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Stages In Detail: 



Stage I: Program Development 



Timeline: September, 1990, to January, 1992 



Funding: $194,000 



With funding from Congress through the EPA, Stage I has led to the development of 

 the joint program and its strategies, which are the subjects of this report. 



Interviews were conducted with policy makers and technical staff at each of the tribes 

 to outline water quality issues affecting reservation and off-reservation waters. The 

 interviews included discussion of tribal activities to combat these problems and on 

 changes in relations with other governmental bodies needed to develop comprehen- 

 sive, cooperative anti-pollution efforts. 



At the beginning of the program tribes could not afford to hire and keep a water 

 quality expert on staff, although hiring and increasing such expertise rarJted among 

 the highest tribal priorities. 



Stage II: Providing Minimal Water Quality Infrastructure For 



Each Tnbe And Beginning Statewide Water Quality Coordination 

 Efforts 



Timeline: September, 1991, to October, 1992 



Funding: $1,500,000 



While Stage 1 work began to develop a coordinated tribal water quality plan, partici- 

 pating tribes sought funds from Congress to provide each tribe with enough money 

 to hire or contract for the equivalent of at least one person to begin working specifi- 

 cally on water resource issues. 



Congress appropriated $1,500,000 in Fiscal Year 1991 for Stage D purposes. In cor«ul- 

 tation with the tribes, EPA Region 10 outlined how and for what purposes tribes 

 could seek grants from the $1300,000 total. 



In the summer and fall of 1991, tribes begem receiving individual grant approvals 

 from the EPA. Most hired or contracted for their first true water quality staff. Some 

 began expanding water quality programs. Simultaneously, the Northwest Indian 

 Fisheries Commission received EPA funding approval to hire a water resource 

 cocrdiruitor and to begin a statewide technical coordination program for tribal water 

 quality programs. While tribes were able to hire water quality staff, the goal of pro- 

 viding infrastructure was not achieved at all 26 tribes because of inadequate funding. 

 Coordination was limited to a minimal level of support. 



At the tribal level, the Stage n funding of $1,500,000 to fund minimal water quality 

 programs is allowing individual tribes to begin to inventory, monitor, assess, priori- 

 tize and target nonpoint source pollution and other water quality problems within its 

 waters of concern. It also is allowing some tribes to start to update, upgrade or 

 develop water quality standards and water quaUty programs for achieving those 

 standards for waters within the reservation. This minimal funding, however, only 

 starts the development and implementation of individual tribal programs. 



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