Since last week, Kossacks navajo and Chris Rodda have done an incredible job bringing to this community's attention the dire situation on the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and Rosebud reservations. Thanks are also due to KentuckyKat, who has helped maintain the diaries and comment threads and helped navajo liaise with tribal reps; to cacamp and SarahLee, who have provided on-the-ground information, and to the many; many Kossacks who have donated, called, written, shipped, and otherwise given from the heart.
UPDATE 2: navajo's new diary here - please tip and rec.
However, action is still needed on numerous fronts. This diary will highlight one specific problem, with talking points and contact info for relevant agencies and officials. (I had planned to include a media list with talking points, but this diary is already too long; I may post that tomorrow, if no one else does it in the meantime.)
Some of the major power providers for the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations are St. Francis Electric, Cherry Todd Electric, Country Pride Cooperative, and LaCreek Electric. St. Francis is Native-owned, and is working with the folks at Rosebud to direct Kossack donations to those subscribers most in need. Cherry Todd Electric is also cooperating to direct donations to rez families in need.
Country Pride and LaCreek are another story. According to reports yesterday, both providers decline to participate, and in fact, Country Pride actually refused proffered donations. In other words, when faced with the choice of 1) accepting money from strangers to pay for Lakota subscribers' utility bills or 2) cutting off the utilities and allowing their subscribers to freeze, they chose 2). To add insult to injury, LaCreek has prominently posted the following atop its Web site:
Important Notice!
Anyone wondering about the rumors being posted on the Native Hoop and other blogs, referring to Lacreek Electric Association, Inc. disconnecting members and people dying on the Pine Ridge Reservation, should know that these rumors are false. For further information and for those wishing to donate money to help tribal members, please click this link, www.oglalalakotanation.org or call Alberta Miller, Legislative Liaison of the Oglala Sioux Tribe at 605-867-4021.
Unfortunately, Kossacks who have been in touch with various residents and tribal liaisons report that it is the disclaimer that is false, and that the alleged "rumors" are actually fact.
UPDATE:
From moira in comments:
Lacreek Electric says they need subscriber's name
before applying donations to needy subscriber's account. Terri at Lacreek Elec., 605-0685-6581, said they can't just arbitrarily assign a donation because they don't know what families are in need. If we provide a name, they'll apply it. The company may be a little more cooperative now because of our phone calls.
In any circumstance, such behavior is reprehensible - but in light of current extreme weather conditions in South Dakota, coupled with the hardships the folks on these reservations face on a day-to-day basis, it becomes downright murderous. How can I say that? Here's just one example: Diabetes is rampant among our peoples, and with it, kidney disease. Reservations tend to have a disproportionately high number of dialysis patients. With no power and subfeezing temps, the dialysis patients can't stay in their homes; an effort is currently under way to house them in local motels, so that they can continue the treatment that keeps them alive.
So where do we come in?
It's time to make some changes: first, in the immediate behavior of uncooperative utilities; and second, in the government's handling of this situation both now and for the long term. It would be especially useful for the following entities to hear from South Dakota customers and constituents, but messages from anywhere are still likely to have an impact.
First, the recalcitrant utilities:
COUNTRY PRIDE COOPERATIVE
Private co-op
Ross Plucker, Board President
Carl Dickinson, President & General Manager
Board of Directors:
Gary Christensen
Barry Jensen
Cody Jorgensen
Mike Levi
Mike Miller
George Olson
Ross Plucker
Neil Reiman
Mark Schaeffer
Dennis Schrag
Jerry Schwarting
Alan Summerville
Duane Winckler
Mary Beth Assman
According to the board members' official site bios, "Barry [Jensen] is also a state legislator and a director of the Cooperative Finance Association and Missouri Valley Insurance Company" (emphasis added).
The South Dakota state legislature's Web site lists a Phil Jensen as a member of the House, but there is no 2010 listing for a Barry Jensen. However, even if he's only a former legislator, it's unlikely that he's given up all interest in public life - and thus, should be at least a little more susceptible to public pressure.
General contact info:
Country Pride Cooperative
P O Box 529
648 W 2nd St
Winner, SD 57580-0529
605-842-2711
1-888-325-7743
fax 605-842-2715
Web site contact form
LACREEK ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
Board of Directors:
Donovan Young Man, Board President
Jim Buckles, Vice President
Marion Schultz, Secretary
Tom Schlack, Treasurer
9 additional board members
Wayne Sterkel, General Manager
General contact info:
Lacreek Electric Association, Inc.
