) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites..
Quick Links:
-
NOAA Tribal Consultation Handbook (Updated 2023)
- The Department of Commerce's Tribal Consultation website
- Tribal Nations - U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
- Tribal Leaders Directory from the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
- White House Executive Order Creating the White House Council on Tribal Relations
NOAA Consultation Handbook
In January 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationships that requires all federal departments and agencies to submit a plan for implementing Executive Order 13175. Executive Order (E.O) 13175 charges federal departments and agencies to engage in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have Tribal implications.
In response to the Administration’s E.O., NOAA revised and updated its existing NOAA policies and guidance documents, which facilitate NOAA’s implementation of E.O. 13175: (1) NOAA Procedures for Government-to-Government Consultation With Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations (Draft Handbook); (2) NOAA Administrative Order 218-8, Policy on Government-to-Government Consultation with Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations (see last page of Draft Handbook); and (3) an Indigenous knowledge (IK) guidance currently titled NOAA Guidance and Best Practices for Engaging and Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge in Decision-Making. The Federal Register notice was published on July 7, 2023, and can be found at Federal Register Notice. Related documents can be found below:
- NOAA Tribal Consultation Handbook 2023
- Changes to NOAA's Tribal Consultation Handbook
- Indigenous Knowledge Guidance 2023
Tribal Resource Guide to the Department of Commerce
The U.S. Department of Commerce is pleased to make available the Tribal Resource Guide to the Department of Commerce. This guide is an important first step in revamping the Department’s work with tribes to spur even greater collaboration with tribes and native business enterprises. In addition, the guide introduces the Secretary's new Senior Advisor for Native American Affairs, the policy of the Department regarding tribes (which include references to the United States’ trust responsibility to the tribes and native peoples of the United States and the advances tribes have made in the Self-Determination Era), and includes contact information for each of the bureaus’ tribal liaisons in order to make it easier for tribes to interact with the Department. In addition this guide includes working links to other resources (web pages, our tribal consultation policy, etc.) within NOAA and the Department.
NOAA-BOEM Memorandum of Understanding
On January 12, 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management signed an Interagency Memorandum of Understanding to responsibly advance offshore wind energy
White House Council on Environmental Quality
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) within the Executive Office of the President coordinates the federal government’s efforts to improve, preserve, and protect America’s public health and environment.
CEQ, which was created in 1969 by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), advises the President and develops policies on climate change, environmental justice, federal sustainability, public lands, oceans, and wildlife conservation, among other areas. As the agency responsible for implementing NEPA, CEQ also works to ensure that environmental reviews for infrastructure projects and federal actions are thorough, efficient, and reflect the input of the public and local communities.
Bureau of Indian Affairs' List of Tribal Leaders
Find the most up-to-date information on Tribal Leaders and contacts on the Bureau of Indian Affairs website. The Tribal Leaders Directory provides contact information for each federally recognized tribe. The electronic, map-based, interactive directory also provides information about each BIA region and agency that provides services to a specific tribe. Additionally, the directory provides contact information for Indian Affairs leadership.
Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Leaders Directory
Government Accountability Report on Tribal Consultation
On April 19, 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled “Tribal Consultation: Additional Federal Actions Needed for Infrastructure Projects (GAO-19-22).” The report examines key factors Indian tribes and select federal agencies identified that hinder effective consultation on impacts to natural and cultural resources on infrastructure projects and makes recommendations for improvements.