The Lac du Flambeau Band's Constitution and By Laws specifically states the Tribal Council has the responsibility and power  "to regulate the use and disposition of tribal property, wildlife and natural resources of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, to cultivate Indian arts, crafts and culture, to administer charity, to protect the security and general welfare of the Tribe". The purpose of our Water Resource Program is to protect the reservation waters for present and future generations in order to help the Tribal Council fulfill it's constitutional responsibility.  One way for the Tribe to accomplish this goal is to have federally approved water quality standards.  The Clean Water Act, Section 518 allows Tribes to obtain the authority to administer a Water Quality Standards Program. Thus the reason we need standards.

Currently, there are no federally approved water quality standards on the reservation.  Why would Congress provide Section 518 of the Clean Water Act for Tribes to be treated as a state, if state standards applied on reservations.  There are no county water quality standards nor has Congress gave counties the authority to set water quality standards.  About 2 maybe 3 years ago there was a big push in the EPA to pass Core Water Quality Standards in Indian Country because there were no water quality standards in Indian Country.  This initiative failed because one set of water quality standards for all reservations was ridiculous. Would these standards protect Navajo at the same time protect Lac du Flambeau?  I think not!

The general public should support LdF because we are trying to protect a resource that is vital to everything we do in the northern Wisconsin.  How could anyone fail to see the importance of clean water for short term economic gain.  Clean water is a basic necessity of life, without it, how are we going to survive!  Sure this may not seem to be a big issue now because we have so much water, but what about 20, 30 40 years from now?  We have a great responsibility as parents, grandparents, community leaders, congressman, governors, senators and tribal council members to take care of the water we have.  We should never take it for granted. We all need to be stewards of the natural resources because we have been give them to use not to abuse. We should be asking ourselves, if we are going to develop economically how are we going to do so in an environmentally safe way? Our lives and our children's lives depend on it.  Remember over 90% of our body is WATER.

Larry Wawronowicz
Deputy Administrator of Natural Resources
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
PO Box 67
Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin 54538
715-588-4213
715-588-3207 FAX