By Tom B.K. Goldtooth
About the Author: Tom B. K. Goldtooth is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, formed in 1990 to address environmental and economic justice issues. Mr. Goldtooth is Diné and Dakota, and, since the late 1980s, has been involved with environment related issues and programs, working within tribal governments to develop indigenous-based environmental protection infrastructures, and with indigenous peoples worldwide to address environmental concerns.
One year ago this month, EPA released its Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples . “All tribal and indigenous communities deserve environmental and public health protection,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told Indian Country Today. “Through this agreement, [EPA is] reinforcing [its] commitment to tribal communities, especially in addressing issues of Environmental Justice.”
In the years preceding EPA’s new tribal EJ policy, agency staff regularly engaged federally-recognized tribal governments, but weren’t engaging other indigenous peoples. There was no framework in place to facilitate building consensus between tribes, industry, and threatened indigenous communities and members.
The way in which EPA will now implement Executive Order 12898 with tribal officials and indigenous peoples, is a significant step in the right direction. Specifically, the policy outlines the importance of “…early meaningful involvement opportunities for federally recognized tribes, indigenous peoples, and others living in Indian country, at all stages of Agency activity, including the development of public participation activities, the administrative review process, and any analysis conducted to evaluate environmental justice issues.”
Containing 17 principles, the policy is simple to understand and straightforward in outlining how EPA will engage and make decisions based on input from tribal governments, indigenous peoples, and others living in Indian country.
So, how will this new policy have a positive impact on the future of environmental justice for tribes and indigenous peoples?
Environmentally and culturally harmful practices of extractive industries (e.g. mining of uranium, coal and other natural resources) on tribal trust lands and traditional indigenous territories has and will continue to be a particular environmental justice concern. Therefore, EPA’s expansion of public involvement and working with “key points of contact in affected communities” is necessary.
Collaborative problem-solving meeting with Tribal government officials, Indigenous peoples, EPA, and other stakeholders at Fort Berthold, North Dakota.
Indigenous community members should take advantage of various forms of conflict resolution (including “tribal and indigenous peoples’ traditional consensus building and decision-making practices…”) to work with EPA to address threats to the environment and human health in Indian country and in other areas of interest to tribes and indigenous peoples.
EPA’s technical guidance and technical assistance for those with limited resources will help citizens build capacity to participate effectively in government outreach and public participation processes, and effect positive environmental justice outcomes. The more that tribal officials, grassroots organizations, indigenous community members, and others living in Indian country, engage with each other, the more likely equitable social, economic, cultural, and spiritual rights will be preserved for future generations.
This new policy was years in the making. In the process, EPA consulted with tribes and engaged in outreach to tribal members, indigenous individuals, and other organizations in an effort to develop a policy that could help improve the protection of the environment in Indian country for future generations.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations, as well as tribal representatives, to work with EPA to implement the policy to help provide solutions to current environmental problems, protect our sacred sites, and avoid destruction of the natural systems that sustain all life on Mother Earth.
We must be sure to move forward with this policy in a way that:
- Emphasizes effective implementation
- Improves relationships between federally recognized tribes and government agencies and between other indigenous peoples and government agencies
- Provides effective environmental and public health protection
- Protects Indigenous lifeways and treaty rights
For those interested in engaging in a meaningful dialogue about the policy, EPA representatives and I will discuss Implementing EPA’s Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples, at the Tribal Lands and Environment Forum on August 19 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/1TbpjI1
By Tom B.K. Goldtooth
About the Author: Tom B. K. Goldtooth is the Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, formed in 1990 to address environmental and economic justice issues. Mr. Goldtooth is Diné and Dakota, and, since the late 1980s, has been involved with environment related issues and programs, working within tribal governments to develop indigenous-based environmental protection infrastructures, and with indigenous peoples worldwide to address environmental concerns.
One year ago this month, EPA released its Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples . “All tribal and indigenous communities deserve environmental and public health protection,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy told Indian Country Today. “Through this agreement, [EPA is] reinforcing [its] commitment to tribal communities, especially in addressing issues of Environmental Justice.”
In the years preceding EPA’s new tribal EJ policy, agency staff regularly engaged federally-recognized tribal governments, but weren’t engaging other indigenous peoples. There was no framework in place to facilitate building consensus between tribes, industry, and threatened indigenous communities and members.
The way in which EPA will now implement Executive Order 12898 with tribal officials and indigenous peoples, is a significant step in the right direction. Specifically, the policy outlines the importance of “…early meaningful involvement opportunities for federally recognized tribes, indigenous peoples, and others living in Indian country, at all stages of Agency activity, including the development of public participation activities, the administrative review process, and any analysis conducted to evaluate environmental justice issues.”
Containing 17 principles, the policy is simple to understand and straightforward in outlining how EPA will engage and make decisions based on input from tribal governments, indigenous peoples, and others living in Indian country.
So, how will this new policy have a positive impact on the future of environmental justice for tribes and indigenous peoples?
Environmentally and culturally harmful practices of extractive industries (e.g. mining of uranium, coal and other natural resources) on tribal trust lands and traditional indigenous territories has and will continue to be a particular environmental justice concern. Therefore, EPA’s expansion of public involvement and working with “key points of contact in affected communities” is necessary.
Collaborative problem-solving meeting with Tribal government officials, Indigenous peoples, EPA, and other stakeholders at Fort Berthold, North Dakota.
Indigenous community members should take advantage of various forms of conflict resolution (including “tribal and indigenous peoples’ traditional consensus building and decision-making practices…”) to work with EPA to address threats to the environment and human health in Indian country and in other areas of interest to tribes and indigenous peoples.
EPA’s technical guidance and technical assistance for those with limited resources will help citizens build capacity to participate effectively in government outreach and public participation processes, and effect positive environmental justice outcomes. The more that tribal officials, grassroots organizations, indigenous community members, and others living in Indian country, engage with each other, the more likely equitable social, economic, cultural, and spiritual rights will be preserved for future generations.
This new policy was years in the making. In the process, EPA consulted with tribes and engaged in outreach to tribal members, indigenous individuals, and other organizations in an effort to develop a policy that could help improve the protection of the environment in Indian country for future generations.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations, as well as tribal representatives, to work with EPA to implement the policy to help provide solutions to current environmental problems, protect our sacred sites, and avoid destruction of the natural systems that sustain all life on Mother Earth.
We must be sure to move forward with this policy in a way that:
- Emphasizes effective implementation
- Improves relationships between federally recognized tribes and government agencies and between other indigenous peoples and government agencies
- Provides effective environmental and public health protection
- Protects Indigenous lifeways and treaty rights
For those interested in engaging in a meaningful dialogue about the policy, EPA representatives and I will discuss Implementing EPA’s Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples, at the Tribal Lands and Environment Forum on August 19 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/1TbpjI1
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