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Roles in Indian Country Resources
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Background Information Federal Executive Branch Resources Tribal Codes, Tribal Environmental Laws, and Federal Indian Law |
Links to Tribal Government Web Sites Other Environmental Web Sites |
Background Information
This page discusses the federal regulations that may apply to tribal government operations. The purpose of this section is to highlight and briefly describe the applicable federal requirements and to provide citations. This page also discusses EPA's role in directly implementing and enforcing federal environmental laws in Indian country and the process through which tribal governments can assume responsibility for implementing certain federal environmental programs.
In addition to the federal environmental programs discussed on this page, tribal governments may use their own inherent authority to develop environmental laws.
Federal Executive Branch Resources
Department Of Agriculture
Guide to USDA Programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives provides links to the document as well as information about accessing the document in other media.
Forest Service National Resource Guide to American Indian and Alaska Native Relations provides links to the document in pdf format.
Department Of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau's American Indian and Alaska Native Data and Links provides Census data and other information links concerning American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Popular Resources
Roles in Indian Country Topics
Department of Defense
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense For Installations and Environment developed the Native American Environmental Tracking System 
to track information regarding environmental impacts on tribal lands.
Department of Energy
Office of Intergovernmental and Public Accountability promotes active public involvement in the Environmental Management planning and decision-making processes. The mission of our office is to provide State, Tribal, and local governments and other interested stakeholders with opportunities for meaningful involvement managing the cleanup and closure of the Nation's former nuclear weapons complex.
The Native American Treaties and Agreements (PDF) (16 pp, 1.3MB, About PDF) are a collection of Executive Orders, Treaties, Proclamations, and Memorandums concerning United States policy on Native American affairs.
Department of Health and Human Services
Indian Health Services' (IHS) mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.
The National Library of Medicine's American Indian Health Web site is designed to bring together health and medical resources pertinent to the American Indian population, including policies, consumer health information, and research.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Office of Tribal Affairs assists tribal governments with environmental health issues.
The Administration for Native Americans serves all Native Americans, including 562 federally recognized tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations and Native populations throughout the Pacific basin (including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Housing and Urban Development, Office of Native American Programs provides information about safe, decent and affordable housing as well as economic opportunities, assistance and development information.
Code Talk is a federal inter-agency Native American Web site that provides information for Native American communities. Code Talk is hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Native American Programs.
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management administers 262 million acres of America's public lands, located primarily in 12 Western States. The BLM sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Tribal Preservation Program of the National Park Service assists Indian tribes in preserving their historic properties and cultural traditions. The Web site offers links to cultural resource and historic preservation material.
The National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) program assists the Secretary of the Interior with some of the Secretary's responsibilities under NAGPRA, and focuses on NAGPRA implementation outside of the National Park System. National NAGPRA is a program of the National Park Service's National Center for Cultural Resources.
Native American Library of the Department of the Interior provides links to a number U.S. Government Web sites related to Native Americans.
Office of Native American Liaison at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identifies areas where both Federal and tribal conservation efforts can most effectively conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
The Bureau of Reclamation's Native American Program serves as the central coordination point for the Native American Affairs Program and is Reclamation's policy lead for all Native American issues.
The U.S. Geological Survey's American Indian/Alaska Native Coordinating Team establishes policy and to coordinates USGS activities.
U.S. Geological Survey's Indian Land Maps include maps showing the results of cases before the U.S. Indian Claims Commission or U.S. Court of Claims in which an American Indian tribe proved it's original tribal occupancy of a tract within the continental United States and Indian lands of the United States.
American Indian Liaison Office at the National Park Service seeks to improve relationships between American Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and the National Park Service through consultation, outreach, technical assistance, education, and advisory services.
Department of Justice
The Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) at the Department of Justice provides a single point of contact within the Justice Department for meeting the broad and complex federal responsibilities owed to Indian tribes. OTJ, in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, serves to unify the federal response.
Department of Labor
Division of Indian and Native American Programs in the Employment & Training Administration provides quality employment and training services to Native American communities that not only meet regulatory requirements, but also are administered in ways that are consistent with the traditional cultural values and beliefs of the people they are designed to serve.
