Washington, DC, October 30, 2000. Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, awarded the 27 member Tribes of the Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition with the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a private citizen or group by the Secretary The Conservation Service Award.

The award is presented to individuals or groups who have performed outstanding and direct service to the Department of Interior and who are not employed by the Department. The Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition was recognized for playing a pivotal role in enabling the Bureau of Indian Affairs to carry out its mission. The Tribes were successful in uniting together to speak with one voice to deal with federal, state and other organizations involved with the management of Indian water rights.

Mni Sose accepts award. L-R: Bill Schuler, James White, Dawnette Owens, Rhonda Azure, Gladys Renville, Secretary Bruce Babbitt, Gary Collins, Peter Taylor, Sam Miller	The Conservation Service Award presented to Mni Sose

This unified voice has influenced decision making to the benefit of the Tribes. The states along the Missouri River now recognize Indian water rights and work closely with the Coalition and the Tribes to resolve tribal issues. In addition, Mni Sose entered into a formal agreement with the Army Corp of Engineers to discuss tribal concerns and identify tribal issues related to the future operation of the Missouri River.

Through their work with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the House Resources Committee, and Western Power Administration, the Coalition was instrumental in ensuring the Missouri River Basin tribal reservations will receive low-cost hydropower beginning in 2001.

The Coalition collaborated with the Bureau of Reclamation on a Federal Resource Guidebook on water resources and environmental programs. Mni Sose also formed partnerships with numerous federal and state agencies and other groups to address water quality, watershed conditions, and environmental issues related to tribal lands.

"We are honored by this award," said Gary Collins, President of the Mni Sose Coalition, "and we will continue to play a key role in all of the issues related to the management of the Missouri River basin."

The Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition is comprised of 27 Tribes located in the Missouri River Basin, which encompasses the states of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. The Coalition, founded in 1993, was established as a non-profit intertribal organization to promote the health, education, and welfare of the member Tribes through economic development, water resource education, and technical assistance in water rights and water resources management.