j.brown99 posted on July 16, 2012 16:13
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, consisting of both military and civilian personnel, has as part of their mission a focus on partnering and working with tribes to address water needs and establish efficient, effective, and lasting water resources for tribal communities.
The
Plan of Action on Tribal Consultation details the commitment that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have established agency-wide to facilitate work with tribal agencies and communities, as well as offering training opportunities for wastewater and environmental operators.
Through partnerships with the EPA, NOAA, the Department of the Interior, USDA, and other agencies, the USACE also works to complete the work of the
Estuary Restoration Act, consisting of
dozens of projects in 30 states. The importance of this to tribal operators is in the fact that the USACE is required and dedicated to consulting with tribal communities when federal projects may impact their lands – the emphasis on communication in these projects and instances offers tribal operators information about potential effects on their systems prior to and during projects.
As the largest water resources development and management agency, the USACE is uniquely positioned to offer assistance at all levels of water operations. Their publication, “
How to Plan a Water Resources Project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers” provides an informative and complete list of steps and details, including cost sharing, budgeting, and more. You can also find numerous other tribal publications, historical documents, and more at their
online database.
There is a tremendous amount of information about how the USACE can provide resources to tribal water operators at their various sites, but one of the first places to visit is their
Planning Community Toolbox.