Department of Transportation
DOT's Federal Highway Administration provides guidance and technical assistance to tribes about transportation concerns.
Environmental Protection Agency
American Indian Environmental Office coordinates the Agency-wide effort to strengthen public health and environmental protection in Indian Country, with a special emphasis on building Tribal capacity to administer their own environmental programs.
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission is a resource for tribal governments, organizations and consumers in expanding telecommunication services in Indian country.
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's mission is to promote the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of our Nation's historic resources, and advise the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. ACHP Web site offers information on their ACHP Native American Program and related Guidance for Federal Agencies and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.
United States Congress Resources
United States Senate, Committee on Indian Affairs has jurisdiction to study the unique problems of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples and to propose legislation to alleviate these difficulties. These issues include, but are not limited to, Indian education, economic development, land management, trust responsibilities, healthcare, and claims against the United States.
Office of Native American and Insular Affairs - Committee on Resources - United States House of Representatives provides links to various government links related to Native American and Insular Affairs.
The Library of Congress' Guide to Law Online is a selective, annotated compendium of Internet links and offers the full texts of laws, regulations, and court decisions, along with commentary from lawyers writing primarily for other lawyers. Materials related to law and government written by or for laypersons is also included, as is government sites providing general information.
Tribal Codes, Tribal Environmental Laws, and Federal Indian Law
Native American Constitution and Law Digitization Project is a cooperative effort among the University of Oklahoma Law Center, the National Indian Law Library (NILL), and Native American tribes providing access to the Constitutions, Tribal Codes, and other legal documents.
Cornell Legal Information Institute's Web site contains a list of legislation that pertains to Indian Law, with links to the full text of the legislation.
University of North Dakota's Tribal Environmental Law Project focuses on environmental justice concerns in Indian Country.
Findlaw's Subject Guide to Indian Law Web site includes summaries of law, links to documents, briefs, articles and books, message boards, and firms online.
Tribal Environmental Law Virtual Library at Vermont Law School offers tribal codes, rules, and laws. Also included are "model" or "template" codes and analytical papers by scholars and practitioners.
Handbook of Federal Indian Law by Felix S. Cohen provides links to the contents of the Handbook.
National Tribal Environmental Council is a resource for all federally recognized tribes.
University of Colorado at Boulder's Native American Treaties and Information Web site provides links and citations to library resources.
Tribal Codes and Constitutions provided by the tribes under the auspices of the National Indian Law Library and its partners - the National Tribal Justice Resource Center and the University of Oklahoma Law Library.
Tribal Court Clearinghouse is designed as a resource for tribal justice systems and others involved in the enhancement of justice in Indian country.
Tribal Ordinance/Code Development Resources of the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University provides links to other Tribal Ordinance/Code Development Resources.
Building Support for the Development of the Hualapai Tribal Court by Michael S. Goldstein. The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development provides a link to the document.
Links to Tribal Government Web Sites
Tribal Directory from The American Indian Heritage Foundation Web site provides additional information.
EPA Region 10's links to federally-recognized Indian tribes. The Tribal Governments and Organizations' Web sites provides more information.
Other Environmental Web Sites
NativeWeb is an international, nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to using telecommunications to disseminate information from and about indigenous nations, peoples, and organizations around the world; to foster communication between native and non-native peoples; to conduct research involving indigenous peoples' usage of technology and the Internet; and to provide resources, mentoring, and services to facilitate indigenous peoples' use of this technology.
Native Americas Journal is the award-winning publication of Akwe:kon Press of the American Indian Program at Cornell University. It features articles that cover the most important and critical issues of concern to Native American peoples throughout the Western Hemisphere.
WWW Virtual Library - American Indians is an index of Native American Resources on the Internet.
Native Americans and the Environment is a non profit seeking to educate the public on environmental problems in Native American communities; explore the values and historical experiences that Native Americans bring to bear on environmental issues; to promote conservation measures that respect Native American land and resource rights.
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For related information visit EPA’s National Indian Country Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Priority site and EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in Indian country site. |