Saving Killdeer Mountain: Varied interests out to protect potential oil site

Sunday, January, 20, 2013 

Saving Killdeer Mountain: Varied interests out to protect potential oil site

KILLDEER — An area of Killdeer Mountain proposed for oil development has rich archeological resources with potential to be added to the National Register of Historic Places, said an archeologist who visited the area.

By: Amy Dalrymple, Forum News Service

KILLDEER — An area of Killdeer Mountain proposed for oil development has rich archeological resources with potential to be added to the National Register of Historic Places, said an archeologist who visited the area.

Archeologist Richard Rothaus took a preliminary survey of a section of state land where Hess Corp. proposes drilling up to eight oil wells and found numerous artifacts that may be related to the Battle of Killdeer Mountain.

Rothaus, along with a diverse group of landowners, Native Americans, hunters, historians and others, are urging the North Dakota Industrial Commission to preserve the section of land about 45 miles north of Dickinson, which is owned by the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands. The commission is scheduled to act on Hess’ permit request on Thursday.

“It’s a type of natural resource. It doesn’t make money like oil does, but it’s something that’s of value to the local citizens, to the Native community,” Rothaus said.

A recently formed group called the Killdeer Mountain Alliance suggests that Hess position its wells further south and drill four miles horizontally to access the minerals.

“This whole area is a state treasure,” said Rob Sand, a landowner in the area and member of the alliance. “We should do what we can to keep it from turning into an industrial area.”

But the alliance’s suggestion is not a technique being used in North Dakota currently, said Alison Ritter, spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Mineral Resources.

Typical Bakken wells are drilled two miles down and two miles horizontally. The state has two wells that have been drilled three mile horizontally near Lake Sakakawea, Ritter said.

No companies are drilling four miles horizontally in the state, which would require a rig capable of drilling to a total depth of six miles.

In a statement, a Hess spokesperson said the company is committed to meeting the highest standards of corporate citizenship and seeks to minimize the company’s impact on the environment.

“We are aware of the concerns and have made every attempt to address the issues raised with regard to our drilling program,” the statement read. “We design every well taking into the specific environmental considerations for that location.”

Lynn Helms, director of the Department of Mineral Resources, will make a recommendation to the Industrial Commission during its meeting on Thursday.

The issue was initially going to be on December’s agenda, but pushed back to allow more time to review the numerous comments submitted, Ritter said.

“There are so many interests that we have to look out for: surface owners, mineral owners, oil and gas operators,” Ritter said. “We have all these different parties that we have to protect. Every piece of this case has been gone over immensely.”

The Industrial Commission consists of Gov. Jack Dalrymple, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.

Anne Marguerite Coyle, a Jamestown College biology professor who did a study of golden eagles in the Killdeer area, is serving as a liaison for the groups who oppose the drilling proposal. A diverse group of people from neighboring landowners to hunters to Native Americans to biologists and others plan to attend Thursday’s meeting to show their opposition, Coyle said.

“We’re not against development, we’re against irresponsible and greed-driven development,” Coyle said.

Killdeer Public Schools Superintendent Gary Wilz was among the many people who wrote a letter expressing concerns about the proposal. Wilz asked the Industrial Commission to consider finding an alternate route to access the proposed wells because the additional traffic would make an already “precarious and worrisome bus stop” more hazardous.

There is oil development nearby, including some on the mountain, on privately owned land.

Rothaus, a Sauk Rapids, Minn., archeologist who owns consultant firm Trefoil Cultural and Environmental with an office in Fargo, also submitted his findings. Rothaus was contacted by people with concerns because of his expertise in studying history and archaeology of battlefields of the U.S.-Dakota War.

He was planning to study the Battle of Killdeer Mountain in 2014, but he’s now moving that up due to the oil development. Rothaus and North Dakota State University history professor Tom Isern submitted a grant application to the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program.

While the section of land being considered for oil development is nearly 3 miles from the historical marker of the Battle of Killdeer Mountain, the actual battlefield extended over a broad area, Rothaus said.

