Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

March 21, 2017

'Killing Mother Earth with every toxic oil and gas spill' -- Lisa DeVille, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara

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Killing Mother Earth with Blood Oil

Article by Brenda Norrell
Testimony by Lisa DeVille
Three Affiliated Tribes, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation
Censored News
FORT BERTHOLD, North Dakota -- Lisa DeVille, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, described to the United Nations Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz how the oil and gas industry has devastated the way of her life for her people forever.
DeVille's written testimony to the U.N. details the disastrous outcome of the widespread destruction, most of it initiated by former Chairman Tex Hall, once popular in Indian country. Hall seized his recognition and created widespread oil and gas drilling on his homeland, and widespread devastation for his people. The oil and gas industry Hall created barren, polluted lands and crime-infested man camps endangering women, children and youths.
Tragically, Hall's oil and gas ventures for his personal profit ended in the murders of two his business partners, carried out as murders for hire by a third business partner, James Henrickson, now in prison. Spokane businessman Doug Carlile was murdered in his home, and young KC Clarke was bludgeoned to death in North Dakota.
The tragedy does not end there.
DeVille told the United Nations, "Oil and Gas development has changed our way of life and put our future generations in jeopardy. We have lost our way as Native Americans and replaced our culture with material things. Our instructions were to protect Mother Earth.  We are killing Mother Earth with every toxic oil and gas spill and every hole drilled into her."
"The Bureau of Indian Affairs has been ineffective in protecting tribal land and mineral owners. The confusion of jurisdiction between authority of siting infrastructure between tribe and the BIA’s impede on tribal sovereignty, leaving members of the tribe out of the decision-making process."
Read Lisa DeVille's three statements to the U.N:
February 28, 2017
Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz
United Nations

RE:  United Nations Consultation Fort Berthold (MHA Nation), ND

Dear Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz:
My name is Lisa DeVille.  I am enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes (MHA Nation).  I am going to read an article I wrote when the Modern Day Warriors were being attacked on facebook and by the pipeline babies and their families when they rallied against Sacacagewea Pipeline and other pipelines.



Another Flood of Invaders
We’re in the next wave of assimilation, our land has been mortgaged out to those who don’t know its value or how important it is to our people.  We have left our future, our children’s futures, and the question of a healthy environment in your hands and what do we have left?  We have continuously been forced to assimilate to live how their society thinks is the only way. Everything has been taken repeatedly, every promise broken.  And we have to accept it.  Our lands have been taken, mined, and extracted of resources that will never be available again because of white man’s GREED.  It’s destroying us.
White people in the capitol, who don’t live anywhere near the devastation that we have to deal with on a daily basis, are making decisions that don’t affect them. Yet they profit from selling out the people they claim to represent.  We were forced to relocate here, and it is the only lands that we have left that ties us to our ancestors.  The intruders can leave whenever they want, we don’t have that option.  We will have to deal with the aftermath of the irreparable environmental destruction.  These white people are only here to profit off our oil, which is another flood of the same invaders who came to our lands centuries ago.  
These people have no ties to this community, their roots aren’t here.  They came from Europe and settled here.  They have no respect for our Mother Earth.  They don’t know any better because their history proves their trail of destruction.  They blinded our people with lies and greed.  They told us how safe it is to extract oil and to build their pipelines.  We do not know if our water is safe to drink, if the air is safe to breathe, if our land is healthy to sustain life.  We are surrounded by flares while our people die in the winter.  We live next to the encroachers on our lands.  We see pipelines running through the lands as if they are veins of our Mother Earth.  The poison isn’t going to end.   
Our youth is standing up to fight to protect what we have left.  They are in fact Modern Day Warriors because they choose to do what so many cannot do; stand up to the destruction.  They are being harassed, threatened, and smeared by whites whose families came here to exploit their homes.  They have not been taught to respect the Mother Earth and these intruders say that they are wrong for wanting to protect what we have been left.  They are not entitled to continue slander our youth for fighting to protect what we hold sacred.  If they cannot respect our beliefs, they should leave.


Lisa DeVille (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation)
Mandaree, ND


Testified three major environmental impacts (there are many environmental impacts):
First; the BLM Methane Rule. I am the Declarant for this rule.  The Bureau of Land Management under the Obama Administration created rules to help reduce flaring on federal and tribal lands. Under this purview, Fort Berthold will benefit immensely by the rules.
The rules were finalized in 2016 and enacted in 2017. But because of a rarely used measure, the Congressional Review Act, the rule is threatened by a new administration.


