Native American and Alaska Native Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Program
The U.S. Institute's Native American and Alaska Native Environmental Program helps increase the appropriate and effective
use of collaborative problem-solving and conflict resolution in environmental matters involving Native American and
Alaska Native communities and federal agencies.
The program focuses on environmental, natural resource, public land and trust land issues where one or more tribes, in
addition to a federal agency or interest, are directly involved. Service areas include:
- Environmental planning;
- Government-to-government consultation;
- Policy development and implementation;
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) actions; and
- Consultations related to traditional cultural property and sacred sites.
For example, the U.S. Institute has provided consensus-building and mediation services to help:
Resolve a long-standing conflict that stalled a federal-tribal co-management plan for the National Bison Range
in Montana. Read more...
Bring together federal, state, tribal and local representatives to work collaboratively to draft a management
plan for Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho. Read more...
Develop a memorandum of understanding to guide federal-state-tribal consultations on transportation projects in
Tennessee. Read more...
Convene the 70 member Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee as it develops a shared vision and
comprehensive plan for recovery of threatened and endangered species in the Missouri River.
Read more...
The U.S. Institute also manages the Native Dispute Resolution Network, the only national network of
dispute resolvers with expertise in culturally appropriate collaborative dispute resolution and collaboration across
Tribal, Federal, and State governments.
Read more...
To build capacity, the U.S. Institute's training program delivers government-to-government consultation
workshops, collaborative competency trainings, as well as intercultural workshops providing
Native and non-Native practitioners the opportunity to share skills and practices for dealing with environmental issues
involving Native communities and federal agencies.
Read more...
The Udall Foundation submitted to OMB a
tribal plan outlining the Foundation's
mission and programs that support meaningful engagement of tribal nations. To further its mission, the
Foundation provides impartial collaboration, mediation, and facilitation services to tribal governments,
federal agencies, and others trying to resolve issues concerning the environment, natural resources, cultural
resources, and public lands. The Foundation offers training specifically designed to improve communication
between agencies and Indian tribes. In addition, the Foundation provides educational opportunities for American
Indians and Alaska Natives relating to government and policy. The tribal plan was created in furtherance of
President Barack Obama's November 5, 2009
Memorandum on Tribal Consultation.
The Udall Foundation's most recent status report to OMB regarding our engagement efforts is available
here.
The U.S. Institute's Native program compliments Udall Foundation initiatives that organize Congressional
internships for Native American and Alaska Native students
(read more...), and delivers
executive education tailored to the needs of tribal councilors and chairs through the Native Nations
Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy.
Read more...
Additionally, in partnership with several federal agencies and the Udall Foundation, the U.S. Institute will host the
7th national Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Conference (ECR2012) May 22-24, 2012. A key conference
track will focus on Federal-Tribal consultation polices and ECR.
Read more...
Staff Contact Information:
Sarah Palmer, Senior Program Manager (palmer@ecr.gov)
Milton Bluehouse, Jr., Program Manager (bluehouse@ecr.gov)
Libby Washburn, Director of Communications and External Relations
(washburn@udall.gov)
Mark Schaefer, Deputy Executive Director (schaefer@ecr.gov)
Click on the link below to print or download a booklet of case briefings.
Program Overview and Case Briefings Booklet