White Earth Water Ordinance on Pause

The White Earth Nation has paused the enforcement of its controversial water-permitting rule. The ordinance is now in place for only new projects. The White Earth Nation also plans to create a regional task force in a seven-county area around the reservation to conduct research and develop new regulatory solutions. Last month, R.D. Offutt Farms filed a lawsuit against White Earth Nation over the water ordinance. The ordinance gave the tribe jurisdiction over all water use on the reservation and within five miles of the reservation. The White Earth permitting fees were also 30 times more expensive than the Minnesota DNR permits.