‘They Know Their Lands Better Than We Do’: Sally Jewell on Tribal Keystone XL Opposition

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell invoked not only tribal sovereignty but also environmental expertise when she spoke to MSNBC’s José Díaz-Balart about the Keystone XL pipeline, which many tribes oppose. “I think the fact that the tribal nations are standing up saying, ‘We are concerned about this. We are concerned about water quality. We’re concerned about tribal sovereignty. We’re concerned about what this pipeline may do for our lands and our rights,’ needs to be heard,” she said when he asked her to put tribal opposition to Keystone in context. “In my role as secretary of the interior we will make sure that there’s a platform for those tribal voices to be heard,” she said. “And I think they will make a very effective case because they know their lands better than we do.” In the end it will all come down to the State Department, she said, which will make the pipeline decision “by listening to all of the facts and information they have,” including tribal voices...more

If they are depending on Sally Jewell to listen to local voices, they need to pow wow with the folks in Dona Ana County.  

Jewell says, "...they know their lands better than we do."  Too bad she doesn't feel the same way about non-Native Americans.