SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 20

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

John Pinto and Benny Shendo, Jr.

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING ALL TWENTY-THREE NATIVE AMERICAN NEW MEXICO NATIONS, TRIBES AND PUEBLOS' SUPPORT FOR THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE IN THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE AND FOR ALL INHERENT TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY RIGHTS, WATER RIGHTS AND TREATY RIGHTS FOR INDIAN TRIBES IN THE UNITED STATES.

     WHEREAS, the Navajo Nation; the all pueblo council of governors, composed of Ohkay Owingeh and the Pueblos of Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Sandia, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zia, Zuni and Ysleta del Sur in Texas; and the Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mescalero Apache Tribe and Fort Sill Apache Tribe each have the sovereign authority to govern its own affairs; and

     WHEREAS, the twenty-three New Mexico nations, tribes and pueblos have the inherent right to fully exercise their sovereign powers over their lands, waters and treaty rights, and they support all tribes across the United States in their exercise of those same rights; and

     WHEREAS, there is no natural resource that is greater or more precious to the twenty-three New Mexico nations, tribes and pueblos and Native American tribes in the United States than water; and

     WHEREAS, the Dakota access pipeline threatens the precious water that flows through the Missouri and Cannonball rivers, which is sacred and vital to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation and affects the health and welfare of tribal members and millions of United States citizens; and

     WHEREAS, the Navajo Nation stands in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to protect the land, water, air and resources for future generations; and

     WHEREAS, the all pueblo council of governors has passed a resolution in full support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's opposition to the Dakota access pipeline and requests a serious discussion on nationwide reform with respect to considering all tribes' views on infrastructure projects; a discussion on the protection of tribal lands and resources; and meaningful government-to-government consultations regarding treaty rights; and

     WHEREAS, the Mescalero Apache Tribe recognizes the inherent right of nations, tribes and pueblos to protect their natural resources, their tribal citizens and to speak up when tribal sovereignty is ignored; and

     WHEREAS, the Mescalero Apache Tribe recognizes the importance of clean water and its gift of life, not only for those present but also for future generations; and

     WHEREAS, the Jicarilla Apache Nation stands in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the protection of its sacred lands and waters and recognizes that the Missouri river is sacred just as the Rio Grande is sacred in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the United States army corps of engineers and other authorities with the permitting authority for the Dakota access pipeline have failed to provide meaningful consultation to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other tribes in considering the impacts on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation and its people, which is a violation of environmental justice requirements and consultation requirements set forth in federal law;  

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that New Mexico's twenty-three Native American nations, tribes and pueblos hereby support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in protection of their sacred lands and burial grounds and respectfully request the prosecution of those who have illegally desecrated the sacred ancestral sites in the area; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that New Mexico's twenty-three Native American nations, tribes and pueblos fully support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in opposition to the Dakota access pipeline and call upon the Trump administration to take the steps necessary to halt the Dakota access pipeline; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Trump administration ensure that the need for a serious discussion on nationwide reform with respect to considering all tribes' views on infrastructure projects and the protection of tribal lands, resources and treaty rights is addressed in meaningful government-to-government consultations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president of the United States, the New Mexico congressional delegation, New Mexico's twenty-three Native American nations, tribes and pueblos and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

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