Rothaus, who holds a permit for cultural resource investigation from the State Historical Society of North Dakota, walked around the section of land in November and found numerous artifacts that indicate there’s a good chance than an encampment related to the Battle of Killdeer Mountain was located in that section. However, the actual nature of the archaeological sites require formal survey and evaluation, he said.

It’s unknown if the area could contain burial grounds of any of the approximately 150 Native Americans estimated to have died in the battle, Rothaus wrote in a letter.

In addition to the historical significance of the area, that section of land has soils that are unusually deep and intact, Rothaus said.

“I can assert that Section 36 has some of the highest potential for the presence of significant archaeological sites I have seen in North Dakota,” Rothaus says in a letter to state officials.

In addition to the historical significance, Killdeer Mountain is rich with cultural traditions for Native Americans and continues to be used for prayer and reflection, said Dakota Goodhouse, a program officer for the North Dakota Humanities Council and an enrolled member of Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

Goodhouse said because of the significance of the area, he’d like to see oil companies wait until technology advancements allow them to access the minerals with less disturbance to the area.

“The oil isn’t going anywhere,” Goodhouse said.

Lance Gaebe, commissioner for the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands, said if the wells are permitted, the department develops a surface impact agreement with Hess to make sure the wells have a minimal environmental impact.

The locations that are proposed are positioned in an area that’s flat, won’t create erosion, won’t impact drainage and doesn’t affect known historical resources, Gaebe said.

“They are in the best location they can be within that square mile,” Gaebe said.

Under the agreement, if an archaeological find is discovered during development, operations would cease and follow the guidance of a historical preservation office, Gaebe said.

Under law, state lands officials have a fiduciary responsibility to manage the minerals for the benefit of public schools and other public land owners.

Coyle said she understands the fiduciary responsibility to develop minerals on state lands, but preserving the area for purposes such as tourism should be another fiduciary responsibility.

“What’s the price of wildlife and what’s the price of archeology? There is no price. You can’t replace it,” Coyle said.

Rob Sand, member of the Killdeer Mountain Alliance, looks out at the area he and other landowners are trying to protect from oil development on Thursday.

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/image/id/18894/headline/Sand/

This arrowhead was found by an archaeologist on Killdeer Mountain in an area proposed for oil development. Photo courtesy of Richard Rothaus

http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/image/id/600/headline/Arrowhead%20found%20on%20Killdeer%20Mountain/publisher_ID/82/

Oil development is proposed for an area of Killdeer Mountain, pictured here on Nov. 24, 2012, that an archaeologist says is rich with artifacts and historical significance. Photo courtesy of Richard Rothaus
http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/image/id/599/headline/Oil%20development%20planned%20for%20this%20area%20on%20Killdeer%20Mountain/publisher_ID/82/

One concern about oil development on an area of Killdeer Mountain is that truck traffic would create hazards for this school bus route pictured Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. Amy Dalrymple/Forum News Service
http://www.bakkentoday.com/event/image/id/601/headline/Some%20say%20oil%20development%20would%20impact%20safety%20on%20this%20school%20bus%20route/publisher_ID/82/

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/64937/

Letter To the Editor: Oppose mountain drilling

Letter To the Editor: Oppose mountain drilling

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Bryce Martin

Dear Editor, We appreciate the many benefits oil development has brought to our area.

Posted Jan. 18, 2013

We’re also concerned about the relentlessness and rapidity of the development, especially when it threatens areas precious to all North Dakotans. The Killdeer Mountains, which include both private and public lands, are among those areas.

We invite everyone who cares about the Killdeer Mountains to join the Killdeer Mountain Alliance:

“The Killdeer Mountain Alliance exists to preserve the cultural, spiritual, ecological, archaeological, and historical integrity of the Killdeer Mountains of western North Dakota and protect them from industrial development that harms the American Indian sites, plant and wildlife habitat, ranching, hunting, tourism, scenic beauty, and recreation for which the Killdeer Mountains are known and loved.”

