A federal lawsuit has been filed over a drilling permit near Pe’ Sla — a sacred Lakota site in the Black Hills. NDN Collective, alongside environmental groups, is challenging the U.S. Forest Service after it approved exploratory drilling for graphite less than half a mile from the site’s boundary. Pe’ Sla is a place of ceremony, prayer, and traditional gathering, deeply tied to Lakota identity and spiritual practice. The lawsuit argues the project was improperly approved under a “categorical exclusion,” bypassing a full environmental review required under federal law. Plaintiffs say the drilling threatens religious use of the site and could impact land and water systems connected to surrounding communities. The case seeks to overturn the permit and halt further activity. — (via ndncollective) #LandBack