EPA POLICY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL

PROGRAMS OM INDIAN RESERVATIONS

INTRODUCTION

The President pub1 i shed a Federal Indian Pol i c y on January 24 1983

supporting the primary r o l e of T r i b a l Governments i n matters a f f e c t i n g

American Indian reservations That pol i c y stressed two re1ated themes 1 t h a t the Federal Government w i l l pursue the p r i n c i p l e of Indian

self government and 2 t h a t it w i l l work d i r e c t l y w i t h T r i b a l

Governments on a government togovernment basis

The Envi ronnental Protection Agency EPA has previ ously issued general

statements o f p o l i c y which recognize the importance o f T r i b a l Governments

i n regulatory a c t i v i t i e s t h a t impact reservation envi ronments It i s the

purpose o f t h i s statement t o consolidate and expand on e x i s t i n g EPA Indian

Po1 i cy statements i n a manner consistent w i t h t h e o v e r a l l Federal p o s i t i o n

at i n support o f Tri bal sel f governmentti and government to government re1

i o n s between Federal and T r i ba1 Governments Thi s s tatement sets f o r t h

the p r i n c i p l e s t h a t w i l l guide t h e Agency i n dealing w i t h Tribal Governments

and i n responding t o the problems o f environmental management on American

Indian reservations i n order t o p ro t e c t human health and the environment

The Pol i c y i s intended t o provide guidance for EPA program managers i n the

conduct o f the Agency's congressionally mandated re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s As

such it applies t o €A only and does not a r t i c u l a t e p o l i c y f o r other

Agencies i n the conduct o f t h e i r respective r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

It i s important t o emphasize t h a t the implementation of regulatory

programs whi ch wi 11 real i ze these p r i n c i pl es on I n d i an Reservations cannot

be accomplished immediately E f f e c t i v e implanentation w i l l take careful

and conscientious work by €PA t h e Tribes and many others I n many cases

it w i l l requi re changes i n appl i cable s t a t u t o r y a u t h o r i t i e s and regulations

It w i l l be necessary t o proceed i n a c a r e f u l l y phased way t o learn from

successes and f a i 1ures and t o gain experience Nonetheless by beginning

work on the p r i o r i t y problems t h a t e x i s t now and continuing i n the d i r e c t i o n

esiabl ished under these p r i n c i p l e s over time we can s i g n i f i c a n t l y enhance

envi ronmental qua1 i t y on reservation 1ands

POLICY

I n carrying out our responsi b i 1ities on Indian reservations the

fundamental o b j e c t i v e of the Envi ronmental Protecti on Agency i s t o p r o t e c t

human health and the environment The k2ynote o f t h i s e f f o r t w i l l be t o

give special consideration t o T r i b a l i n t e r e s t s i n making Agency pol i c y

and t o i n s u re t h e close involvement of T r i b a l Governments i n making

decisions and managing envi ronrnental programs a f f e c t i n g reservation 1ands

To meet t h i s objective the Agzncy w i l l pursue the f o l l ow i n g p r i n c i p l e s

EPA000475
1 THE AGENCY STANDS READY TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

ON A ONETOONE BASIS THE GOVERNMENT TOGOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP RATHER

THAN AS SUBDIVISIONS OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS

EPA recognizes T r i b a l Governrents as sovereign e n t i t i e s with primary

a u t h o r i t y and r e sp o n s i b i l i t y for the reservation populace Accordingly

EPA w i l l work d i r e c t l y w i t h T r i b a l Governments as the independent a u t h o r i t y

f o r reservation a f f a i r s and not as p o l i t i c a l subdivisions of States or

other governmental units

2 THE AGENCY WILL RECOGNIZE TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AS THE PRIMARY PARTIES

FOR SETTING STANDARDS MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DECISIONS AND MANAGING

PROGRAMS FOR RESERVATIONS CONSISTENT WITH AGENCY STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

I n keeping w i t h the p r i n c i p l e of Indian self government the Agency

w i 11 view T r i b a l Governments as the appropriate non Federal parties f o r

making decisions and carrying out program re sp o n s i b i l i t i e s a f f e c t i n g

Indian reservations t h e i r environments and t h e h e a l t h and welfare o f

the reservation populace Just as EPA's d e l i berations and a c t i v i t i e s have

t

Governments r a d i t i o n a l l y i n v o l v e d t h e i n t e r e s t s and or p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f State

EPA w i l l look d i r e c t l y t o T r i b a l Governments t o play t h i s lead r o l e

f o r matters a f f e c t i n g reservation envi ronmnts

3 THE AGENCY WILL TAKE AFFIRMATIVE STEPS TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST

TRIBES I N ASSIJMING REGULATORY AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

FOR RESERVATION LANDS

The Agency w i 11 a ss i s t in t e re s t e d T r i b a l Governments i n developing

programs and i n preparing t o assume regulatory and program management

r e sp o n s i b i l i t i e s f o r reservation lands Mit h i n the constraints o f EPA's

a u t h o r i t y and resources t h i s a i d w i l l include providing grants and other

assistance t o Tribes s i m i l a r t o t h a t we provide State Governments The

Agency wi11 encourage Tribes t o assume delegable responsi b i 1it i e s i e

responsibi 1i t i e s which the Agency has t r a d i t i o n a l l y delegated t o State

