California Tribes Submit Comments on Proposed Water Quality Standards

California Tribes Submit Comments on Proposed Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions to Protect Tribal Reserved Rights – 3/6/23
We write in strong support of EPA’s recognition that tribal reserved rights may be impaired by water quality standards that fail to, for instance, ensure sufficient instream flows to protect native fisheries and other riparian resources. And we write in strong support of EPA’s efforts through the Proposed Rule to clarify its position that water quality standards must account for and protect tribal reserved rights, and to create a consistent process for effecting such protections. At the same time, as California tribes, and advocates for California tribes, that were cheated by the state and federal governments out of treaty reservations, we have significant concerns about the shortcomings of the Proposed Rule for many California tribes. We therefore also write to urge EPA to take a more expansive approach to protecting and promoting tribes’ beneficial uses and stewardship of water and riparian resources.