Guidance on Section 106 Grants to Indian Tribes

Lena Ferris, US EPA Office of Wastewater ManagementNovember 2007

History on Tribal Section 106 Program

• New grantees eligible every year– 249 tribes are currently eligible– 10 new tribes eligible in 2006– 3 new tribes eligible in 2007– Since FY2000, number of eligible tribes has

increased by 63%

• Section 106 guidance for tribes last updated in 2000

• Previous guidance did not establish national, consistent tribal water quality program guidelines

Need for Tribal 106 Guidance

• Increased federal funding for tribal WQ program– $3M per year in early 1990s to approx $25M in

FY07

• Inconsistent programmatic and reporting requirements– Required information varies by region

• Unable to document and report on national program results or outcomes

• Desire to include tribal water conditions as part of national water quality assessments

Goals of the Section 106 Guidance

• The release of the Guidance on Awards of Grants to Indian Tribes under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act is intended to help tribal water quality program managers, staff, and other tribal environmental decision makers design and implement effective and successful water quality programs.

• The guidance establishes procedures and guidelines (including reporting requirements) for EPA regions to consider when awarding and administering grants to federally recognized tribes under the authority of section 106 of the Clean Water Act for fiscal year (FY) 2007 and subsequent years.

Goals for Tribal 106 Guidance

• Establish a nationally consistent structure to manage section 106 tribal grants

• Define grant expectations and reporting requirements

• Document national tribal WQ program results

• Create accountability but allow flexibility• Help tribes measure progress and define

success for their programs