Great Plains Action Society

Iowa City, IA

In 2021, Climate Nexus launched an Energy Equity Regranting Project to help resource organizations, tribes, and community leaders on the frontlines of climate change and the impactful work they are doing to fight the gas industry. The energy equity transition grants prioritize grassroots groups with an annual budget of $1 million or less to boost their efforts in racially, ethnically, gender, and culturally diverse communities across the United States and at the intersections of public health and energy justice.

In our second year running the program, 11 organizations received grants ranging from $20,000 to $40,000, including the Great Plains Action Society, whose work is detailed below. 

Overview

As an Iowa-based grassroots organization, Great Plains Action Society (GPAS) addresses the trauma that Indigenous Peoples and the Earth face from colonial capitalism, and works to prevent further violence through mutual aid, culture and tradition, direct action, education, and political engagement. GPAS is 100% Indigenous-led and was founded out of concern for the land and future generations due to the catastrophic effects of the climate emergency and environmental degradation.

Activities

Fighting Pipelines

GPAS has organized to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline in Iowa, the Keystone XL pipeline, and industrial-scale pesticide poisoning of mid-Nebraska. Along with this work, GPAS addresses a lot of environmental racism due to the failed recognition from local and federal governments, one of them being the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis. 

• Organizing to Stop CCS Pipeline Networks
• Carbon capture and sequestering is a greenwashing tactic, so GPAS partnered with Ní Btháska Stand Collective and Science and Environmental Health Network to oppose building a CCS pipeline network throughout the Great Plains. 
• Sikowis Nobiss spoke on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) Technical Safety Panel about safety concerns associated with several proposed projects slated for Iowa and the Great Plains region after an incident in 2021 at Satartia, Mississippi. PHMSA stated that updated safety regulations explicitly tailored for carbon dioxide pipelines are needed and will take up to three years to establish—the same timeframe these proposed projects aim for completion. GPAS called for a federal moratorium until regulations are complete.

Indigenous People’s Day Conversation

Sikowis Nobiss, Founder and Executive Director of GPAS, spoke with Della Z. Duncan for the podcast Upstream to discuss the following questions: How do the systems of capitalism, colonialism, consumerism, and Christianity uphold and support one another? How do we work to dismantle them and cultivate a decolonized culture and politics that supports Indigenous sovereignty, human health and wellbeing, and flourishing ecosystems?

Listen to the episode How to Decolonize and Indigenize with Sikowis Nobiss.

Lessons Learned

Sikowis Nobiss, Founder and Executive Director of GPAS, reflected on the Energy Equity Grant funding, saying, “We’re just able to feel more comfortable hiring people to help out, to help me and Tricia, who works in our Sioux City area. Additionally, the purchase of computers helped them a lot, as some of their workers/volunteers did not have access to a personal computer.”

Future and Sustainability

Nobiss reflected on the Energy Equity Grant funding, saying, “We’re just able to feel more comfortable hiring people to help out, to help me and Tricia, who works in our Sioux City area. Additionally, the purchase of computers helped them a lot, as some of their workers/volunteers did not have access to a personal computer.”

Urban Garden in Sioux City

Great Plains Action Society is fundraising for the construction of an urban garden along with a First Foods educational initiative. The group recognized that the federal and local government continues to fail them on many levels. So, they are helping themselves.

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  People’s Justice Council (PJC)

  PJC organizes not-for-profit electric co-ops around Montgomery to avoid monopolized utility and grow constituency around energy and environmental justice.

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  Oregon Just Transition Alliance (OJTA)

  Oregon Just Transition Alliance had three significant policy gains over the second half of 2022 due to strategic and tactical grassroots advocacy efforts.

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  Rio Grande International Study Center

  RGISC conducts independent research and community education to steward the environmental preservation and restoration of the Rio Grande Basin.

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  Mississippi Communities United for Prosperity

  MCUP is examining the feasibility of Duck Hill developing a solar and wind park to convert the town to 100% electric and renewable energy.

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  Miami Climate Alliance

  The Miami Climate Alliance works across three areas: climate and health, energy justice, and advancing The Gulf South for a Green New Deal.

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  South Carolina Interfaith Power and Light

  SCIPL develops programming and resources around food insecurity, high energy bills, electric vehicle infrastructure, and resilience hubs.

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  Beyond Toxics

  Beyond Toxics is fighting the fracking industry, educating Lane County residents on climate and fossil fuels, and advocating for renewable energy projects.

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  Youth vs The Apocalypse (YVA)

  YVA uses Zoom to both build community and practice key leadership skills from strategic planning to giving interviews to social media strategies.

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  Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas

  The Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe travels throughout Texas, monitoring pipelines, disposal wells, ongoing border wall construction, and fracking/flaring violations.