Tribal Consultation Policy and Best Practices
The California Natural Resources Agency is committed to collaborating with California Native American tribes as it works to “restore, protect and manage the state’s natural, historical and cultural resources for current and future generations using creative approaches and solutions based on science, collaboration and respect for all communities and interests involved.” The CNRA’s existing Tribal Consultation Policy was adopted in 2012 to advance Governor Brown’s Executive Order B-10-11. New laws and executive orders enacted since then establish additional consultation requirements. Moreover, there is a clear need for the Agency to update its Tribal Consultation Policy to better reflect its intentions and goals for tribal consultation and broader collaboration.
Following early and secondary rounds of tribal consultation between June 2024 – January 2025, CNRA sought early tribal consultations and hosted four tribal roundtable discussions on the update to our Tribal Consultation Policy. Based on these early and secondary consultations, CNRA has revised its updated Draft Tribal Consultation Policy and added an appendix, Draft Tribal Consultation Best Practices. CNRA is inviting public comment and tribal consultation at this time and respectfully requests that comments are sent in by July 1, 2025.
If you have any questions or would like to provide suggestions on what should be included in the updated Tribal Consultation Policy and Tribal Consultation Best Practices Guide, please contact us at tribalaffairs@resources.ca.gov.
Tribal Consultation Resources
Information on the tribal consultation policies of our 27 departments, conservancies, boards, commissions, councils, and museums under the California Natural Resources Agency will be posted here. More to come and appreciate your patience with us!
