Central Valley Flood Protection Board Tribal Affairs

On January 16, 2026, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board formally adopted the California Natural Resources Agency’s Tribal Consultation Policy (Policy). California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot signed the new California Natural Resources Agency Tribal Consultation Policy on September 25, 2025, which adopted the new policy for California Natural Resources Agency and all departments, commissions, boards, and conservancies, and replaces the 2012 California Natural Resources Agency Tribal Consultation Policy.

This new Policy incorporates new laws and executive orders to ensure California Natural Resources Agency, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and other California Natural Resources Agency departments are advancing early, often, and meaningful tribal consultations across our work.

It is the policy of CNRA, Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and all entities under California Natural Resources Agency to engage in early, often, and meaningful consultations on a government-to-government basis with federally recognized California Native America tribes, and to consult with non-federally recognized California Native American tribes and tribal organizations, as appropriate, on policies, processes, programs, and projects that may impact tribal communities. California Natural Resources Agency departments, commissions, boards, and conservancies may adopt additional tribal consultation polices in consultation with tribes to build on this policy and to support their specific missions.

The objectives of this policy are to:

1. Establish consistent tribal consultation policies and implementation across departments under California Natural Resources Agency. This policy shall serve as the foundation upon which California Natural Resources Agency departments, commissions, boards, and conservancies can build additional department-specific tribal consultation policies.
2. Institutionalize California Natural Resources Agency’s policy of early, often, and meaningful consultation with California Native American tribes with the goal of collaborative problem-solving and partnership.
3. Encourage collaboration between California Natural Resources Agency and its departments on tribal consultations for multi-departmental projects.
4. Designate which personnel are authorized to represent their department in tribal consultations and the roles and responsibilities of tribal liaisons.