Beyond Procedure: NEPA, Environmental Justice, and Nuclear Modernization on the Fort Berthold Reservation

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes surrounding the U.S. Air Force’s Sentinel missile modernization project, highlighting critical environmental justice (EJ) concerns related to tribal communities, specifically the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. As the largest nuclear modernization initiative since the Cold War, Sentinel involves replacing the aging Minuteman III missiles with modernized intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), profoundly impacting local communities and ecosystems. The research investigates the historical context of nuclear weapons deployment on tribal lands, the success of meaningful community engagement through the Sentinel Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and assesses whether current federal environmental laws sufficiently protect tribal sovereignty and community well-being amid expansive military initiatives. Through a detailed case study, this thesis critiques the communication and consultation failures within the NEPA process and offers targeted policy recommendations to enhance meaningful tribal engagement and EJ considerations in future federal actions. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive legislative reforms that better integrate tribal sovereignty, environmental justice, and community perspectives into federal environmental reviews and decision-making processes.