NEWS 2019

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News 2019

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Tuesday October 29, 2019 (Updated 12-20-19)


Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC called to Testify on behalf of the Yankton Sioux Tribe at the South Dakota Department of Environmental & Natural Resources (DENR) Water Management Board Hearings in Regard to the Keystone XL Pipeline Water Permits. (Pierre, SD October 29-31, 2019.)


Dr. Joseph Robertson has been called to testify as a lay witness on behalf of the Yankton Sioux Tribe as to the public interest and beneficial water use of water in regard to multiple water permits TransCanada has applied for to provide water to the proposed man camps in the South Dakota corridor of the Keystone XL Pipeline.


Dr. Robertson has been working on a risk assessment to study harm reduction related to Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) on behalf of the Brave Heart Society and the Yankton Sioux Tribe to study police capacity. 


This assessment provides some basic evidence of the lack of police capacity near the Yankton and Rosebud Reservations to handle the sudden influx of men coming into these camps.


Mato Ohitika Analytics will be making available to the public the release of the Zuya Winyan Wicayu’onihan (Honoring Warrior Women) Project Brief that describes the nature of this project in the very near future.

Quick Info:


Water Management Board

October 29-31, 2019

LDR Conference Room 414

State Capitol Building

500 E Capitol Avenue

Pierre, SD

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Update 1 (10-30-2019):


Yesterday saw the first witness from the Yankton Sioux Tribe, Kip Spotted Eagle from the Tribal Historic Preservation Office testify as to the cultural significance of many sites along the three rivers TransCanada is applying for water permits: the Cheyenne River, Bad River, and the White River. This was to provide testimony that the approval of these permits are not in the public interest and is not a beneficial use of water.


Article from Keloland Capitol News Bureau:


https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/yankton-sioux-preservation-officer-testifies-against-kxl-oil-pipeline-taking-s-d-water/

Update 2 (11-04-2019):


The hearings over the second and third days were very interesting. There were limited opportunities for giving testimony as to the public interest and beneficial use of water since the full testimony of TransCanada for the three current water permits (i.e. The Cheyenne River, the Bad River, and the White River) have not been completed.


However, due to scheduling conflicts of certain witnesses, the water management board allowed for some testimony to be given out of order. In particular, Joe Brings Plenty from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe gave testimony of the non-beneficial use of water as it related to indigenous ceremonies on October 30, 2019. The story can be found here:


https://listen.sdpb.org/post/water-vital-indigenous-ceremonies-tc-says-testimony-not-relevant-permit


The last day of the hearings allowed for the testimony of

State Senator Troy Heinert, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, testified as to the potential damage to agriculture and tourism industries should a spill occur. The story can be found here:


https://listen.sdpb.org/post/heinert-says-oil-spill-could-pollute-mni-wiconi-rural-water


Dr. Robertson's testimony has been delayed until the next set of scheduled dates December 17-20, 2019.

Update 3 (12-20-2019):


After four days of continued testimony, Dr. Robertson's testimony has been delayed again until January 13-14, 2020.  

June 30, 2019


Mato  Ohitika Analytics LLC releases The Data Sovereingty Initiative White Paper (June 30, 2019)



After months of work and refinement, Mato Ohitika has finally released The Data Sovereignty Initiative White Paper. This document provides a synopsis of the data sovereignty framework.



You can find the blog entry here:


Mato  Ohitika Analytics LLC releases The Data Sovereingty Initiative White Paper (June 30, 2019)