"Oil And Gas: Interior Axes Leases On Land Tribe Calls Sacred"

"The Obama administration today canceled 15 oil and gas leases on Montana land considered sacred by the Blackfeet Nation.

At an announcement and signing ceremony in her office, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell called the decision a "milestone" for protection of lands that "never should have oil and gas leases to begin with."

Blackfeet leaders, Montana Sen. Jon Tester (D) and Devon Energy Corp. CEO David Hager joined in the announcement. Devon has held the long-suspended leases for years and agreed to relinquish them voluntarily.

The leases were in the Badger-Two Medicine area of Lewis and Clark National Forest. The Blackfeet tribe considers the area, south of Glacier National Park and adjacent to the Blackfeet reservation, sacred."

Ellen M. Gilmer reports for Greenwire November 16, 2016.