Tribal Representatives and interested parties,

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is inviting you to join a conversation about the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan to help ensure it matches the assets and opportunities in your community. Community input was so important during development of the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Resolution, rs2021-0050 (ca.gov), and we intend to honor your contributions as we continue our racial equity journey.

In May, community partners and State Water Board management and staff came together for Visioning and Strategy retreats, as well as a series of Action Planning workshops. The draft Racial Equity Action Plan will set goals for the State Water Board to address racial inequities and identify metrics to measure progress.

We are inviting you to provide input on the Racial Equity Action Plan through a series of public engagement workshops across the state. During each session, we also will inform communities about the Water Boards’ progress since the Racial Equity Resolution was adopted. We encourage you to share this invitation with others in your community.

Here are the ways that you and your community can provide feedback:

Statewide Virtual Workshop

July 20, 2022. 5:30-7:30 PM. Zoom.
Regional In Person and Virtual Workshops

Northern California (Redding, CA): July 21, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Southern California (Mecca, CA): July 25, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Central California (Visalia, CA): July 27, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
To Register, and for agendas and background materials, visit linktr.ee/ca.water.boards.racialequity

We approach this process with humility and acknowledge that we have a long journey ahead. Our vision is to co-create a sustainable California where race no longer predicts where clean water is available or who has access to it, and a Water Boards where employees represent the diverse experiences of California communities. We cannot get there without deepening our understanding of community assets and working collaboratively with you. We hope you can join us for a discussion of the Racial Equity Action Plan. We need your voice!

Public Notice - Racial Equity (ca.gov)

Feel free to reach out to [log in to unmask] with any questions.

This is the eleventh annual forum for environmental professionals from Tribes, US EPA, State/ Local/Federal agencies, community organizations, and other interested parties to meet, share knowledge and learn from one another how to improve management, protection and restoration of Tribal lands for us and all our relations.

Your community to connect with colleagues across the country
as we address Tribal waste and response issues.

This year we'll meet in-person in Milwaukee and online everywhere.

To register or for more information, please hit the read more button below to be redirected to the TLEF website.

Save the date! The 10th Annual Rising Voices Workshop will be held virtually, Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16, 2022. The workshop theme is Emergent Knowledge through Indigenous and Earth Science Collaborations. More details and registration information coming soon!

The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences (Rising Voices) facilitates opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientific experts and community leaders from around the world to jointly address how extreme weather and climate events are impacting communities and to develop action plans. Rising Voices aspires to advance science through the collaborations of Indigenous and Earth (atmospheric, social, biological, ecological) sciences, along with an intercultural approach to addressing and understanding extreme weather events.

For more information, please hit the read more button below.

Our Tribal Beneficial Uses Regional Progress Updates webpage has now been updated and can be accessed by hitting the read more button below.

This webpage includes:

Progress updates from each Region, Division, and Office regarding Tribal Beneficial Uses
Contact information for each Region, Division, and Office
A list of the regulatory process steps involved to protect water quality for Tribal Beneficial Uses


What are Tribal Beneficial Uses?

Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBU) are a group of beneficial uses that can help protect water quality for activities specific to Native American cultures and their uses of California waters, including the consumption of non-commercial fish or shellfish. TBU are sometimes referred to as cultural uses of water.



Regional Water Board

How to Get Involved

Region 1
North Coast

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Cody Walker
[log in to unmask]
(707) 576-2642

Region 2
San Francisco Bay

Send a letter to Sami Harper with interest

Contact for more information:
Sami Harper
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(510) 622-2415

Region 3

Central Coast

Submit support letter to prioritize Tribal Beneficial Uses in the Triennial Review

Contact for more information:
Angela Schroeter
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(805) 542-4644

Region 4
Los Angeles

Contact Susana Lagudis for more information

Contact for more information:
Susana Lagudis
[log in to unmask]
(213) 576-6694



Region 5
Central Valley

Attend State Water Board meeting to add Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions on September 7

Submit letters to request Tribal Beneficial Uses designations

Contact for more information:
Adriana Ross
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(559) 455-5576

Region 6
Lahontan

Attend Tribal Summit

Contact for more information:
Danny McClure
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(530) 542-5443

Region 7
Colorado River Basin

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Maria Davydova-Flores
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(760) 776-8947

Region 8
Santa Ana

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Claudia Tenorio
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(951) 782-4963

Region 9
San Diego

Fill out survey by July 15 to provide contact information and share your preferences on receiving information from the San Diego Water Board (Region 9): https://forms.office.com/g/RNLVA43QfA


Submit support letter to designate waterbodies with Tribal Beneficial Uses

Contact for more information:
Melissa Corona
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(619) 521-8039

State Water Board
Division of Water Quality

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Taran Sahota
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(916) 327-8679

Please contact [log in to unmask] with any questions.



Best,
State Water Board Tribal Affairs Team | waterboards.ca.gov/tribal_affairs
(916) 216-1126 | [log in to unmask]