National Tribal Environmental Council

In 2009, the Department of Interior (DOI) began a Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (Initiative). We have followed and reported the developments. The Initiative funding of $136 million, in each of the previous years, has been distributed among DOI bureaus; but, to date, no funding has been allocated to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). There was a request for $200,000 to support tribal participation in the North Pacific landscape conservation cooperative, but it was eliminated in the budget negotiations of the 2010/2011 continuing resolution. To compensate, the BIA re-programmed $200,000 from another BIA program to support tribes. In the Administration proposed FY 2012 budget for the Initiative there is another request for $200,000 for the BIA.

It is a glaring inequity that the BIA has not received funding in the DOI Initiative, especially considering the disproportionate effect of climate change on tribes and our homelands. Tribal lands comprise 95 million acres of the 587 million acres or 16 percent of federal land in the Initiative. The BIA has 11 million acres more than the National Park Service, yet the Administration has proposed nearly 50 times more funding for the NPS in FY 2012. Tribes deserve a seat at the table in the DOI Climate Change Adaptation Initiative and a more equitable share of the funding.

 In partnership with other organizations, we are working on an appropriations request for a 5% set-aside or $8.75 million in the DOI Initiative, for tribes to address and adapt to the impacts of climate change. We would propose that a set-aside be re-allocated to the BIA from the Interior agencies participating in the Initiative. We have discussed the $8.75 million set-aside and a proposal that would support two major program components: a BIA Climate Change Program; and tribally identified priority programs for consultation, education, engagement, capacity building, adaptation research, analyses, vulnerability assessments, and adaptation pilot projects. At this point, the components are still being refined, and the concept for the components is described below.

BIA Climate Change Program

Funding for this program would allow the BIA to play a stronger role in the implementation of Secretarial Order No. 3289, "Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America's Water, Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources." Furthermore, the BIA would carryout Section 5 of the Order and the DOI trust responsibility to "ensure consistent and in-depth government-to-government consultation with tribes and Alaska Natives on the Department's climate change initiatives." The proposed program would include:

• A Climate Change Coordinator located in the BIA Central Office to oversee the creation and implementation of the BIA Climate Change Program within the DOI Climate Change Adaptation Initiative;
• An administrative position in the Central Office to assist the Coordinator in implementing the BIA Climate Change Program; and
• BIA technical field positions strategically located to provide service to all twelve BIA Regional Offices, particularly to work closely with the regional landscape conservation cooperatives and climate science centers; and to stay abreast of the science and management strategies related to climate change adaptation initiative.

Tribal Priority Programs

Section 5 of Secretarial Order 3289 acknowledges "climate change may disproportionately affect tribes and their lands because they are heavily dependent on their natural resources for economic and cultural identity." The Order clearly asserts "tribal values are critical to determining what is to be protected, why, and how to protect the interests of their communities," and that DOI "will support the use of the best available science, including traditional ecological knowledge, in formulating policy pertaining to climate change." Finally, the Order commits DOI to "support substantive participation by tribes in deliberations on climate-related mechanisms, agreements, rules, and regulations."

It would be consistent with Section 5 for the BIA to be funded to support tribal priority programs to ensure tribal involvement in the landscape conservation cooperatives (LCCs) and climate science centers (CSCs), to conduct climate adaptation research as prioritized by tribes, and to carry out tribal climate change adaptation pilot projects. The concept for the tribal priority programs is also being refined, and the proposed components are outlined below:

• Establish tribal field positions selected by tribes that would:
  • Provide information and support to tribes on climate change adaptation, related federal programs, policies, strategies, and technical assistance;
  • Coordinate with BIA technical climate change field staff on programs, policies, and strategies;
  • Assist BIA staff with consultation and engagement;
  • Assist with tribal climate change adaptation planning, research priorities, and pilot projects; and
  • Provide other priority assistance as deemed necessary by tribes;
• Facilitate consultation and provide information, assistance, and resources to tribes to participate in the DOI climate change adaptation initiative, National Fish Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, and other federal/regional adaptation strategies and programs;
• Provide sufficient resources and funding support for meaningful tribal participation with LCCs and CSCs;
• Provide support for tribal participation in interagency workshops to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge into climate change adaptation strategies, and to communicate tribal perspectives and needs in strategic planning;
• Provide support and resources for capacity building and planning for climate change adaptation;
• Provide support and resources for climate change adaptation research, analyses, and vulnerability assessments; and
• Provide support and resources for climate change adaptation pilot projects.

A tribal set-aside for climate change adaptation would be most appropriate under the DOI Climate Change Adaptation Initiative. It would be a decisive step to address a serious funding inequity and also comply with Secretarial Order No. 3289. A BIA Climate Change Program and Tribal Priority Program together would engage and support tribes in the DOI Initiative, integrate traditional ecological knowledge into science and management strategies, and assist tribes in adaptation planning for the changes that may impact their land, resources, and cultures.

**Secretarial Order 3289 can be found on the DOI website: www.doi.gov, under the "What We Do" heading, and "Climate Change" category. The DOI Climate Change Adaptation Initiative can be found at: www.doi.gov/budget/2011/11Hilites/DH011.pdf