Uranium extraction had already been restricted in the area, which Native tribes consider sacred, but the moratorium was set to expire in 2032. Mr. Biden’s designation will make it permanent.
More than a century after a mass bison slaughter, the animals are restoring Great Plains ecosystems and reinvigorating Indigenous customs like the sun dance.
Tribal leaders in Lac du Flambeau said they were asserting sovereignty in demanding long overdue payment for roads used by non-Native residents, who are now unable to drive home.