One day, Pawnee Tribal member Walter Echo-Hawk stumbled upon a worrying scene. The U.S. government had approved 17 oil and gas leases on Pawnee land without consulting or even notifying the Tribal members. This is the story of how that happened, and how the Pawnee Nation fought back.

Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Office challenges oil and gas development and off-road vehicle use in the region’s most prized public lands, and protects the region’s precious water resources from being overdrawn. The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and tribal member Walter Echo-Hawk — represented by Earthjustice — filed suit against the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Land Management to challenge federal oil and gas approvals on Pawnee lands. Learn more.