White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Tribal Consultations

Announcing Tribal Consultation and Public Input Opportunities on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Federal Policy
By: Alondra Nelson, Deputy Assistant to the President, Deputy Director for Science and Society performing the duties of the Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Brenda Mallory, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality

Today we are excited to announce a series of opportunities for Tribal Consultation and public engagement to discuss the White House’s efforts to elevate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) in Federal decision making. At the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2021 Tribal Nations Summit last November, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a memorandum, Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Federal Decision Making, recognizing the importance of ITEK and committing to elevating its role in Federal scientific and policy processes.

Initial Tribal Consultations and Listening Sessions:

• Tribal Consultation 1:
  • When: April 5, 2022, 3:30-5:30 pm EDT
    Who: Tribal leaders from Federally recognized Tribal Nations
  • Tribal Consultation 2:
    When: April 29, 2022, 3:00-5:00 pm EDT
    Who: Tribal leaders from Federally recognized Tribal Nations
  • Public Listening Session:
    When: Friday, April 8, 2022, 3:00-5:00 pm EDT
    Who: Knowledge holders, practitioners, environmental stewardship managers, spiritual leaders, elders, and others with experience or interest in ITEK and Federal government decision making

Register here: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_nYHMg0SzSB-IqsEb6XLpgg
Additionally, engagement events are being planned for Hawai’i and Island communities.

As many speakers will be accommodated as the scheduled time allows. Representatives from White House Tribal Affairs, OSTP, and CEQ will facilitate the Consultations and virtual listening sessions and manage the discussion and order of remarks.

Specific questions to guide feedback at these Tribal Consultations and Listening Sessions are listed here.

What would you like Federal employees to know about ITEK?
Thinking about the areas where you engage with the Federal government, how would you like to work with Federal departments and agencies in the future to ensure that ITEK properly informs Federal processes and policies? What challenges do you foresee?
What terminology should be used (e.g., Indigenous Knowledge, Traditional Ecological Knowledge) when referring to this body of work in the Federal context?
Are there existing guidance documents, agreements, or practices that provide good examples of how ITEK should be elevated in Federal processes and policies?
The fifth National Climate Assessment, currently underway, is a congressionally-mandated report that assesses observed and projected impacts of climate change across the United States. How do you recommend ITEK be represented in the development processes and content of National Climate Assessments?
This is a critical initiative for the Administration, because we know that by working with knowledge holders in the right ways, we can achieve better outcomes for people and for the planet. We look forward to working with you as we advance this important and exciting effort.