Latest news with #DepartmentofInterior
5 days ago
- Climate
Arizona governor tours wildfire destruction along Grand Canyon's North Rim
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. -- Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs toured the destruction left by a wildfire along the Grand Canyon's North Rim, on Saturday, surveying what she described as devastating damage. The governor, who has called for an investigation into how the blaze was handled, sought to gather information ahead of meetings with federal officials next week, looked intently out the window as the Black Hawk helicopter she was riding snaked over the Grand Canyon. White smoke emerged from the North Rim, and most of the Grand Canyon Lodge was reduced to a bare skeleton, though some of the building appeared intact from overhead. Some surrounding trees were no more than charred toothpicks on the ashen land, and whiffs of smoky air passed through the helicopter. The wildfire was sparked by a lightning strike July 4. Four days later the National Park Service said it was being allowed to burn as part of a 'confine and contain' strategy that the Grand Canyon National Park has leaned on for decades to clear dense vegetation, minimize future risk and make the ecosystem more resilient. But a week after ignition, blustery winds, hot temperatures and lower humidity quickly intensified the flames, prompting officials to shift to aggressive suppression and order evacuations. The blaze has charred more than 18 square miles (46 square kilometers), and as of Saturday it was 8% contained, according to fire information officer Stefan La-Sky. No injuries have been reported, but the Dragon Bravo fire on the canyon's less-frequented North Rim destroyed more than 70 structures, including a visitors' center, historic cabins and the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge. After touching ground, Hobbs visited the incident command post. Lined with trailers and dotted with yurts and tents, the fire camp currently houses more than 800 personnel who have come from various federal, state and local entities and independent contractors to help fire suppression efforts. The camp functions similar to a tiny town. The governor shook hands with members of the crew in the mess hall and met with officials including those from Grand Canyon National Park, the Department of Interior and the National Park Service as well as the incident commander. She said she was encouraged to hear that mitigation is a priority for the federal government. 'This is federal jurisdiction, but fire doesn't know that boundary, and we all have to work together,' Hobbs said. The governor has called for an investigation into why the park service did not immediately put out the flames during the hottest and driest period of summer. Members of the state's congressional delegation also have raised questions. Hobbs said she is not second-guessing the initial response. She said after the fire is managed, she is seeking answers to what went into the decision-making and whether there were missteps. The park service has defended its actions. Hobbs is set to meet this week with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior about their decisions in managing the wildfire this upcoming week. She said in a video statement Wednesday that she has not seen any indication that a lack of federal resources are to blame for the spread of the blaze. Last month President Donald Trump ordered government officials to consolidate wildland firefighting into a single program, despite warnings from former federal officials that it could be costly and increase the risk of catastrophic blazes. The North Rim is closed for the rest of the season along with a pair of campgrounds near the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. ___
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Arizona governor tours wildfire destruction along Grand Canyon's North Rim
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs toured the destruction left by a wildfire along the Grand Canyon's North Rim, on Saturday, surveying what she described as devastating damage. The governor, who has called for an investigation into how the blaze was handled, sought to gather information ahead of meetings with federal officials next week, looked intently out the window as the Black Hawk helicopter she was riding snaked over the Grand Canyon. White smoke emerged from the North Rim, and most of the Grand Canyon Lodge was reduced to a bare skeleton, though some of the building appeared intact from overhead. Some surrounding trees were no more than charred toothpicks on the ashen land, and whiffs of smoky air passed through the helicopter. The wildfire was sparked by a lightning strike July 4. Four days later the National Park Service said it was being allowed to burn as part of a 'confine and contain' strategy that the Grand Canyon National Park has leaned on for decades to clear dense vegetation, minimize future risk and make the ecosystem more resilient. But a week after ignition, blustery winds, hot temperatures and lower humidity quickly intensified the flames, prompting officials to shift to aggressive suppression and order evacuations. The blaze has charred more than 18 square miles (46 square kilometers), and as of Saturday it was 8% contained, according to fire information officer Stefan La-Sky. No injuries have been reported, but the Dragon Bravo fire on the canyon's less-frequented North Rim destroyed more than 70 structures, including a visitors' center, historic cabins and the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge. After touching ground, Hobbs visited the incident command post. Lined with trailers and dotted with yurts and tents, the fire camp currently houses more than 800 personnel who have come from various federal, state and local entities and independent contractors to help fire suppression efforts. The camp functions similar to a tiny town. The governor shook hands with members of the crew in the mess hall and met with officials including those from Grand Canyon National Park, the Department of Interior and the National Park Service as well as the incident commander. She said she was encouraged to hear that mitigation is a priority for the federal government. 