In the third part of .gov, we travel to New Mexico. In this show, we meet members of Pueblo of Sandia who have relied on the Rio Grande River for agriculture, recreation and important ceremonies. Over the past decades, however, rapid industrial growth and lax environmental enforcement turned the Rio Grande into one of the most polluted and endangered rivers in the United States. Until recently, the Pueblo had no way of protecting its surface waters. But in 1987 Congress passed amendments to the Clean Water Act, allowing American Indian nations to apply for the status needed to monitor their own water quality. The Pueblo became the first tribe in the country to apply-and they are serious about their stewardship of land and water.
