Comment & Consultation
State of Washington’s Nonpoint Plan – Comment by August 29
The State of Washington is updating its Water Quality Management Plan to Control Nonpoint Sources of Pollution (Nonpoint Plan). This statewide plan outlines strategies to address nonpoint pollution and ensures funding for the state and its partners to implement clean water solutions.
EPA’s Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for PFOA and PFOS – Comment by Aug 15
EPA’s Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) reflects the agency’s latest scientific understanding of the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by the presence of PFOA and PFOS in sewage sludge that is land applied as a soil conditioner or fertilizer (on agricultural, forested, and other lands), surface disposed (e.g., placed in a sewage sludge-only landfill called a monofill), or incinerated. The comment period has been extended to August 15.
- Learn more
- Comment on Regulations.gov (Docket ID no. EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0504)
DOI Dear Tribal Leader Letter re: upcoming consultation sessions – Various Dates
Attached is a Dear Tribal Leader Letter (DTLL) from the Department of the Interior announcing six upcoming in-person/hybrid Tribal consultation sessions around the country, one virtual Tribal consultation session, and one BIE related virtual consultation. The consultations will take place in Anchorage, AK; Sacramento, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Bloomington, MN; Oklahoma City, OK; and Washington, DC. The focus of these consultations will be related to Executive Order (EO) 14210—Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative and per the DTLL, will include the following topics – 1) Restructuring of Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribes; 2) Addressing current funding structures, including identifying efficiency barriers to expedite funding to Tribes and Tribal programs; and 3) Increasing Indian Affairs support for Tribal self-governance and self-determination.
Additional details are included in the letter and consultation details are listed generally below along with registration links for virtual access.
Alaska Consultation
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 am – 3 :30 pm Alaska Daylight Savings Time
James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building
Conference Room
222 W 7th A venue
Anchorage, AK 99513
Federal Building – will require valid ID and security requirements for building entrance.
Zoom registration link: httns://tinvurl.corn/2i5kmf6c
California Consultation
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Daylight Savings Time
John E. Moss Federal Building
Stanford Room
650 Capital Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
Federal Building – will require valid ID and security requirements for building entrance.
Zoom registration link: https:/ /tinyurl.com/4kaw23na
Albuquerque Consultation
Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 a.m. -3:30 pm Mountain Daylight Savings Time
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Auditorium
9169 Coors Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87121
Zoom registration link:
https:/ /tinyurl.com/ycj9f9y9
Minnesota Consultation
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 am- 3:30 pm Central Daylight Savings Time
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Visitor Center Auditorium
3815 American Blvd E
Bloomington, MN 55425
Zoom registration link: https:/ /tinyurl.com/f5teu4ur
BIE Interested Parties – Virtual Consultation
Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
Type: Virtual for the BIE Interested Parties
Session: 10:00 am- 3:30 pm Eastern Time
Zoom registration link: https://tinyurl.com/5acbm7us
Oklahoma Consultation
Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00-3:30 pm Central Daylight Savings Time
Supreme Court of Oklahoma
Judicial Center Auditorium
2100 North Lincoln
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Federal Building – will require valid ID and security requirements for building entrance.
Zoom registration link: https:/ /tinyurl.com/3x2bzf98
Washington, DC Consultation
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Type: In-person and Virtual (Hybrid) Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 am- 3:30 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time
U.S. Department of the Interior
Yates Auditorium
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Federal Building – will require valid ID and security requirements for building entrance.
Zoom registration link: https://tinyurl.com/bdemyc49
Virtual Tribal Consultation
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Type: Virtual Tribal Consultation
Session: 10:00 am- 3:30 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Zoom registration link: https://tinyurl.corn/txhp98ua
Withdrawal of Tribal Baseline Water Quality Standards Rule
On December 20, EPA withdrew the proposed rule, “Federal Baseline Water Quality Standards for Indian Reservations.” The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register and was undergoing review by the Office of Management and Budget. EPA is instead focusing its resources on engaging with Tribes to support their efforts to seek authority to administer their own water quality standards (WQS) programs under the Clean Water Act’s provision for an eligible Tribe to be treated in a similar manner as a state (TAS). EPA will continue to work closely with, and offer support to, Tribes that are interested in pursuing TAS to administer a WQS program and developing their own WQS under the Clean Water Act. If you have questions or would like to discuss TAS and WQS-related topics, contact Rachel Renkins, Water Quality Standards Coordinator, at Renkens.Rachael@epa.gov.
Presentation: How Tribes Can Influence Agency Decision Making
Public participation matters. Democratic, legal, and management principles justify why public comments make a difference in regulatory policy. Big Corporations, private citizens, industry polluters also comment, it is important that Tribal perspectives are represented alongside others.
Slides from RTOC Policy Advisor, Rich Eichsteadt on How Tribes Can Influence Agency Decision Making.pdf
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