1978-05-15 Char-Koosta News

              BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. IGNATIUS. MONTANA PERMIT NO. 1 59865
VOLUME 8    NUMBER 2
FULL MOON OF THE BITTEROOT
Council Says No To Pipeline
MAY 15, 1978
The Tribal Council turned an emphatic thumbs-down to a request from the Northern Tier Pipeline Co. to conduct an engineering and environmental survey through the reservation, by a vote of 9 to 1 on May 5th.
Representatives for the pipeline proposed a new route that deviated from their original request. The Tribal Council had given their permission for an enviromental impact study at that time. However, the company's representative, Ward A. Shanahan's latest request would envolve a 61- mile route change along the South Fork of the Jocko and through pri-mative and pristine reservation lands.
The primary reason for the route change was to avoid numerous river crossings, Shanahan informed the Council.
Shanahan offered to pay for a lease equal to the purchase of land that would be used for the proposed 75 to 100 ft. pipleline corridor. The majority of the Council members felt that the monetary gain was insignificant in comparison to the environmental impact upon the area and denied permission for a pipeline routed through the reservation.
The proposed 42 inch pipeline would have carried an estimated 933,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Port Angeles, Wash, to Clearbrook, Minn.
Satellite Demonstration Project
Councilman Tom Pablo from the Hot Springs District participated in the Joint American Indian Telecommunications Satellite Demonstration Project during a 3-day span from the Crow Agency on April 10,12 and 14, along with a panel composed of servral Montana officials, Merle Lucus, State Coordinator of Indian Affairs; Ed Kennedy, Administrative Officer of the Cheyenne Tribe and Gary Kimble of the State House and candidate for the U.S. House.
Pablo's question during the demonstration project was, "Can the Confederated Tribe's expect help from I.S.S.C. (Indian Senate Select? Committee - Wash. D. C.) in their efforts for a number one air designation on the Flathead?"
(The answer given was yes).
The purpose of the demonstration was to show the concepts of using satellite telecommunications in the delivery of information and services that would be advantageous to Indian communities.
There were four different geographical location sites for the demonstration. They were the Crow Agency, Mont. Alberquerque, New Mexico NASAHeadquarters in Washing-
ton D.C. and Moffet Field, Calif.
Three objectives were to demonstrate the capability of inter or intra-tribal communications, a two-way voice and television exchange of messages and information between federal agencies and tribes and two-way communication between tribes, community colleges, state university programs and other educational institutions.
The demonstration project was an attempt to show that by using satellite techniques, one or more people at one reservation or location can talk and hear other people at distant locations and provide a method of communications that will help people reach others more effectively. Other benefits include an increase in participation and feedback, saving time and energy, tribal interest and understanding through a person-to-person contact, education, health care, agricultural planning, reservation development, community and special services. Dialogue, hearings, discussions and so forth; between tribes and the federal government would also be beneficial.
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