Published on Oct 04, 2021
NCAI President Fawn Sharp's Statement on California Oil Spill:
“The large oil spill that occurred this weekend off the coast of California is an environmental catastrophe whose devastating impacts on millions of people, animals, fish, plants – all of the living things that make up the Pacific ecosystems – may last for years to come. As Native people, we are charged with sacred duties to respect and live in harmony with all of creation, and as nations in the American family of governments, we have a responsibility to take care of our environment as it takes care of us. We are inextricably linked and when our waters suffer, we all suffer; tribal and coastal economies suffer.
NCAI supports swift, aggressive, and continued action to clean up the contaminated areas of the Pacific coast, and urges the federal government and other actors to take this opportunity to engage with Tribal Nations to protect our natural resources and find solutions to prevent these devastating events from happening again.”