121 N Harold St.
PO Box 220
Martin, SD 57551
(605)685-6581 Or (800)655-9324
Email address: lacreek@lacreek.com
LaCreek is a member of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, which has member co-ops in 46 states and bills itself as "committed" to its communities.
General contact info:
Mailing Address:
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
4301 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22203-1860
General Telephone: 703.907.5500
General Fax: 703.907.5554
Communications and Media Relations:
Ann Maggard
703.907.5986
ann.maggard@nreca.coop
Erin Keogh
703.907.5572
erin.keogh@nreca.coop
TALKING POINTS
[Please see navajo's diary here for background and statistics, including length of time without power and water, resultant medical emergencies, etc.]
- Be direct, but be polite.
- Point: Their subscribers are suffering - needlessly.
- Point: Some of their subscribers' lives are endangered - needlessly.
- Point: Donors from around the country are offering to pay for utilities for Reservation residents who are in desperate straits.
- Point: Why don't they want to take money when it's offered?
- Point: Would they really rather risk their subscribers lives?
- Point: Would they really like to risk the PR fallout from this decision?
- Conclusion (if they still refuse): Advise them that you will be contacting the agencies listed below, as well as local and national media, to inform them of the company's refusal to help their reservation subscribers during a weather emergency.
SOUTH DAKOTA REGULATORY AGENCIES
Public Utilities Commission
Dusty Johnson, Chair
Steve Kolbeck, Vice Chair
Gary Hanson, Commissioner
General contact info:
Public Utilities Commission
Capitol Building, 1st floor
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: (605) 773-3201
Toll-free Fax: 1-866-757-6031
FEDERAL AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano, Secretary
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
Operator Number: 202-282-8000
Comment Line: 202-282-8495
Federal Emergency Management Agency
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator
U.S. Department of Homeland Security | Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472
Disaster Assistance: (800) 621-FEMA
TTY (800) 462-7585
FEMA Tribal contacts:
Steven M. Golubic
FEMA Tribal Liaison
Office of External Affairs
Desk: 202-646-4264
Fax: 202-646-3397
Email: steven.golubic@dhs.gov
Linda Straka
E-mail: Linda.Straka@dhs.gov
Telephone: (301) 447-1162
Tribal Region VIII contacts:
Jeanine Petterson, Division Director
E-Mail: jeanine.petterson@dhs.gov
Telephone: (303) 235-4830
Cathy Brock, Secretary
E-Mail: catherine.brock@dhs.gov
Telephone: (303) 235-4830
Tony Mendes, Mitigation Disaster Cadre Contact
E-Mail: tony.mendes@dhs.gov
Telephone: (303) 235-4790
Department of the Interior
Shaun Donovan, Secretary
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410
Telephone: (202) 708-1112
TTY: (202) 708-1455
Public and Indian Housing
1-800-955-2232
Department of the Interior
Ken Salazar, Secretary
Mailing Address:
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Phone: (202) 208-3100
E-Mail: feedback@ios.doi.gov
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Larry EchoHawk, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
TALKING POINTS
- Be direct, but be polite.
- Point: There is a severe weather emergency on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations.
- Point: Tribal members are suffering, and the lives of some are endangered - needlessly.
- Point: Donors from around the country are offering to pay for utilities for Reservation residents who are in desperate straits.
- Point: Certain utility companies are refusing to accept the offered donations.
- Point: Why is it acceptable for utilities to risk their subscribers lives when funds are being offered freely?
- Point: What concrete action will the official or agency take to ensure the safety and welfare of reservation subscribers during this weather emergency?
- Conclusion (if no satisfactory answers are given): Advise them that you will be contacting local and national media to inform them of the lack of appropriate aid for reservation subscribers during a weather emergency.
This state of emergency is ongoing, so snail mail is not helpful in the short term. A phone call is best, followed up by e-mail, and preferably by snail mail. In addition, when contacting governmental agencies, inquire as to why there has been no coordinated response to aid the Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and Cheyenne River reservations.
Please note: This is by no means a comprehensive list. However, it provides a starting point for those who wish to help some of our most vulnerable populations - and it may also do a bit to make the point that this sort of obstructionist corporate behavior is unacceptable. In addition, contact information for federal elected officials appears in navajo's diary, as does information about where and how to donate. Bugsby's diary covers matching foundation monies here. Additional diaries by other Kossacks will appear today and throughout the week: Please rec, tweet, Facebook, e-mail, etc. Let's keep this issue on the rec list, and - with any luck at all - in people's minds and hearts!
And chi miigwech (many thanks) from the bottom of my heart to all who have donated and worked on this issue so far.