Cite as: 82 CNCA § 4

A. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2022, and every fiscal year thereafter, the Council authorizes funds to effectuate all purposes and policies of this Act in an amount no less than $2 million above general fund appropriations to improve water systems budgeted for Fiscal Year 2021 as of October 1, 2020.

B. Expenditures of said funds for water systems for individual households shall be prioritized based on polices, rules and/or regulations as recommended by the Executive Director and approved by the Principal Chief, provided:

a. said policies, rules and/or regulations, and any changes thereto, shall be reported to the Council and made accessible for public inspection;

b. expenditures for funds for individual household water system projects prioritize low-income applicants;

c. no applicant for water system installation or repairs will be denied on the basis of land ownership, land title or probate issues unless the Director has made a substantial effort to resolve those issues in coordination with other Cherokee Nation departments; and

d. the Department coordinates with the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation or any other Cherokee Nation department, as warranted, to perform work on individual household water systems.

C. Expenditures of said funds for community water systems shall be prioritized based on policies, rules and/or regulations based as recommended by the Executive Director and approved by the Principal Chief, provided:

a. Said policies, rules and/or regulations, and any changes thereto, shall be reported to the Council and made accessible for public inspection.

b. Expenditures for funds for community water system projects prioritize infrastructure deficient water systems.

D. The funding source for expenditures under this Act may include dividends received from those for-profit corporations in which Cherokee Nation is the sole or majority shareholder, and that are incorporated under Cherokee Nation law. Other sources of funding, such as grants, miscellaneous sources and contributions, revenues of enterprises, taxes, and special and general fund sources, may be used to supplement this funding in order to maximize the beneficial impact through a cohesive strategy to achieve the Purpose as identified herein.

E. All funding authorized herein is subject to the Council appropriations process.

F. Hereafter any water system projects for which at least ten percent of funds are derived from funds authorized under this Act, or derived from any other general fund sources shall, be designated as "Made Possible by the Mankiller / Soap Water Act."

Historical Data

LA 15-21, eff. April 12, 2021