Records shed new light on states’ vocal opposition in the 1950s to tribes claiming their share of the river.
Law
Posted inOctober 2, 2023: The Dark Side of the Sheepherding Industry
Short-lived or shallow, it’s still water
Notes on what is fluid and flowing, even if ephemeral.
Posted inArticles
Could the 151-year-old mining law finally be reformed?
A working group calls for reforms in advance of a green metals boom.
Posted inArticles
Remembering Charles Wilkinson, a true friend to Indian Country
The professor and leader leaves a legacy in Indigenous advocacy.
Posted inArticles
Conservation groups sue BLM for rangeland degradation
The lawsuit alleges the agency isn’t conducting environmental assessments before renewing grazing permits.
Posted inArticles
Environmental groups sue Utah over crisis at the Great Salt Lake
Plaintiffs invoke the public trust doctrine to restore the lake to a healthy level.
Posted inArticles
Federal court derails proposed Utah oil railroad
Failures to assess risks to Colorado River and ‘numerous NEPA violations’ in project’s impact analysis highlighted.
Posted inArticles
How climate science won in the Montana youth climate case
The ruling in Held v. Montana is expected to bolster cases in other states with similar environmental protections in their constitutions.
Posted inJuly 1, 2023: Waiting for Water
‘The fight for our lives’: Arizona’s water regime limits the Hopi Tribe’s future
A 45-year legal saga leaves the tribe fighting for their economic ambitions through water access.
Posted inJuly 1, 2023: Waiting for Water
How private interests benefit from tribal water settlements
When power players like mining and agriculture are involved, tribal nations, usually the senior-most water-rights holders, often must fight obstruction.
Posted inJuly 1, 2023: Waiting for Water
Decades after the Colorado River flooded the Chemehuevi’s land, the tribe still doesn’t have its share
Nearly all of the tribe’s water remains in the river and ends up being used by Southern California cities.
Posted inArticles
Supreme Court keeps the Navajo Nation waiting for water
The court case was the Nation’s bid to accelerate decades of fruitless negotiations and secure water for its reservation.
Posted inArticles
In the nation’s first youth-led climate trial, a case for hope
Five days of expert testimony argued that Montana can transition away from fossil fuels and reap economic benefits in the process. Now it’s up to the judge.
Posted inAugust 1, 2023: In the Line of Fire
The Supreme Court upheld ICWA. Now what?
ICWA policy and federal Indian Law experts break down the court’s Brackeen v. Haaland ruling — and what it means for families.
Posted inArticles
Colorado Supreme Court drowns public access to riverbeds
Roger Hill’s landmark lawsuit fizzled out in court. What happens now?
Posted inArticles
Despite the law meant to keep Native American families together, they’re being broken apart
A mother used the Indian Child Welfare Act to win back her parental rights. Then they came for her second child.
Posted inArticles
Meet the youth attempting to hold Montana to account on climate
Loving the land, racing against time and paving the way for others inspired the plaintiffs to bring a case that went to trial this week.
Posted inJuly 1, 2023: Waiting for Water
How Arizona squeezes tribes for water
A High Country News/ProPublica investigation shows that Arizona goes to unusual lengths in water negotiations to extract restrictive concessions from tribes.
Posted inArticles
The Supreme Court just made it easier to destroy wetlands and streams
The decision strips federal protections from the ephemeral streams that are crucial for life in the arid West.
Posted inArticles
Judge rules Wyoming corner crossers did not trespass
The hunters who stepped over the corner of a Carbon County ranch did no damage to private property.