Tribal Consultation in EPA's Pacific Southwest (Region 9)

The EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes establishes clear EPA standards for the consultation process. The Policy sets a broad standard for when EPA should consider consulting with federally recognized tribal governments based on Executive Order 13175 and the 1984 EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations.

The following documents describe how Region 9 generally conducts consultation and coordination with federally recognized tribal governments when EPA actions or decisions may affect tribal interest.

To view current EPA consultation opportunities, visit the Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS). To get email notification on upcoming EPA Tribal Consultation, join the TCOTS Listserv at join-epa_tcots@lists.epa.gov.

• Tribal Engagement Opportunities for National and Regional Water Actions (pdf) (339.18 KB, May—June 2025)
  Compiled schedule of upcoming consultation engagement opportunities for various EPA proposed Water actions on deck. This document provides both a visual calendar component to track important consultation dates and includes a narrative component that briefly summarizes all current actions with more specific resources.
• EPA Region 9 Tribal Consultation Best Practices for Air and Radiation Division Regulatory Actions (pdf) (244.57 KB, August 22, 2021)
  The purpose of this document is to clearly state several best practices for consultation when Region 9’s Air and Radiation Division (ARD) takes a regulatory action required by the Clean Air Act (CAA) or actions guided by EPA policy and/or guidance. ARD developed this document in response to concerns raised by our tribal partners regarding past consultation practices.
• EPA Region 9 Best Practices for Tribal Consultation and Treaty Rights (pdf) (312.12 KB, September 2018)
  EPA Pacific Southwest (Region 9) implementation best practices for EPA's Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes and Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights.
• EPA Region 9 Approach to Consultation with Tribal Governments Regarding Non-Enforcement Related Matters (pdf) (166.62 KB, April 2012)
  This document is intended as a communication tool for EPA's Pacific Southwest, Region 9. It describes how Region 9 generally has approached consultation with tribal governments when addressing matters other than enforcement.
• EPA Region 9 Approach for Consultation and Coordination with Tribes Concerning Enforcement Against Non-Tribal Facilities and Inspections in Indian Country (pdf) (72.93 KB, 2004)
  Describes Region 9's general approach to several aspects of its civil inspection and enforcement processes in Indian Country. This approach does not address criminal matters such as EPA criminal investigations or prosecutions.
• EPA Region 9 Policy and Guidelines: Informal Process for Resolving Disputes Regarding Assistance Agreements with Indian Tribes (pdf) (120.23 KB, August 12, 1999)
  Disputes may arise regarding EPA assistance agreements with Tribes. Recognizing that one purpose of EPA program grants and other assistance is to enable Tribes to exercise sovereignty, self-governance and self-determination consistent with EPA's trust responsibility to Tribes, it is the policy of EPA Region 9 to resolve disputes with Tribal grantees as quickly as possible, and to do so on a government-to-government basis. The purpose of these guidelines is to implement this policy.