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The administrative structure set up by the EPA to address environmental prob- 

 lems on Indian reservations has not sufficiently served native Americans. Indian 

 programs at the agency are buried within the Office of Federal Activities, and the 

 concerns of native Americans on dozens of reservations are not being heard at a 

 policy-level that is equal to the gravity of the environmental problems that they 

 face. 



While some real progress has been made in recent years, the voices of native 

 Americans are still not being heard at the EPA. This lack of input and advocacy at 

 the highest reaches of the agency translates into inadequate resources for Indian 

 programs and a lack of foresight in planning to fully address environmental prob- 

 lems in Indian country. Sadly, this lack of attentiveness and focus is the case in 

 many Federal agencies that touch up)on the lives of native Americans. 



Just one example is that the EPA reported that as of 1988, the agency had provid- 

 ed states with $48 billion for waste water treatment facilities, while Indian tribes 

 received only $25 million. Some funding increases for environmental programs have 

 been achieved in recent years, but serious problems persist, and much more needs to 

 be done. EPA enforcement of environmental protections on Indian lands, whether it 

 concerns contamination of water systems or the dumping of illegal hazardous waste, 

 definitely needs to be intensified. 



I firmly believe that native Americans deserve a high-ranking and forceful advo- 

 cate at the policy level of a new Department of the Environment. I look forward to 

 the views of EPA Administrator Browner in this regard. S. 171 is likely to be the 

 most significant piece of environmental legislation to be passed by the Senate this 

 year, yet nowhere in the bill are native Americans mentioned. 



A second concern of mine is how a new Department of the Environment will work 

 to address environmental problems at military installations that will be closed. 

 Thirty-two states have bases slated for closure or realignment, and more will follow. 

 I hope that should a Department of the Environment be created this year, the Sec- 

 retary of the Environment will work closely with the Department of Defense to 

 ensure that environmental problems at the many bases that will be turned over for 

 civilian use are addressed in a timely and effective manner. 



Finally, Mr. Chairman, I hope the committee will take a close look at several of 

 the commissions and conferences called for in this bill. At a time of astronomical 

 budget deficits and indefensible Federal spending, we should carefully consider 

 whether it is necessary to spend $10-$15 million on these entities. Despite the gen- 

 eral lack of interest in the Congress to restrain new spending, saving $15 million is 

 still a worthy goal to most hard-working taxpayers in America. This is especially 

 true when they're being asked to shoulder new burdens of unexpected taxation. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to present my views, and I look 

 forward to the testimony of our distinguished guests. 



Senator Roth. It is a pleasure to welcome you here, Ms. 

 Browner. 



I think at least my principal interest is to see EPA upgraded and 

 my concern is that we have gone down that road four years, all of 

 us, I think, in agreement as to the goal. What worries me is by 

 adding some of these other extraneous, admittedly important, 

 sometimes controversial proposals that we will end up not achiev- 

 ing what I consider what should be the primary goal, making EPA 

 a Cabinet department. 



Do you have any recommendations if it came down to a question 

 of simple upgrading EPA to Cabinet status, would that be satisfac- 

 tory to the Administration as legislation? 



Ms. Browner. Well, I always hesitate to guess as to what might 

 happen in the legislative process, but I think that the issues that 

 are addressed in S. 171 are very important issues and issues that 

 we do need to address, issues that we need to begin discussions on, 

 dialogues on. 



I share the President's commitment to the elevation of this 

 agency, to involving this agency not just in this Administration but 

 in future Administrations, in all Cabinet discussions. It would be 

 my hope that we can move the bill forward in a way that addresses 



