The Haskell Wetlands environmental stewardship, treaty rights and the Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) Improvement Act are inseparable. The Haskell Wetlands are not a local amenity, but as federal waters on federal trust land, directly tied to the United States’ fiduciary culturally relevant obligations to Indian education. The HINU Act is culturally relevant education for Indian people. It is clear that:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2140
The Wetlands sit on federal acreage reserved for Indian education.
The waters qualify as federal waters, triggering federal stewardship duties.
The Department of the Interior cannot treat the Wetlands as “local land”—they are part of the federal trust corpus.
Haskell Mission Statement: Our mission at Haskell Indian Nations University is to build the LEADERSHIP capacity of our students by serving as the leading institution of academic EXCELLENCE, CULTURAL, and INTELLECTURAL PROMINENCE, and HOLISTIC education that addresses the needs of Indigenous communities.
Holistic education, Sacred Circle of culturally relevant education for Indians is cited in Section 2. Findings of the Act. Indian people are promised culturally relevant education to be provided at Haskell.
The HINU Improvement Act connects:
Federal land
Federal waters
Federal trust duties
Federal failures
Federal statutory reform
The Haskell Wetlands degradation is:
- a federal failure.
- a breach of fiduciary duty.
- and a symptom of the same neglect that produced Haskell accreditation crisis, chronic underfunding, and the need for the HINU Improvement Act.
First Nations Journal for the record questions:
DOI’s legal obligations under the trust doctrine
Federal duties under the Clean Water Act
Failure to act strengthens purpose of HINU Improvement Act
Individual Indian beneficiaries right to demand trust responsibility
The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act isn’t just about governance—it’s about protecting the land, water and educational mission Congress promised to Indian people. First Nations Journal looks forward to the passage of the Act by Congress.
FIRST NATIONS JOURNAL
M’gwitch, 🪶
Steve Cadue
Kickapoo Nation Kansas
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