Environmental Code

The Ni-Mii -Puu people have lived, utilized and relied upon the natural resources of present-day north-central Idaho, southwestern Washington, northeastern Oregon and western Montana for subsistence, ceremonial, commercial and religious purposes since time immemorial. 

In Article III of the Treaty of 1855, the Tribe reserved the continued use of much of this territory for fishing, hunting, gathering and pasturing animals. Treaty of June 9, 1855, with the Nez Perce Tribe, 12 Stat. 957 (1859). Protecting these treaty-reserved rights is the highest priority of the Tribe and necessarily requires tribal management of the lands and waters that support these rights.

The environmental code defines environmental responsibility, what constitutes environmental harm, and how a site is declared contaminated. Further, this code determines the governmental action that will be taken by the Nez Perce Tribe, within its sovereign powers, in the event of an unauthorized contamination of tribal lands and waters. Through enactment of this code, and subsequent sections, the Nez Perce Tribe will strengthen relations with co-managers in the region, clean the lands and waters within the reservation and ceded territory, and provide for economic, social, and recreational opportunities.

Through enactment of this code and subsequent sections, the Nez Perce Tribe will strengthen relations with co-managers in the region, clean the lands and waters within the reservation and ceded territory and provide for economic, social, and recreational opportunities.

The Environmental Code for the Tribe is currently under review.

 Environmental Protection Code,
 Contaminated Site Cleanup Guidance,
 Risk-Based Cleanup Guidance,
 Soil Landfarming Guidance,
 Guidance on the Proper Use of Liquid Storage Tanks on the Nez Perce Reservation,
 Tribe Groundwater Quality Code