Tribal Consultation
COLLABORATIVE, INDUSTRY-BEST TRIBAL CONSULTATION SERVICES
Tribal consultation services for finding common ground that moves your project forward.
When done correctly, Tribal consultation is a two-way government-to-government dialogue that spans the regulatory process, acknowledges Tribal sovereignty, and is driven by a “meaningful, good faith” approach. Consultation impacts projects across many markets and sectors, such as offshore wind and communications. Many undertakings involving facility development, maintenance, or re-development also require consultation.
Our team has longtime relationships with Tribes across the U.S., familiarity with the challenges consultation can entail, and the experience to handle them successfully. We act as your proactive partners from your project’s initial planning stages, providing holistic support, guidance, and agency to all participating parties. This promotes better communication, stronger relationships, and successful projects.
In addition to assisting with formal agency Tribal consultation work , we can also help facilitate consultation and communication outside of the federal regulatory process on your behalf as auxiliary support toward overall stakeholder consultation and outreach.
Our team can assist you with all aspects of the Tribal consultation process, including:
Introductory Letters and Documentation
The consultation process typically begins with a formal letter from the federal agency official to the corresponding Tribal official—often the Tribal leader, with the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) or their equivalent included.
We can expedite this step by collaborating on your behalf with agency personnel to finalize the letter’s contents, handle its movement through the postal system, and track resultant responses.
When helping facilitate communication on your behalf outside of the federal regulatory realm, our team can also assist with introductory letters and documents of coordination.
Structuring Meetings
Tribal consultation may occur across different media, including in-person or virtual meetings, emails, telephone conversations, site visits, and written correspondence.
Our experts can help you explore the best options, get in touch with Tribal representatives, and enable multiple meetings throughout your project’s regulatory process.
Documentation of Consultation
The consultation process requires agencies to document all efforts to initiate and carry out consultation and maintain records regarding attendance, meeting content, site visits, and other aspects.
To continue streamlining your project, our team will track this component, facilitating overall regulatory compliance and minimizing delays.
Outcome Management
Our experts will work with you, the agencies, Tribes, and other stakeholders to define appropriate identification methods for the types of resources (e.g., historic properties, traditional cultural properties, and landscapes) that may be present in a project's area of potential effects.
We can also assist in evaluating or supporting the evaluation for these resources where impacts cannot be avoided and help develop suitable mitigation strategies when eligible properties or sacred places will be adversely affected.
Relationship-building
The scope and scale of your projects may bring you into contact with the same stakeholders repeatedly.
Our team can help identify legacy problems, locations of concern, and flashpoint issues that may arise during project development, and provide strategies and support to help you navigate these areas and strengthen your relationship with Tribal groups and agencies.