Indian Environmental General Assistance Program

The Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) funded by the EPA, seeks to empower tribal governments and intertribal consortia by providing non-competitive grants for the development of environmental protection programs. Initiatives under this program are extensive, covering the remediation of air, water, and hazardous waste pollutants and extending to climate change impact assessments and adaptation plans. Specifically, GAP funding aims to support:

• The development and maintenance of core environmental program capacities such as administrative, legal, and technical skills.
• Engagement in negotiations with the EPA to formulate joint EPA-Tribal Environmental Plans (ETEPs) which set out the framework for achieving environmental protection goals on tribal lands.
• The linkage of GAP-funded projects to these ETEPs to ensure coherence between planning and implementation.
• Establishment of baseline capacities for media-specific environmental protection efforts that address specific tribal needs and meet EPA program requirements.
• Implementation of waste management programs and other activities that underpin tribal environmental protection efforts.

Additionally, GAP funds can be used for climate adaptation planning, including establishing baseline environmental conditions, developing climate change adaptation plans, and initial purchases of equipment necessary for administering environmental protection programs.