PNW Tribal Climate Change Network

[NaepcA1]

Dear PNW Tribal Climate Change Network:

Please click on the doodle poll to indicate your availability for our next conference call: http://www.doodle.com/9vb7cs75ba5bz4pr.

I have attached the draft of our paper examining federal consultation policies in the context of climate change. The report examines the scope of more than 20 federal consultation policies (primarily from land and natural resource management agencies) in the context of climate change. The report highlights specific policies that include mechanisms that may result in more direct and meaningful consultation on climate change issues. The conclusion of the report provides a summary of key considerations and recommendations to strengthen the federal-tribal relationship in understanding and addressing the impacts from climate change. We would greatly appreciate any comments, questions or feedback you have on this report, and we will discuss it on our next conference call.

Below you will find updates on the consultation process underway for the EPA Climate Change Adaptation Plan, as well as a webinar for tribes on the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy that will take place on February 29th.

Notes from our last call are available online at: http://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu/network/.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,
Kathy

UPDATES

Launch of Tribal Consultation Process on the Development of EPA's Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Last week, EPA sent formal invitation letters to tribal leaders inviting them and their designated representative(s) to participate in a formal consultation process. This process is another important step in an ongoing partnership to which EPA is committed to work with the Tribes to protect tribal health and the environment in a changing climate. It builds on valuable insights already obtained from tribes through informal consultations about the Plan in 2011.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is initiating consultation with federally recognized Indian Tribes on the development of the Agency’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan. This Plan will guide the Agency’s efforts to integrate climate change adaptation planning into its programs, policies, rules, and operations to ensure they are effective under future climatic conditions. This includes environmental protection programs mandated under federal statutes and delegated by EPA to Tribes and States.
To begin the formal consultation process, EPA will hold three webinars/teleconferences. EPA will provide an overview of efforts to develop the agency-wide Plan, and then use most of the time to listen to and better understand tribal perspectives on climate change adaptation planning, priority tribal adaptation needs, and the types of support that would help build adaptive capacity within the tribes. The webinars will take place on:

1. Thursday, February 23, 2012: 2:00-3:30pm EST / 11:00am-12:30pm PST (for western Tribes)
2. Thursday, March 1, 2012: 10:00-11:30 EST (for eastern Tribes)
3. Thursday, March 8, 2012: 2:00-3:30pm EST / 11:00am-12:30pm PST (for any Tribes unable to make the earlier calls)

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jerry Filbin (Filbin.Gerald@epa.gov; 202-566-2182), the official EPA contact for this consultation and coordination process, if you have any questions.
Additional information will be posted on EPA’s Tribal Portal website prior to the webinars: http://www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation.

National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Webinar for Tribes is scheduled for February 29th at 1:00 pm EST. Please find more information in the attached notice. The link to register is: https://doilearn.webex.com/mw0306lc/myw ... l=doilearn

Please contact Devon Ryan. Climate Change Assistant with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies at (202) 624-5957 or dryan@fishwildlife.org for more information.


_____________________________
Kathy Lynn
Tribal Climate Change Project Coordinator
Adjunct Researcher, Environmental Studies Program
University of Oregon

Office: 541-346-5777
Cell: 541-206-3281
Email: kathy@uoregon.edu
http://tribalclimate.uoregon.edu