The Tribal Environment: Solid Waste in Indian Country |
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Authors: | JAMES ORTIZ |
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Institution: | (1) Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2741 Gallows Rd., #102, Vienna, Virginia 22180, USA, US |
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Abstract: | The issue of solid waste management in Indian country is multidimensional in scope because it affects more than just regulatory
concerns. There are more than 550 federally recognized Alaska Native and American Indian Tribes in the United States. Tribes
are sovereign nations that have a special relationship to the federal government and a unique legal status. The environmental
problems faced by tribes are many, and it is only fair that tribes, as sovereigns, specify the levels of protection on their
lands.
The one-size-fits-all regulatory approach to environmental problems and solid waste management in particular does not work
and often leads to conflict between tribes and the federal and state governments. Inherent tensions also exist between tribes
and various levels of government concerning jurisdiction of lands and managing solid waste. These intergovernmental relationships
are often complex and present unique challenges to all.
More research needs to be done on targeting resources to meet the capacity-building needs of tribes, as well as the overall
environmental management needs of Indian country under the federal trust obligation. Successful intergovernmental relationships
can be fostered through partnership arrangements between tribes and federal, state, and local governments. In the area of
solid waste such partnerships have worked. It requires that all levels of government deal with tribes with careful consideration
of their cultural, historic, and socioeconomic aspects, which are often intertwined. |
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Keywords: | : Tribes Intergovernmental relationships Solid waste Partnerships Indian country Environmental policy Sovereignty |
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