Governments f o r non reservation lands under terms simi l a r t o those

governing delegations t o States responsib U n t i l T r i b a l Governments are w i l l i n g and able t o assume fu11

i l i t y f o r delegable programs the Agency w i l l r e t a i n r e s p o n si b i l i t y

f o r manaying programs f o r reservations unless the State has an express

grant o f j u r i s d i c t i o n from Congress s u f f i c i e n t t o support delegation t o

the State Government Where €PA r e t a i n s such r e s p o n s i b i l i t y the Agency

w i l l encourage the Tribe t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n policy making and t o assume

appropriate lesser or p a r t i a l r o l e s i n the management of reservation

programs

EPA000476
4 THE AGENCY WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO REMOVE EXISTING LEGAL AND

PROCEDURAL IMPEDIMENTS TO WORKING DIRECTLY AND EFFECTIVELY WITH TRIBAL

GOVERNMENTS ON RESERVATION PROGRAMS

A number of serious constraints and u n c e r t a i n t i e s i n the language

o f our statutes and regulations have l i m i t e d our a b i l i t y t o work d i r e c t l y

and e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h T r i b a l Governwnts on reservation problems As

impediments i n our procedures regulations or statutes are i d e n t i f i e d

which l i m i t our a b i l i t y t o work e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h Tribes consistent w i t h

t h i s Policy we w i l l seek t o remove those impediments

5 THE AGENCY I N KEEPING WITH THE FEDERAL TRUST RESPONSIBILITY WILL

ASSURE THAT TRIBAL CONCERNS AND INTERESTS ARE CONSIDERED WHENEVER EPA'S

ACTIONS ANDOR DECISIONS MAY AFFECT RESERVATION ENVIRONMENTS hist EPA recognizes t h a t a t r u s t r e sp o n s i b i l i t y derives from the

o r i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes

as expressed i n c e r t a i n t r e a t i e s and Federal Indian Law I n keeping

w i t h t h a t t r u s t r e s p o n si b i l i t y the Agency w i l l endeavor t o protect

the environmental i n t e r e s t s of Indian Tribes when carrying out i t s

r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t may a f f e c t the reservations

6 THE AGENCY WILL ENCOURAGE COOPERATION BETWEEN TRIBAL STATE AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO RESOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF MUTUAL CONCERN

Sound environmental planning and management require the cooperati on

and mutual consideration o f neighboring governments whether those

governments be neighboring States Tribes o r l o c a l u n i t s o f government

Accordingly EPA w i 11 encourage e a r l y communi cation and cooperati on

among Tribes States and l o c a l governments This i s not intended t o

lend Federal support t o any one party t o the jeopardy o f the i n t e r e s t s

o f the other Rather it recognizes t h a t i n the f i e l d o f environmental

regulation problems are often shared and the p r i n c i p l e o f comity

between equals and neighbors often serves the best i n t e r e s t s o f both

7 THE AGENCY WILL WORK NITH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES WtlICH HAVE RELATED

RESPONSIBILITIES ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS TO ENLIST THEIR INTEREST AND

SUPPORT IN COOPERATIVE EFFORTS TO HELP TRIBES ASSUME ENVIRONMENTAL

PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES FOR RESERVATIONS

EPA w i l l seek and promote cooperation between Federal agencies t o

p r o t e c t human health and the environment on reservations We wi 11

work w i t h other agencies t o c l e a r l y i d e n t i f y and d e l i n e a t e t h e roles

r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s and r e l a t i o n sh i p s of our respective organizations and

t o a s s i s t Tribes i n developing and managing envi ronnental programs f o r

reservation lands

EPA000477
8 THE AGENCY WILL STRIVE TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STATUTES

AND REGULATIONS ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS

I n those cases where f a c i l i t i e s owned or managed by T r i b a l Governments

are not i n compliance w i t h Federal environmental statutes EPA w i l l work

cooperatively w i t h T r i b a l leadership t o develop means t o achieve compliance

providing technical support and consul tation as necessary t o enable T r i b a l

f a c i l i t i e s t o comply Because o f the d i s t i n c t status o f Indian Tribes and the

complex legal issues involved di r e c t EPA action through the j u d i cia1 or

a dmi n i s t r a t i v e process w i 11 be considered where the Agency determines i n i t s

judgment that 1 a s i g n i f i c a n t t h r e a t t o human h e a l t h o r the environment

e xi s t s 2 such action would reasonably be expected t o achieve e f f e c t i v e

r e s u l t s i n a timely mnner and 3 the Federal Government cannot u t i l i z e

other a l t e r n a t i v e s t o c o r r e c t t h e problem i n a timely fashion

I n those cases where reservation f a c i l i t i e s are c l e a r l y owned or managed

by p r i v a t e p a r t i e s and there i s no su b s t a n t i a l T r i b a l i n t e r e s t or control

involved the Agency w i l l endeavor t o act i n cooperation w i t h the affected

T r i b a l Government but w i l l otherwise respond t o noncompliance by p r i v a t e

p a r t i e s on Indian reservations as the Agency would t o noncompliance by the

p r i v a t e sector elsewhere i n the country Where the Tribe has a substantial

p r o p r i e t a r y i n t e r e s t i n or control over the p r i v a t e l y owned or managed

f a c i l i t y EPA will respond as described i n the f i r s t paragraph above

9 THE AGENCY WILL INCORPORATE THESE INDIAN POLICY GOALS INTO ITS PLANNING

AND LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ITS BUDGET OPERATING GUIDANCE

INITIATIVES MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM AND OFlGOING POLICY AND

REGULATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES

It i s a central purpose o f t h i s e f f o r t t o ensure that the p r i n c i p l e s

o f t h i s Pol i c y are e f f e c t i v e l y i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d by incorporating them i n t o

the Agency's ongoing and long term planning and management processes Agency

managers problems w i l l include s p e c i f i c programmatic actions designed t o resolve

on Indian reservations i n the Agency's e x i s t i n g f i s c a l year and longterm

planning and management processes

kiilliarn D Ruckelshaus

EPA000478