Fountain Wind Project Update, June 2021

International Indian Treaty Council default featured image

June 22, 2021

Shasta County Department of Resource Management, Planning Division Attn. Lio Salazar, Senior Planner
1855 Placer Street, Suite 103
Redding, CA 96001
Via email: [email protected]

 

Re: Fountain Wind Project Update

Chemesunwee.

My name is Morning Star Gali. I am speaking today on behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), for which I serve as the California Tribal and Community Liaison. I am here today
to provide comment as both an enrolled Pit River Tribal member and an IITC staff member.

The International Indian Treaty Council is an Indigenous Peoples organization with Consultative Status to the United Nations since 1977. Pit River Tribe is a long-time affiliate of IITC. In September of 2020, we requested a reasonable and very justified request to your office for a one-year extension, to which you did not agree to and moved forward with the project.

At that time, we agreed with Pit River Tribe’s expressed concerns that, if approved, this Project would result in significant impacts to aesthetics, water quality, biological environment, economic base, and Tribal cultural resources in the area. These impacts would be borne by the local and Tribal communities in the area without providing them with significant benefits. The cultural and human rights of the Pit River Tribe would be particularly impacted. The Tribe and its members must be given the time to fully and adequately articulate their comments and concerns, in keeping with the United States’ obligation to carry out meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations, in particular regarding impacts on their cultures and sacred places. Failure to provide them with this opportunity would also violate their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent as affirmed by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as underscored in past resolutions of the Pit River Tribe.

Also note that it has been mentioned that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not apply in this matter. Please be advised that the Pit River Tribe passed a resolution in March 2012, affirming the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples stating that all 3.5 million acres of the 100-mile square of Pit River Tribe’s Ancestral territory is affirmed in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which was adopted by the United States in December 2010. The Pit River Tribe affirms its inherent right to self determination over its tribal lands and traditional ancestral territories According to Docket 347 Adopted July 29, 1959.

In our letter of September 2020 the International Indian Treaty Council stated,

“In light of these previous concerns, and especially the multiple unusual circumstances currently unfolding locally, nationally and globally, extending the comment period is the reasonable and ethical course of action to ensure informed public and Tribal participation in the required review process. The IITC appreciates the County’s consideration of Pit River’s request.”

In 2012, when the UN Declaration resolution was passed by the Pit River Tribe, I was working as the Tribe’s THPO. We also provided a press release that stated,

“The tribe’s affirmation of the Declaration, which was cemented by a March 29 unanimous vote by the tribal council, also affirmed the tribe’s self-determination over its tribal lands and ancestral territory and is the first step in creating a meaningful consultation and resource policy.”

Unfortunately, the Shasta County Planning Commission has not adhered to either meaningful consultation or Free Prior and Informed Consent in accordance with federal policy in this matter. The Shasta County Planning Commission has not even adequately been in communication with Pit River Tribe, or accurately updated its records as there are letters that were sent to me in 2017 on the Fountain Wind project, although I left my position at THPO in the summer of 2016.

On behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council, we respectfully ask the Shasta County planning commission to take into account all stated concerns of the Pit River Tribe, as well as their existing human rights obligations in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as a subsidiary government of the United States. In closing, we encourage you to set an example of adhering to fully supporting Indigenous Rights and protections.

 

Respectfully,

 

 

 

 

Morning Star Gali
IITC California Tribal and Community Liaison

IITC Request to Extend Comment Period to September 30, 2021 – Fountain Wind Project Draft Environmental Impact Report

Fountain Wind Project Update, June 2021

June 22, 2021

Shasta County Department of Resource Management, Planning Division Attn. Lio Salazar, Senior Planner
1855 Placer Street, Suite 103
Redding, CA 96001
Via email: [email protected]

 

Re: Fountain Wind Project Update

Chemesunwee.

My name is Morning Star Gali. I am speaking today on behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), for which I serve as the California Tribal and Community Liaison. I am here today
to provide comment as both an enrolled Pit River Tribal member and an IITC staff member.

The International Indian Treaty Council is an Indigenous Peoples organization with Consultative Status to the United Nations since 1977. Pit River Tribe is a long-time affiliate of IITC. In September of 2020, we requested a reasonable and very justified request to your office for a one-year extension, to which you did not agree to and moved forward with the project.

At that time, we agreed with Pit River Tribe’s expressed concerns that, if approved, this Project would result in significant impacts to aesthetics, water quality, biological environment, economic base, and Tribal cultural resources in the area. These impacts would be borne by the local and Tribal communities in the area without providing them with significant benefits. The cultural and human rights of the Pit River Tribe would be particularly impacted. The Tribe and its members must be given the time to fully and adequately articulate their comments and concerns, in keeping with the United States’ obligation to carry out meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations, in particular regarding impacts on their cultures and sacred places. Failure to provide them with this opportunity would also violate their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent as affirmed by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as underscored in past resolutions of the Pit River Tribe.

Also note that it has been mentioned that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples does not apply in this matter. Please be advised that the Pit River Tribe passed a resolution in March 2012, affirming the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples stating that all 3.5 million acres of the 100-mile square of Pit River Tribe’s Ancestral territory is affirmed in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which was adopted by the United States in December 2010. The Pit River Tribe affirms its inherent right to self determination over its tribal lands and traditional ancestral territories According to Docket 347 Adopted July 29, 1959.

In our letter of September 2020 the International Indian Treaty Council stated,

“In light of these previous concerns, and especially the multiple unusual circumstances currently unfolding locally, nationally and globally, extending the comment period is the reasonable and ethical course of action to ensure informed public and Tribal participation in the required review process. The IITC appreciates the County’s consideration of Pit River’s request.”

In 2012, when the UN Declaration resolution was passed by the Pit River Tribe, I was working as the Tribe’s THPO. We also provided a press release that stated,

“The tribe’s affirmation of the Declaration, which was cemented by a March 29 unanimous vote by the tribal council, also affirmed the tribe’s self-determination over its tribal lands and ancestral territory and is the first step in creating a meaningful consultation and resource policy.”

Unfortunately, the Shasta County Planning Commission has not adhered to either meaningful consultation or Free Prior and Informed Consent in accordance with federal policy in this matter. The Shasta County Planning Commission has not even adequately been in communication with Pit River Tribe, or accurately updated its records as there are letters that were sent to me in 2017 on the Fountain Wind project, although I left my position at THPO in the summer of 2016.

On behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council, we respectfully ask the Shasta County planning commission to take into account all stated concerns of the Pit River Tribe, as well as their existing human rights obligations in accordance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as a subsidiary government of the United States. In closing, we encourage you to set an example of adhering to fully supporting Indigenous Rights and protections.

 

Respectfully,

 

 

 

 

Morning Star Gali
IITC California Tribal and Community Liaison

If you have any questions, please let us know.