HCN caught up with the Democrat and first Alaska Native person in Congress to talk about balancing development and environmental protection.
Tribes
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Colorado River Basin tribes work to protect their water rights
Amid historic drought and federal calls for cuts, tribes along the river face difficult choices.
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A community sacrificed to uranium mine pollution
A mining company and government agencies repeatedly said they’d clean up waste in Homestake, New Mexico. Instead, they’re buying out homeowners.
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Wildfire kills Klamath fish: ‘Everything that’s in there is dead.’
Landslides of ash have poisoned tens of thousands of fish in the already-imperiled river.
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Honoring Blackfeet author James Welch: A Q&A with Lois Welch
The former director of the University of Montana’s creative writing program reflects on life with her late husband and the upcoming James Welch Native Lit Festival.
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At Oak Flat, courts and politicians fail tribes
Chi’chil Biłdagoteel exemplifies the larger struggle tribes face over protecting off-reservation, culturally important lands.
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What Indigenous leaders think about co-managing Bears Ears with the feds
Native advocates share their hopes and relief after decades of fighting for their ancestral lands.
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As waters warm, Alaska experiences salmon booms and busts
Chaotic salmon returns leave some Alaskans with an abundance of salmon, and others with none.
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Embodying sovereignty through Native stories
Chelsea T. Hicks’ new book, ‘A Calm and Normal Heart,’ illuminates complex lives resulting from generations of struggle.
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Jury awards damages to Lummi Nation for 2017 fish spill
After suing the Canadian corporation for negligence, the tribe was recently awarded $595,000.
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Alaska’s fire season is off to a blazing start
Drought, heat and thunderstorms have started fires across the state.
Posted inJuly 1, 2022: Living with Rivers
How a salmon farm disaster changed Northwest aquaculture forever
Thousands of salmon escaped into the Puget Sound. Then the controversy began.
Posted inJuly 1, 2022: Living with Rivers
Who does the state of Wyoming consider a poacher?
Three years ago, the Supreme Court upheld the Crow Tribe’s off-reservation hunting rights. But treaty hunters in Wyoming still risk prosecution, even as non-Natives poach wildlife on tribal land with impunity.
Posted inJuly 1, 2022: Living with Rivers
Why can’t the public access the West’s biggest waterfall?
Willamette Falls used to be a public place of laughter and sharing. It could be again, if painful politics don’t eclipse revitalization efforts.
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Abortion havens on tribal lands are unlikely
Using sovereignty to bypass state restrictions is an idea largely proposed by non-Native groups.
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Reconsidering Wilma Mankiller
As the Cherokee Nation’s first female chief’s image is minted onto a coin, her full humanity should be examined.
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New study finds DDT in California condors
Chemicals dumped in the 1970s are still seeping into the food chain. But the Yurok Tribe is confident their birds will be OK.
Posted inJune 1, 2022: A Legacy of Weapons and War
The Yurok Tribe is bringing condors home to Northern California skies
Hunters, dairy farmers, utility operators, loggers, government agents and conservationists have all supported the tribe in helping North America’s largest land-based birds.
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Duwamish Tribe sues Interior in federal court, alleging sex discrimination
After decades of back-and-forth with federal authorities, the matrilineal descendants of Chief Seattle want federal recognition, once and for all.