The Washoe Environmental Protection Department (WEPD) was adopted into the Washoe Tribe’s governmental structure in 1998.  WEPD serves all Tribal Communities and reviews all actions by federal, state, and county governments as well as other organizations throughout the aboriginal territory. WEPD is responsible for carrying out the protection of natural and cultural resources and managing lands within the traditional territory that include 73,500 acres of trust and fee lands. 

It is the policy of the Washoe Tribe to protect, maintain and enhance its natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.  The tasks that have been identified by the Tribe for the Washoe Environmental Protection Department (WEPD) include:

• Building the capacity of the Tribal government to address environmental problems by developing comprehensive programs.
• Hiring and training Tribal members to administer those programs.
• Building partnerships with federal, state and local government entities responsible for protecting and regulating the environment within their respective jurisdictions so that Tribal concerns and needs will be incorporated into the plans and regulations of the partners;
• Developing programs that will allow the Tribe to become economically independent in ways that will not degrade the environment.
• Involving Tribal communities, especially Tribal youth, in formulating and applying Washoe stewardship values that have protected the Tribe's environment for centuries.

Environmental Project Announcements