EM recently brought together tribal people whose ancestors once occupied its cleanup sites for a first-of-a-kind discussion focused on improving protection, use and access of sacred sites by tribal people.
Office of Environmental Management
February 20, 2024
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Participants in a discussion on improving protection, use and access of sacred sites by tribal people gather for a photo.
DENVER — EM recently brought together tribal people whose ancestors once occupied its cleanup sites for a first-of-a-kind discussion focused on improving protection, use and access of sacred sites by tribal people.
Considering tribal perspectives on sacred areas is required by DOE when the Department’s actions may have an impact on traditional and cultural ways of life.
The White House Council on Native American Affairs recently released a guide for federal agencies on best practices related to sacred sites, including consultation, co-stewardship, accountability, capacity, access, protection, confidentiality, training and public outreach.
“This conversation is a model for collaborating with tribes,” said Ira Matt, assistant director for Indigenous Engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and director for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s (ACHP) Office of Tribal and Indigenous Peoples.
Matt added his expertise to the discussion by providing an overview of relevant legal authorities and guidance documents that inform sacred sites management. He was supported by Kelly Fanizzo, deputy counsel for the ACHP, who gave a briefing on data management protocols for sensitive information, and gathering and incorporating indigenous knowledge.
A view of the discussion about improving protection, use and access of sacred sites by tribal people.
“The tribes we work with at EM have been engaged for many years and have the expertise to be leaders in this area,” said Jill Conrad, EM tribal affairs advisor. “Already, we are benefiting from tribal knowledge in assessing and bolstering a rare plant on the Hanford Site that is important to tribal people.”
Hanford was the aboriginal home of many tribal people due to its proximity to the Columbia River and important sacred areas. During the White House Tribal Nations Summit, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced that she signed an interagency memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Interior to work with tribes on co-stewarding Rattlesnake Mountain, a sacred site located within the Hanford Site. EM has been meeting with tribes to listen to their concerns and understand what role they want to play in co-stewarding the mountain. This is the first memorandum of understanding on sacred sites for DOE.
At the meeting, tribal and EM representatives talked about the opportunities and challenges to access and use of sacred sites. There has been progress in establishing protocols specifically for tribal people visiting their sacred sites that consider sensitivities of the religious ceremonial nature of some visits.
EM has six field offices with cooperative agreements to support tribal involvement.
Representatives of the Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce, Wanapum, Sho-Ban, Pueblo de Ildefonso, Pueblo de Jemez, Pueblo de Santa Clara, Pueblo de Cochiti, Pahrump Paiute, and Santa Ynez Band of Chumash participated.
-Contributor: Jill Conrad
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