§4368b General Assistance Program

Summary

Creates a program that gives grants and EPA technical help to Indian tribal governments and groups of tribes. The money is for planning, building, and running environmental programs on Indian lands, including solid and hazardous waste work. Each grant must be at least $75,000. No single grant can be more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated under subsection (h). Grants can last more than one year, stay available until spent, and a tribe or consortium can get up to four years of grants for each specific media area. Getting these grants must not cut other EPA grants to the same tribe. The money must be used to set up programs in line with the rules and laws that apply. Indian tribal government — tribes or similar groups recognized by the United States. Intertribal consortia — a partnership of two or more tribes approved to apply. Administrator — the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA head had to write rules within 12 months following October 24, 1992, publish them in the Federal Register, and set up accounting and review procedures. Funds were authorized as needed for fiscal years 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. The EPA must send an annual report to Congress naming tribes or consortia approved to enforce environmental laws and describing how well enforcement worked.