The Environmental Crisis on Native American Lands

3 Generations has been documenting stories of injustices to Native American communities, lands, and culture for more than a decade in order to bring attention to the degradation of Native American lands and the vulnerability of native peoples. We bring to light a catastrophic oil spill in the midwest US, as well as a study into how rapid wildfires displace Indigenous communities. Optimistically, ecocide is now being recognized in the EU as criminal law. 

An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas last month is the largest for an onshore crude pipeline in more than nine years and by far the biggest in the history of the Keystone pipeline. The nearly 2,700-mile Keystone pipeline carries thick, Canadian tar-sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas. Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Using crude from western Canada’s oil sands would worsen climate change. 

When wildfires spread they can have devastating impacts and research says the effects may be even greater for Indigenous communities. For Indigenous people, attachments to a place may be stronger and the freedom to carry out activities like hunting and fishing may be more important.

Support keeps on growing for the recognition of ecocide within the EU Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law.  Two more EU committees, the Petitions Committee (“PETI”) and the Development Committee (“DEVE”) voted last month on proposals for the directive which is currently under revision, both backed inclusion of a crime of ecocide.

At 3 Generations we are continuing to monitor and sound the alarm about Native American & Indigenous communities and the environmental issues they face. For information about atrocities against Indigenous people and all causes we support, please visit our website.

In August, after nearly 400 years, the Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia have reacquired 465 acres of sacred land at Fones Cliff.

Fones Cliff is the tribe's ancestral home and is located along the Rappahannock River in Virginia. The protected area will now be publicly accessible and there are plans to educate the public about the tribe's history with a 16th century replica village and a program for trival youth on traditional river practices. 

The reacquisition of Fones Cliff not only has a cultural and historical impact, but a crucial benefit to the wildlife along the Rappahannock River. The area is home to one of the largest nesting populations of bald eagles on the Atlantic coast. 

This acquisition follows the growing movement for protection and reclaimation of Indigenous land in America. At 3 Generations we are continuing to monitor and sound the alarm about Native American & Indigenous communities and the environmental issues they face.