If you’d like to help protect the Mountains, please contact us: Lori Jepson, 863-6653 or lorijepson@ndsupernet.com. Rob Sand, 863-7263 or killdeermtn@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Mary Sand

http://www.dunncountyextra.com/letter-to-the-editor-oppose-mountain-drilling/

A ‘mountain’ of a debate

A ‘mountain’ of a debate

Posted on 18 January 2013 by Bryce Martin

A two-mile stretch of North Dakota land will mean the difference between oil drilling and disrupting the slopes of the Killdeer Mountains for one global oil company.

Hess Corp., a Texas-based oil corporation, is making plans to drill on top of Killdeer Mountains. They have proposed drilling four additional wells on the Killdeer Mountains. They already have received permits and are in the process of now applying for four more to drill a total of eight wells.

By BRYCE MARTIN

Herald Editor

Posted Jan. 18, 2013

A two-mile stretch of North Dakota land will mean the difference between oil drilling and disrupting the slopes of the Killdeer Mountains for one global oil company.

Hess Corp., a Texas-based oil corporation, already maintains several oil well sites within Dunn County and has proposed drilling four additional wells on the Killdeer Mountains. They already have received permits and are in the process of now applying for four more to drill a total of eight wells.

A citizen action group known as the Killdeer Mountain Alliance (KMA), formed to protect the mountains from industrial development, urged both Hess and the state of North Dakota to relocate the drill site to two miles south of the mountain.

The decision now rests in the hands of the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC).

Rob and Mary Sand are two local landowners and members of the KMA, expressing their strong concern over possible placement of Hess’s wells.

“This isn’t near (the mountains), this is on the mountains,” Rob Sand said.

Hess’s plans call for the wells to be placed along the south side of the Killdeer Mountains, within a public section of the slope that is designated as a school section. Two sections of every township in North Dakota are considered state school land and earmarked for funding public education. Monies from minerals discovered would be awarded to the state for education.

If permitted to begin drilling, Hess’s construction would span nearly three acres of land, with all topsoil being removed, the area leveled and an infrastructure consisting of access roads to be constructed.

Continental Resources Inc., an Oklahoma-based company, has leases directly east of where Hess maintains several leases. They proposed drilling on the mountains in the past, but moved farther away off the mountains when urged by residents.

“If (Hess) were to drill where they propose, it puts them right on top of archeology,” Rob said. “It’s a hunting area, it’s a very scenic area and it’s public land.”

Archeologists claimed there are findings of historical and cultural significance around the proposed dig site that they want to further explore and evaluate. The area is also one part of the mountain that has public access.

“Almost anywhere in the Killdeer Mountains, if you come to a gopher hole and you kick the soil, you’re going to come across some sort of artifact,” Mary Sand said. “It is one of the richest archeological sites. Once they start messing with the surface, that is lost.”

As landowners and others come forward to voice opposition to Hess’s proposed dig, the matter heads to the NDIC for approval.

“This is one place where the public can speak up,” Rob said. “When it’s on private land, there’s not a whole lot we can say.”

On state lands in North Dakota, oil companies need only the approval of the Oil and Gas Division of the NDIC for site location. Unlike decisions related to federal lands, the NDIC is not obligated to protect archaeological and historical artifacts if such protection impedes financial gain for the state.

“In some cases, however, state officials have worked with industry to relocate wells on lands where there are concerns about wildlife habitat or archaeological artifacts,” Rob said. “We hope that will be the case here.”

The NDIC is scheduled to meet Jan. 24 at the North Dakota State Capital building to make a decision regarding Hess’s permits to drill at that location. The final decision ultimately is up to the state.

“They really need to be more considerate of what the public interest is,” Rob said.

Consensus among landowners in the area remains clear – drilling on the mountains is unacceptable. A location the KMA suggested for Hess to relocate is two miles south, combining the unit they’re presently applying for and the unit directly below them, which is also under their ownership.

“It’s not going to change the financial gain – they’re still able to access those minerals,” he said. “We’re just trying to change the location. Apparently it’s easier to drill two miles than it is four miles.”

