In spite of the fact that there are large numbers of tribes within Agency jurisdictions and large geographic areas that encompass those agency jurisdictions, employees within the Pacific Regional Office do what they can to provide services. There are many issues in California that have yet to be addressed with regard to California Indians tribes. On major example is Water Rights. Water within the State of California today is as valuable as gold in the 1800’s. The review by the United States of Indian water rights and quantification has just begun. The United States has not yet determined what its obligations are to California Indians.
As we move forward, California Indians are no longer willing to sit back and wait to see what will happen. Tribes have become progressive in the development of their governments as well as development of their tribal economies. Although most tribes are small and have huge tasks ahead, they will no longer just accept what is handed to them. As a result, the Pacific Regional Office has had to move forward in a progressive manner along with tribes. The Pacific Regional Office continues to provide services and complete tasks that are required at the national level with limited staff and funding. As we move into the next decade we can be assured that we will need to develop our workforce to meet the changing needs of California. Our workforce plan will become a means of reviewing program needs as well as tribal needs while managing within congressional and administrative requirements.
