Compliance & Enforcement through Tribal Government

EPA works closely with federally-recognized Indian tribes to ensure compliance at federally-regulated facilities in Indian country. Tribes authorized to manage federal programs must have enforcement authorities that are at least as stringent as federal law.  Where authorization is lacking, EPA directly implements federal programs and ensures compliance with federal environmental laws.  In both cases, EPA works with officials in tribal environmental, health and agricultural agencies on strategic planning, priority-setting and measurement of results.

The Tribal Compliance Assistance Center is a Web-based tool that that serves as the first place to get comprehensive, easy to understand compliance information targeted specifically for environmental issues in Indian country.

Information on how EPA does enforcement and compliance work with states is available on the state site and information on how EPA works with other federal agencies is available on federal facilities site.

Tribal Resources
These documents describe the proposed Strategy and Appendix, the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Tribal Program, the Guidance on the Enforcement Principles Outlined in the 1984 Indian Policy, the State and Tribal Criteria for Issuance of Inspector Credentials, and the State and Tribal Enforcement Grants Guidance.