The Oglala Sioux Tribe requests South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem stay away from the reservation until she rescinds support for two pipeline related bills she passed during session.
A spokesperson for the Oglala Sioux Tribal president says the tribe is asserting and interjecting themselves in the discourse of this pipeline.
Chase Iron Eyes says the governor should have consulted and obtained consent from tribes on the issue.
“When she wants to carry out the dictates of TransCanada to build this pipeline,” Iron Eyes says. “We think that a majority of Americans do not support this course of action. They do not support further tying ourselves to 20th century technologies and economies. We feel that this message is part of a long journey that we’re going to have together. We are neighbors forever.”
Both the pipeline and one of the bills that got signed into law are held up in the courts.
In a written statement, a spokesperson for the governor says the announcement from the Oglala Sioux tribal leadership is inconsistent with interactions she’s had with members from the community. It states the governor will continue to engage with tribal members and stay in contact with tribal leadership.