A spokesperson for Hess acknowledged the situation in the Killdeer Mountains and offered a written statement to the Herald.

“We seek to minimize our impact on the environment in all aspects of our operations in North Dakota,” a company spokesperson said. “We are aware of the concerns and have made every attempt to address the issues raised with regard to our drilling program. We design every well taking into the specific environmental considerations for that location. In this case, we have also worked closely with the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands, who is the surface owner and a major mineral owner under the well in question.

“Hess Corp. is committed to meeting the highest standards of corporate citizenship by … safeguarding the environment and making a positive impact on the communities in which we do business.”

Regardless of the situation, Rob said their intention is not to make the oil companies the “bad guy.”

“They’re just trying to follow their standard practices, and since we know it’s possible to drill from a farther distance, we’re asking that the state change the permit and the location,” he said.

“It’s both the state and Hess that we’re appealing to.”

The Sands plan to attend the upcoming open meeting in Bismarck and eagerly await a decision over their beloved mountains.

“It is an area that we think is a treasure – the whole mountain is, but that particular area is public land and that’s why we’re feeling like we should be able to say something.”
http://www.dunncountyextra.com/661/

Jan. 24: ND state meeting scheduled to discuss drilling on Killdeer Mountain and state trust lands Posted by Jodi Rave

Press Releases — January 11, 2013 9:49 am

Jan. 24: ND state meeting scheduled to discuss drilling on Killdeer Mountain and state trust lands
Posted by Jodi Rave

Contact: Anne Marguerite Coyle Biological Consultant/Researcher PI – ND Golden Eagle Project Phone: (701) 260-3753
Email: flyfreege@aim.com
PRESS RELEASE

Meeting Regarding Killdeer Mountain and State Trust Lands

Re: Spacing Unit Sections 25 and 36, T146N, R97W; NDIC Case No. 18618

January 9, 2013: Those concerned about the future of the Killdeer Mountain and state trust lands in North Dakota are encouraged to attend a January 24th meeting before the North Dakota State Industrial Commission.

Currently, the Hess Corporation has proposed drilling eight wells on the west side of the Killdeer Mountain along the southern boundary of state trust lands (state school lands) south of the Killdeer Mountain State Management Area. Interest groups including the Killdeer Mountain Alliance, Tribal members, and scientists are requesting the proposed wells be relocated two miles south. The relocation will allow Hess to access oil while minimizing the impact on human safety and loss of invaluable wildlife habitat and sacred lands.

Archaeology consultant and researcher, Dr. Richard Rothaus, identified artifacts located at or near the proposed drill sites. He said, “Thousands of Native Americans gathered at Killdeer each year, at least150 Native Americans were killed at the Killdeer Mountain Battle. We do not know where they were buried.” North Dakota State Historical Society archaeologists have confirmed the sites discovered by Rothaus, and determined that section 36 has high potential for archaeology.

Dakota Goodhouse, tribal historian of the Hunkpapa Lakota and Yanktonai Dakota tribes, documented the Killdeer Mountain history and cultural in an article, Taĥċ a Wakutė pi : Whe re They Ki l l ed Dee r . Goodhouse describes the sacred significance of the Mountain Landscape, including the Medicine Hole and surrounding hunting grounds to many American Indian Tribes.

“Local landowners also value the culture of the area,” said landowner Rob Sand. Some families have personal collections of artifacts. Dickinson State University’s Theodore Roosevelt Center houses an extensive collection donated by the Dvirnak family.

These state lands are part of the Killdeer Mountain Battle Field, as described in a Report published by the National Park Service which states “it is a good candidate for comprehensive preservation.” It is listed as “most at-risk” of the North Dakota Battlefields because of proposed large-scale oil development.

