ALL OIL AND GAS LEASES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED IN THE BADGER-TWO MEDICINE

47 oil and gas leases were issued in the Badger-Two Medicine region in 1982 without required consultation with the Blackfeet Nation. For nearly 40 years, the Tribe has fought to prevent drilling on these sacred lands. 

On June 16, 2020, a decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. confirmed a decision made by the U.S. Department of Interior to cancel the final oil and gas lease in the Badger-Two Medicine.

Read more about the historic decision.

WE OPPOSED DRILLING ON OUR SACRED LANDS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:


1) The leases were granted illegally in 1982 without tribal consultation.

2) Energy development would negatively impact and interfere with the Blackfeet people’s lands, and the use of it for cultural, historical and religious purposes.

3) Drilling would compromise the water quality and disrupt extraordinary habitat for rare and sensitive wildlife species.

4) Reserved hunting, fishing and timbering rights would be compromised.

5) Fracking the “Backbone of the World” would desecrate both the landscape and the cultural identity of present and future generations of Blackfeet people.

6) Roads, trucking bridges and well pads would disturb sacred lands in the heart of the Badger-Two Medicine.

INIIYI’TAKI

Thank you to our partners who have stood with us in our fight against oil and gas leases in the Badger-Two Medicine. Inniiyi’taki is the Blackfeet word for feeling grateful or appreciative.

TRIBAL PARTNERS

Assiniboine / Bannock / Blackfeet / Chippewa / Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes / Cree / Crow / Eastern Shoshone / Gros Ventre / Kainai / Kalispell / Little Shell / Northern Arapaho / Northern Cheyenne / Ojibewe / Piikani / Shoshone / Siksika / Sioux

LEGISLATIVE PARTNERS

Senator Jon Tester (D-MT)
Senator Steve Daines (R-MT)
Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-MT)

Resources

  • Chief Earl Old Person letter to President Obama 
  • Blackfeet Nation letter to U.S. Department of Interior 
  • National Congress of American Indian support letter
  • Blackfoot Confederacy Proclamation 
  • MT & WY Tribal Leaders Council Resolution
  • Blackfeet Resolution (No. 260-2014): Authorization to file amicus brief in Solenex, LLC v. Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior
  • Blackfeet Resolution (No. 110-2016): Creation of the Badger-Two Medicine Committee
  • Blackfeet Resolution (No. 385-2019): Supporting efforts by Montana Congressional Delegation to permanently protect Badger-Two Medicine
  • Blackfeet Resolution (No. 190-2020): Endorsing legislation permanently protecting the Badger-Two Medicine from oil and gas industrialization