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- Serve as the liaison (i.e., lead point-of-contact or intermediary) between the Service and the federally recognized Indian tribes in the Northeast.
- As a federal government agency, ensure that the Service is fulfilling its federal Indian trust responsibility to federally recognized tribes in the Northeast.
- Ensure that the Service operates within a government-to-government relationship with the federally recognized tribes.
- Implement the Service's 1994 Native American Policy through the Northeast Region's implementation plan (which was signed by the regional director February 12, 2001).
- Maintain and continue to build and promote positive working relationships with the 17 federally recognized Indian tribes in the Northeast.
- Educate and promote tribal cultural sensitivity and awareness to Northeast Region employees.
- Educate Northeast Region employees regarding the Service's fiduciary obligations as they relate to tribes.
- Educate tribes regarding the Service's federal mandates and mission.
- Promote more partnership opportunities with tribes.
- At the request of a tribe, develop and prepare agreements relating to mutual activities involving natural resources, fish and wildlife, or law enforcement (e.g., memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement) between the Service and the tribe.
- Continue to develop trust with tribes.
- Through the notification of Service regional and field staff, coordinate Service natural resource and fish and wildlife activities with local tribes as they affect their interests or concerns. If tribal interests or concerns are warranted, then the Service must provide the proper consultation "...to the greatest extent practicable an the extent permitted by law, with tribal governments prior to taking action that affects federally recognized tribal governments. All such consultations are to be open and candid so that all interested parties evaluate for themselves the potential impact of..." the activities that may effect Tribal land, Tribal trust resources, or Tribal rights."
- Notify tribes regarding change in Service policy or direction.
- Inform tribes of new laws enacted by congress that may affect tribal governments or their resources.
- Dismantle communication barriers between the Service and the tribes.
- Participate and/or attend tribal (or Service) annual conferences, meetings or forums relating to mutual natural resource or fish and wildlife topics.
- Serve as project officer for the two new tribal wildlife grant programs (Tribal Wildlife Grant, and Tribal Land Incentive Program) and coordinate tribal project activities between the region and the Washington Office.
- Coordinate Native American Liaison or Service and tribal activities with other federal agencies' Native American coordinators and work cooperatively on mutual interests.
- Prepare Native American Liaison activity reports on Service and tribal activities for the regional office and the Washington Office on an annual basis.
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