'This is federal jurisdiction, but fire doesn't know that boundary, and we all have to work together,' Hobbs said. The governor has called for an investigation into why the park service did not immediately put out the flames during the hottest and driest period of summer. Members of the state's congressional delegation also have raised questions. Hobbs said she is not second-guessing the initial response. She said after the fire is managed, she is seeking answers to what went into the decision-making and whether there were missteps. The park service has defended its actions. Hobbs is set to meet this week with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior about their decisions in managing the wildfire this upcoming week. She said in a video statement Wednesday that she has not seen any indication that a lack of federal resources are to blame for the spread of the blaze. Last month President Donald Trump ordered government officials to consolidate wildland firefighting into a single program, despite warnings from former federal officials that it could be costly and increase the risk of catastrophic blazes. The North Rim is closed for the rest of the season along with a pair of campgrounds near the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Arizona governor tours wildfire destruction along Grand Canyon North Rim
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs on Saturday toured the destruction caused by a wildfire along the Grand Canyon's North Rim, surveying what she described as devastating damage, Hobbs called for an investigation into the handling of the blaze. The governor, who sought to gather information ahead of her meetings with federal officials next week, looked intently out the window as the Black Hawk helicopter she was riding snaked over the Grand Canyon. White smoke emerged from the North Rim, and most of the Grand Canyon Lodge was whittled to a bare skeleton, though some of the building appeared intact from overhead. Some surrounding trees were no more than charred toothpicks on the ashen land. Whiffs of smoky air passed through the helicopter. The wildfire was sparked by a lightning strike on July 4. The National Park Service four days later said it was being allowed to burn to benefit the land as part of a 'confine and contain' strategy that the Grand Canyon National Park has leaned on for decades to clear dense vegetation, minimize future risk and make the ecosystem more resilient. But a week after the ignition, blustery winds, hot temperatures and lower humidity quickly intensified the flames, prompting officials to shift their efforts to aggressive suppression and order evacuations. The blaze has charred more than 18 square miles (46 square kilometers). As of Saturday, it is eight percent contained. No injuries had been reported, but the wildfire on the canyon's less-frequented North Rim destroyed more than 70 structures, including a visitors center, historic cabins and the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge. After touching ground, Hobbs visited the incident command post for the Dragon Bravo fire. Lined with trailers and dotted with yurts and tents, the fire camp currently houses more than 800 personnel who have come from various federal, state and local entities and independent contracting vendors to help fire suppression efforts. The camp functions similar to a tiny town. She shook hands with members of the crew in the mess hall and met with officials including those from Grand Canyon National Park, the Department of Interior and the National Park Service. She said she was encouraged to hear that mitigation is a priority for the federal government. 'This is federal jurisdiction, but fire doesn't know that boundary, and we all have to work together,' Hobbs said. The governor has called for an investigation into why the park service did not immediately put out the flames during the hottest and driest period of Arizona's summer. Bipartisan members of Arizona's congressional delegation also have questioned the decision. Hobbs said she is not second-guessing the decision to use the 'confine and contain' strategy at the outset of the fire. 'I think we need to look at, after we get this fire managed, what went into the decision making and if there what were missteps, how we learn from that,' she said Saturday. The park service has defended its actions. Hobbs will meet with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior about their decisions in managing the wildfire this upcoming week. She said in a video statement Wednesday that she hasn't seen any indication that a lack of federal resources are to blame for any problems. Last month, President Donald Trump ordered government officials to consolidate wildland firefighting into a single program, despite warnings from former federal officials that it could be costly and increase the risk of catastrophic blazes. The North Rim is closed for the rest of the season along with a pair of campgrounds near the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. ___ The Associated Press' women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Native American universities and colleges brace for crippling Trump cuts