“Habitat loss and fragmentation is shown to adversely impact wildlife populations”, said Dr. Marguerite Coyle, landscape ecologist and eagle researcher. Coyle states, “The state trust lands provide prime wildlife habitat for recreation and hunting. Nearly all of North Dakota is open to oil development and state lands in North Dakota have little enforceable protection. North Dakota can learn from other oil states such as Colorado, Alaska, and Montana that do have more responsible management.”

Landowners in the oil patch who would like to have state’s support to protect natural resources on their property. These lands are also important for other fiduciary purposes such as hunting, ranching, and tourism.
Loren and Lori Jepson’s ranch is located on the north end of Section 1, directly south of the proposed well sites. Loren Jepson holds the grazing lease for the state lands. Represented by Attorney Tom Gehrz, with Mackoff Kellogg law firm of Dickinson, Loren and his son presented testimony opposing the drilling on Section 36 during an October 24th Oil and Gas Division hearing.

Lori Jepson, a health care provider in Killdeer, and Rob and Mary Sand, initiated the Killdeer Mountain Alliance.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission will present their decision on NDIC Case No. 18618 on January 24th, at the State Capitol. The meeting time will be posted at nd.gov/ndic near the meeting date. The meeting is open to the public. Those unable to attend the meeting should contact the NDIC [PHONE AND EMAIL].

###

More contacts:

Richard M. Rothaus, PhD Archaeologist
Trefoil: President and Principal Investigator Minnesota: 1965 W. Highview Dr.. Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
Phone: (320) 761-9090
Email: rothaus@trefoilcultural.com

Dakota Goodhouse
North Dakota Humanities Council (701) 255-336
dakota@ndhumanities.org

Loren and Lori Jepson Address: 11430 Main St Killdeer, ND 58640
Phone: (701)863-6653
e-mail: lorijepson@ndsupernet.com (701) 863-6653

Robert E. and Mary H. Sand 93 112th Avenue NW Killdeer, ND 58640
(701) 863-7263
e-mail: killdeermtn@gmail.com

Gerard Baker Retired National Park Service -Superintendent Elder Tribal Member -Mandan-Hidatsa (605)666-5481
gandmkbaker@gmail.com

Pushing limits of technology

January 11, 2013 1:39 am  •  By LAUREN DONOVAN | Bismarck Tribune

A group dedicated to preserving the archaeology and spirit of the Killdeer Mountains battlefield area wants Hess Corporation to stay farther away and push the outer limits of directional drilling.

Hess is planning eight oil wells on a state school land section on the southwest side of the Killdeer Mountains, in an area near where a famous U.S. Army and Plains Indian battle was waged in 1864.

The state Industrial Commission will hear the case Jan. 24. Four wells are already permitted; four will be reviewed.

The Killdeer Mountain Alliance wants Hess to move the wells two miles south onto private land and send out four-mile-long lateral legs to tap the oil under the school land section.

Rob Sand, a Killdeer Mountains landowner, said emerging drill technology could help.

“We’re told that four-mile laterals are possible,” Sand said.

Lateral approach

The longest lateral drilling in the Bakken formation are three-mile laterals by EOG Resources in the Van Hook arm of Lake Sakakawea, according to the state Department of Mineral Resources.

Oil companies first drill two miles down into the Bakken formation and then laterally two miles along the oil-bearing shale.

Three miles is the outer lateral limit in the Bakken so far, and even if drilling could laterally extend four miles, the state and Hess would have to create a four-section spacing unit, said state Land Commissioner Lance Gaebe.

“If they (Hess) want to get (at) them from someplace else, that would be great,” Gaebe said. “It’s not too late to ask for a larger spacing unit.”

He said it’s up to the Department of Mineral Resources and its Oil and Gas Division, not him.

In a statement, Hess said it’s aware of concerns about the well location and has addressed them.

“The wells under consideration are presently being reviewed by the Industrial Commission through their normal process, which provides the community the opportunity to present their concerns so as to ensure a balanced decision,” the statement said.

Gaebe said the State Historical Society identified some archaeological issues on the unit so drilling locations were moved to the south end of the section.

He wants Hess to have an archaeologist on site in case any other artifacts are encountered, and he said if they are, operations must stop.

