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The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is announcing more than $6.3 million in technical assistance funding for tribal water projects across the country.
The funding, announced in Washington, D.C., will support 10 projects aimed at improving access to clean and reliable water in Native communities.
The investment comes through the agency’s Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program (TAP), which helps federally recognized tribes manage, develop, and protect water resources.
Officials say the program is part of the federal government’s trust responsibility to tribes, and has supported projects across 17 western states since 2016.
Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron says the need for these projects remains urgent.
In a statement, Cameron says, “These projects speak to the needs that remain in these communities… many focus on ensuring communities have safe drinking water and sanitation.”
The funded projects include a range of water infrastructure improvements, from drinking water system installation and rehabilitation to wastewater and lagoon construction, well installation, and water quality testing.
Among the largest awards, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Spirit Lake Tribe will each receive $1 millionfor water system upgrades and wastewater infrastructure.
Other projects include nearly $1 million for the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians for drinking water improvements, and more than $950,000 for Nambe Pueblo to support a community health drinking water initiative.
An intertribal project led by the Inter Tribal Council will receive $675,000 to support water quality testing and accessibility across nine tribal nations in Oklahoma.
Additional funding will support projects for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, and the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel.
Tribal leaders say the investments are critical not only for infrastructure, but for long-term community health, sustainability, and workforce development.
Federal officials say the program is designed to strengthen tribal capacity and ensure tribes can protect and manage their own water resources for future generations.
A stretch of North Dakota Highway 31 winds through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Monday, August 22, 2022. (Photo: Darren Thompson / Buffalo’s Fire)
More than $2 million in grants is headed towards two tribes in North Dakota for road improvements.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is giving $1.2 million to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for its Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 3400 Roadway Realignment Safety Project.
It will fund improvements on a nearly one-mile stretch to address “slope, drainage, and crash history”, according to a press release from North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer.
Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Steve Sitting Bear told Buffalo’s Fire that the work on BIA 3400 addresses a real risk his people have lived with, but added that one-time grants aren’t enough.
And roughly $777,000 went to the Spirit Lake Tribe for its Oyate Walkway to add warning panels and improvements to existing crosswalks and pavement markings.
Spirit Lake Tribal Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street expressed gratitude for the funding, adding that it’d connect her community to the city of Devils Lake.
The grants are part of a $21 million package for tribes allocated through the Tribal Transportation Fund.
A 2024 report by the FHWA says Native people are at most risk of death in vehicle crashes, highlighting the need for safe and stable infrastructure across Indian Country
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