EPA Announces $6 Million for Tribes to Support Wetlands and Healthy Watersheds
WASHINGTON - Today, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced selections under two Clean Water Act (CWA) grant programs to support leadership of Tribes in protecting and restoring water resources. The agency anticipates awarding approximately $3 million to 18 Tribal nations and one Intertribal organization under the Tribal Wetland Program Development Grant competition and an additional $3 million in CWA Section 319 Tribal Competitive Grants to 32 Tribal nations to support projects to manage nonpoint source pollution.
“Strong Tribal water quality programs are the building blocks for safeguarding sources of drinking water, supporting healthy ecosystems, and ensuring safe recreational, economic, and subsistence activities,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water Radhika Fox. “These grants help build strong equitable Tribal government programs to protect, preserve, and restore water resources while complementing existing Federal Clean Water Act programs.”
“Investments to improve water quality begins at the local level, and EPA is pleased to support the development and implementation of Tribal programs to protect wetland resources and reduce non-point source contamination to our waterways. Actions through these programs will contribute to improved health for Tribal communities, improved ecologic function, and the safe practice of Tribal cultural tradition,” said JoAnn Chase, Director of EPA’s American Indian Environmental Office.
Projects selected under the Tribal Wetland Program Development Grant competition would support development of wetland monitoring and assessment, restoration, regulatory, and management programs.
Region 1
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Region 4
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Region 5
- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
- Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Region 8
- Chippewa Cree Tribe
- Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Region 9
- Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians
- Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians
- La Posta Band of Mission Indians
- Resighini Rancheria
Region 10
- Coeur d'Alene Tribe
- Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians
- Quinault Indian Nation
- The Klamath Tribes
- Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington
- Chugach Regional Resources Commission
- Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
EPA’s Tribal Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants would support projects to address nonpoint source pollution through practices including streambank protection, riparian area and wetland restoration, livestock exclusion fencing, and community outreach and education.
Region 1
- Penobscot Indian Nation
- Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
Region 2
- Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
Region 4
- Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
Region 5
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
- Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
- Prairie Island Indian Community
Region 6
- Pueblo of Santa Clara
Region 8
- Southern Ute Indian Tribe
- Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
Region 9
- Bishop Paiute Tribe
- South Fork Band of the Te-Moak Tribe
- Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
- Fort Bidwell Indian Community
- Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians
- Walker River Paiute Tribe
- San Carlos Apache Tribe
- Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
- Havasupai Tribe
- Cedarville Rancheria
- La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians
- Navajo Nation
- Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation
Region 10
- Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation
- Nez Perce Tribe
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
- Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation
- Klamath Tribe
- Tulalip Tribes of Washington
- Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
In addition to competitive grants, each year EPA’s Nonpoint Source Program awards approximately $5 million in base grants to eligible Tribes to support staffing and program work.
Grant awards under both programs will be made once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. EPA received forty-four (44) applications for over $7.5 million under the Wetland Program Development Grants and forty (40) applications for over $3.7 million under the Tribal Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants.
For more information on Wetland Program Development Grants: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants-and-epa-wetlands-grant-coordinators.
For more information on Tribal Nonpoint Source Management Grants: https://www.epa.gov/nps/tribal.