Sacred land

The state school land section was originally leased for $315 an acre, plus one-eighth royalty to Orion Energy Partners. It was transferred a year later, in 2008, to Hess. The lease is already held by production.

The Killdeer Mountain Alliance, of which Sand is a member, says the mountains are sacred to the Plains Indians because of the battle, in which more soldiers were assembled against them than at Custer’s Battle of the Little Bighorn, and because of burials and the legendary Medicine Hole on top of the mountains.

The alliance says artifacts have been located at and near the proposed drill sites and the school section has a high potential for archaeology.

“I hope the state will be a friend in this. They ought to be, to a natural heritage area,” Sand said. “They should not roll over, take the minerals and not care what the land means to people.”

http://bismarcktribune.com/bakken/pushing-limits-of-technology/article_0d1b293e-5bc2-11e2-b5f7-0019bb2963f4.html

Taĥċa Wakutėpi: Where They Killed Deer

MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2013

Taĥċa Wakutėpi: Where They Killed Deer

A golden eagle at sunset at the place where they killed deer.

I put this together a few days ago in hope of raising some awareness about the Killdeer Mountain site. I'm not a mover or a shaker in matters like these, just someone who knows only a little about the the backstory of a cultural and historical site. 

Bismarck, ND – Killdeer Mountain is hardly a mountain, but it is a beautiful and majestic plateau nonetheless as it rises gently above the steppe of the Northern Great Plains. In the summer, native plants and flowers dot the hillside and grow in the cracks of shattered sandstone. Short and middle indigenous grasses sway in a wind that has been present since creation.

The song of coyotes hauntingly fills the air on a gentle midsummer’s eve. The trees, a mix of ash and cottonwood grow in clusters, but it’s the cottonwood trees which sway and shush the world. Crickets take up their hum in the twilight where the cicadas left off theirs in sunlight.

Aeries of golden eagles and hawks remind the meadowlarks and rabbits to keep a wary eye on the skies. One golden eagle circles lazily above me and I take it as a good sign, my prayers will be carried, and I pause a moment to remember my grandparents.

The sunset, from the plateau of Killdeer Mountain. At the bottom of this image is the entrance to Medicine Hole. The wind exhaling the cave created a faint whistle.

At the very top of the plateau is a cave, an entrance into the heart of grandmother earth. Medicine Hole. Since the days of warriors and legend the Nu’Eta (Mandan) have called the mountain Bah-eesh, the Mountain That Sings. By day, like a great inhalation, the wind rushes into the deep embrace of the earth and at night like a long sigh the wind comes out with a whistle, and if one listens carefully, the song of the earth.

The breathing earth. The singing earth. To the Lakota what has breath has spirit, and the earth is a living breathing being, a grandmother. It is a reminder that we human beings belong to the earth. The earth doesn’t belong to people. In the Lakota language, Lahkol’iya, the earth is called Makoċė, grandmother. And she is honored as such.

"We estimated the natural gas flame had at least a 30' vertical from where it exited the stack," said Aaron Barth, Great Plains historian and archaeologist. Photo courtesy of Aaron Barth.

At dusk, when the sun’s fire has gone below the far horizon, true night no longer arrives. The moon no longer spreads her ebon robe over the land, and her embrace becomes a memory. In the distance are oil rigs. One can literally hear the fires of industry and human ingenuity humming across the land. The unnatural firelight smothers the land in perpetual gloomy twilight.

The site known today as the Killdeer Battlefield near Killdeer, ND, is known primarily for the conflict which occurred on June 28, 1864. On that day, General Sully led a command of 4000 soldiers in the last days of his Punitive Sioux Campaign in retaliation for the Minnesota Dakota Conflict of 1862. The village of Lakota and Dakota which Sully attacked had little to nothing to do with the 1862 conflict. The Teton and Yanktonai who were present had actually fought under Colonel Leavenworth’s command in the Arikara War of 1823.

General Sully’s assault continued into the evening and night with a hail of cannon volley.

