EPA Announces 11th Annual Tribal Lands and Environment Forum
Continuing EPA’s Commitment to a National Dialogue with Tribal Nations on Protecting Human Health and the Environment in Indian Country
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the upcoming 2021 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum (TLEF): A Virtual Gathering. The Tribal Lands Forum serves as an important opportunity for EPA to build strong relationships with our Tribal partners and support them in protecting and restoring their land. This year’s forum will be held from Monday, August 16 to Thursday, August 19.
“EPA’s Tribal Lands Forum is an important part of the Biden Harris Administration’s commitments to strengthen the partnership with Tribal Nations, and to address the systemic inequities that impact Indigenous people,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I want to thank the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals and the Tribal Waste and Response Steering Committee for inviting me to participate. We have important work in store as part of a national effort to better protect human health and the environment in Tribal lands.”
This year’s interactive sessions will engage and train EPA’s Tribal partners, as well as other stakeholders including federal, state, and local governments, academia, non-profit organizations, consultants, students, and others, on effectively implementing EPA’s brownfields, emergency response, solid and hazardous waste, Superfund, underground storage tanks, and other program areas in Indian country.
Welcome and opening plenary remarks will be provided by:
- Michael S. Regan, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Barry Breen, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Land and Emergency Management
- Carlton Waterhouse, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Land and Emergency Management
- Jane Nishida, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of International and Tribal Affairs
The TLEF’s virtual platform will offer several opportunities for participants to network, meet colleagues, share lessons learned and best practices, and foster meaningful dialogue on topics important to Tribes.
Registration for the 2021 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum: A Virtual Gathering TLEF is free. For more information and to register for the event, please visit: https://tlef2021.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home.
Background
Co-hosted by EPA and the Northern Arizona University/Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, the TLEF is the largest conference for Tribal environmental professionals in the country and draws attendees from across the U.S.
The 2021 TLEF will feature two plenary sessions, three simultaneous tracks with breakout sessions, pre-recorded on-demand sessions, interactive features, themed discussion rooms, and a virtual cultural event.