303 



Program Framework: 

 Roles And Responsibilities 



The Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program outlines what relationships the tribes 

 could generate among themselves and with other governments if sufficient funding 

 is forthcoming from Congress. The intergovernmental and programmatic relation- 

 ships indicated in the discussion that follows show what the tribes plan to accom- 

 plish oiKe funding begins to flow. 



The Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program is built upon the following frame- 

 work: 



• Each participating tribe will develop and administer a 



water quality program for itself through a govemment-fo-govemment 

 relationship with the EPA and with other tribes and other 

 governmental entities. Such programs would prioritize watersheds for 

 implementing actions, identify those actions, identify other responsible 

 agencies and groups, estimate costs and propose action schedules and 

 milestones. 



• Participating tribes would establish or expand existing cooperative 

 arrangements with each other and with federal, stale and local entities 

 to address nonpoint source and other water quality problems on a 

 watershed basis. 



• To get the Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program under way, 

 participating tribes initially would coordinate general water quality 

 policies through the Environmental Policy Committee of the 

 Northwest Indian Fisheries CommissiorL Each participating tribe 

 would be represented on the committee. Monthly meetings of the 

 committee would be staffed and facilitated by the Northwest Indian 

 Fisheries Commission. At least one committee meeting each quarter 

 would be devoted solely to water quality matters. In Fiscal Year 1993 

 the participating tribes would discuss whether they want to continue 

 using the Environmental Policy Committee as the forum for 

 coordinating water qucility policies. 



• As an additional measure to launch the progrjim, the Northwest 

 Indicin Fisheries Commission would render technical, educatioruil and 

 other services to the Coordiiwted Tribal Water Quality Program, 

 including forums for techiucal discussions of water quality matters. 



• Through the Enviroiunental Policy Committee, the Northwest Indian 

 Fisheries Commission would offer the participating tribes an avenue 

 for discussing water quality matters with the federal, state and other 

 governments. 



• Following adoption of the Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program, 

 the participating tribes and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission 

 would make a joint annual report to Congress and to the EPA on the 

 program's evolution, progress and achievements. 



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