The attack on the Lakota and Dakota camp from Sully's perspective.

Killdeer is designated a North Dakota State Historical Site and is valued for its contribution to the story of the state. The signage on site reflects the value the state has placed on the conflict. While there is nothing wrong with valuing, protecting, and interpreting the site as a battlefield, the story of the site as a hunting place, the story of the site as a spiritual place goes largely untold, and maybe that’s how it should be. But these are different days and the site should be preserved for more than the tragedy that occurred there.

The site was maintained by the North Dakota Department of Parks and Recreation at one time and shows it. Like Whitestone Hill, old picnic tables and a weathered playground await visitors. It’s an odd sight and it’s something that wouldn’t be seen at places like Gettysburg. A visit to a battlefield should be for reflection, not recreation.

Killdeer, or Taĥċa Wakutėpi, was more than just a place where they killed deer. Young Lakota and Dakota men would ascend the hill for prayer and reflection in the ceremony called Haŋblėċiyė, Crying For A Vision. They would mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually prepare far in advance for their spiritual pilgrimage. The site for their quest also determined long in advance. Their quests generally lasted four days on the hill or mountain, standing, kneeling or sitting while they prayed through cold rain, blistering heat, and desperate thirst to humble themselves before the creator. Killdeer was and still is a special place for prayer and reflection.

For the Lakota, ceremonies began a long time ago. “Ceremonies are forever,” says Cedric Goodhouse, an Uncapa Lakota on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, “We live a life, and all the negative statistics associated with that, are the direct result of having a void of our spirituality, being denied a right to practice where and when our ceremonies are done, appropriately.”

The Nu’Eta (Mandan Indians) have the tradition that the bison entered into the world from Medicine Hole.

They also have the tradition that the mountain was once solid and unbroken stone until the son of Foolish One was killed. The spirits who were present at the death of Foolish One’s son entered the mountain. When Foolish One took up the lifeless body of his son, he smote the mountain with his staff and clove it in two leaving the two parts broken and cracked as we know it today.

Medicine Hole is where some of the Lakota and Dakota people fled into when Sulley began his unwarranted assault. The story goes that some of the people wound their way through the labyrinth and came out west of the mountain. It’s possible. A landslide, however, now marks the western exit.

The entrance to Medicine Hole. 

Medicine Hole splits into three passages. In 1973, a spelunker named Earle Dodge, determined that one passage went west for about 120 feet, another was too narrow for exploration, and a third went east about 120 feet. Another spelunker made a descent of eighty feet before extreme cold made the exploration difficult to continue.

The following day after Sully’s assault, his command destroyed all that was left behind, even the dogs, of which over 3000 were put to sleep. Children who were left behind in the hastily abandoned camp were killed.

Sully executed total war theory. Up to the Battle of Antietam, the Confederate States of Americawere winning the Civil War. The Union needed to win and subscribed to the total war theory of treating the civilians of the enemy as enemies. This meant the capture and imprisonment of innocent women and children, if they weren’t killed outright on the battlefield.

The success of the Union in the Civil War is directly related to the success of total war theory as demonstrated in the Punitive Campaigns of 1863 and 1864. If the site should be protected and preserved for its tragic history, then it must be argued that Killdeer holds a key to the victory of the union and must be protected.

In the summer of 1998, Isaac Dog Eagle officiated the Releasing Of The Souls ceremony at the Killdeer conflict site. The following year, he conducted the Wiping Of Tears ceremony to facilitate the healing process of people who lost family in the conflict.

Several private landowners and ranchers in and around Killdeer Mountain, many of them non-native but who have fostered a relationship with the land and want to preserve the site for its natural history, are gathering together to protect the site. A group of interested individuals are coordinating efforts to enlighten oil industry officials, and hopefully preserve the integrity of a natural site worth saving for its aesthetics as it is for the cultural traditions surrounding it.

