2012 Annual Tribal Self-Governance Department of the Interior and Department of Health and Human Services Conference April 23-27, 2017 Spokane, Washington Kelly Titensor Bureau of Reclamation Office of Native American and International Affairs Washington, DC Contact info: ktitensor@usbr.gov; 202-513-0558 Reclamation website: www.usbr.gov
Topics to Cover • Overview of Reclamation • Reclamation’s activities with Indian tribes • Reclamation and Tribal Self- Governance
Reclamation Overview
Bureau of Reclamation Mission Statement: To manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public
Reclamation Regions
The mission of Reclamation’s Native American Program is : • to make the benefits of the Reclamation program available to Indian Tribes, and • to fulfill Reclamation’s Indian Trust responsibilities.
Reclamation’s Native American Affairs Program
Director of Reclamation’s Native American Affairs Program Matthew Duchesne - Washington, DC • Director of the Native American and International Affairs Office • Leads Reclamation’s overall Native American program • Policy guidance to Reclamation pertaining to Reclamation’s work with Indian Tribes • Leads Reclamation’s participation in Interior’s water rights settlement program • Leads and supports Technical Assistance to Tribes program
Specific Indian policies, procedures and guidance • Indian Sacred Sites - Guidance for Implementing EO 13007 • Consultation with Tribal Governments • Indian Trust Responsibility Policy and Procedures • Government-to-Government Action Plan
BOR Indian Policies - Overarching Statement of Principle: “The Bureau of Reclamation will comply with both the letter and the spirit of Federal laws and policies relating to Indians; acknowledge and affirm the special relationship between the United States and Federally recognized Indian tribes; and actively seek partnerships with Indian tribes to ensure that tribes have the opportunity to participate fully in the Reclamation program as they develop and manage their water and related resources.”
How Reclamation Works • Reclamation Law • What Reclamation Can and Cannot Do • Project Funding • Project Oriented vs. Program Oriented
Types of Reclamation activities in Indian Country: • Irrigation projects • Municipal, rural and industrial (MR&I) water systems • Dam construction • Safety of dams • Drought relief • Emergency assistance • Other planning and engineering studies • Implementation of water rights settlements
Excerpts from Reclamation’s 1996 Government-to-Government Action Plan and Commissioner’s transmittal memorandum: “The United States has a unique legal relationship with federally recognized American Indian tribes, based on tribal powers of self-government. Reclamation has a responsibility to uphold this special relationship and to implement its activities in a manner consistent with it.” “The underlying policy of the Self-Determination and Self-Governance programs is to provide tribal governments with opportunities to exercise their governmental powers.”
Reclamation Activities in Indian Country • Funds for work benefitting tribes: $189 million from Reclamation’s enacted discretionary budget in FY14; $185 million in FY15; $240 million in FY16. • Compares to overall discretionary enacted budgets of around $1 billion
Work carried out under P.L. 93-638 - Title I and Title IV • Generally over 50% of Reclamation discretionary appropriated funding benefiting tribes is carried out under PL 93- 638 (both titles) • Title I and IV: About $110 million in FY14; $114 million in FY15; $162 million in FY16 from discretionary funds. • Title IV Annual Funding Agreements:$56 million in FY14; $40 million in FY15; $61 million in FY16.
Reclamation’s FY2016 Title IV AFAs: • 5 AFAs with 5 tribes in annual aggregate amount of about $52 million/year. • Tribes with AFAs entered into: – Chippewa-Cree of the Rocky Boys Reservation – Gila River Indian Community – Hoopa Valley Tribe – Karuk Tribe – Yurok Tribe
Federal Register Notice: • Components of the following water resource projects listed below may be eligible for inclusion in a self- governance annual funding agreement. This list was developed with consideration of the proximity of identified self-governance tribes to Reclamation projects. 1. Klamath Project, California and Oregon 2. Trinity River Fishery, California 3. Central Arizona Project, Arizona and New Mexico 4. Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Regional Water System, Montana 5. Indian Water Rights Settlement Projects, as Congressionally authorized
Typical language included in FR Notice (continued): • Reclamation also has some programs under which funding may be provided for specific tribal projects which qualify under the applicable program criteria, subject to available funding. When such projects are for the benefit of Self-Governance tribes, the projects, or portions thereof, may be eligible for inclusion in Self- Governance funding agreements. • Upon the request of a Self-Governance tribe, Reclamation will also consider for inclusion in funding agreements, other programs or activities which Reclamation determines to be eligible under Section 403(b)(2) or 403(c) of the Act.
Contact us to learn more … Regional Offices or Area Offices -- Indian program manager/coordinator/contact -- Reclamation program manager/contact -- Other project official Commissioner’s Office -- Native American and International Affairs Office -- Reclamation program manager
Key contact info Internet: www.usbr.gov/native -- links to information about programs and projects, names of program contacts Phone: --202-513-00553: Native American and International Affairs Office
The End...Thank you
Pictures of Typical Projects If there is time…
GRIC Irrigation Project- Feeder Canal Siphon
GRIC-Canal 13 in operation
GRIC-Completed drop and check structure
Rocky Boys/North Central Rural Water Project- Water Transmission Main
Rocky Boys/North Central Rural Water Project: Raw Water Intake Structure
Rocky Boys/North Central Rural Water Project-Raw Water Transmission Line
Rocky Boys/North Central Rural Water Project-Raw Water Intake
Trinity River Fisheries Enhancements
Trinity River Fisheries Enhancements
Trinity River Fisheries Enhancement
Trinity River Fisheries Enhancements
Trinity River Fisheries Enhancements
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