The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Idaho won Environmental Protection Agency to develop its own water quality standards.

The tribe will develop a program affecting all waters within the Fort Hall Reservation. The tribe won't have regulatory and enforcement powers, an EPA attorney said.

“Building tribal expertise and increased capacity for environmental protection is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA regional administrator Elin Miller said in a press release. “Our action today not only acknowledges the Tribes’ demonstrated commitment to protecting water quality, but also reflects how seriously we take our tribal trust responsibilities in the pursuit of environmental protection for all.”

The tribe is the second in Idaho to gain treatment-as-state designation under the Clean Water Act.

Get the Story:
E. Idaho tribe cleared to manage water (The Idaho State Journal 9/11)