There will be a public hearing about the preservation of Killdeer Mountain at 1:00 PM on Thursday, January 17, 2013 (or January 24, 2013) with the North Dakota Industrial Commission in the Governor’s Conference Room at the State Capital. Visit http://www.nd.gov/ndic/ or call (701) 328-3722 to inquire about the correct time and date.

http://thefirstscout.blogspot.com/2013/01/tahca-wakutepi-where-they-killed-deer.html

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/01/19/ta%C4%A5%C4%8B-wakut%C4%97pi-where-they-killed-deer-147081

Local residents oppose plan to drill near Killdeer Mountains

Local residents oppose plan to drill near Killdeer Mountains

Posted on 28 December 2012 by admin

A group of concerned Dunn County residents have joined forces with other state-wide interests to form a coalition opposing proposed drilling on public land near the Killdeer Mountains.

Aerial view of Killdeer Mountain.

Posted December 28, 2012

BY JENNIFER KOCHER

The group, tentatively called the “Killdeer Mountain Alliance,” will stand together on Jan. 17, 2013, with other concerned citizens, including representatives from local tribes, to hear the North Dakota Industrial Commission’s (NDIC) final decision regarding Hess Corporation’s request to drill up to eight wells on four 1,280-acre spaced units on public school land on the SWSE of Section 25 and 36, T146N and R97W.

The drilling would take place near the 115 square mile circumference of the famed Battle of Killdeer Mountain, in which General Sully’s 3,000 troops defeated a faction of Sioux Indians, leaving between 100 and 150 casualties.

The group’s mission is not to stop the drilling in the area but rather to move it onto the tracts of land in the area that do not pose significant risks to the integrity of the land.

Local ranchers Loren and Ross Jepson originally contested the drilling of these wells at an NDIC hearing on Oct. 24. At this time, the Jepsons raised concerns about the potential overturning of historical artifacts on the land at the proposed drilling sites. They also raised questions about the safety risks posed by an increase in traffic.

“Our grandchildren wait on that corner for the school bus,” said Lori Jepson, wife of Loren. “There are several blind curves in the road and it’s a dangerous spot to see increased truck traffic.”

Because the land in question is owned by the state, as opposed to being federal land, there is no requirement for a complete archeological survey prior to drilling. Given the prospective marring of historically significant land, the state Historical Society has come out against drilling in the area.

Others, such as Anne Marguerite Coyle, also plan to attend the Jan. 14 hearing in opposition of the current proposed drilling on this state land.

Coyle, an associate professor at Jamestown College, warns against the irreversible long-terms effects of drilling in the area.

“This is a living culture. Many people still return to these sacred lands for healing and to pay reverence,” said Coyle. “This isn’t just about protecting a chunk of Civil War history; rather, it’s about protecting a valuable piece of our culture, both past and present.”

Lori Jepson concurs. Although state law requires that all drilling cease upon the discovery of historical artifacts, there is no provision in place to protect against the potential of discovery. Once the site has been overturned, there’s no going back.

“It’s important that we understand that it’s not reversible. It’s the responsibility of the state to protect our best interests,” Jepson said.

Others, such as neighbor Rob Sand, have a personal connection to the land. Sand’s parents homesteaded in the region and he and his siblings had the advantage of growing up in a pristine area rich with fond memories.

“Many of us out here feel a responsibility to protect the land,” Sand said.

The effort to preserve this area from proposed drilling also raises questions about the oil well permit process itself. According to Lori Jepson, their family was not even aware of four of the proposed drilling areas near their home until they noticed the areas had been staked, at which point they approached the NDIC to protest the location.

“We had to hire a lawyer simply for advice on how to protest,” Jepson said. “The oil companies have a team of expert witnesses and we were not aware that we needed them to voice our objections and have them taken seriously.”

“It might be too late for us,” Jepson said. “But it’s important that others know what they need to do if they find themselves in the same boat.”

A representative from the NDIC was not available for comment. The case is scheduled to go before the commission in Bismarck on Jan. 17, 2013, and the public is invited to attend.

http://www.dunncountyextra.com/local-residents-oppose-plan-to-drill-near-killdeer-mountains/