Foster support for tribal control and management of tribal lands in accordance with each tribes political and economic priorities. Support tribal governments in efforts to protect, regulate, and manage their environmental resources according to their own priorities and values. Sponsor programs that enhance tribal environmental regulation, capability and infrastructure. Expand public and institutional awareness of the needs and capabilities of tribal environmental programs. Serve as a clearing house for information concerning tribal governments, tribal environmental regulations and policies, technical date and regulatory models, as well as federal and state environments policies, regulations, methodology.
Indian reservations are the most impoverished areas of the nation.
Tribal governments have been exploring many options to increase employment, all of which will have environmental impacts. In addition, past federal policies have encouraged resource exploitation which has resulted in the degradation of tribal natural resources without adequate consideration and protection of reservation environments. Tribal governments do not have the resources to plan for future environmental protection nor to investigate and demand reclamation of already damaged lands. Inadequate funding from the federal government has led to the many environmental problems which tribes face. Over the five year period from 1989 through 1993 EPA funding for all Indian Tribes never exceeded one-third of one percent of EPA's total budget.