While colleges and universities slow down during summer break, Ahniwake Rose is busy wondering what the fall semester will hold for the nation's 37 tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) – and if they will be able to stay open much longer. As the president and CEO of the Indigenous non-profit American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), Rose (Cherokee and Muscogee Creek) braces as the schools she represents face a potential nearly 90% reduction in funding starting in October. President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget includes a proposal to slash operations funding from $183.3m to $22.1m for Bureau of Indian Education post-secondary programs – career and technical schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities. On 15 July, a House appropriations subcommittee approved legislation that allotted $1.5bn to the Bureau of Indian Education, though it did not specify how much would go toward post-secondary programs. Congress still needs to finish approving the budget for the Bureau of Indian Education, a subdivision of the Department of Interior. If approved, such cuts will further endanger a system that's already undernourished. Congress currently underfunds the nation's 37 tribal colleges and universities by $250m a year, according to a 2024 ProPublica report. TCUs are heavily reliant on federal funding, which accounts for about 75% of their revenue. Those monies cannot be replaced with endowments or alumni donations as other higher education institutions do due to low wealth in Indigenous communities, said Rose. 'There is really no other option, if not to close,' she said, 'than to severely reduce the way that our institutions are able to provide services to our students.' Rose added that 'there is not one TCU that would be able to walk away unscathed'. While they are on summer recess, faculty and students have expressed concerns about their academic future as they fear that their schools will close next year. 'The impact that this is having on the morale of our community and our students has been deeply troubling,' Rose said. Some students are reconsidering whether they will begin school or continue their coursework next year. 'Would the staff want to sign a contract for an institution that might not be able to pay them next year or in a few months?' In anticipation of potential budget cuts, some schools have adjusted by canceling internships, fellowships and workforce study, said Rose. AIHEC is working with institutions to guarantee that the cancellations don't affect students' abilities to meet degree requirements and graduate. For students who relied on fellowships to support their education, the non-profit is partnering with the American Indian College Fund so that they can complete their education on time. When Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) student Breana Brave Heart (Oglala Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne) learned that the Trump administration was seeking to eliminate her school's funding, she saw it as a betrayal. 'It felt like a direct attack on us as Native students – on our dreams, our cultures and our treaty rights,' Brave Heart said in a statement to the Guardian. 'IAIA isn't just a college; it's a promise our ancestors secured for us through sacrifice and agreements with the US government.' Rose said that Brave Heart's school was most vulnerable to a potential closure, since Trump's 2026 discretionary budget request includes a plan to specifically eliminate funding for the school – without explanation. The four-year fine arts school that focuses on Alaska Native and Native American arts receives $13.5m in annual appropriations. That amount would be reduced to zero if the budget is approved by Congress. 'If they were to defund us,' the IAIA president, Robert Martin, (Cherokee) said, 'then what would happen to those 850 students? Where would they go at this point?' Native Americans make up 80% of the student population, with 92 federally recognized tribes represented at the school. Founded in 1962, IAIA has had an indelible influence on Indigenous arts, Martin said. Some of the most well-known alumni include the former US poet laureate Joy Harjo (Muscogee/Creek) and author Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho of Oklahoma), a finalist for the Pulitzer prize for fiction. 'With the pandemic and historical trauma to begin with, there's always been mental health issues [for students], and this adds a little bit more stress to being a college student,' Martin said. 'In terms of faculty and staff, they are stressed about their employment outlook in the future, and what that's going to bring.' In the meantime, Martin is telling staff and students to expect to return to campus in the fall. School leadership has held town hall meetings for faculty and staff to allay their concerns, and they are preparing to increase their fundraising efforts. Martin and Christopher Caldwell (Menominee), president at College of Menominee Nation in Wisconsin, hope that whenever a new budget passes, it will uphold the federal government's promise to fund Indigenous education. The 1978 Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act and about 150 treaties guaranteed federal funding to higher education, at a base amount of $8,000 per student adjusted for inflation. Since June, school leaders and their allies have lobbied congressional members to continue supporting TCUs so they remain open in the upcoming academic year. Continued funding of the schools, which provides economic vitality to the entire community also allows tribes to govern themselves, said Rose. Sign up to First Thing Our US morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Our tribal colleges are a deep expression of self-determination and sovereignty. These education systems were created to support and build tribal leadership, to create education systems in which Native students can thrive and can build our economies,' Rose said. 'Not only are the proposed cuts a direct attack against the trust and treaty responsibility that the federal government has to postsecondary institutions, it inhibits tribes' ability to direct self-determination in our own education systems.' She added that her organization and the institutions were connecting with the current administration to underscore just how critical Department of Interior funding is to tribal colleges. The Institute of American Indian Arts has been in contact with New Mexico's congressional delegation and members of the appropriations committee to ensure that they understand the significance of funding for TCUs. 