Region 7 Tribal Program

Mission

Through collaborative efforts across all program offices, EPA Region 7 strives to implement the EPA’s 1984 Indian Policy to protect human health, the environment, and cultural resources in Indian country.  Region 7 works to ensure that the Federal Indian Trust Responsibility is carried out while working with tribes on a Government-to-Government basis.

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Vision

Region 7 envisions a partnership and an "environmental presence" with each of the nine federally-recognized tribes. An "environmental presence“ means having at least one grant, certification, delegation, participation in an EPA program, collaborative effort with an EPA-implemented program, and/or on-site technical assistance from EPA Region 7.

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About

The Tribal Program is committed to help build tribal capacity to manage environmental programs in Indian country, and to ensure that tribes have a voice in decisions that affect their land, air, and water resources.  Region 7 supports the principle of tribal self-governance and operates on the basis of “Consultation and Coordination” with tribes, while partnering with other federal agencies, state and local governments. For more information on EPA’s relationship with tribes, see EPA’s American Indian Environmental Office Web site links to: Policies & Initiatives & Laws, Regulations & Guidance. To reach the Region 7 Tribal Program, contact Wolfgang Brandner at brandner.wolfgang@epa.gov or see the Region 7 Contacts page.

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Implementation of Environmental Laws and Programs

See EPA’s Profile of Tribal Government Operations for more information about compliance assistance in Indian county and federal environmental laws relevant to tribes with provisions for administration by eligible tribal governments.