*Rescheduled* Lunch in Indian Country CLE: Cultural Protection and Sacred Sites: Lessons from Badger-Two Medicine

From the fight to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock to the initial designation of Bears Ears National Monument and other, similar conflicts, tribally-led efforts to protect sacred and culturally-important places have recently gained the world's attention and support. And yet, despite the building of such broad-based social movements, the 2016 election heralded a dramatic change of direction, which resulted in the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline beneath the sacred waters of the Missouri River and drastic reduction of the Bears Ears National Monument.

But the fight over a different sacred site, the Badger-Two Medicine area in Montana, has evolved quite differently. There, the United States is allied with the Blackfeet Nation to protect the area and recently appealed a federal court decision that would have reinstated oil and gas leases long challenged by the Nation.

This lunchtime talk will provide background and context for the fight to protect the Badger-Two Medicine, discuss why it might be different than other recent battles over sacred sites, and explore what lessons that fight might offer for future tribal efforts.

Faculty:
Monte Mills, Associate Professor of Law and Co-Director, Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic, Alexander Blewett III School of Law, The University of Montana

Register at: https://azbar.inreachce.com/Details/Information/b46fbd7b-ae76-4c72-a7ef-2c6b49c20687

1 CLE Credit

*Rescheduled from Feb 27*