Video: Remains Found At Construction Site In Fon du Lac

DULUTH, Minn. (Press Release)-The Minnesota Department of Transportation has stopped working on the Highway 23 project in the Fond du Lac neighborhood in Duluth after human remains were found on the site.

The remains were found at an historic settlement and cemetery for the reservation.

“The remains were discovered after the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa raised concerns about ground being disturbed near the cemetery,” said Fon du Lac Reservation in a statement. “The Band learned about the work from a concerned community member.  Based on the Band’s concerns, MnDOT and the Band inspected the site and found human remains.”

The Reservation said the road crossed a well-documented Indian cemetery area, but don’t think the various agencies involved did their due diligence on the project.

“The Band is deeply disappointed that these agencies did not uphold their legal obligation to protect a sacred site.  We only learned about the project from a community member,” said Kevin R. Dupuis, Sr., Chairman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.  “State and federal agencies have an obligation to consult with Indian tribes on projects affecting tribes.  That didn’t happen.”

The project is managed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation..  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for permitting for the bridge.  The city of Duluth is responsible for water and sewer work on the project.

The project was expected to replace the Mission Creek Bridge, while raising it five feet.

MnDOT now has plans to conduct a full archaeological and historical study of the site before they continue working on the site.  The Band is working with the transportation department on the studies.

“Those studies were required to be conducted in advance under state and federal law.  The Band can only speculate about why these critical studies were skipped,” Dupuis said.  “If MnDOT, the Army Corps, and the city had consulted with the Band in advance, we could have made sure the studies happened and we could have avoided disturbing the site. We need to work together to make sure this doesn’t happen in the future.”