Nevada tribe says coalitions, not lawsuits, will protect sacred sites as US advances energy agenda

RENO, Nev. — The room was packed with Native American leaders from across the United States, all invited to Washington to hear from federal officials about President Joe Biden’s accomplishments and new policy directives aimed at improving relationships and protecting sacred sites. The tribe’s lawyer, Will Falk, urged other tribes to resist “tricking ourselves into believing that just because the first Native American secretary of Interior is in office that she actually cares about protecting sacred sites.” Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz didn’t respond directly to that criticism but said in an email to The Associated Press that there has been “significant communications and partnership with tribes in Nevada.” The federal government in early December published new guidance for dealing with sacred sites. Western Shoshone Defense Project Director Fermina Stevens said the changes were “more ‘lip service’ for the government to deal with the ‘Indian problem’ in this new day and age of mineral extraction.” Morgan Rodman, executive director of the White House Council on Native American Affairs, disagrees. But if federal agencies don’t follow through, he said, “Well, it’s just words that really don’t mean anything to us.” ___ Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan contributed to this report from Albuquerque, New Mexico.