---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6991l"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6991l"
heading: "Tanks on tribal lands"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6991l"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter IX — Regulation of Underground Storage Tanks"
---

# §6991l. Tanks on tribal lands

- (a) **Strategy—** The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1), in coordination with [Indian tribes](/usc/42/6991.md?p=1-A), shall, not later than 1 year after August 8, 2005, develop and implement a strategy—
  - (1) giving priority to [releases](/usc/42/6991.md?p=8) that present the greatest threat to human health or the environment, to take necessary corrective action in response to [releases](/usc/42/6991.md?p=8) from leaking [underground storage tanks](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) located wholly within the boundaries of—
    - (A) an Indian reservation; or
    - (B) any other area under the jurisdiction of an [Indian tribe](/usc/42/6991.md?p=1-A); and
  - (2) to implement and enforce requirements concerning [underground storage tanks](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) located wholly within the boundaries of—
    - (A) an Indian reservation; or
    - (B) any other area under the jurisdiction of an [Indian tribe](/usc/42/6991.md?p=1-A).
- (b) **Report—** Not later than 2 years after August 8, 2005, the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall submit to Congress a report that summarizes the status of [implementation](/usc/42/6903.md?p=8) and enforcement of this subchapter in areas located wholly within—
  - (1) the boundaries of Indian reservations; and
  - (2) any other areas under the jurisdiction of an [Indian tribe](/usc/42/6991.md?p=1-A).

  The [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) shall make the report under this subsection available to the public.

- (c) **Not a safe harbor—** This section does not relieve any [person](/usc/42/6991.md?p=5) from any obligation or requirement under this subchapter.
- (d) **State authority—** Nothing in this section applies to any [underground storage tank](/usc/42/6991.md?p=10) that is located in an area under the jurisdiction of a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), or that is subject to regulation by a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), as of August 8, 2005.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 9013, as added Pub. L. 109–58, title XV, § 1529(a), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 1101.)