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REFINE WETLAND REGULATORY PROGRAM
Impact/Purpose:
The long-term goal for the Fort Peck Tribes has been to establish a Wetland Protection Program that will embody the Federal Section 404 program into the Tribes current Environmental Protection Program. For the past few years the Tribes have continued this process of development through accomplishing a list of essential elements that EPA has developed as guidance. In order to develop the capacity of assuming a permitting program, these management tools must be developed based on Tribal resources and decision making. In the past couple of years, the Tribes have concentrated on developing the monitoring and assessment element of the program by recognizing threats, needs, and desires that the Tribes need to prioritize and resolve and in the future use as a planning tool in the regulation and assessment of proposed activities that would impact wetlands within Tribal jurisdiction. In FY2001, the Tribes will have reviewed COE's guidelines as well as other documents to develop a draft wetland conservation code, as well as develop a partnership outline of agencies and their roles and involvement in permitting and conservation practices. In FY2002, the Office of Environmental Protection, along with EPA guidance, will progress towards the final steps in development of the regulatory program aspect by taking this draft wetland conservation code with permitting incorporated, as part of the Wetland Conservation Strategy (developed in 1999), to the Tribal Executive Board (TEB) for review and approval.
Description:
The Tribes will work toward refining a regulatory program by taking a draft wetland conservation code with permitting incorporated to TEB for review. Progress will then proceed in developing a permit tracking system that will track both Tribal and fee land sites within reservation boundaries. The Tribes may also review the County Conservation District Permit (310). This system will include the summary of activities due in the 305(b) reports. Training in restoration approaches and practices will be performed with other agencies and private sectors. Activities include: 1) Refine regulatory program for wetland related activities 2) Develop a permit tracking system that will involve all agencies 3) Increase understanding and expertise of personnel in all aspects of wetland restoration approaches and practices
