The Yakama Nation holds treaty rights to gather food in Pushpum, a ridgeline overlooking the Columbia River in Washington. When a new green energy project was proposed for the land, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) talked to leaders of the tribal nation, but asked them to disclose exactly why the land was considered sacred — knowledge that could make it vulnerable to desecration. Eventually, the project was moved forward without consultation. For @ProPublica and High Country News, @Toastie reports on the question of whether and how the U.S. government should protect tribal privacy and cultural resources.

https://www.propublica.org/article/yakama-nation-green-energy-federal-government

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Feds Advance Plan to Develop a Yakama Nation Sacred Site Without Tribe’s Input

The Yakama Nation wanted to consult on the development of a project on sacred land. But when the tribal nation refused to disclose confidential information, the agency moved forward without tribal input.

^ProPublica