What is GAP?
GAP stands for the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act that began in 1993 and is a U.S. EPA Funded (Assistant Agreement) Grant.
42 U.S.C §4368b – US Code, 2006 Edition Supp. 2, Title 42 – The Public Health and Welfare Section of the text.
The GAP Guidebook was Revised after consulting and coordinating with 75 tribes and 16 tribal organizations, in hopes to better provide tribes and intertribal consortia with training, technical assistance and framework assistance to start their own environmental programs.
American Indian Environmental Office (AEIO) is the National Program Manager for GAP. They provide guidance by monitoring, distributes funding, and providing technical assistance to the Regional Office.
We are in EPA Region 8 (that covers Colorado, Montana, ND, SD, Wyoming, Utah, and 28 Tribal Nations with those states) - Kimberly Varilek, Project officer. Headquarters is located in Denver, Colorado and they also provide GAP guidance and distributes funding to tribes.
The EPA recognizes that tribal governments are the primary parties for setting these environmental program standards, making environmental policy decisions, and managing programs for reservations (consistent with Agency standards and regulations). This Grant is tailored to fit the UIT's needs.
Funding is provided under GAP for the purposes of planning, developing, and establishing tribal environmental protection programs that are consistent with programs and authorities already administered by the EPA.