Prior
Lake, Minn. In the wake of widespread propane shortages and
excessive costs this winter, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
(SMSC) today announced three grants to the Standing Rock, Yankton,
and Santee Sioux tribes to help them purchase propane for tribal members.
The price of propane has risen dramatically since last year, leaving
many tribal families struggling to pay for their heat during this
extra-cold winter.
Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II recently declared
a state of emergency. The current propane shortage and the
resultant increase in propane prices as well as the extreme
winter weather threaten our members ability to keep
their homes warm and their families safe, he wrote.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which straddles the North Dakota-South
Dakota border, will receive $500,000 for propane. The tribe has
8,500 members living on the sixth largest reservation in the United
States, at 2.3 million acres.
The Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota will receive $300,000
for propane. The Yankton Sioux Tribe has lands along the Missouri
River in Charles Mix County, just across the river from central
Nebraska. Of the 12,246 tribal members, about a third of them live
on the 43,000-acre reservation.
The Santee Sioux Nation of Niobrara, Nebraska, will receive
$70,000 for propane. The Santee Sioux Reservation encompasses 110,080
acres and is home to about one-third of the tribal population of
2,662.
The thought of people struggling during such a harsh
winter is unbearable, said SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig. We
are happy to provide these grants, which will help ensure these
tribes members are warm and cared for.
About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized,
sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul.
With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth,
and good employer, the SMSC is committed to community partnerships,
charitable donations, a healthy environment, and a strong economy.
The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
and Little Six Casino) are the largest employer in Scott County.
Out of a Dakota tradition to help others, the SMSC has also donated
nearly $272 million since 1992, including more than $152 million
to other tribes, tribal organizations, and American Indian causes.
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