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Stage II of the program provides infrastructure for each tribe to integrate its specific 

 issues into the overall program guidelines. The tribes, through this initial infrastruc- 

 ture development, will also be able to refine and complete the program development 

 by acquiring needed expertise and staff. 



Stage III of the program has three components. The first allows each tribe to imple- 

 ment the base-level water quality program designed in stages I and II. These basic 

 programs would include the staff, equipment, and support costs necessary for the 

 tribes to begin addressing water quality issues affecting their reservatior^s and treaty- 

 protected resources, and accomplishing program goals. The second would extend 

 tribal water quality programs, implement regional programs and increase statewide 

 programs. The third component provides for maintenance of 

 tribal programs, extension of water quality education efforts 

 and planning of tribal watershed demonstration projects. Each 

 of these components are inter-dependent, and when combined 

 create a meaningful mechanism for water quality protection 

 efforts. 



The Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program rises from a 

 comprehensive, cooperative natural resource management 

 process tfiat is becoming institutionalized in Washington state. 

 The federally recognized tribes in Washington state have been 

 a driving force behind this process, wfiich is already being 

 used to manage s<ilmon and forest lands. 



Participating tribes are sovereign governments with treaty and other legally pro- 

 tected rights to clean water both on and off-reservation. As such, they possess juris- 

 dictional authority and legally protected property rights in most of the state's major 

 watersheds. The comprehensive, coordinated approach to natural resource manage- 

 ment now being employed in Washington state is based, however, on the firm 

 knowledge that cooperation, not litigation, is the best way to resolve natural resource 

 issues. 



Through much hard woii( and perseverance, the State ol 

 Washington has txjill a strong working relationship with 

 Indian trit)es on matters ol resource martagement We 

 stiare a mutual interest in seeing [imbet, fish, wildlile and 

 agricultural resources protected and managed so Itut Ihey 

 remain healthy and strong for everyone's lienefit. I would 

 like to add my endorsement to the tr)t)es' request (or federal 

 support of ttieir role in these efforts . The money. I can assure 

 you. will tie well-spent ' 

 - Booth Gardner. Governor, Stale ol Washington 



The tribes now want to apply this same successful approach to 

 water quality issues tfuough the Coordinated Tribal Water 

 Quality Program. The benefits of this program's watershed 

 approach to water quality issues have been evident for some 

 time and have been consistently supported by the tribes, U.S. 

 Envirorunental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of 

 Washington. Water pollution does not respect jurisdictional 

 boundaries. This natural watershed management approach 

 replaces jurisdictional walls with partnerships that improve 

 efficiency and iiKrease effectiveness. 



'EPA Is connmitted to meaningful implefnentationofcur 

 Indian Lands Policy on a govemment-to-govemment 

 basis. Devetopment and implementation of innovative 

 watershed strategies to solve pollutkxi protilems is an 

 important agency priority. This strategy will go a long way 

 to promote identitication of watershed protilems and 

 cooperation among federal, tribal, state and local efforts 

 to address these problems.' -■ Julie M. Hagensen, 

 EPA Assistant Re0onaJ Administrator lor 

 WasHngton Operations 



Full implementation. Stage IV of the Coordinated Tribal Water 

 Quality Program, requires $10 million. This is an initial conservative estimate based 

 on preliminary knowledge of program needs. A more preciise estimation of cost will 

 be developed during Stage III. Operahon at this optimum level includes: 



• Maintaining the general tribal water quality programs; 



• Implementing education programs; 



• Implementing watershed demonstration projects; 



