Our ancestral territories stretch from the Cascade Mountains westward to the Pacific Ocean. They encompass diverse subregions with distinct ecosystems that face both shared and unique challenges in the face of climate change. A wide variety of plants and animals have sustained our communities for thousands of years, providing food, fuel, shelter, medicines, and materials for commerce. Our natural resources form the foundation for our spiritual life, sacred ceremonies, and community cohesion.

Promising Practices for EJ Methodologies in NEPA Reviews, an EJ IWG report produced by the NEPA Committee (hereinafter referred to as “Promising Practices Report”) represents the professional experience, knowledge, and expertise of the individuals participating in the NEP A Committee. The NEP A Committee (see List of NEP A Committee Participants from ten departments, three agencies, and one White House office) spent almost 48 months researching, analyzing and discussing the interaction ofenvironmentaljusticeandNEPA.

Extreme weather events and nuisance ooding are increasing, with communities already experiencing impacts. Both the identi cation of local hazards and the assessment of local vulnerabilities can protect people, their property, and their livelihoods.

Public Private Partnerships (P3s) have the potential to help many communities optimize their limited resources through agreements with private parties to help build and maintain their public infrastructure. P3s have successfully designed, built, and maintained many types of public infrastructure, such as roads, and drinking water/wastewater utilities across the U.S. Until recently, there have been no P3s specifically developed for stormwater management or Clean Water Act requirements. The U.S.

Since 1988, EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) has established itself as an important source of affordable funding for infrastructure projects that improve and maintain the quality of our nation’s waters. Each of the 51 programs operating independently across the United States and Puerto Rico demonstrate the power of federal and state partnerships to leverage financial resources in the interest of building sustainable infrastructure and protecting public health and water quality.