Introduction

[Jeff Tomhave <jtomhave@taswer.org>]

	I'm Jeff Tomhave, I serve as the inaugural Executive Director of the Tribal Association for Solid Waste and Emergency Response (TASWER), in Washington, DC. TASWER is a national research, policy and advocacy organization that is dedicated to: (1) reducing the human health effects of hazardous waste contamination in Tribal communities; (2) limiting the regulatory and administrative burden on Tribal public health departments; and (3) reconciling the inconsistencies within federal Tribal environmental policies.  

	In that capacity I have designed and implemented a landmark study of hazardous waste contamination on Tribal lands. This three year study is taking the latest scientific technology and methodology into Indian Country and Alaskan Native Villages to help Tribes determine the extent of their hazardous waste problem. Collected data will provide evidence based criteria for prioritizing remediation on Tribal lands.	

	One of my continuing goals is to develop Tribal partnerships with federal, state, local governments, academia, and the private sector for sustainable development on tribal lands through a multi entity, inter-Tribal approach that would improve federal service delivery to Tribes, while at the same time reducing Tribal dependency on the federal government.

	Through this discussion my objective is to inform the federal policy makers that they have an obligation, under the federal trust doctrine, to protect Tribal lands, resources, and ways of living. This obligation arose from the transfer of Indian land to the federal government by conquest, treaty, executive order, or congressional legislation. The obligation remains independent of treaties and it inures to the benefit of all Tribes, treaty and non treaty alike. Federal agencies cannot abrogate or extinguish the trust obligation and federal agencies must implement its programs in manners that protect Tribal lands and resources.

	I also aim to inform Indian people that they have the right to participate in national policy development as individual public participants. A tactic that has been underused by Indian people.