EPA Releases Final Policy for Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes (HQ)
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) released its final policy on consultation and
coordination with Indian tribes. EPA is among the first of the
federal agencies to finalize its consultation policy in response to
President Obama’s first tribal leaders summit in November
2009, and the issuance of executive order 13175 to establish
regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal
officials in the development of federal policies that have tribal
implications.
"EPA is dedicated to strengthening our
collaboration with tribes and ensuring that they have a voice and a
seat at the table on the issues that touch their health and their
economy," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "President Obama
has directed agencies across the federal government to revisit and
update the ways we work together with tribal nations, a step that
is critical to meeting the needs of today and ensuring our
communities are cleaner, healthier and more prosperous heading into
the future."
The final policy builds on EPA’s 1984
Indian policy and is intended to make good on the Obama
administration's commitment to strengthen tribal partnerships by
establishing clear agency standards for the consultation process,
to promote consistency and coordination. The policy establishes a
new, broader standard for the types of actions that may be
appropriate for consultation and makes clear the two-way nature of
government-to-government consultation by inviting tribes to request
issues for consultation.Actions that may be
appropriate for consultation include developing standards,
guidance, policies, permitting decisions, and activities under
international agreements.The policy also
establishes a management, oversight and reporting structure that
will help ensure accountability and transparency by identifying
responsible individuals in each office and requiring EPA program
and regional offices to identify actions appropriate for
consultation at least twice a year.
More information on the policy: https://www.epa.gov/tribal