Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment is a left-of-center Native American organizing group that promotes left-of-center environmental policies and a variety of other Native American and land-use issues.

The group represents members of the Nez Perce Tribe, also known as the Nimiipuu people, and advocates for the rights of modern-day tribe members under an 1855 treaty with the federal government that granted the tribe a large swath of territory and the right to continue to fish and hunt on lands both on and off of their reservation indefinitely. The group conducts a variety of environmental stewardship programs and publishes educational resources about fishing, hunting, canoe making, and other topics. The group is funded by left-of-center groups such as the Jubitz Family Foundation, the Patagonia Foundation, and Earthjustice. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment was formed in 2015 according to tax return documents. The group is headquartered in Lapwai, Idaho. It is affiliated with the Nez Perce tribe, a federally recognized tribe also based in Lapwai that has approximately 3,500 enrolled members with the Nez Perce Reservation spanning 770,000 acres. The Nez Perce tribe refers to its members as the Nimiipuu people. ^{4 5}

The Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment organization came out of protests participated in by many Nez Perce environmental activists and other Native American groups protesting the 2011 ExxonMobil “Megaload” project which was a proposal to transport large pieces of an oil refinery through Montana and Idaho for use by Imperial Oil, Exxon’s Canadian subsidiary, for use at a refinery in Canada. Following those protests the group stated that it began to host meetings regularly in 2013. ^{6 7}

Seed funding for the organization was provided by the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples which allowed to organization to launch advocacy campaigns regarding the Alberta oil sands (also known as the tar sands). ⁸

Activities

Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment’s main focus is on conducting environmental advocacy in the area of the Nez Perce tribe’s “originally ceded area” which the group defines as the reservation outlined by a 1855 treaty between the tribe and the United States government. While the Nez Perce agreed to a subsequent treaty in 1863 with the federal government, that treaty was unpopular with various bands and led to conflict within the tribe in 1877. ^{9 10 11}

The group lends advocacy to “sustainable environmental practices” as well as protecting “Tribal Treaty rights within our original ceded area and usual and accustomed places.” The group has led many campaigns opposing dams in the Snake River and has called on the Biden administration to intervene to stop dam construction. The group has also conducted voter mobilization efforts to encourage tribe members to vote. ^{12 13 14}

Funding

Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment is funded by a variety of left-of-center companies, foundations, and Native American groups. Funders of the organization include the Puyallup Tribe, Stillaguamish Tribe, Coeur d’ Alene Tribe, Nez Perce Tribe, Friends of the Clearwater, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, RESIST, Charlotte Martin Foundation, Potlatch Fund, the American Sociological Foundation, Palouse Environmental Coalition on Sustainability, Earth Justice, Ben and Jerry’s, Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition, Windward Fund, and Patagonia Action Works. ^{15 16 17}

1. “What We Do.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/what-we-do
2. “Valued Partners.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023.  https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/valued-partners
3. “Nez Perce National Historical Park: Treaty of 1855.” National Park Service. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/nepe/learn/historyculture/treaty-of-1855.htm
4. “About.” Nez Perce Tribe. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://nezperce.org/about/
5. Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. 2022.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473465431/202341539349301264/full
6. ^[1] Robinson, Jessica. “ExxonMobil Looks For Other Routes For Megaloads.” NPR. July 20, 2011. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=138562343
7. “About Us.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/about-us
8.  “About Us.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/about-us
9. “Nez Perce National Historical Park: Treaty of 1863.” National Park Service. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/nepe/learn/historyculture/treaty-of-1863.htm
10. “Nez Perce National Historical Park: Treaty of 1855.” National Park Service. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/nepe/learn/historyculture/treaty-of-1855.htm
11. “About Us.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/about-us
12. “About Us.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/about-us
13. “Save the Salmon.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/copy-of-saving-the-salmon
14. “Public Service.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/public-service
15. “Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment.” Patagonia Action Works. Accessed October 28, 2023. https://www.patagonia.com/actionworks/organizations/nimiipuu-protecting-the-environment/
16. “Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment” Full Text Search. Propublica. Query Conducted October 28, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?sort=&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&form%5B%5D=IRS990PF&q=Nimiipuu+Protecting+The+Environment&submit=Apply
17. “Valued Partners.” Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment. Accessed October 28, 2023.  https://www.nimiipuuprotecting.org/valued-partners