How Can Indian Tribes Participate in the Water Quality Standards Program?
One major task is for the Tribe to qualify to administer the program. This is accomplished by developing and submitting an application to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator. EPA then reviews the Tribe’s application and decides whether the Tribe meets the applicable requirements. EPA Region 10 has issued guidance to assist with preparing these applications. A second major task is the development of water quality standards. The two separate tasks, development of: (1) the application, and (2) the standards, can occur simultaneously. That is, the Tribe can develop a program application and adopt standards and then submit both to EPA for approval. EPA Region 10, however, recommends that the program application be submitted as soon as draft standards have been completed. This approach hopefully will lead to timely Agency approval of the Tribe’s program application before the Tribe adopts final standards.
