How Federal Projects Affect Sacred Sites and Indigenous Nations
Crystal C’Bearing, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Northern Arapaho tribe in Wyoming, plays a crucial role in protecting sacred sites from federal development projects. She reviews proposals to ensure they don’t harm tribal areas or cultural heritage.
“It’s challenging but important work,”
she says earnestly, expressing her dedication to preserving and safeguarding their heritage.
C’Bearing’s responsibilities extend beyond Wyoming to lands ceded by treaty across 16 states. She, along with 227 other Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs), faces a constant influx of federal proposals that may impact tribal lands and historic sites. These officers act as the first line of defense against destructive projects, utilizing traditional ecological knowledge and historical expertise to assess potential impacts.
Recently, President Trump’s administration declared a national energy emergency to expedite fossil fuel projects, reducing the time THPOs have to review proposals from 30 days to just seven days. This drastic cut undermines their ability to thoroughly evaluate potential risks to cultural and historical resources. Michon Ebren, another THPO from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada expressed concern over this limited timeframe during a news conference.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established the THPO program to protect archaeological resources across the United States. The law mandates that federal agencies consult with tribes on projects affecting their territories, emphasizing the importance of tribal input in decision-making processes. However, under Trump’s budget proposal for 2026, funding for THPO programs faces a staggering 94 percent cut.
Valerie Grussing, Executive Director of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers warns about the dire consequences of insufficient funding:
“If this is the moment that breaks the system… there’s not going to be anything there to catch the THPOs.”
The delay in releasing promised funds jeopardizes not only ongoing projects but also future preservation efforts essential for Indigenous communities.
With dwindling resources and an accelerated project review timeline imposed by Trump’s administration, THPOs like Shannon Wright from the Ponca tribe face tough decisions prioritizing emergency cases over regular consultations. This shift threatens countless cultural and historical sites at risk of irreversible damage due to inadequate evaluations within restricted timeframes.
Moreover, Congressionally approved funds for 2025 are being held back by bureaucratic delays under Trump’s orders—an action denounced by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree as morally wrong and illegal. Tribes heavily rely on these funds for essential services like education and health care; therefore cuts in historic preservation budgets further strain already limited resources.
Raphael Wahwassuck from Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation highlights how critical it is for tribes’ voices to be heard in decisions impacting their homelands: “It’s pretty unrealistic…to have good work happen in that short window.” He emphasizes that rushed evaluations increase risks of overlooking significant cultural sites during project assessments.
These funding challenges not only undermine tribal sovereignty but also violate trust responsibilities owed by federal agencies towards Indigenous nations—a glaring contradiction against stated commitments towards honoring treaties and recognizing native rights.
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