Indians, Reclamation, and Historic Preservation

Abstract

The 1992 amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act acknowledge that Native Americans have particular concerns about historic preservation. The amendments recognize that properties of traditional religious and cultural importance to Native Americans deserve special consideration. They also permit tribes to establish historic preservation programs comparable to the State Historic Preservation Officer. Consequently, federal agencies increasingly will be expected to include Native Americans in the consultation process. Further, the 1988 amendments to the Indian Self-Determination Act provide for federal agencies besides the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service to sponsor projects in Indian Country. Federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Reclamation, increasingly will become involved with tribal governments and Native American groups in construction and development projects in Indian Country. Historic preservation has the potential to become a major issue with these projects. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Rural Water Supply System on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, is an example of such a project. Historic preservation is one of the major concerns. This project exemplifies the working relationship that can develop between a federal agency, the Bureau of Reclamation, and a tribal governmental organization, the Oglala Sioux Rural Water System, to resolve historic preservation issues associated with that project and to ensure that tribal concerns are addressed.