This section contains information about the Agency's active and past consultations with Indian tribal governments (tribal governments). FEMA recognizes the government-to-government relationship between the U.S. government and federally recognized tribes. To acknowledge and honor the sovereignty of tribal nations, FEMA conducts regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with federally recognized tribes to ensure that FEMA policies and programs address tribal needs.
FEMA's Tribal Consultation Policy, which was finalized in August 2014 with input from tribes, outlines the process that FEMA officials use to conduct consultation with Indian tribes and Tribal Officials.
Current Consulations
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking input from tribal governments, officials and other interested stakeholders during consultation on our update of the FEMA Tribal Policy. The policy guides how the Agency implements a framework for nation-to-nation relations with federally recognized tribal governments. Through this framework, FEMA recognizes tribal sovereignty, self-governance, and our trust responsibility consistent with applicable authorities.
The updated policy will supersede the current FEMA Tribal Policy, issued in 2013, which expires on December 30, 2016. The goal is to update the policy based on tribal input, to reflect current authorities, address key policy questions, and continue our efforts to improve the Agency’s nation-to-nation relationship with tribal governments. FEMA is committed to work together with tribes to build, sustain, and improve every tribal governments’ capacity to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against all hazards.
This consultation period encourages tribal input and will seek opportunities to facilitate tribal leaders’, or their designee’s, feedback, during the policy update process. FEMA will engage officials through face-to-face meetings, national and regional association conferences, conference calls, and webinars to seek input on questions highlighted in the FEMA Tribal Policy: Key Concepts document. Tribal officials’ suggestions and comments will inform further development and refinement of FEMA’s Tribal Policy. Margeau Valteau will serve as Tribal Consultation Coordinator (TCC).
Tribal officials can submit comments on the FEMA Tribal Policy until October 28, 2016, either by e-mail to tribalconsultation@fema.dhs.gov or by mail to:
ATTN: Margeau Valteau, Office of External Affairs (OEA),
DHS/FEMA,
500 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472-3605
Past Consultations
These are records of past FEMA tribal consultations in chronological order, including audio recordings and transcripts of listening sessions, Federal Register Notices, and letters of testimony. These documents are no longer open for comment.
The Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide “Key Concepts” document is out for comment and posted on FEMA’s Website. This 7-page document summarizes key concepts and questions that FEMA seeks tribal governments' input on to inform an update of the Agency's policy on tribal hazard mitigation planning. Comments Closed.
The Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance document is out for comment and posted on the Federal Register here. The Guidance can also be found here for review and comment. Comments Closed.
FEMA Seeks Comments on PDA Manual: FEMA is seeking comments from state, tribal, and local emergency management practitioners on the draft Preliminary Damage Assessment Operating Manual. The manual establishes national damage assessment standards developed from historic lessons learned and best-practices already in use by local, state, tribal and federal emergency management agencies. The draft manual is posted on the FEMA website. Comments should be added to the comment matrix and submitted to PDAmanual@fema.dhs.gov.The comment period will be open to Tribal Nations and the broader public until November 14, 2015.
Seeking Comments on the Guidelines for Implementing the Federal Flood Risk Standard: Prior to implementation of the Standard additional input from stakeholders is being solicited and considered on the Guidelines. The new federal flood risk standard requires all future federal investments in and affecting floodplains to meet the level of resilience as established by the Standard. For example, this includes where federal funds are used to build new structures and facilities or to rebuild those that have been damaged.
FEMA Publishes FEMA and Tribal Nations - A Pocket Guide: This pocket guide explains the Agency's policies related to tribal engagement, outlines key FEMA programs and how they specifically relate to federally-recognized tribes, and provides key contact information. Contact your regional tribal liasion and get your copy today!
FEMA Tribal Consultation Policy Signed: On August 12, 2014, the FEMA Administrator signed the final FEMA Tribal Consultation Policy, which established a process to guide FEMA officials on how to engage Indian tribes and Tribal Officials in regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration on actions that have tribal consultations. View the new policy.
- Consultation on Procedures to Request Emergency or Major Disaster Declarations (March-April 2013). This consultation requested tribal comment on the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 and on the new process for tribal emergency and major disaster declarations.
- Consultation on the Tribal Consultation Policy (October 2013 - August 2014). FEMA created a draft tribal consultation policy and sought feedback from all federally recognized tribes. The tribal consultation policy establishes a process to guide FEMA officials on how to engage tribes and tribal Officials in regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration on actions that have tribal implications. The final policy was published in August 2014.
- Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance First Draft (April - August 2104) This guidance describes how FEMA will process and evaluate requests from tribal governments for a disaster declaration, independent of a state. FEMA developed the first draft of guidance, using input from tribal governments in 2013.
- Tribal Declarations Pilot Guidance Second Draft (January - April 2016) FEMA conducted a third round of consultation on the second draft guidance with tribal governements through listening sessions throughout the country in 2016. The input received will be used to develope the final guidance. (Anticipated to be published by the end of 2016)
Submitting Comments
Do you have questions or feedback on current consultations? Please email contact your Regional Tribal Liaison or email tribalconsultation@fema.dhs.gov.