Sovereign-to-Sovereign Cooperative Agreements

Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and Amendments, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5301-5423 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 25 U.S.C. § 5302 (Congressional recognition of tribal self-determination by “assuring maximum Indian participation in the direction of…Federal services to Indian communities so as to render such services more responsive to the needs and desires of those communities”) 
• 25 U.S.C. § 5321 (authorization of 638 Contracts) 
• 25 U.S.C. § 5328 (consultation requirement)
• 25 U.S.C. § 5361(6) (defining “inherent federal function”) 
• 25 U.S.C. § 5362 (authorization self-Governance compacts)  
• 25 U.S.C. §§ 5363(b)(2),(c) (Non-BIA PFSAs administered by DOI that1) are otherwise available to Indian Tribes and Indians and 2) "may...also include other programs, services, functions, and activities, or portions thereof…which are of special geographic, historical, or cultural significance to the participating Indian tribe requesting a compact”) 
• 25 U.S.C. § 5363(k) (no authorization to enter agreements for inherently federal functions)
• 25 C.F.R. Parts 900, 1000 
• 25 C.F.R. § 900.2(d) (FOIA exceptions)

Federal Land and Policy Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C. §§ 1701-1787 (2021)

Key Language and Regulations

• 43 U.S.C. § 1703(c) (defining “multiple use and sustained yield”)
• 43 U.S.C. § 1712(b) (Department of Agriculture required to “coordinate land use plans in the National Forest system with the land use planning and management programs of and for Indian tribes by, among other things, considering the policies of approved tribal land resource management programs”)  
• 43 U.S.C. § 1712(c)(9) (duty of federal land management agencies to coordinate with State and local land use management and planning programs; implementation requirements)
• 43 U.S.C. § 1732(a) (public lands management performed under principles of multiple use and sustained yield, in accordance with applicable land use plans, except where otherwise provided by law) 
• 43 U.S.C. § 1737(b) (DOI and its bureaus authorized to enter into cooperative agreements involving the management, protection, development, and sale of public lands)  

Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004, 25 U.S.C. § 3115a (2022)

See also, National Indian Forest Resource Management Act (NIFRMA), 25 U.S.C. §§ 3101-3120 (2022) 

Key Language and Regulations

• 25 U.S.C. § 3103(3) (defining Indian forest land as “Indian lands, including commercial and non-commercial timberland and woodland, that are considered chiefly valuable for the production of forest products or to maintain watershed or other land values enhanced by a forest cover, regardless whether a formal inspection and land classification action has been taken”)
• 25 U.S.C. § 3115a(a)(2) (definition of Indian forest land or rangeland)
• 25 U.S.C. § 3115a(b)(1) (authorization of agreements with tribes to carry out projects to protect Indian forest land or rangeland or Federal land that borders or is adjacent to Indian forest land or rangeland) 
• 25 U.S.C. § 3115a(c) (selection criteria for agreements with tribes)
• 25 U.S.C. § 3115a(d) (notice of denial and recommendation for consultation) 
• 25 USC § 3115b (Tribes carrying out projects under TFPA may also “contract to perform administrative, management, and other functions” of TFPA programs through ISDEAA contracts under, and in accordance with, 25 U.S.C. §  5363(b)(2)) 

For additional resources

• See Intertribal Timber Council's TFPA-related resources

16 U.S.C. § 2113a (2022) (enacted as part of Agricultural Act of 2014) 

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 2113a(a)(1), (4), (5)-(7) (defining agreements, uses, and parties)
• 16 U.S.C. § 2113a(b)(1) (authorization of Good Neighbor Agreements with Tribes)

National Forest Management Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1600-1687 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 1604(a) (directing Department of Agriculture to "develop, maintain, and as appropriate, revise land and resource management plans for units of the National Forest System, coordinated with the land and resource management planning processes of State and local governments and other Federal agencies")
• 16 U.S.C. § 472 et seq. 
• 36 C.F.R. 219.4(a)(1) (requirement that Forest Service perform outreach and provide opportunities for tribal participation under the 2012 Planning Rule)   

Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960, 16 U.S.C. §§ 528-531 (2022)

Cultural and Heritage Cooperation Authority, 25 U.S.C. §§ 3051-3057 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 25 U.S.C. § 3052(9) (defining "traditional and cultural purpose")
• 25 U.S.C. § 3054 (temporary closures for traditional and cultural purposes)
• 25 U.S.C. § 3055 (forest products for traditional and cultural purposes)
• 25 U.S.C. § 3056 (FOIA exemption and limitations on disclosure)
• 36 C.F.R. § 261.53(g) (closure to protect privacy of tribal activities for traditional and cultural purposes)

Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, 16 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6592d (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 6591c(b) (stewardship contracting authority)
• 16 U.S.C. § 6591c(c) (authorizing certain land management goals in exercising stewardship contracting authority)

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 54 U.S.C. §§ 300101-307108 (2021)

Key Language and Regulations

• 54 U.S.C. § 100101 Note (congressional findings and declarations)
• 54 U.S.C. § 306108 (Section 106 review process) 
• 54 U.S.C. § 302706(b) (requiring tribal consultation pursuant to Section 106 review process when tribe or Native Hawaiian organization attaches religious and cultural significance to a property eligible for includes on the National Register)
• 36 C.F.R. Part 800 (regulations for Section 106 implementation) 
• 36 C.F.R. § 800.5 (dispute resolution mechanisms)

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4370m-12 (2021)

Key Language and Regulations

• 42 U.S.C. §  4332(2)(J) (authorizes Federal agencies to “make available . . . advice and information useful in restoring, maintaining and enhancing the quality of the environment.”)
• 40 C.F.R. parts 1500-1508 
• 40 C.F.R. § 1501.2(d)(2) (requirement that federal agencies consult early with appropriate Tribal governments when its own involvement is reasonably foreseeable) 
• 40 C.F.R. § 1508.1(e) (cooperating agency status made available to tribal governments) 

Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, 16 U.S.C. §§ 470aa-470mm (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 470ii(a)

Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3101-3233 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 3119 (authorization of agreements with Alaska Native Corporations)

Native American Tourism and improving Visitor Experience Act, 25 U.S.C. §§ 4351-4355 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 25 U.S.C. § 4351(2) (purpose of Act includes “increase[ing] coordination and collaboration between Federal tourism assets to support Native American tourism”)
• 25 U.S.C. § 4351(4) (purpose of Act includes “enhanc[ing] and improv[ing] self-determination and self-governance capabilities in the Native American community and to promote greater self-sufficiency”)
• 25 U.S.C. §§ 4353(c)(1)(G)-(I) (provisions with potential overlap of co-management authorities, as identified in BLM, Permanent Instruction Memorandum 2022-011, Attachment 1 (Sept. 30, 2022))
• 25 U.S.C. § 4353(c)(2) (requiring consultation with tribes to identify levels of inclusion in Federal tourism activities, public records, and publications)
• 25 U.S.C. § 4354(a)(2) (requiring federal agencies to support tribal efforts “to identify and enhance or maintain traditions and cultural features that are important to sustain the distinctiveness of the local Native American community”)

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 661-666e (2022)

Key Language and Regulations 

• 16 U.S.C. § 666c-1(l) (authorizing contracts or cooperative agreements with tribes to assist with control and management of invasive species)

National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, 16 U.S.C. §§ 668dd-668ee (2022)

Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C. §§ 742a-742d, 742e-742j-2 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 742f(a)(4) (authorizing Department of the Interior to “take such steps as may be required for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources”)

Key Language and Regulation

• 16 U.S.C. § 1388(a) (authorizing the use of "cooperative agreements with Alaska Native organizations to conserve marine mammals and provide co-management of subsistence use by Alaska Natives")

Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreements Act of 1966, 31 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6308 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 31 U.S.C. § 6305 (authorizing cooperative agreements with tribes to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States (e.g., for natural resource protection)

Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1544 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 16 U.S.C. § 1536 (interagency cooperation and section 7 consultation)
• 16 U.S.C. § 1539 (subsistence exemptions)
• 50 C.F.R. part 17 (implementation regulations)

Key Language and Regulations

• 43 U.S.C. § 373d (authorizing Department of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to enter into grants and cooperative agreements with tribes)

Key Language and Regulations

• 43 U.S.C. §§ 2901-2907 (reclamation title transfer)

Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 (2022)

Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1342, 1349-1351, 1511-1519 (2022)

Key Language and Regulations

• 31 U.S.C. §§ 1341-1342 (limitations on expenditures, obligations, and voluntary services)

Administrative Procedure Act 4 U.S.C. §§ 551-559, 701-706

Key Language and Regulations

• 5 U.S.C. §§ 551-559
• 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A) (judicial review of agency action)