Preservation and management of natural resources to protect and enhance tribal territories is of paramount importance to tribes, and balancing that with the need for economic development is not always easy. Hobbs Straus’ knowledge of federal environmental and natural resources law, energy, water rights, and cultural preservation, coupled with a command of how the law in these areas is administered and applied in Indian Country, enables our firm to assist tribes in their fight to preserve and manage their rich natural and cultural resources.
Our attorneys help tribal governments develop, administer, and enforce tribal environmental protection programs. In doing so, we are often called on to address the sovereignty-related conflicts that arise in administering those programs. We advise our tribal clients on issues such as complying with the National Environmental Policy Act, negotiating real estate agreements, responding to governmental enforcement actions, and permitting for economic development projects. In our representation of tribal interests, we have years of experience working with state and local governments and a wide range of federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Forest Service. Whether by negotiation, litigation, legislation, regulation or advocacy, we seek to help protect our tribal clients’ environmental and cultural rights — now and into the future.