'We've had bipartisan support for our programs, and it's all part of the trust responsibility of the federal government,' Martin said. 'Our ancestors ceded millions of acres of land to the federal government in return for certain promises, and one of those was education.' Martin continued: 'What we're hearing from our donors and supporters is: 'How can we help? And what can we do?' We're telling them to reach out to the congressional delegation immediately. But we also have to emphasize that we may have to experience some reduction in our funding, so we're going to have to make that up in some way to continue to offer the quality of programs and really focus on student success.' Students are also part of the campaign to preserve tribal education. Brave Heart, the IAIA student, is working with her peers to reach out to Congress. 'We deserve more than to see our futures reduced to a line item crossed out in a budget. We need our elected leaders to honor their commitments to Indigenous students and uphold these sacred obligations.' The potential closures of schools will greatly affect tribal economies, particularly since TCUs are sometimes the largest employers in their locales, said Rose. The non-profit plans to release an analysis that looks at the overall economic impact of TCUs on the surrounding communities around the nation. Along with writing letters to congressional members, AIHEC is also helping the schools review their budgets and identify ways that they can cut costs. But for some institutions, the decreases are so steep it's hard to plan. Caldwell, the College of Menominee Nation president, said that the school's federal funding would be reduced from $1.5m to $181,000 if Congress passes the proposed budget. 'How do you budget for the coming years when you see that kind of uncertainty?' Caldwell said. 'We're constantly weighing how much of these costs we are able to cover if the government suddenly stops paying their side of what they agreed to.' The school is refiguring their strategic plan for the upcoming academic year and examining whether their academic offerings align with workforce trends. In light of the financial hits that TCUs have faced since Trump entered office in January, including staff reductions at the Bureau of Indian Education, Caldwell said that the College of Menominee Nation had seen an increase in anonymous donations. 'It demonstrated that there are people who support the work that we do in tribal nations and surrounding communities.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Native American universities and colleges brace for crippling Trump cuts
While colleges and universities slow down during summer break, Ahniwake Rose is busy wondering what the fall semester will hold for the nation's 37 tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) – and if they will be able to stay open much longer. As the president and CEO of the Indigenous non-profit American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), Rose (Cherokee and Muscogee Creek) braces as the schools she represents face a potential nearly 90% reduction in funding starting in October. President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget includes a proposal to slash operations funding from $183.3m to $22.1m for Bureau of Indian Education post-secondary programs – career and technical schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities. On 15 July, a House appropriations subcommittee approved legislation that allotted $1.5bn to the Bureau of Indian Education, though it did not specify how much would go toward post-secondary programs. Congress still needs to finish approving the budget for the Bureau of Indian Education, a subdivision of the Department of Interior. If approved, such cuts will further endanger a system that's already undernourished. Congress currently underfunds the nation's 37 tribal colleges and universities by $250m a year, according to a 2024 ProPublica report. TCUs are heavily reliant on federal funding, which accounts for about 75% of their revenue. Those monies cannot be replaced with endowments or alumni donations as other higher education institutions do due to low wealth in Indigenous communities, said Rose. 'There is really no other option, if not to close,' she said, 'than to severely reduce the way that our institutions are able to provide services to our students.' Rose added that 'there is not one TCU that would be able to walk away unscathed'. While they are on summer recess, faculty and students have expressed concerns about their academic future as they fear that their schools will close next year. 'The impact that this is having on the morale of our community and our students has been deeply troubling,' Rose said. Some students are reconsidering whether they will begin school or continue their coursework next year. 'Would the staff want to sign a contract for an institution that might not be able to pay them next year or in a few months?' In anticipation of potential budget cuts, some schools have adjusted by canceling internships, fellowships and workforce study, said Rose. AIHEC is working with institutions to guarantee that the cancellations don't affect students' abilities to meet degree requirements and graduate. For students who relied on fellowships to support their education, the non-profit is partnering with the American Indian College Fund so that they can complete their education on time. When Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) student Breana Brave Heart (Oglala Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne) learned that the Trump administration was seeking to eliminate her school's funding, she saw it as a betrayal. 'It felt like a direct attack on us as Native students – on our dreams, our cultures and our treaty rights,' Brave Heart said in a statement to the Guardian. 