Environment

While not opposed to economic development, the 1854 Treaty Authority is tasked with ensuring that land management and industrial activities are done with minimal impact to the rich natural and cultural resources in the 1854 Ceded Territory. We remain involved in early and meaningful consultation on projects that might affect the health of the environment. This includes the environmental review of activities like mining of precious metals, taconite (iron ore) mining, power generation, land management (timber cuts, habitat restoration, public access, etc.), general development (roads, buildings, etc.), gas/oil pipeline placement/replacement and changes to public land ownership. 

The 1854 Treaty Authority also weighs in on policies that have resulting impacts to the natural world.  Representing the interest of the bands we serve, we provide input on the development and enforcement of water quality standards from commercial, industrial and municipal water discharge. We are most concerned with how discharge might affect traditionally utilized waterways, like wild rice waters or fishery resources. We remain involved in providing input to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as they consider changes to the wild rice water quality standard for sulfate. See the MPCA website for more information on this topic.

Not all of our environmental work is done in meetings and board rooms. Environmental staff gather data through ongoing monitoring activities such as water sampling from areas throughout the 1854 Ceded Territory. Areas include wild rice lakes and/or waters downstream of industrial discharge. Analysis results show changes in water quality over time or impacts from discharge. Staff also cooperate with other agencies in watershed assessment and protections activities.  

Contaminants in fish, such as mercury, has been a big concern for band members who harvest and consume fish in the 1854 Ceded Territory. Mercury is a heavy metal that can be toxic to people and the environment. Concentrations in fish increase/magnify as they eat other fish/organisms with mercury (bioaccumulation). As people eat fish, especially predatory fish like walleye, mercury concentrations bioaccumulate further and can impact health. Staff have sampled fish species from select waters within the Ceded Territory to monitor concentrations. This type of information can be used to inform safe consumption of fish, specific to certain waters. In years 2015 – 2018, staff sampled walleye and smallmouth bass from 12 of the spring/fall walleye population assessment lakes to compare mercury concentrations within lakes and between lakes (Analysis of Walleye and Smallmouth Bass Tissues for Mercury in Twelve 1854 Ceded Territory Lakes).