Yakama Nation Opposes FERC’s Green Energy Project, Citing Threats to Ancestral Land and Cultural Heritage.

The Yakama Nation learned of a plan to tunnel through some of their ancestral land for a green energy development in 2017, which they believe could damage Pushpum, a privately owned ridgeline overlooking the Columbia River in Washington. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) offered the Yakama National what tribal leaders considered an impossible choice: disclose confidential ceremonial, archaeological and cultural knowledge, or waive the right to consult on the site’s development. This decision put the nation in a bind, as disclosure of information about food and archaeological sites has historically led to looting or desecration of the land. However, after seven years of opposition, FERC moved the project forward without consulting with tribal leaders. Critics argue that this decision has allowed FERC to disregard tribal concerns.