EPA's Support for Environmental Protection in Indian Country
Preserving, Safeguarding, and Enhancing Native American Territories
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to protecting human health and the environment in Indian country. To achieve this, the EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) Tribal program offers several key programs and resources to support waste management, cleanup, and environmental protection.
Waste Management and Cleanup Initiatives
The OLEM Tribal program focuses on promoting safe waste management practices, assessing and cleaning up contaminated sites, reducing waste, and preventing future contamination. It also includes efforts to prepare for and respond to environmental emergencies in Indian country.
Environmental Protection and Sovereignty Support
The EPA works to protect human health and the environment in Indian country while supporting Tribal sovereignty and strengthening government-to-government relationships with Tribes. Special consideration is given to Tribal interests in making Agency policy, ensuring close involvement of Tribal Governments in decision-making and environmental program management.
Training and Educational Resources
Webinars are provided to assist Tribes in understanding their role in environmental emergencies, such as oil spill prevention and chemical emergency preparedness. Specific topics include lithium-ion battery challenges and spill prevention, control, and countermeasures.
Community Engagement and Forums
The Tribal Lands and Environment Forum (TLEF) is a platform where Tribes can share knowledge and participate in sessions, training, and exhibitions. The 2025 TLEF is scheduled to take place in Minneapolis, MN, and includes opportunities for registration, proposal submission, and sponsorship.
Policy and Regulatory Support
The EPA works with Tribes to implement federal environmental laws, ensuring that Tribal concerns are addressed in policy-making. The program supports Tribal environmental programs through grants and collaborative projects.
For more information, visit the EPA's Tribal Lands Page at www.epa.gov/tribal-lands or the EPA's Environmental Protection in Indian Country at www.epa.gov/tribal. Registration for the TLEF can be found through the EPA's OLEM Tribal Program portal.
The OLEM Tribal program also offers dedicated tracks at conferences, such as the National Brownfields Training Conference in Chicago, IL, which features a track on Forging Effective Partnerships with Tribal Governments (Track 7). The program is also responsible for the Superfund Remedial Program in Indian Country and responds to environmental emergencies.
In addition, the EPA provides Tribal Oil Spill Prevention and Chemical Emergency Preparedness Webinars, Tribal Waste Management Training Resources, and quick start guides to help Tribes safely manage specific wastes and operate small-scale transfer stations on Tribal lands. The Underground Storage Tanks Program in Indian Country, Tribal Response Programs, the Tribal Waste Management Funding Resources Directory, and the Cleanups in your Community map are also part of the EPA's efforts to support Tribes in environmental protection.
The EPA Tribal Consultations Opportunities provide opportunities for Tribes to consult with the EPA on environmental issues, and the Cleanup Funding Authorities Available to Tribal Governments are resources for funding cleanup projects. Consideration of Tribal Treaty Rights and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the Superfund Remedial Program is a part of the cleanup process.
- The EPA's OLEM Tribal program supports waste management by promoting safe practices, assessing contaminated sites, reducing waste, and preventing future contamination, particularly focusing on lithium-ion battery challenges and spill prevention.
- In the field of health-and-wellness and environmental-science, the EPA offers educational resources such as webinars on oil spill prevention and chemical emergency preparedness, in addition to quick start guides for safely managing specific wastes.
- Environmental protection in Indian country is strengthened by the EPA's policy and regulatory support, which involves implementing federal environmental laws, implementing the Superfund Remedial Program in Indian Country, and offering funding resources like the Tribal Waste Management Funding Resources Directory and the Cleanups in your Community map.
