Letter from the SBC to the Community
May 1, 2026
Dear Community Members,
As the duly elected members of the Shoshone Business Council, we would like to address the community with updates and information.We attended the 2026 Tribal Self-Governance Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, in early April. This packed conference touched on a variety of topics, including land stewardship, self-governance agreements, strategic revenue management, federal agency collaborations, resources and priorities, and so much more. We received a clear message that the federal government is really pushing for tribes to be self-sufficient, and it’s our responsibility to focus on ways we properly manage what we have (or don’t have) and look towards the future of our children and children’s children and what will be left for them once we’re long gone. We also got some new ideas, including new ways to collaborate with local food producers to help supply the Shoshone food distribution program with the ultimate goal of providing better food options to our tribal community.
We’re excited to have on board a new executive director for the Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority. We welcome Mr. Bill Picotte. There are some big projects on the horizon for ESHA, and we must have great leadership at the helm. We’ll also be very close to completing the Medicine Water project. We’re excited for that. Speaking of housing, we recognize that there’s a great need for housing for troubled youth and homeless people. The Wind River Inter-Tribal Council has been actively deliberating on this matter as we explore potential solutions to these obstacles.
As you may already know, the SBC regularly meets with tribal departments and programs to review projects or any issues. We had a great meeting with Energize Wind River in April, where we discussed some grant opportunities. EWR is excited to seek new funding through the Department of Energy (Office of Indian Energy). The SBC gave its support. Several partners will help make this a strong application, including Northern Arizona University’s Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals, LEMA Indigenous, Sustainable Power and Lighting (a Colorado nonprofit), Jackson Hole Institute, The Nature Conservancy (Wyoming office), Wyoming Outdoor Council, Lander Climate Action Network, Simon Evans – President of Applied Research & Engineering Inc., and Turtle Rock Electric out of Hudson. We wish them good luck!
We are currently observing the water management strategies and levels across various Wyoming communities. While there are no water restrictions currently in effect on the Wind River Reservation, we encourage residents to remain mindful of their water consumption. Please stay alert for any potential updates or restrictions that may be issued by agencies like ESHA or the Shoshone & Arapaho Tribes Office of the Tribal Water Engineers.
There is a new Health Advisory Board for Warm Valley Health Care. It includes June Sabatinos, Darcia Pingree, Justin Berg, Macie Watson, and Clinton Glick. We welcome the new members and look forward to their input and collaboration.
There’s a new oil company in town. Murfin Drilling Company, Inc. has replaced Mi3 as the new operator for our oil and gas fields. This company, out of Wichita, KS, also runs fields in North Dakota and elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain Region. We recognized that a new operator was needed. It took some time, but we’re excited to see our valuable resources flourish and grow. They’re doing a good job already, and we’re confident that they’re going to bring our fields up to par. Speaking of which, we attended the Tribal Energy Summit in Houston, TX, on April 29, where we had the opportunity to highlight how local energy development has fostered job creation, enhanced infrastructure, and established a pathway for future generations on the Wind River Reservation. Indigenous nations are at the forefront of this movement, and we are in charge of cultivating resilient communities according to our own visions. We’re thankful to have had a place on this platform.
We’re aware that data centers are a hot topic right now, and many want to know what our stance is. Rest assured that no decisions will be made without scrupulous research and thorough discussions before the Shoshone General Council and the residents of the reservation. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe gains great strength through its invaluable resources and culture. The Sosonrih have been here since time immemorial, and we don’t intend to wipe out our history by one irresponsible decision. We will continue to listen to the conversations amongst our people and continue to plan for our future generations.
In the next Newe News, we’d like to share more information about the University of Wyoming’s free tuition plan for Native students.
Although the public informational meetings have been postponed at this time, we encourage the community to attend other important community events and meetings where our voices can be heard.
This letter is by no means a complete list of recent activities or latest information, but our goal is to be more accessible to the community in an effort to push towards more transparency, and a way that tribal members can hold us accountable. We thank you for your patience as we move forward with new projects and the day-to-day operations of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.
Hooweeh’
-Shoshone Business Council