The BLM rules are a good start to reduce flaring, pay royalties, and ensure that air quality will be protected. We have congressional delegates fighting to repeal a rule that will not affect their constituents.


Second; In July of 2014, the Crestwood-Arrow pipeline ruptured that was carrying toxic brine water that is produced from fracking. Although, we cannot be sure if the correct amount was reported, we were told that 1 million gallons of the toxic slurry travelled two miles down a ravine into Bear Den Bay. Located North of Mandaree near water intake.


It’s been over 2 years since the spill, and the site is still not fully remediated.  The toxic contamination is 5x’s higher.  We’ve worked alongside Duke University to understand how this spill is affecting the land and water.


Per the study, the toxic water is high in chlorides (salts) and radioactive material. The radioactive isotopes have been found to bind with soil, leaving behind a legacy of radioactivity that will affect life in that area for thousands of years to come.


Third; Dakota Access Pipeline DAPL to be constructed under the Little Missouri 8 miles east of Mandaree.  We were not giving public comment.


Portfolio of Fort Berthold Environmental Impacts, Studies and Cases Emphasis on Mandaree Giving to UN.  


Booklets and DVD Giving to UN:
Living with Oil and Gas by WORC,
Shalefield Stories, Personal and Collected Testimonies Vol 1. (Also see Vol 2.),
Water Down,
Oil & Gas Waste Production & Oversight in the West by WORC,
The Flaring Boom,
DVD This is our Country, No Time to Waste,
Fracking and the North Dakota Oil Boom,

Effective Management of Oil and Gas Field Radioactive Waste by WORC

March 1, 2017

Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz
United Nations

RE:      United Nations Consultation Bismarck, ND

Dear Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz:
My name is Lisa DeVille.  I am enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes also known as Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.  My family and I are lifelong residents of Mandaree (a community on Fort Berthold).  I live with oil and gas and witness what the oil and gas extraction impact is doing to Fort Berthold. 
Impacts of the federal drilling program on Fort Berthold was never properly studied, nor was the NEPA process adhered when oil and gas extraction were brought to my people. So, we did not understand the full consequences to our water, land, and air. We are forced to accept the effects of what extraction of oil has brought to our people, with little to no input on proposed infrastructure such as well pads, pipelines, refineries, and various other projects. Our environment, our people, and our children’s’ future have been exploited for short term gain with long term consequences.  
Oil and Gas development has changed our way of life and put our future generations in jeopardy.  We have lost our way as Native Americans and replaced our culture with material things.  Our instructions were to protect Mother Earth.  We are killing Mother Earth with every toxic oil and gas spill and every hole drilled into her. 
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has been ineffective in protecting tribal land and mineral owners. The confusion of jurisdiction between authority of siting infrastructure between tribe and the BIA’s impede on tribal sovereignty, leaving members of the tribe out of the decision-making process.
Our previous tribal administration, under Tex Hall, irresponsibly allowed the oil industry to dictate how and where they will drill. And now, our current administration is still pinned under the same dictatorial industry. The citizens of the Three Affiliated Tribes do not have a say in what we are forced to live with. Oil has brought economic development to our lands, but is destroying a viable future for our youth to thrive on this land.
Mandaree is a heavily impacted area. Our area is overburdened with oil field infrastructure, truck traffic, and hundreds of flares that leave the air polluted with toxins.  There are many significant environmental issues that I would like to discuss but I will focus on three:  
First; the BLM Methane Rule. The Bureau of Land Management under the Obama Administration created rules to help reduce flaring on federal and tribal lands. Under this purview, Fort Berthold will benefit immensely by the rules.
The rules were finalized in 2016 and enacted in 2017. But because of a rarely used measure, the Congressional Review Act, the rule is threatened by a new administration.
The BLM rules are a good start to reduce flaring, pay royalties, and ensure that air quality will be protected. We have congressional delegates fighting to repeal a rule that will not affect their constituents.
Second; In July of 2014, the Crestwood-Arrow pipeline ruptured that was carrying toxic brine water that is produced from fracking. Although, we cannot be sure if the correct amount was reported, we were told that 1 million gallons of the toxic slurry travelled two miles down a ravine into Bear Den Bay. Located 1 mile from Mandaree’s water intake.
It’s been over 2 years since the spill, and the site is still not fully remediated. We’ve worked alongside Duke University to understand how this spill is affecting the land and water.
Per the study, the toxic water is high in chlorides (salts) and radioactive material. The radioactive isotopes have been found to bind with soil, leaving behind a legacy of radioactivity that will affect life in that area for thousands of years to come.
In place of cleaning up the site, Crestwood issued the City of Mandaree a check in the sum of 1 million dollars to go toward a headstart facility for preschool children. The facility will be named after Crestwood.
Third; Dakota Access Pipeline, TBC approved in December 2015 allowing DAPL to be constructed under the Little Missouri 8 miles east of Mandaree.  TBC did not bring to people for public comment.
 Industry is not being held accountable for their clean up and there is no environmental justice. No monitoring, studies or research to understand the full environmental impact and environmental health from oil and gas impact.  No public comments allowing the people of Mandaree to have a say in decisions on development, while we are the most heavily impacted areas.  
We were once community oriented took care of one another.  Today it is not about community any it is about what are you going to do for me.  There is no more it takes a village to raise child.  We must protect our future generations.  Not saying do away with oil but there is a right way to do this oil and gas. 
Again, we do not know the full environmental and environmental health impact.  We need environmental justice.  Industry needs to be held accountable for their clean up.  We need more monitoring, research, studies, and data on the oil and gas.  
It is our human right to clean air, clean water, and clean land without this nothing will survive.   
Lisa DeVille   Mandaree, ND
Explained, I talked about the env impact yesterday 2-28-17 today I am going to talk about the need for Healthy Homes Healthy Hearts Healthy Minds:
Public Safety; Fire Dept and EMS
Housing
Education
Planning and Strategizing
Who gets help and where money goes
Employees and programs
Environmental Results
Ethics and morals
Oil and gas industry should not play a part in politics
Some allottees signed their oil and gas leases and left Ft. Berthold
Voting and Enrollment (my thoughts only and what seen), people changing their enrollment
from different tribe to MHA to receive disbursement, therefor leads to more voters.  I said, those people who don’t live in segments on Ft. Berthold should only be allowed to vote for mha chairman with exception of medical, service and school.  We who live in segments on Ft. Berthold have to live every day with environmental impacts from oil and gas development.  A woman Spiritual leader told me mention mandaree has their very own trump.
First Amendment Violated included ND HB created from DAPL Protest
Articles, mentioned recent VICE and Greenspace

