Western Region Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Formulation

1. Western RegionFiscal Year 2013Budget Formulation The U.S. Department of the Interior is responsible to uphold the unique government to government relationship with Federally-recognized American Indian Tribes, as provided by the Constitution of the United States, U.S. treaties and court decisions, presidential executive orders and federal policies and administrative actions. Presented by: Honorable Vice Chairman Wright Honorable Vice Chairman Hinton

2. 2 Agencies 42 Tribes 13 Agencies 13 Million Acres Population – 143,000 2 Agencies 9 Agencies

3. Tribal Recommendations • Protect Indian Affairs funding: all TPA programs are critical to tribes • WRO TPA Base for Tribes = $24,367,708 (FY 2010 level) • TPA base funding for WRO tribes at 56% (FY 2010 • TPA funding upholds the Secretary's “Advancing Nation to Nation Relationships” principle • Setting priorities justifies funding reductions, see FY2012 Budget Justifications page IA-PSJ-14 • GPRA should reinforce the need for federal programs and to justify funding support

4. Protecting Indian Country • Western Region service area: 13 Million acres • The International border with Mexico adds meeting Homeland Security requirements • Indian community victim rate is twice the national average • 1.9 officers per 1000 residents (national average 3.5:1000) • Funding shortfall minimizes bed space at regional detention facilities

5. Protecting Indian Country • Increase funding base for tribal courts • Updating law and order codes and ordinances • Technical assistance and training • Improving data management systems, archiving records • Staffing support, magistrates/judges, court clerks, prosecutors, defense advocates and probation • Implementation of Tribal Law & Order Act

6. Advancing Indian Education • There are 54 BIE-funded schools in Arizona; 2 BIE funded schools in Nevada; and 3 BIE funded schools in Utah • Few schools meet the requirements of Adequate Yearly Progress, an unfunded mandate • JOM funding supports critical educational services; tutoring, mentoring, counseling, incentives and language classes • JOM funds also provides student supplied, ACT fees, remedial courses in writing, math and science

7. Advancing Indian Education • Public college tuition for 4-yr and 2-yr institutions increasing 10-15% requiring scholarship increases • Western Region BIE schools require: • Security measures • System upgrades • Routine and standard maintenance • Funding must support increasing measures: • Achievement standards • Curriculum enhancement • Addressing teen suicide; security and safety • Recruitment and retention of teachers

8. Trust Land Management: Natural Resources • WRO is 2nd largest in area of Indian trust lands of the 12 BIA regions: 13 M Acres • WRO supports only 1 FTE Per 1 Million Acres; funding increases are rationally proportionate • Western Region supports 22% of the commercial forested acres nationwide

9. Trust Land Management: Natural Resources • Population growth and development increases NEPA responsibility for tribes • Water rights protection and management responsibilities are becoming increasingly critical to conservation, recovery, and restoration • Noxious weed infestation of over 1 Million acres of tribal lands threatens economic opportunities to tribes

10. Trust Land Management: Natural Resources • Rangeland is expected to be the first impacted by climate change; agricultural resource plans continue to be an unfunded mandate • Lease compliance, unresolved rights, and lease default, lease holdover, and trespass issues requires support for Realty Services • BIA’s Land, Titles and Records Office (LTRO) and the Office of the Special Trustee, Office of Appraisal Services are critical to achieving compliance with enforcement obligations

11. Trust Land Management: Natural Resources • Negotiation, documentation and administration of multiple utility-scale solar energy leases • 3 leases currently pending in WRO • No other regions have reported such leases • 5-6 more under consideration by tribes in WRO • Monitoring lease enforcement, boundary protection/establishment and trespass • WRO plays lead role in settlement negotiations resulting in benefits for Indian landowners

12. Trust Land Management: Natural Resources Funding Constant for 12 years 6,000 miles of roads 20% • Road Miles: • Bituminous; 1,625 • Concrete; 2.4 • Gravel; 726 • Unimproved (Earthen); 3,180

13. Improving Indian Communities • BIA HIP Program needs continued funding to address sub-standard housing • BIA is a partner with Tribes in support of continued funding for HIP • The BIA must provide qualified housing staff at the Regional Office to provide expert assistance on housing needs, funding, and inspections 

14. Improving Tribal Communities • Current census unemployment rates do not reflect reservation unemployment statistics • Continued support of General Assistance to serve employable and unemployable clients—GPRA shows 73% of the goals in Individual Self-Sufficiency Plans are met for the Western Region • Over 25% of the GA clients are unemployable—those that can not work, lack skills, old or are disabled

15. Renewable Energy • Green Energy projects and partnerships with private industry are on the rise in Indian Country • Outcomes include increasing employment opportunities and creation of high demand driven jobs • Examples of renewable energy projects include: • Generating hydro electricity at Rattlesnake Point on the Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation • Creating Biomass for Wildfire Mitigation using salt cedars • Solar energy rebates and geothermal development at the Pyramid Lake and Walker River Indian Reservations