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GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM • SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 • (916) 445-2841
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
September 25, 2020
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
Native American Ancestral Lands
On June 18, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-15-19, which
acknowledges and apologizes on behalf of the State for the historical “violence,
exploitation, dispossession and the attempted destruction of tribal communities” which
dislocated California Native Americans from their ancestral land and sacred practices.
The destructive impacts of this forceful separation persist today, and meaningful,
reparative action from the State of California (State) can begin to address these
wrongs in an effort to heal its relationship with California Native Americans.
In addition, Executive Order N-15-19 reaffirms and incorporates by reference the
principles of government-to-government engagement established by Executive Order
B-10-11 (“it is the policy of the administration that every state agency and department
subject to executive control is to encourage communication and consultation with
California Native American tribes”). The State continues to work with California tribes on
a government-to-government basis to address issues concerning Native American tribal
self-government and tribal trust resources.
Consistent with the goals of such Executive Orders, and in the spirit of truth and healing
in recognition of past harms done to California Native American communities, it is the
policy of this administration to encourage every State agency, department, board and
commission (collectively, “entities”) subject to my executive control to seek
opportunities to support California tribes’ co-management of and access to natural
lands1 that are within a California tribe’s ancestral land and under the ownership or
control of the State of California, and to work cooperatively with California tribes that
are interested in acquiring natural lands in excess of State needs.
1 As defined in Section 9001.5(d)(2) Public Resources Code.
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Any action taken in accordance with this Policy shall: (i) comply with all applicable laws
and regulations, including those governing surplus and excess lands; (ii) occur in
consultation with California tribes pursuant to Executive Orders N-15-19 and B-10-11;
and (iii) not conflict with the Governor’s stated policy priorities, such as housing and
homelessness and climate action.
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to partner with California tribes to facilitate tribal access,
use, and co-management of State-owned or controlled natural lands and to work
cooperatively with California tribes that are interested in acquiring natural lands in
excess of State needs in order to, among other things:
• Support tribal self-determination and self-government;
• Facilitate the access of California Native Americans to sacred sites and
cultural resources;
• Improve the ability of California Native Americans to engage in traditional
and sustenance gathering, hunting and fishing;
• Partner with California tribes on land management and stewardship
utilizing Traditional Ecological Knowledges;
• Reduce fractionation of tribal lands; and
• Provide opportunities for education, community development, economic
diversification, and investment in public health, information technology
and infrastructure, renewable energy, water conservation, and cultural
preservation or awareness.
II. ACTIONS ALIGNED WITH THIS POLICY
Actions taken in accordance with this Policy could include, but would not be
limited to:
• Entering into memoranda of understanding to allow for access to or co- management of natural lands under the ownership or control of the State
with California tribes with ancestral lands located in such areas;
• Grantmaking to assist California tribes with procurement, protection or
management of natural lands located within their ancestral territories,
subject to available resources;
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• When natural lands under the ownership or control of the State are in
excess of State needs, working cooperatively within existing statutory and
regulatory frameworks with the California tribes that have ancestral
territory within those lands and are interested in acquiring them, including
by prioritizing tribal purchase or transfer of land; and
• Adopting preferential policies and practices for California tribes to access
natural lands under the ownership or control of the State that are located
within a California tribe’s ancestral lands, including coordinating with local
governments to zone natural land in excess of State needs in a way
conducive to tribal access and use.
III. ACCESS TO INFORMATION
In implementing this Policy, State entities are encouraged to facilitate California
tribal government access to existing information concerning land that may be of
interest to California tribes.
Gavin Newsom
Governor of California