Natural Resource Departments provides updates at Informational Meeting
Natural Resources panel at the Informational Meeting on March 7.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The afternoon session of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Information Meeting March 7 involved Natural Resource Departments who provided updates.
Preston Buckskin, Land Use Director, said they’re in the last year on the range contracts and they have 63 permits encoded. All grazing permits have been invoiced and he believes they have all been paid. There’s approximately 194,000 tribal trust land acres and 126,000 allotted trust lands. Some of their responsibilities are managing and monitoring the range lands. Technicians and field staff repair and replace water lines, fence along the boundary lines, work to protect the spring heads by fencing those off and put in spring boxes.
They did contract with Synergy Resources to conduct a range land assessment on range land. They’ve gotten the field work for the plan and riparian done — they’ve conducted approximately 200 on the ground. They had a meeting with permittees in December. They met with permittees in January. They’re currently working on modeling and data analysis and they should have a final report within the next month or two.
Buckskin said with the new administration some of the problems they’re having is they should have already advertised for the new contract period but they’re waiting on for the fair animal market study. Whenever it’s done, they will make recommendations to the council on the rate for allocations and competitive. From there they’ll send consent letters out to the landowners. Once they get them, they will advertise allocations for 60 days then advertise for the competitive – the allotted lands for 90 days. They may have to shorten both up. Once that is all done, it will be reviewed and approved then the encoded starts hopefully by October 15. By November 15 the invoice will be auto generated.
Regarding CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) land payments, Buckskin said they’ve had issues with payments not going out and the lockbox hasn’t received anything for the last month. They’ve submitted all their payments for every invoice they’ve received. The ARM program has 18 leases through BIA all submitted for payment. They have 30 active CRP contracts totaling 23,213 acres. They receive an annual payment from FSA for each of those contracts – 65% goes to paying landowners and 35% they use for maintenance on equipment, work on CRP fields, administration and workforce.
Louise Dixey said it’s important to get accurate data – tribal cattlemen are left out of the process. It’s beneficial to all tribal members to have good information. Buckskin said the numbers are from BIA.
Nancy Eschief Murillo asked when the CRP payments will be received?
Jake Caldwell said he has a lot of concerns if landowners paid and is it in the best interest to leave the land in CRP?
Diana Fisher said the lease money has gone down as she received a check for 50 cents. She believes tribal members are getting cheated on payment. They used to be able to meet with the leasors now they don’t tell the landowners anything. She believes there needs to be a meeting for landowners. Buckskin replied they should be getting statements.
Jake Caldwell speaks.
Rose Ann Abrahamson said she received a statement and landowners want what is fair. Buckskin said there is reduced rates for tribal member cattlemen who graze – there’s 33 tribal cattlemen and 32 non-Indian cattlemen.
Louise Dixey said the Fort Hall Bottoms is used in common under a statute. Horses are not managed. The cattle come off the Bottoms on May 15. There used to be an excellent range but because of Mormon crickets wiping out grass and the springs aren’t there. Can count on one hand the number of Native cattlemen because equipment is costly and can’t harvest the hay meadows anymore – some are lucky to get 15 ton. There’s so many gophers and the buffalo have devastated many of the areas and said there’s got to be better Bottoms management. The mismanagement of the American Falls Reservoir has effected the Bottoms. Thistles are a big problem and Russia olive trees but Wildland Fire is cutting the trees. Long time ago the Land Committee would encourage burning every spring because the weeds take over. A range tour is needed every year, she said. She is willing to help people read their IIM reports and do a working session.
Buckskin said they’ve partnered with Fisheries and are making improvements on the Bottoms.
Nathan Small said burning used to be a standard practice on the Bottoms so why not allow it especially when the marshes dry up.
Fernanda Shay said she used to get $1,000 for grazing fees now she gets 50 cents.
Fish and Wildlife
Chad Colter, Fish and Wildlife director said conflict exists when talking about how the Bottoms should be managed.
“We have a common area that we all use and we have it identified for this use and that use. We all love it and think it’s special and we all see that it’s decaying. And the reason being is that we all love it and we all have our individual needs and purposes for it.” “And so what we’ve been trying to do and I know as Preston has been trying to do, is planning. That’s what we’re trying to do at Fish and Wildlife.”
He gave background on his parents and education graduating from University of Idaho with a fisheries resource management degree. He’s worked for the Tribes for over 30 years.
He explained their mission is very similar to the policies they deal with. “And it’s really two-pronged. It’s about making sure we have fish and wildlife. And it’s also to make sure that we enhance and improve our Treaty rights.” They have an ordinance they’ve created to actually support them and give direction. In 2024, they got a new Fish and Game Ordinance passed. “An amended ordinance that took approximately 10 years plus for me to get it approved. But I spent a good part of my career trying to get it to where it’s at.”
Colter said scarcity of resources is driving a lot of the need to make sure they protect our rights.
Residency is the biggest issue they addressed and the attorneys determined it was a self-imposed tribal regulation. Colter said it’s not a treaty-based requirement. He said the Northwest Band case is a flawed opinion. Other tribes are moving into our territories including Yellowstone. They’re dealing with FERC relicensing on Hell’s Canyon, American Falls and Arrowrock Dam. He said they’re short handed and need more employees. They’re building a small hatchery to raise salmon to go out to Yankee Fork. He also talked about the U.S. vs Oregon case that’s about harvest and equitable shares of fish on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
Department of Energy
Wyatt Petersen is the Tribal Department of Energy director. He has a master’s degree in GIS, has worked with Fish and Wildlife and the Land Use Department. A lot of the work the department does involves the Idaho National Laboratory but they also lok at other issues happening outside the reservation boundaries. They work directly with the EPA, Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. “We’re involved with various working groups that include the state, counties, those federal partners. So, the tribal Department of Energy has done a lot for me to try to understand. I came from Land Use where a lot of the things we dealt with felt more internal. And then some pieces of it would be outside. The Tribal Department of Energy almost feels like the inverse of that,” he continued. “When we’re talking about energy development, really want to make sure that the Tribe’s voice is heard, regardless of, you know, the Trump administration’s opinion on whether or not tribes should be funded for certain things.”
RoseAnn Abrahamson speaks.
Petersen said the first level of legal authority comes from the Treaty – the supreme law of the land.
Tribal elder Zelphia Towersap spoke in Shoshone and asked FHBC Chairman Tendoy to explain in Shoshone what occurred in the meeting because some of the words are not understandable, so he did. She asked who the presenters were and if they were tribal members?
Water Resources
Gail Martin and Candon Tanaka are co-managers of the Water Resources Department. Martin said they’re still lacking a water engineer. They oversee the Fort Hall Water Agreement. The department has seven staff members, along with the water commissioners.
Tanaka said they do permitting for wells and septic systems. Fernanda Shay asked what the process is for wells and septic systems. He replied it’s an Indian Health Service funded process. One has to apply at environmental health and engineering at IHS. Need a permit, land ownership documents before it gets funded. Have to be ready for a homesite to get funds. Need a well permit and septic tank permit. Construction happens in the spring however some contractors may not be available because of demand. If one has an existing home, it could take up to two years.
Natural Resources deputy director Lytle Denny introduced himself and gave his background. He said the division needed reorganization to develop a more structured team. A new natural resource building is needed so they can all be in one building.
Devon Dunn asked why the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service officials weren’t present because tribal members need to hear from them.
Donna Thompson, vice chairperson, said the agenda was set by the chairman and another meeting is needed to include them. She said more meetings are needed and the language needs to be simplified.
Virginia Monsisco asked if the FHBC has a plan with the actions the Trump Administration is taking and expressed the importance.