Only had 10 minutes to talk so gave binder of information.

Closing, UN said there is dysfunction and disconnect of all governments and the people.

February 2, 2017

Testimony of Lisa DeVille
Senate Bill 2337

Chairwoman Poolman & members of the committee:

My name is Lisa DeVille, My Indian name in whitemans language is “Accomplishes Everything” I’m an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes and I’ve come here from Mandaree, on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. I’m here to testify in support of Senate Bill 2337.

My people are in the heart of the Bakken oilfields. All Native people have been assimilated to western culture. To live the ways of the whites that settled in all places of this continent. This culture is very dominant in my homelands today. We have lost much of our identity because we have forgotten what it was like to need. Oil has brought forth a lot of good to our communities that were once impoverished. But, sadly it has taken much from us. Capitalism has replaced community.

Everyone has a culture no matter what part of the world you come from. You, our elected officials, represent a variety of people that come from different races, belief systems, histories, and life styles. Yet many of the proposed bills that I’ve seen come out of this session are self-serving to those that propose them and over reactive to temporary situations.

We all need to have a better understanding of each other. Lack of understanding breeds fear; fear breeds anger. And when people act out in anger and fear, we have reckless reactions.  

I support the requirement of our officials to have cultural competency training. If we had some sort of respect and understanding of each others history and culture, we wouldn’t have bills that suggest that people are allowed to run over protestors, or state legislators that harbor the will to control federally recognized tribes, or why this will be the sixth year that we’re still fighting for same sex relationship anti-discrimination. All of these examples are a product of a lack of understanding.

We live in a state that claims to be proud of the Native history; yet our people are treated with discrimination and anger when we talk about treaties and our rights as humans. There’s a reason why treaties were written, and a history of how we’ve come to live on reservations; all of this is ingrained in our culture. We weren’t allowed to pray or congregate until the 70’s, because of a fear of what our prayers would do. All of this affects culture. Even yours. Learning culture can only help you do your jobs better.

I ask that you give this bill a do pass recommendation.

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