Tribal Climate Listening Sessions

EO 13985 calls on agencies to advance equity through identifying and addressing barriers to equal opportunity that underserved communities may face due to government policies and programs. As part of its implementation of EO 13985, Department of the Interior (DOI) coordinated with a third-party neutral facilitator to conduct 15 virtual listening sessions, during October thru December of 2021. Five of these sessions in particular were focused on climate change, discretionary grants, and Tribal Nations. The Department would like to ensure that the efforts and initiatives it develops to meet these priorities are designed based on feedback and information from across Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages.

These listening sessions will inform DOI-wide efforts to come. The third-party neutral facilitator prepared a final recommendations report for the Department, which will inform the forthcoming DOI Equity Plan. Please see summaries below from each of the five sessions for Tribes.

Session 1: Tribal Youth and Climate

This event occurred in October 2021. This session was open to Tribal middle school, high school, and college students. Session 1 was an opportunity to for Tribal youth to voice concerns, priorities, and experience to help shape policies and programs that promote and advance Tribal climate resilience. Youth answered big questions, like:

How is climate change impacting your Tribal nation and / or your community?
How can you help connect people of all generations to work together to solve community problems with honor & respect for the land and environment?
What types of projects would make a difference in your Tribal community to help with the climate change impacts that are affecting your community? What areas of expertise does your community need to accomplish those projects?

Missed the live session? Submit comments online at https://www.regulations.gov and enter DOI-2021-0010 in the Search bar to find the Federal Register Notice. You may provide comments through the Federal Register Docket until it closes on Friday, December 10th.

Session 1 Summary

Session 2, Part I: Adaptation and Mitigation

These events occurred in October 2021. This listening session will inform DOI priorities, efforts, and policies around Tribal climate resilience. Below are some general questions that were discussed during the session:

What are your top priorities surrounding climate adaptation, mitigation, and implementation, and what are the science needs to support these priorities?
Has your Tribal Nation engaged in activities to mitigate greenhouse gases (e.g., renewable energy development, carbon sequestration, etc.) and if not, is there interest?
Are there best practices related to climate adaptation and mitigation strategies that your Tribe has experienced? What are the barriers to implementing them?

Missed the live session? Submit comments online at https://www.regulations.gov(link is external) and enter DOI-2021-0010 in the Search bar to find the Federal Register Notice(link is external). You may provide comments through the Federal Register Docket(link is external) until it closes on Friday, December 10th.

Session 2, Part I Summary

Session 2, Part II: Relocation, Managed Retreat, and Protect-in-Place Issues in the Contiguous U.S./Lower 48 States

This event has passed. Session 2, Part II focused on the unmet needs of Tribes facing decisions around community relocation, managed retreat, and protection-in-place issues due to climate change in the contiguous U.S./lower 48 states. To help organize and accommodate the variety of participating regions, the discussion was split into two hours by region:

Tribes in Eastern, Midwest, Great Plains, Eastern Oklahoma, and Southern Plains Regions
Tribes in Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Western, Navajo, Pacific, and Northwest Regions

Below were some general questions discussed during the session:

Is your Tribe dealing with more frequent and severe climate change impacts (e.g., flooding, erosion, sea level rise, drought, etc.) that are likely to require partial or complete infrastructure relocation?
If so, what are the resources (financial, technical, etc.) needed to assist the process? What are the barriers?

Session 2, Part II Summary (Eastern and nearby Regions)

Session 2, Part II Summary (Western and nearby Regions)

Session 3, Relocation, Managed Retreat, and Protect-in-Place Issues in Alaska

This event occurred in December 2021. For this listening session, the DOI sought input to understand the needs for community relocation, managed retreat, and protection-in-place in Alaska (including around infrastructure, cultural resources, food security, land, etc.). This two-day session facilitated discussion on the information and resources needed to address this issue across DOI. This listening session was meant to elevate the voices and concerns of Alaska Native Tribal leadership, Tribal staff, Tribal members, Tribal compact, and Alaska Native Corporations affected by these issues. The questions below were discussed during the session:

What are the evaluation and assessment needs to assist with the community’s decision-making process?

What barriers does your Tribal community face when working with federal or state government agencies to protect your community?
What can DOI do to improve your community’s access to funding for relocation, managed retreat, and protect-in-place activities?

Relocation Managed Retreat and Protect-in-place

Session 3 Recordings and Presentations

Sessions 4 & 5: Tribal Discretionary Grants

These events occurred in October 2021. DOI also hosted two upcoming virtual listening sessions focused on Tribal discretionary grants. As part of implementing Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, DOI is interested in feedback on the barriers that Tribes face with respect to applying for and accessing grant opportunities, as well as recommendations on how DOI can address those barriers. DOI has scheduled the following listening sessions to provide opportunities for sharing and dialogue about DOI programs, and to learn what Tribes see as important opportunities.

DOI invited members of Tribal Nations, communities, and representatives to join the listening session to provide feedback on this important issue. Some questions considered for this session included:

If you have applied to discretionary grants administered by DOI in the past, what has been your experience?
If you have not applied for discretionary grants administered by DOI, why not? What would make it easier for you to access grant opportunities with DOI?
What are the barriers to applying for grant opportunities with DOI? How can DOI remove or reduce barriers that Tribal Nations and communities face when they participate or attempt to participate in DOI-administered grant opportunities?

DOI hopes these listening sessions are a start to conversations that result in developing ongoing relationships and facilitate regular, targeted discussions with Tribes to advance equity and access to discretionary grant opportunities. You can find more information on the listening sessions below and on the DOI website www.doi.gov/ppa/equity/13985. General questions can be directed to DEIA@ios.doi.gov.

Missed the live sessions? Submit comments online at https://www.regulations.gov(link is external) and enter DOI-2021-0010 in the Search bar to find the Federal Register Notice(link is external). You may provide comments through the Federal Register Docket(link is external) until it closes on Friday, December 10th.

Learn more here

Session 4 Tribal Grants Summary

Session 5 Tribal Grants Summary