(a) This regulation establishes policies and procedures for the development, management, and EPA overview of State administration of the wastewater treatment works construction grants program under section 205(g) of the Clean Water Act, as amended. The delegation agreement between EPA and the State is a precondition for construction management assistance under section 205(g). Program requirements for other assistance agreements authorized by section 205(g) for activities under sections 402 and 404 and section 208(b)(4) are provided in part 130. Administration of all section 205(g) assistance agreements follows the procedures established in subpart A of this part.

(b) A State, for purposes of receiving delegation of construction grant program responsibilities under this subpart, shall include a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands (Palau), the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and any Indian Tribe, band, group, or community recognized by the Secretary of the Interior and exercising governmental authority over a Federal Indian reservation, provided that the Tribe satisfies the following criteria:

(1) The Indian Tribe has a governing body carrying out substantial governmental duties and powers. The Tribe must submit a narrative statement to the Regional Administrator describing the form of the Tribal government, describing the types of essential governmental functions currently performed and identifying the source of the authority to perform these functions.

(2) The functions to be exercised by the Indian Tribe pertain to the management and protection of water resources which are held by an Indian Tribe, held by the United States in trust for Indians, held by a member of an Indian Tribe if such property is subject to a trust restriction on alienation, or otherwise within the borders of an Indian reservation. Assertions by the Indian Tribe with respect to this criterion will be provided by EPA to adjacent governmental entities in accordance with 40 CFR 130.15.

(3) The Indian Tribe is reasonably expected to be capable, in the Regional Administrator's judgment, of carrying out the functions to be exercised in a manner consistent with the terms and purposes of the Clean Water Act and applicable regulations.

(c) Where a Tribe has previously qualified for treatment as a State under a Clean Water Act or Safe Drinking Water Act program, the Tribe need only provide the required information which had not been submitted in a previous treatment as a State application.