The ODOT Tribal Liaison is Dr. Rhonda S. Fair. She can be reached by telephone at 405.521.3632 or by email. Her mailing address is: Rhonda S. Fair, Director - Tribal Coordination, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, 200 NE 21st Street, Room 1-C1a, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105.
In addition to working with tribal transportation programs, Dr. Fair handles all tribal consultation for ODOT's Federal Aid undertakings. ODOT's tribal consultation procedures are designed to give tribes multiple opportunities to express their concerns regarding ODOT's Federal undertakings and to participate in the resolution of any adverse effects. Tribes are welcome to comment on ODOT's undertakings at anytime during the planning and construction process. All project-specific consultation goes directly between the Tribal Liaison and the tribes, as the Federal Highway Administration is not directly involved in this process.
An important part of the Liaison's job is to establish and maintain broader contacts with colleagues in the tribal historic preservation offices and with tribal community members to keep abreast of tribal issues and concerns.
In addition to working with tribal transportation programs, Dr. Fair handles all tribal consultation for ODOT's Federal Aid undertakings. ODOT's tribal consultation procedures are designed to give tribes multiple opportunities to express their concerns regarding ODOT's Federal undertakings and to participate in the resolution of any adverse effects. Tribes are welcome to comment on ODOT's undertakings at anytime during the planning and construction process. All project-specific consultation goes directly between the Tribal Liaison and the tribes, as the Federal Highway Administration is not directly involved in this process.
An important part of the Liaison's job is to establish and maintain broader contacts with colleagues in the tribal historic preservation offices and with tribal community members to keep abreast of tribal issues and concerns.
Programmatic Agreements
The Tribal Liaison facilitates the negotiation of programmatic agreements for tribal consultation between FHWA, ODOT, and Oklahoma's 38 Federally-recognized tribes. These agreements specify how tribal consultation will be conducted, tribal areas of interest, and points of contact. Additionally, they allow ODOT to conduct tribal consultation on behalf of FHWA, while preserving a tribe's sovereign right to consult with their Federal counterparts on a government-to-government basis. In the absence of formal agreements, ODOT relies on draft documents and informal agreements regarding the Section 106 process. The template Programmatic Agreement presented below is tailored to meet the specific needs of each tribe.
The Tribal Liaison facilitates the negotiation of programmatic agreements for tribal consultation between FHWA, ODOT, and Oklahoma's 38 Federally-recognized tribes. These agreements specify how tribal consultation will be conducted, tribal areas of interest, and points of contact. Additionally, they allow ODOT to conduct tribal consultation on behalf of FHWA, while preserving a tribe's sovereign right to consult with their Federal counterparts on a government-to-government basis. In the absence of formal agreements, ODOT relies on draft documents and informal agreements regarding the Section 106 process. The template Programmatic Agreement presented below is tailored to meet the specific needs of each tribe.
- Template Programmatic Agreement
- Programmatic Agreement with the Caddo Nation
- Programmatic Agreement with the Chickasaw Nation
- Programmatic Agreement with the Comanche Nation
- Programmatic Agreement with the Delaware Nation
- Programmatic Agreement with the Delaware Tribe of Indians
- Programmatic Agreement with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee
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