Commissioner's Office Support for
Reclamation's Native American Program Activities:Native American and International Affairs Office
Reclamation established the Native American Affairs Office in 1989 to provide leadership for Reclamation’s activities benefiting or otherwise affecting Indian tribes. The office was merged with the International Affairs Office in 2007 to become the Native American and International Affairs Office (NAIAO). Organizationally, the office is part of Reclamation’s Commissioner’s Office. The office is headed by a Director in Washington, DC, while staff are located in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado. The NAIAO endeavors to work closely with Reclamation’s Regional Native American Affairs Program managers, as well as with others in the Regional, Area, and Commissioner’s Offices.
Responsibilities of the NAIAO include:
Contact - NAIAO:
- developing and coordinating policy guidance for Reclamation's Native American Program, including Reclamation’s activities pertaining to the Secretary’s Indian trust responsibility, government-to-government consultation with Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, the Indian Self-Determination and Self-Governance programs, and Indian sacred sites;
- working closely with Regional Offices to provide technical assistance to tribes through the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program;
- leading Reclamation’s participation in Interior’s Indian water rights settlement program;
- leading or participating in special initiatives for Reclamation’s Commissioner;
- coordinating with the Interior Department on intra-Departmental initiatives;
- coordinating with other governmental offices, bureaus and agencies on matters affecting their respective Indian programs;
- providing training programs to Reclamation employees to enable them to work more effectively with Tribes;
- implementing or coordinating other activities aimed at removing barriers to create more effective relationships between Reclamation and the Tribes Reclamation works with.
Name
Title
Telephone
Richard Ives
Director
202-513-0625
Other Commissioner Office Support
Within Reclamation’s Commissioner’s Office, Native American activities are also supported by other units as described below:Technical Services Center (TSC) - This office, located in Denver, provides a broad range of technical services related to water resources management and development to Reclamation and BIA on a cost-reimbursable basis.
Contact - TSC Client Liaison:
Name
Title
Telephone
David Fisher
NAIAO Client Liasion
303-445-2542
Security, Safety and Law Enforcement (SSLE) Office - Reclamation's Dam Safety program is located within the SSLE. The Commissioner of Reclamation has the delegated authority for coordinating and advising Interior's Safety of Dams (SOD) Programs. Reclamation has provided SOD technical and program assistance to BIA and individual Indian Tribes for the past 25 years. As of December 2010, there were 137 BIA/Tribal dams classified as high or significant hazard on 40 Indian reservations in the West. Reclamation performs SOD assistance on a reimbursable basis for the BIA or individual Indian Tribes.
Reclamation's Dam Safety Office in Denver, Colorado, manages the program and technical assistance for the SOD program, with other offices also providing assistance for the program. Click here to learn more about this program.
Contact - Dam Safety Office, Native American Program:
NameTitle
Telephone
Mary Beth Schuetz
Acting Program Manager- BIA/Tribal Dam Safety Assistance -Dam Safety Office
303-445-3216
This page last updated for content on 08/25/11
For technical problems with this website, e-mail Janice Simmons, or call (202) 513-0554.
Please direct any comments about its content to Adrienne Marks at (202) 513-0630 or (202) 513-0625.
Last reviewed: 8/29/11