FEMA declares new strategy for engaging Native American tribes

Hundreds of Native Americans facing them tribes and climate change-related disasters, the agency announced Thursday.

FEMA plans to include the 574 federally recognized tribal states in the discussion of potential future hazards from Allocating $50 million in grants to tribes looking for ways to alleviate Tribal governments will be provided more training on how to navigate FEMA funding applications. The new plan requires the tribal liaison to report annually to her FEMA leadership on tribal readiness.

"We are seeing communities across the country facing increasing threats as a result of climate change," FEMA Administrator Dean Criswell said in a call with the media. spoke at the conference. "What we want to do with this strategy is reach out to the tribal nations and help them understand what potential future threats might be."

In recent years, tribal and indigenous communities have faced upheaval as they deal with changing sea levels and increased flooding and wildfires. Tribal citizens are living in homes that have either lost their homes due to coastal erosion or need to be relocated. Some people are unable to maintain cultural traditions such as hunting and fishing due to climate-related droughts.

Researchers say tribes are disproportionately affected by natural disasters and the federal government does not provide sufficient funding for their obligations to tribes. It wasn't until 2013 under the Sandy Recovery and Improvement Act that we were able to directly request emergency declarations and disaster declarations. Previously, you had to apply for disaster funds through your state.

The new strategy emphasizes making sure the tribe is informed of all her FEMA grant programs and how to apply for them. It is hoped that this will give them a fair chance to raise funds. FEMA would like to find a way around barriers such as FEMA's share of the cost and some of the federally covered disaster and project funding. In some cases, tribes just can't afford to pay their share.

"What we want to do is work with the tribes to find other sources of funding and bridge the various funding streams that may emerge in areas where we can't. Criswell said

Another change under the new strategy is for FEMA staff to meet with tribes on their land. Requests the authorities have received from multiple tribes include everything from direct technical assistance in small rural communities to appearances at large national or regional tribal events.

A focus on regular interactions on tribal lands is a major development, says Bill Aubert, co-founder of the Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University. More intimate discussions, such as workshops, roundtables and webinars, are "very important to the tribe."

"One way to do that is to send them a notice and say, 'I look forward to hearing from you,'" he said, Auberle. “Some of these tribes are small but have very serious needs. FEMA can certainly appreciate that.”

More tribes In addition to providing funding, FEMA can also help by providing technical support and other means to help tribes prepare and adapt to climate change, Auberle said.

Promotions to ensure that every tribe has a full understanding of how to access her FEMA assistance and other related grants will be facilitated through webinars, tribal consultations, or FEMA regional staff through regular meetings with

Agency personnel are similarly trained to receive a historical and legal overview of tribal sovereignty and cultural sensitivities.