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Nine Native American Tribes Sue Federal Government Over Drilling Near Sacred Black Hills Site

Nine Native American Tribes Sue Federal Government Over Drilling Near Sacred Black Hills Site

Nine Native American tribes from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska have filed a lawsuit against the federal government to halt exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills. The tribes argue that the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture violated federal law by approving the project without proper consultation or environmental review. The site, known as Pe'Sla, is used for tribal ceremonies and is considered sacred by the Sioux tribes. The project, led by Rapid City-based mining company Pete Lien & Sons, was granted a permit in February under a categorical exclusion, which the tribes contest. Demonstrations have been ongoing at the drilling site, with protestors emphasizing the cultural and religious significance of the area.
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Native American Tribes File Lawsuit to Halt Drilling in Sacred Black Hills

Native American Tribes File Lawsuit to Halt Drilling in Sacred Black Hills

Nine Native American tribes from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska have filed a lawsuit against the federal government to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills. The tribes argue that the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture violated federal laws by approving the project without proper consultation or environmental review. The site, known as Pe'Sla, holds significant cultural and religious importance for the tribes. Demonstrations have been ongoing at the drilling site, with protestors advocating for the protection of the sacred land.
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US Justice Dept targets Minnesota over global greenhouse gas emissions

US Justice Dept targets Minnesota over global greenhouse gas emissions

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department filed a complaint on Monday against Minnesota over its regulation of global greenhouse gas emissions, the latest in a series of federal actions in the state that have included a fraud probe and immigration raids.
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USDA Reorganization Faces Criticism Amid Budget Cuts and Workforce Relocation

USDA Reorganization Faces Criticism Amid Budget Cuts and Workforce Relocation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is undergoing significant reorganization under the Trump-Vance Administration, which has sparked criticism from various stakeholders. The reorganization involves the relocation of a substantial portion of the USDA's workforce and the decommissioning of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. This move is part of a broader effort to streamline operations and improve efficiency within the agency. Additionally, the USDA's budget is proposed to be cut by 19% for the fiscal year 2027, which has raised concerns about the potential impact on federal nutrition programs and agricultural research. The House Appropriations Committee has advanced a fiscal 2027 Agriculture-FDA funding bill that includes a provision to block the USDA from closing Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facilities without prior Congressional notification.
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USDA Faces Declining Farmer Participation in Surveys, Impacting Data Accuracy

USDA Faces Declining Farmer Participation in Surveys, Impacting Data Accuracy

American farmers are increasingly opting out of participating in surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), leading to a significant drop in response rates. In March, only 36% of the 73,800 farm operations surveyed responded to the USDA's annual prospective planting report, a sharp decline from 60% in 2018. This trend is attributed to farmers' growing distrust in the USDA's data, which they feel often works against them, especially in light of abundant harvests that have kept crop prices low. The lack of participation has resulted in unexpected market volatility, as seen in January when the USDA's unexpected increase in the U.S. corn crop estimate led to a significant drop in futures prices. The USDA is attempting to address this issue through initiatives like the 'One Farmer, One File' program, which aims to streamline data collection and improve survey participation.
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Tribes sue to halt exploratory drilling in Black Hills near sacred ceremonial site

Tribes sue to halt exploratory drilling in Black Hills near sacred ceremonial site

Nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are suing the federal government, bidding to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred ceremonial site in the Black Hills
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Conservation Groups and Tribes Petition Court to Reconsider Oak Flat Land Transfer

Conservation Groups and Tribes Petition Court to Reconsider Oak Flat Land Transfer

Conservation organizations and Tribal advocates have filed a petition with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting a larger panel of judges to reconsider a decision that allows the transfer of Oak Flat, a sacred site in Arizona, to a private mining company. The petition challenges a previous ruling by a three-judge panel that denied efforts to block the Trump administration's transfer of the site to Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP. The petitioners argue that the transfer threatens the cultural, ecological, and recreational value of Oak Flat, which is significant to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribal Nations. The petition also criticizes the government's appraisal of the land, which undervalued the copper reserves, resulting in a favorable deal for the mining company at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.
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Appeals Court Petitioned to Reconsider Oak Flat Land Transfer in Arizona

Appeals Court Petitioned to Reconsider Oak Flat Land Transfer in Arizona

Conservation organizations and Tribal advocates have filed a petition with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting a larger panel of judges to reconsider a ruling that allows the transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP. The transfer involves more than 2,400 acres of public land, including Oak Flat, which is part of the Tonto National Forest. The proposed mining operation would permanently destroy the site, causing the ground above to collapse into a massive crater and deplete regional groundwater supplies. Oak Flat holds significant cultural and spiritual importance for the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribal Nations, and is also a popular site for outdoor recreation.
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Legal Challenge to CMS Hemp Strategy Raises Concerns Over FDA Authority

Legal Challenge to CMS Hemp Strategy Raises Concerns Over FDA Authority

A federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is challenging the legality of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) model. This program allows the furnishing of certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products to Medicare beneficiaries without U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The case, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) et al. v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. et al., questions whether CMS can introduce cannabinoid products into Medicare-connected environments without the traditional FDA approval process. Critics argue that this policy shift undermines the established sequence of science, clinical trials, FDA approval, and coverage integration, potentially signaling that clinical evidence is optional.
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Federal Government Sues New Jersey Over Tuition Benefits for Undocumented Students

Federal Government Sues New Jersey Over Tuition Benefits for Undocumented Students

The federal government has filed a lawsuit against New Jersey, challenging the state's policy of extending in-state tuition, grants, scholarships, and financial aid to undocumented students at public colleges. The lawsuit, filed by Justice Department lawyers in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, argues that New Jersey's provisions are in violation of federal law. This law prohibits undocumented individuals from receiving tuition benefits that are not available to out-of-state residents attending state colleges and universities. The government claims that these state provisions are discriminatory and conflict with Congress's prohibition on providing postsecondary education benefits based on residency to illegal aliens that are not available to all U.S. citizens, regardless of residency.
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From Brazil's rainforest to Rio de Janeiro, an all-Indigenous soccer team debuts with victory

From Brazil's rainforest to Rio de Janeiro, an all-Indigenous soccer team debuts with victory

Sávio Conrado Mura left his Indigenous village of stilt houses located deep in the Amazon rainforest to try his luck at professional soccer and hopefully one day play for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup