17:08
Brief
The Bulletin
Northam orders state to consult with tribal nations when considering permits
Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday ordered state agencies to consult with Virginia’s federally recognized tribal nations when considering state permits to determine whether development projects might impact environmental, cultural and historic resources.
“Federal agencies are required to offer an opportunity for government-to-government consultation with federally recognized tribal nations when taking actions that have tribal implications,” Northam wrote in Executive Order 82. “This order ensures the commonwealth of Virginia provides similar opportunities for consultation with federally recognized tribal nations when evaluating certain state permit applications.”
The order will apply to a range of projects, including groundwater withdrawal permits, burial permits for relocation of human remains, dams and oil and gas drilling in Tidewater Virginia, among others.
Additionally, the directive requires the state to appoint an ombudsman for tribal consultation and for agencies involved in the specified permits and reviews to develop a tribal consultation policy within the next three months.
Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, called Thursday’s order “an historic step forward in advancing the government-to-government relationship between tribal nations and states in this country.”
Virginia is home to seven federally recognized tribes, including the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe-Eastern Division, Monacan Indian Nation, Nansemond Indian Nation, Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Rappahannock Tribe and Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe. Despite a long recorded history of the tribes in Virginia, none received federal recognition until 2018.
In a release, Northam cast the order as part of an ongoing effort by Virginia “to address past wrongs and strengthen our relationships with Virginia’s tribes.”
“Tribal nations have always been integral to the cultural and historic fabric of Virginia, and this order is among the first steps that will affirm tribal sovereignty and enhance relationships between our governments,” he said.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.