The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is initiating consultation with federally recognized Indian Tribes on the agency’s intention to propose to rescind the 2024 Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions to Protect Tribal Reserved Rights (“2024 Rule”).
The agency’s anticipated timeline for the consultation and coordination period is for 30 days from March 23, 2026, to April 21, 2026. This consultation process will be conducted consistent with the EPA Policy on Consultation with Indian Tribes and the EPA Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty or Similar Rights.1 The agency invites you and/or your designated consultation representative(s) to participate in this consultation process to discuss your experiences with and views on the 2024 Rule. We invite you to a Tribal consultation kick-off webinar to be held on March 31, 2026, from 1:00PM – 3:00 PM Eastern. To register for the consultation kick-off webinar, please respond via the registration link in the enclosed consultation plan.
If you would like to request government-to-government consultation with the agency on this action, please have your staff contact the agency via email to Galavotti.Holly@epa.gov by April 7, 2026. Please also identify a Tribal representative to serve as a point of contact for planning purposes. The EPA will work with your staff to schedule the consultation meeting with your Tribal government as requests are received. The EPA would like to conclude consultation meetings by April 21, 2026, so that input from Tribal governments can be received and considered as the agency drafts proposed regulatory revisions.
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