'IAIA isn't just a college; it's a promise our ancestors secured for us through sacrifice and agreements with the US government.' Rose said that Brave Heart's school was most vulnerable to a potential closure, since Trump's 2026 discretionary budget request includes a plan to specifically eliminate funding for the school – without explanation. The four-year fine arts school that focuses on Alaska Native and Native American arts receives $13.5m in annual appropriations. That amount would be reduced to zero if the budget is approved by Congress. 'If they were to defund us,' the IAIA president, Robert Martin, (Cherokee) said, 'then what would happen to those 850 students? Where would they go at this point?' Native Americans make up 80% of the student population, with 92 federally recognized tribes represented at the school. Founded in 1962, IAIA has had an indelible influence on Indigenous arts, Martin said. Some of the most well-known alumni include the former US poet laureate Joy Harjo (Muscogee/Creek) and author Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho of Oklahoma), a finalist for the Pulitzer prize for fiction. 'With the pandemic and historical trauma to begin with, there's always been mental health issues [for students], and this adds a little bit more stress to being a college student,' Martin said. 'In terms of faculty and staff, they are stressed about their employment outlook in the future, and what that's going to bring.' In the meantime, Martin is telling staff and students to expect to return to campus in the fall. School leadership has held town hall meetings for faculty and staff to allay their concerns, and they are preparing to increase their fundraising efforts. Martin and Christopher Caldwell (Menominee), president at College of Menominee Nation in Wisconsin, hope that whenever a new budget passes, it will uphold the federal government's promise to fund Indigenous education. The 1978 Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act and about 150 treaties guaranteed federal funding to higher education, at a base amount of $8,000 per student adjusted for inflation. Since June, school leaders and their allies have lobbied congressional members to continue supporting TCUs so they remain open in the upcoming academic year. Continued funding of the schools, which provides economic vitality to the entire community also allows tribes to govern themselves, said Rose. Sign up to First Thing Our US morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Our tribal colleges are a deep expression of self-determination and sovereignty. These education systems were created to support and build tribal leadership, to create education systems in which Native students can thrive and can build our economies,' Rose said. 'Not only are the proposed cuts a direct attack against the trust and treaty responsibility that the federal government has to postsecondary institutions, it inhibits tribes' ability to direct self-determination in our own education systems.' She added that her organization and the institutions were connecting with the current administration to underscore just how critical Department of Interior funding is to tribal colleges. The Institute of American Indian Arts has been in contact with New Mexico's congressional delegation and members of the appropriations committee to ensure that they understand the significance of funding for TCUs. 'We've had bipartisan support for our programs, and it's all part of the trust responsibility of the federal government,' Martin said. 'Our ancestors ceded millions of acres of land to the federal government in return for certain promises, and one of those was education.' Martin continued: 'What we're hearing from our donors and supporters is: 'How can we help? And what can we do?' We're telling them to reach out to the congressional delegation immediately. But we also have to emphasize that we may have to experience some reduction in our funding, so we're going to have to make that up in some way to continue to offer the quality of programs and really focus on student success.' Students are also part of the campaign to preserve tribal education. Brave Heart, the IAIA student, is working with her peers to reach out to Congress. 'We deserve more than to see our futures reduced to a line item crossed out in a budget. We need our elected leaders to honor their commitments to Indigenous students and uphold these sacred obligations.' The potential closures of schools will greatly affect tribal economies, particularly since TCUs are sometimes the largest employers in their locales, said Rose. The non-profit plans to release an analysis that looks at the overall economic impact of TCUs on the surrounding communities around the nation. Along with writing letters to congressional members, AIHEC is also helping the schools review their budgets and identify ways that they can cut costs. But for some institutions, the decreases are so steep it's hard to plan. Caldwell, the College of Menominee Nation president, said that the school's federal funding would be reduced from $1.5m to $181,000 if Congress passes the proposed budget. 'How do you budget for the coming years when you see that kind of uncertainty?' Caldwell said. 'We're constantly weighing how much of these costs we are able to cover if the government suddenly stops paying their side of what they agreed to.' The school is refiguring their strategic plan for the upcoming academic year and examining whether their academic offerings align with workforce trends. In light of the financial hits that TCUs have faced since Trump entered office in January, including staff reductions at the Bureau of Indian Education, Caldwell said that the College of Menominee Nation had seen an increase in anonymous donations. 'It demonstrated that there are people who support the work that we do in tribal nations and surrounding communities.'
