Third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. IEN in consultation with IITC developed language on environmental racism and justice which was included in the Declaration and Programme of Action documents of the WCAR.

Recognizing this new form of racial discrimination against Indigenous Peoples in the United States, environmental racism is the implementation of environmental, natural resource, and development schemes that nullify or impair the enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous Peoples. This new form of environmental discrimination is an assault on Indigenous Peoples’ human rights and public health including their right to their unique special social, cultural, spiritual and historical life ways and worldviews. Environmental racism results in the devastation, contamination dispossession, loss or denial of access to Indigenous peoples’ biodiversity, their waters, and traditional lands and territories. Environmental racism is now the primary cause of human health effects of Indigenous Peoples and the forced separation and removal of Indigenous Peoples from their lands and territories, their major means of subsistence, their language culture and spirituality all of which are derived from their cultural, physical and spiritual relationship to their land.

The intentional locating of hazardous waste sites, landfills, incinerators, and polluting industries like coal fired power plants, nuclear power plants and all types of mining on Indigenous lands and communities inhabited by Indigenous Peoples have created devastating impacts to all aspects of the environment, culture, spirituality and human health. These violations have been caused by governments and the private corporate sector policy, laws, practice, action or inaction which intentionally or unintentionally disproportionately targets and harms the environment, health, biodiversity, workers employed in these industries, quality of life and security of communities.

These issues have led to and continue to lead to the ruination of Indigenous Peoples’ lands, waters, and environments by the implementation of unsustainable processes such as mining, biopiracy, deforestation, the dumping of contaminated toxic waste, oil and gas drilling and other land use practices that do not respect Indigenous ceremonies, spiritual beliefs, traditional medicines and life ways, the biodiversity of Indigenous lands, Indigenous economies, and means of subsistence and the right to health. Read More...
The “Consolidated Indigenous Shadow Report to the UNCERD on the United States” can be downloaded at www.treatycouncil.org.
Western Shoshone Defense Project www.wsdp.org

Upcoming Conferences and Gatherings

2008 Summit Info:

When: March 20th & 21st 2008
Where: Bismarck, ND Radisson Hotel
Click for Reservations
Who: Tribal College Students & Advisors

Why: This summit is being held in conjunction with the 2008 American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) student conference. The goal is to introduce Tribal college students and faculty to the Energy Action Coalitions Tribal Campus Climate Challenge Program & provide them with the opportunity to learn more about global warming and its effects on Indigenous communities. The students will hear from speakers living in impacted communities; will learn about climate/environmental justice; will learn about renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities and will receive the tools they need to become a part of a growing movement of people striving to protect our one and only home; our most precious resource; our Mother Earth.

For More Information Contact: Kandi Mossett- IEN Campus Climate Challenge Organizer at (701) 214-1389 or via e-mail at iencampusclimate@igc.org. Due to limited space, registration applications will be processed on a first come first served basis and will be limited to the first 50 applicants. Please, no more than four applicants per college. Thank you.

IEN would like to thank the following organizations for their contributions towards helping to make this summit possible:

Native Energy
Intertribal Council on Utility Policy
Black Mesa Water Coalition
REDOil
Honor the Earth

Ward Valley Spiritual Gathering
10th Year Anniversary
March 22, 2008
Hosted by the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
ARIZONA TIME
Ward Valley “Ground Zero”
Off 1-40 West, Water Road Exit
22 miles west of Needles, CA

COME OUT AND CELEBRATE THE 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DEFEATING THE PROPOSED NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP AT
WARD VALLEY

Spirit Run
Opening Prayer
History Of Ward Valley
Fort Mojave Tribal Royalty
Tributes/Recognition
Lunch and Beverages
Fort Mojave Tribal Dancers/Singers
Closing

Additional Information Contact:
Kelly Hills
Community Relations Liaison
Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
Telephone: 760 629-4591

"It is worth noting that, in the USA alone, there are an estimated 45,000 sites which are polluted or potentially polluted by radioactive poisons --- according to a report commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 (see EPA 1992). Worldwide, there is radioactive pollution from above-ground bomb tests. There is also the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident in Europe and the former USSR. The fact that humans have already created large amounts of nuclear pollution, adds to the moral argument for allowing no more." Read More...

Native American Forum on Nuclear Issues
April 9-11, 2008
University of Nevada Las Vegas

Dear Tribal Leader(s),

This letter is an invitation to attend the Native American Forum on Nuclear Issues, April 9-11, 2008 at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and to solicit your support.

The purpose of the forum is to bring Native American stakeholders together with researchers, scholars and others working to address nuclear development that threatens sustainable tribal communities within the Great Basin. Also, to update on the current status of nuclear facilities and their development processes in an academic setting to offer possibilities for creating collaborative solutions. A lecture format is designed to immerse the audience in the subject matter focusing on individual speakers with frequent breaks and opportunities to meet independently, have discussions and foster collaborative relationships. We will benefit from the format that facilitates the efficient communication of technical information.

