Statement by Mr. Bobby C. Billie dated 9/5/16.

9/5/16       Statement by  Bobby C. Billie, Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples, the Original Nation.

The Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples, the Original Nation has great concern what they are going to do to us, and the Natural Areas, Natural Systems, and Wildlife with this so-called Sabal Trail Pipeline,

We have a prophesy telling us what is going to happen in the future.  Today is the Future what the Elders were talking about.

Since the discovery of oil and gas, they have been drilling and pumping gas and oil, or drilling for water or digging up rock and minerals from pits, or digging for gold, diamonds, or other so-called precious stones.  These actions are changing the Layer of the Earth or Layer of the different Energies of the Earth, and changes also occur after they get it out, and they are in the Air, which means, burning of oil and gas in power plants, burning of gas in vehicles, and airplanes, and in different industries - creating a so-called economy that is destroying the Future of the younger unborn human peoples’ needs.

If you are a parent, grandma, mother, aunt, brother or sister, uncle, father or grandpa, you should not let these things happen - just because you need money.

Lot of those so-called rich people need their big corporations.  How much money do they have to have in order to become human beings because what the Creator (God) has said: Do not kill, do not lie, do not steal, but that is what most rich people and big corporations are doing.

Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples understand that the Creator’s (God’s) Creation is more important than the dollars. If, we do not disturb the Natural Creations, the Natural Life, which is who we are, and do what he has said to us: Love and Take Care of All Things, and Respect me, you will live longer in my Creation which is Earth.

Sometimes Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples say the Mother Earth, which means, to us, like taking care of your Mother.  When you are younger, when you are first born, you are helpless and your mother will take care of you, feed you, wash you, and will always give, all that she can give, to help you grow to be healthy.

This Mother Earth, we call her, if we do not abuse her, she will give us the food, the Water, and will give us the healthy children, and healthy young unborn ones yet to come.  But, the Mother Earth has been abused so long, and the Mother Earth needs our help especially from the so-called rich people, who have always been abusing the Mother Earth, they need to put their money back into the Healing process of the Mother Earth.  Because more and more disturbances are taking place, even now, lot of us are struggling, but also, a lot of people do not feel it because most of the people just stay in their own little world inside the buildings, but if you go out and look, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist or expert to see the World of Life is in trouble – Floods, heavy winds, fires, mudslides, earthquakes, all kinds of new threats to survival on Mother Earth.

​There are many things to be said, but you need to take a look and see, that the Sabal Trail Pipeline is another problem, another human creation that must be stopped.  The mothers and the fathers must wake up and say NO.

Contact:  Ancientrees@hotmail.com      904-654-0200

by Houston R. Cypress, Coordination Circle,
Love The Everglades Movement.

On June 22, 2015, the Miccosukee Tribe submitted Initial Comments that begin to explain some of their major concerns regarding the so-called "River Of Grass Greenway" project -- a 76-mile, multi-use, asphalt bike path that is proposed to extend from East Naples to West Miami along the Tamiami Trail, as it cuts through protected lands, National Parks, State Parks, and other areas that are sacred and culturally-sensitive to the indigenous sovereignties known as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and the Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples.

In their Initial Comments letter, the Miccosukee Tribe requests an extension of the Public Comment period because the amount of time originally given is insufficient to adequately translate and convey the message to the Community Elders -- many of whom do not read or write in the English language.

Some other concerns include the following:

• Negative Cultural Impacts;
• Risk of exposure of Miccosukee cultural, historical, and archaeological resources to loss, theft, and vandalism;
• Invasion of Privacy;
• Negative Wetland and Habitat Impacts;
• ROGG fails to adequately address how the bike path might influence the Spread of Exotic Species;
• Use of herbicides to maintain grass strips impacting Native Species;
• Water Quality Impacts;
• Miccosukee Tribal lands have stringent Water Quality Standards which Must Be Met;
• Water Quality Certification Responsibility;
• Miccosukee Tribe sees no reasonable alternative that do not impact Tribal lands or waters and therefore will deny Water Quality Certification for any portion of the project within Miccosukee jurisdiction;
• Health & Safety Concerns;
• ROGG places more demands on the limited fire resources of the National Park Service;
• ROGG will also divert fire rangers and and fire management resources from saving lives.

The Miccosukee Tribe also goes on to enumerate the many laws that must be followed.

• All Applicable Laws Must Be Followed, including:
• National Environmental Policy Act;
• Endangered Species Act;
• Federal Advisory Committee Act;
• Clean Water Act;
• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA);
• Big Cypress Enabling Act;
• Big Cypress National Preserve 2014 Superintendent's Compendium;
• Miccosukee Reserved Area Act;

Quote from the letter:
"The ROGG Draft Plan does not comply with all applicable laws, does not meet the requirements of NEPA, and does not comply with Tribal policies and practices."

Outside of the scope of the letter, I would like to remind folks what a separate indigenous sovereignty has been saying for quite sometime.  I'm referring to Bobby C. Billie of the Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation Aboriginal Peoples.  One of the messages that he's been repeating is that burial sites would be disturbed if this project were to move forward.  He's been reluctant to specifically identify the locations of these burial sites.  I empathize, because I know very well how the sacred and holy can be open to violation, parody, or satire, once this information becomes public knowledge.  His concerns are definitely serious enough that they would have NAGPRA implications.  A lot of times, though, these areas are a taboo subject for public discourse, and that also complicates matters

I would personally like to take this time to remind the public of the difficult and contentious histories that indigenous communities across this continent have had with colonial powers, and governments like the USA.  Treaties signed and disregarded, broken promises, genocidal policies, forced removals of children, forced relocation of communities, wartime atrocities, assimilation policies, prohibitions on freedom of religion.  And yet, our indigenous communities have also found shining moments of cooperation, collaboration, and mutually-beneficial accords which contribute to the revitalization of indigenous communities and strengthened sovereignty.

There is a way forward where parties on all sides can express respect and appreciation for each other's customs and ways of life.  And what we must first do is pause, and listen, and reflect.  So let's take this opportunity to listen to and appreciate what this particular indigenous sovereignty is saying about how negatively this project will impact a way of life that has already been threatened by massive and prolonged environmental degradation.

And what is it about this particular way of life that is so special and unique that they are using all legal, moral, and spiritual avenues to express their concerns?

Well, in my opinion, it's about a garden, it's about a cooking fire, it's about the stories told at night by family and friends, it's about the stars twinkling overhead, it's about that Milky Way above, it's about knowing your place in the Universe.  It's about healing, and balance, and songs.

Read the Initial Comments by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida below.  (Document only visible on laptop or desktop computer.  Click the icon in the lower-right corner to read the document Full Screen.)