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The Leech Lake Reservation Business Committee (LLRBC) is taking legal action to withdraw an Oct. 13 letter of approval, drafted by Secretary/Treasurer, Michael J. Bongo issued to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission granting approval of a 230kV Otter Tail Power Company Power-line route permit.

In the letter, Bongo gave wrongful information suggesting the Tribal Council approved the transmission line route through the Leech lake Reservation. The power line would run from the Wilton substation along U.S. Highway 2 to a substation west of Grand Rapids.

Tribal Council members recently met with attorneys to review the recording of a special meeting held Sept. 9, the meeting at which Bongo said the approval for the Power-line Agreement was made. After reviewing the recording, the only official action taken by the Tribal Council was to not hold a referendum vote on the Power-line.

"Secretary/Treasurer Bongo took a no vote for a referendum on power line and tried to pass it off as approval for a $5.7 million deal with power companies," Leech Lake Band Chairman Arthur "Archie" LaRose said in a press release. "Then he wrote a letter he never shared with the full LLRBC and sent notice of approval to the PUC (Public Utilities Commission). This is important because the signed agreement waives the sovereignty of Leech Lake, jeopardizes our treaty rights and civil regulatory authority. The full RBC never saw the agreement until after the fact. The original copy of the agreement and negotiation documents were only recovered from fired Band Attorney Eric Lochen after threat of legal action last Friday. How this was handled has created a political and public relations mess for the Leech Lake Reservation."[[In-content Ad]]

Because the submitted Power-line Agreement is in violation of the Leech Lake Reservation governing laws, the Band will have to begin government-to-government consultation regarding the treaty rights compromised by the utility crossing. LLRBC has given notice to the power companies and PUC the duly elected, governing authority for the Leech Lake Reservation never gave consent for the agreement.

The 70-mile long power line contains a 125-foot right-of-way on lands owned by the Leech Lake Reservation and Chippewa National Forest, as well as DNR land and waters. The power line was scheduled to be complete and in service in December 2012.

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