To Dig For Coal, Or Not To Dig: The Northern Cheyenne’s Struggle Over Mining
Written by Chad Gibson
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Figure 1: Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana. Photo
from http://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/tcc/Tribes/plns_ncheyenne
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The
Northern Cheyenne reside in the state of Montana on a reservation consisting of
444,000 acres of land (Montana.gov n.d.). The tribe has just over 11,000
members with a little over 5,000 of those members living on the reservation(Montana.gov
n.d.). The Eastern boundary of the reservation is the Tongue River and the Crow
reservation on the West (Montana.gov n.d.).
The Northern Cheyenne reservation is
part of the Powder River Basin which supplies about forty percent of the United
States coal supply (Diaz and Aponte n.d.). On the Northern Cheyenne reservation
there is a large amount of underground coal. It is estimated to be around 23
billion tons of coal (Rott 2017). As we know the United States uses a lot of
coal to produce energy from power plants which gives a lot of us our everyday
electricity. The Crow reservation to the Cheyenne’s west has in recent history
began allowing the coal on their reservation to be mined. The Crow have
benefited from this mining both financially and with giving jobs to tribal
members helping to reduce unemployment rates for the tribe but many of those
jobs have been cut recently (Rodriguez 2017).
The Northern Cheyenne however have
not allowed the coal on their land to be mined (Rott 2017). Some within the
tribe want this coal to be mined because it would create jobs and make their
tribal members more financially secure (Rott 2017). Those who want the coal
mining usually look upon the example of the Crow Tribe to their West as the
model for their argument where coal mining has been profitable for the Crow
tribe (Rodriguez 2017). There are also those within the Cheyenne Tribe who are
staunchly opposed to coal mining on their land (Rodriguez 2017). Their argument
revolves around the preservation of their land and fear that mining will create
erosion, a decrease in biodiversity, and contamination to the soil and water
(Rodriguez 2017).
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the
unemployment rate for the Northern Cheyenne is about twenty-four percent (Rott
2017). However, the Bureau of Indian Affairs says that number is more likely
closer to sixty percent (Rott 2017). According to the tribe’s former economic
development officer Steve Small (Rott 2017). He thinks that the unemployment
rate is even higher than that with only ten percent of tribal members having
jobs (Rott 2017). Small also states that the high number of unemployed people
in the tribe has led to high rates of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide (Rott
2017). Small is quoted on the National Public Radio website as stating “You
know culture is really nice and I love my culture, but it doesn’t put food on
the table (Rott 2017).” I feel this
quote from Steve Small really puts things into perspective for this side of the
argument. The way I interpret this is that Steve loves his culture but, in the
end it is about survival and living. So if he or his people cannot survive then
what good is their culture. Other members of the tribe such as Antoinette Red
Woman also believe that the mining is necessary and needed to bring economic
gain and jobs to the tribe (Diaz and Aponte n.d.).
On the other side of the argument within the Northern
Cheyenne is those within the tribe that do not want to commit to coal mining in
their community. Jace Killsback the Northern Cheyenne tribal president is one
of those who want to preserve their land (Rott 2017). He explains that their
ancestors died defending the land and it is their responsibility to honor their
ancestors by keeping the land pristine as it is (Rott 2017). He explains that
they need to find better ways to make jobs (Rott 2017). His administration is
helping some start small businesses. Alaina Buffalo Spirit also does not want
coal mines on the Cheyenne’s land (Rott 2017). She explains that the mines
would destroy their water and air and believes it would be unsafe for their
women and children due to the large amount of outsiders coming in (Rott 2017).
She also explains that with more money would come more drugs and alcohol (Rott
2017).
Another side to this story is that there is coal
mining around the Northern Cheyenne’s land. There was a moratorium placed in
effect under President Obama’s administration against coal leasing (Speier
2018). However, the Trump administration has recently removed the moratorium
against coal leasing and the Cheyenne are afraid that more coal mining will
start around their land that will directly impact their land by polluting their
water and air (Speier 2018). Some in the Northern Cheyenne are concerned that
their land will be depleted eventually if the Trump administration keeps
pushing for coal mining in this area (Rodriguez 2017).
I see merit to both sides of the Northern Cheyenne’s
dispute within their tribe over mining coal. On one side you have those who
think it will create jobs and a better standard of living for the tribe. It is
kind of a way of taking care of each other within the tribe and being
self-sufficient for now and possibly well into the future. On the other hand,
you have those who are more traditional. They want to preserve the land as it
has been for many years because it is part of their traditional culture. I see
the opposite sides of the argument as a conflict in cultural relativism within
the tribe. One side sees it as their culture to take care of the needs of the
tribe in the present, while the other side sees it as their culture to preserve
the past.
So in closing I ask you should the Northern Cheyenne
dig, or not dig? Let me know what your views are on this topic. In the end it
is their decision to make.
References
1. Diaz, Jennifer and Aponte, Yvette. N.d. “Tribes/First Nations: Northern
Cheyenne &
Coal.” Fossil Fuel
Connections. Accessed March 20, 2019.
2. Montana.gov. N.d. Northern
Cheyenne Tribe. Accessed March 21, 2019.
3. Rodriguez, Vivian. 2017. “Proposed Coal Mine on Northern Cheyenne
Reservation.”
Pgeproject.wordpress.com Accessed March 20, 2019.
4. Rott, Nathan. 2017. “People Of Coal-Rich Northern Cheyenne Torn Between
Jobs And
Sacred Culture.” National Public Radio, Inc. Accessed
March 20, 2019.
5.
Speier, Maxine. 2018. “Groups
Challenge Trump Move To Open Coal Leases.” Montana
Public Radio. Accessed March 20, 2019.
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