Proposed New General Assistance Program (GAP) Guidance for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia

EPA Planning to Consult with Tribes on Revised GAP Assistance Agreement Guidance

EPA is currently revising the August 1, 2011 consultation draft "Guidebook for Building Tribal Environmental Capacity" based on comments received from tribes and tribal organizations. A revised draft document will be released along with proposed new GAP assistance agreement guidance for a 90 day consultation period beginning in early October 2012.

EPA Tribal ecoAmbassadors Program

EPA Launches Second Year of Tribal ecoAmbassadors Program 2012 - 2013 Academic Year

The EPA recently recognized its inaugural class of Tribal EcoAmbassadors, and is eager to welcome next year's participants. The Tribal EcoAmbassadors program aims to both promote environmental education and find solutions to environmental problems pertinent to tribal communities. The program reaches out to faculty at Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), awarding selected Tribal EcoAmbassadors financial and technical assistance to support a year-long initiative directed towards an environmental issue of their choosing. Not only does the program grant TCU faculty access to EPA research resources, it also engages TCU students through hands-on experience with research and policymaking while working towards the goal of the project. Protecting the environment and building strong tribal partnerships are top priorities of the EPA, and the Tribal EcoAmbassadors program works towards accomplishing both of these goals. I urge you to consider featuring the call for applications for the 2012-2013 Tribal EcoAmbassadors program, as participation leads to positive changes on the local level, as well as aiding in the widespread protection of our environment. Please feel free to contact Marissa McInnis (mcinnis.marissa@epa.gov) if you would like some more information, or visit the website at http://www.epa.gov/ecoambassadors/tribal/index.html.

Application Deadline: July 22, 2012

• 2012 - 2013 Application (PDF) (4pp, 188K)
• Read the News Release
• EPA Announces Selected Tribal ecoAmbassadors
• About the Tribal ecoAmbassadors Program

Multiple Federal Partners Addressing the Long Standing Disparity of Safe Water & Sanitation Services for Tribes

Multiple Federal Partners Addressing the Long Standing Disparity of Safe Water & Sanitation Services for Tribes

The lack of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Indian Country continues to threaten the public health of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Approximately 12% of AI/AN homes do not have safe water and/or basic sanitation facilities. This is high compared with the 0.6% of non-native homes in the United States that lack such infrastructure. A multi-agency Infrastructure Task Force has been formed to improve access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Indian country. Partners include US Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Indian Health Service, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Task Force accomplishments, current activities, and proposed strategies to address access to water and sanitation services on AI/AN lands are available at: http://www.epa.gov/tp/trprograms/infra-water.htm

EPA Tribal Consultation and Coordination Policy

EPA Submits Tribal Consultation Progress Report to OMB

On August 6, 2012, EPA's Designated Consultation Official Michelle DePass, Assistant Administrator for the Office of International & Tribal Affairs, transmitted EPA's annual progress report per President Obama's November 5, 2009 memorandum on tribal consultation to the Office of Management and Budget. The report describes EPA's progress under Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments.

• EPA 2012 Tribal Consultation Progress Report (PDF) (3 pp, 617Kb,  About PDF)

EPA Final Policy for Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes

On May 4th, 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.

• Letter to Tribal Leaders (PDF) (1 pg, 462K,  About PDF) - a letter from Michelle DePass, Assistant Administrator, AIEO
• EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes (PDF) (10 pp, 213K,  About PDF)
• 5/4/11 - EPA Releases Final Policy for Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes

EPA and Corporation for National Community Service Announce Partnership to Leverage Grant Resources

EPA and AmeriCorps Leverage Grant Resources to Support Indian Tribes The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Corporation for National and Community Service announced that Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) grants may be used as match funding for tribally-sponsored AmeriCorps programs.

More than $3 million worth of AmeriCorps funding is dedicated to support tribal communities every year, but often, tribal governments face financial challenges that prevent them from providing the required matched funding. AmeriCorps members help address key challenges facing Native American communities, including education, disaster response and environmental preservation. EPA manages GAP to assist eligible tribal governments in building environmental programs needed to regulate and manage their environments. The combination of AmeriCorps grants and EPA program funding such as GAP enable tribal governments to bring in energetic, committed people to help build an environmental program.

To use EPA grant funds as match for AmeriCorps grants, the proposed activities must be within the scope of EPA's work. Examples of eligible activities include conducting environmental education, performing assessments of indoor air quality or household pesticide usage, and assessing baseline environmental conditions.

• Americorps Grant Press Release (PDF) (2pp, 13K,  About PDF)
• More information on AmeriCorps Grants: Leveraging Environmental Support (PDF) (12pp, 523K,  About PDF)
• More information on EPA's tribal program
• More information on AmeriCorps
• Current AmeriCorps funding opportunities

Read more about EPA and Corporation for National Community Service Announce Partnership to Leverage Grant Resources to Support Indian Tribes