Happy Monday!
Here are some of the articles you may have missed this past weekend:
As Drought Worsens, Western States Brace For Wildfires, Water Shortages
From the Rockies to the Cascades to the Sierra Nevada, mountainsides across the West are sparsely covered by the snow that usually blankets the high country well into the summer.
That snowpack is like a savings account that the West draws on when the hot, dry months arrive. It moistens the landscape as it melts, lessening the risk of severe wildfire. The runoff feeds into river basins, and the swelling waterways provide power to hydroelectric dams, irrigation to farmers and drinking water to cities.
Federal Judge Halts Drilling Near Sacred Pe’ Sla Site for 14 Days
A federal judge on Monday granted a temporary restraining order halting exploratory drilling near the sacred Lakota site of Pe’ Sla in the Black Hills of South Dakota, marking an early legal victory for tribal nations and Indigenous activists seeking to protect the area from mining activity.
The ruling temporarily bans drilling for 14 days while the lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service proceeds. A hearing on a preliminary injunction is tentatively scheduled for May 20-21, 2026, where the broader merits of the case will be argued in federal court.
The lawsuit, brought by tribal nations and Indigenous-led organizations, challenges federal approval of exploratory graphite drilling near Pe’ Sla, a site considered sacred by the Oceti Sakowin. Advocates argue the project threatens ceremonial lands, clean water, wildlife habitat, and treaty-protected cultural resources.
“Alligator Alcatraz” May Close After Months of Tribal Resistance in the Everglades
The controversial immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” could soon shut down — a dramatic reversal following months of resistance led by the Miccosukee Tribe, Native advocates, and environmental groups who warned the facility never should have been built on Indigenous homelands in the Florida Everglades.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledged this week that state officials are discussing closing the detention center, saying the site was always meant to be temporary. The announcement comes amid mounting scrutiny over soaring operational costs, environmental concerns, and lawsuits challenging the legality of the project.
For tribal leaders, the possible closure represents a rare and hard-fought victory against a project they say desecrated sacred lands and ignored tribal sovereignty from the beginning.
In previous reporting by Native News Online, Miccosukee leaders condemned the detention center’s construction near traditional villages and ceremonial areas deep within the Everglades ecosystem. Tribal officials argued the state moved forward without meaningful consultation while threatening lands Indigenous peoples have protected for generations.