The conference is open to all tribes and is free of charge. We encourage youth participation to help guide them into university scholarship and tribal leadership roles that will ultimately require their understanding of nuclear threats and hazards that challenge sustainable development at the community level. By putting tribal community stakeholders together with information about potential nuclear threats and hazards a culturally appropriate perspective of risk can be developed to help tribal leadership make informed decisions about policy on nuclear development.

The Native Community Action Council is composed of Western Shoshone and Southern Paiute people concerned about the people and the land we share. You can help in a number of ways. First, post the event flier and notice it to your tribe (environment program, health department, tribal council and community). Endorse the event and publicize your participation. Next, send leaders and staff. Then, provide scholarship funds for your youth or elders to attend. Finally, give our organization your financial support to invite tribal elders, youth to cover travel and lodging or host a meal for the event. This is truly a grassroots organized event and we appreciate what you do provide.

If you decide to participate and have concerns or issues you would like to speak about, please contact the Ian Zabarte, organizer of the event and we will create an opportunity to have your voice heard. Contact by e-mail: mrizabarte@bigfoot.com

Protecting Mother Earth Conference - 2008

Join us for the 15th Indigenous Environmental Network - Protecting Mother Earth Conference - July 17-20, 2008.

The conference this year will be held at at the NEWE SOGOBE (Western Shoshone) TERRITORIES - SO HO BEE (Southfork Pow-Wow Grounds in Lee, Nevada)

This will be a Traditional Gathering – Camping Style
Topics to include: Traditional L.A.W.S. (Land, Air, Water, Sun); Energy, Global Warming and Climate Change; Rescinding the Doctrine of Discovery, and Youth & Elders.
For more information:
Email: pme15@igc.org
Tel: 218-751-4967

Help support the conference by buying t-shirts, bags, and more. Click Image to view and purchase.

Indigenous Environmental Network
P.O. Box 485
Bemidju, MN 56619
Tel: +1 281.751.4967
Fax: +1 281.751.0561

Native Youth Program:
ienyouth@yahoo.com
Native Energy & Climate Program:<
ienenergy@igc.org
REDOIL - Alaska-based Network
redoil1@acsalaska.net
Tribal Campus Climate Challenge Project
iencampusclimate@igc.org
Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign
ienoil@igc.org

Toxics and Environmental Health:

Alaska and Toxics Policy
shawna@akaction.net
Minnesota Toxics Legacy
rshimek@ienearth.org
Toxics Policy, Incineration
ien@igc.org

Mining Program:

Canada and Lower 48
ienmining@igc.org
Alaska
shawna@akaction.net
Development and Grants:
simone@ienearth.org
Executive Director:
ien@igc.org

Donations are welcomed and tax deductible, and can be made online at www.ienearth.org or mailed to the above address OR: Make a tax-deductable donation of $60 or more - and receive a Thank You gift from us. Choose a Black or Tan IEN Signature T-Shirt.

Click Here - To Donate and Receive your T-Shirt!

You Can Also Support Our Work With Gifts for Family, Friends and Yourself!

Choose from a large selection of tshirts, mugs, bags, and more to give as gifts or to help you organize and dress for success! Click the links below to order our different designs supporting various projects:

Indigenous Environmental Network
REDOIL
Protecting Mother Earth Conference

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Ecuador Seeks Compensation to Leave Amazon Oil Undisturbed

The government of Ecuador will wait up to one year to see if the international community offers to compensate the country for not developing a major oil field in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, Energy Minister Alberto Acosta says. The area of lush, primary rainforest shelters a unique diversity of animals and plants.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and his government say that if the international community can compensate the country with half of the forecasted lost revenues, Ecuador will leave the oil in Yasuni National Park undisturbed to protect the park's biodiversity and indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation.

"The first option is to leave that oil in the ground, but the international community would have to compensate us for immense sacrifice that a poor country like Ecuador would have to make," said Correa in a recent radio address.

President Correa estimates the compensation figure at around US$350 million per year.

Yasuní and oil exploitation
Scientists from all over the world have qualified Yasuní as the zone with the highest biodiversity of the world. Within one hectare of Yasuní, 644 different species of trees have been identified. There are as many different species in one hectare of Yasuní, as there are in the whole of North America.

Yasuní has been declared a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

This biosphere reserve is also the territory of the indigenous Huaorani people and some tribes who live in voluntary isolation. These are the last free human beings of Ecuador, true warriors who live in the so-called society of abundance, because they only produce the minimum to satisfy their own needs.

The foreseeable impacts of oil exploitation in the park are: contamination, deforestation, destruction of the social fabric, extinction of cultures etc.

Read more about Yasuní and oil extraction activities in protected areas...

The arguments in favour of this proposal are:

This proposal is the only unquestioned solution to climate change
Conservation of biodiversity
Protection of the indigenous inhabitants of Yasuní
Transformation of the Ecuadorian economy away from oil

Points to consider for your comments:

Deadline for comment is March 25, 2008

Upcoming Conferences and Gatherings

Protecting Mother Earth Conference - 2008

Yasuní and oil exploitation

The worst case of oil pollution on the planet