Overview
One of the primary goals of the Northwest Region has been to support the transfer of programs, services, functions and activities formerly provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to those tribes who desire to exercise their governmental rights through self-determination “contracting” and self-governance “compacting”. A majority of the Northwest Tribes have contracted/compacted for some or all of the Regional Office and agency program functions and associated funding.
Division of Environmental and Cultural Resources
The Division provides technical assistance on environmental and cultural resources including the review of proposed actions for compliance with applicable laws and conducting initial responses to events that may require natural resources damage assessments. The Division also provides technical assistance to Bureau and Tribal employees on environmental and cultural resource compliance.
Trust Program Divisions in the Regional Office:
Division of Land Titles and Records
The Division of Forestry and Wildland Fire Management is responsible for forest, wildland fire and endangered species management. The program provides management and executive direction to ensure that region wide Forestry, Wildland Fire, and endangered species operations are carried out in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and in a manner consistent with the Indian owner objectives.
Division of Forestry and Wildland Management
The Division of Forestry and Wildland Fire Management is responsible for managing the forest and endangered species management, including providing the resources the Indian owners desire. Wildland Fire Management controls wild fires and reduces fuel loads on wildlands and in the wildland urban interface areas to reduce fire hazards to structures.
Division of Natural Resources
The Division of Natural Resources provides oversight of the following programs within the Northwest Region: Irrigation, Agriculture/Invasive Species, Minerals, Fisheries, Water Resources Development, Integrated Resource Management Planning, Development and Emergency Management programs for Trust and restricted lands.
Division of Probate and Estate Services
The Division of Probate and Estate Services focuses on the preparation and submission of the record of probate documentation for determination of the legal heirs or devisees and for the subsequent distribution of the trust estate.
Division of Real Estate Services The Division of Real Estate Services is responsible for providing technical assistance to Tribes and Agencies for a variety of issues affecting trust and restricted land and resources. The Division prepares the necessary documentation or completes the reviews, and makes recommendations for realty transactions including acquisitions, disposals, leasing and rights-of-ways.
Lockbox Coordination
Lockbox Coordination oversees and initiates curative actions to ensure lockbox transactions and the trust income are processed accurately, timely, and efficiently for Indian beneficiaries within the Northwest Region.
Indian Service Program Divisions in the Regional Office:
Division of Self Determination Services
The Division of Self Determination plays a key role in the contracting of Bureau Program functions, responsibilities and funds to Tribal contractors through awards and contract administration of contracts and grants as authorized by P.L. 93-638, as amended. The Division handles the responsibilities for 638 awards and grants and the contract administration for not only the Regional programs under the line authority of the Regional Director, but also law enforcement and education programs (under the line authorities of the Office of Tribal Justice, and the Bureau of Indian Education, respectively.)
Division of Transportation
The Division of Transportation (DOT) supports of the Bureau’s mission to provide an adequate network of roads serving Indian communities. DOT accomplishes this by (a) administering Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contract authority to construct roads and bridges, (b) maintaining a road and bridge inventory of Indian Reservation Roads (IRR), (c) creating a Region-wide Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and (d) planning and design of road projects.
Division of Tribal Government Services
The Division of Tribal Government Services supports the Bureau's mission by providing tribal governance-related services to Agencies and Tribes in the Northwest Region. The Division provides a range of services, including providing advice, technical guidance and direction on tribal constitutions, corporate charters, resolutions, ordinances, law and order codes, official tribal actions, tribal courts and enrollment where authorized by Tribal law or Federal statute.
Division of Human Services
The Division of Human Services supports the Bureau’s mission by providing Social Services Program services such as Indian Child Welfare (ICWA), General Assistance Reviews and IIM Reviews and Training. The Program provides guidance and technical assistance to BIA Agency Programs, P.L. 93-638 Contract Tribes and Self-Governance Tribes on the implementation of IIM regulations. The Social Workers at the Regional Level provides the Review of IIM supervised accounts per 25 CFR § 115.427.
Division of Safety
The Division of Safety supports the Bureau’s mission by ensuring BIA employees have a safe environment in which to work. They provide assistance to the Agencies on safety issues such as Worker Compensation, Tort Claims, Accident Investigations, Safety Inspections, Homeland Security and Motor Vehicle Safety. The Northwest Regional Safety Manager also works with Tribal contracted/compacted programs on all aspects of the Safety program.
