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LETTER
Region 10 Tribal
Newsletter
Vol. XIV No. V
May, 2005
Work Shops and Conferences
June 7-10, 2005, 7th National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management in Traverse City,
Michigan. Info: Andy Knott 231/271-7363, aknott(a)gtbindians.com or Suzanne McSawby 231/271-7104,
smcsawby(a)gtbindians. com
September 19-22. ATNI, 52nd Annual Conference, Coeur d'Alene, ID. Info 503/249-5770
Region 10 Tribal
Newsletter is published
monthly at no ch arge
To receive a copy call:
AK..Rob 907/271 -6323
ID..Arlene 208/378-5749
OR..Don 503/.326-50I5
WA..AIison 360/753-8185
Tribal Office. Judy..800/424-
4372ext.40ll
Drinking Water Week
For more than 30 years, the
American Water Works
Association has celebrated
Drinking Water Week, May 2-8,
with its members. In 1988,
AWWA brought the event to the
attention of our government and
formed a coalition along with the
League of Women Voters, the
Association of State Drinking
Water Administrators, and the
EPA.
The Alliance has dedicated itself
to public awareness and
involvement in public and private
drinking water issues, and
continues its work to organize a
major annual education campaign
built around National Drinking
Water Week.
May is Wetlands Month
During May, the nation will
celebrate American Wetlands
Month, focusing on the many
benefits wetlands provide. Also
known as marshes, swamps and
bogs, wetlands are important for
flood control, acting as buffers to
absorb and reduce damage caused
by flood waters. Wetlands also help
to remove pollutants from water,
leaning streams and lakes, thereby
reducing the cost of drinking water
treatment. Wetlands are importat to
commercial fishing industry and
provide a boost to recreation
industry activities, such as fishing,
birding, canoeing and hunting.
Info: www.iwla.org/sos/aswm.
Drinking Water Funds
EPA announces the availability
of FY 2005 appropriations funding
for the Public Water System
Supervision (PWSS) and Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund
(DWSRF) programs. These
programs provide states, territories,
and tribes with resources to protect
the water of more than 270 million
people.
States, territories, and tribes may
apply for funding through their
EPA Regional Offices. Additional
information about the PWSS and
DWSRF programs, including the
amount of grant funding available
to each can be found at PWSS:
http://www.epa., gov/
safewater/pws/grants,
DWSRF: http://www.epa.gov/
safewater/dwsrf/allotments.
EPA Funding Directory
The EPA's State and Local
capacity Building Branch has
updated its 52-page funding
opportunities directory. This
directory is designed to help
identify financial and technical
assistance opportunities for efforts
that reduce energy costs, improve
air quality and public health, and
enhance opportunities for
economic development. Funding
Opportunities: A Directory of
Energy Efficiency, Renewable
Energy, and Environmental
Protection Assistance Programs
provides extensive lists of grants
available from EPA, other federal
agencies, state governments, and
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2 May 1,2005
Region 10 Tribal Newsletter
private foundations.
Grants are organized by topic,
with detailed descriptions and
contact information for each grant.
The document also provides links
to online resources with more
information.
State and local governments,
businesses, public organizations
(e.g., school districts), nonprofit
organizations, and consumers can
use this publication to identify
potential sources of support, for
their programs, projects and
research and development
activities. Examples include
installing energy-efficient
equipment in buildings, developing
markets for recycled materials, and
promoting renewable energy
installations or purchases. Funding
is also available to develop related
education and outreach materials.
Directory: wmv.Igean.org/html/
whatsnew. cfm?id=811
Wetlands Facts Sheets
The EPA has released two new
fact sheets on wetlands issues.
Constructed Treatment Wetlands
looks at how treatment wetlands
work, the benefits of building
them, and how they are
constructed. Wetlands & West Nile
Virus examines the possible
connection between wetlands and
West Nile, how the disease is
transmitted and ways to protect
your home and community.
Both fact sheets along with
several other wetlands fact sheets
produced by EPA, can be found at:
www. epa.gov/owow/wetlands/facts
/contents, html
Protecting Water Resources
The EPA has released a report
titled Protecting Water Resources
with Smart Growth. The report is a
compilation of 75 policies
designed to protect water resources
and implement smart growth.
Forty-six of these policies are
oriented to the watershed or
regional level; the other 29 are
targeted for specific development
sites.
Growth and development can
have adverse effects on water
resources, including loss of
woodlands, meadowlands, and
wetlands and increased polluted
run-off. Increases in impermeable
cover and vehicle traffic also can
negatively impact water quality and
quality. To address these and other
impacts, local governments are
developing smarter approaches to
growth. They are looking for, and
using, policies and tools that
enhance existing neighborhoods,
improve schools, protecting
drinking water, and provide
attractive housing and
transportation choices. To
download: www.epa.gov/
livablecommunities/index.htm.
Water Reuse Guidelines
The EPA's Office of Water and
Office of Research and
Development, in partnership with
the U. S. Agency for International
Development (U.S. AID)), have
approved and re now distributing a
2004 document, Guidelines for
Water Reuse Manual (EPA 625-R-
04/018), which recommends water
reuse guidelines, along with
supporting information, to help
water and wastewater utilities and
regulatory agencies particularly in
the U. S.
The new document updates the
1992 guidelines by incorporating
information on water reuse that has
been developed since the 1992
document was issued, including
expanded coverage of water reuse
issues and practices in other
countries. It was developed via an
EPA cooperative research and
development agreement (CRADA)
with Camp Dresser McKee and an
interagency agreement with U. S.
AID, along with extensive
contributions by volunteers.
The updated guidelines
document is being distributed (in
both printed and CD formats) by
EPA's Office of Research and
Development/Technology Transfer
Program as on of their manuals of
practice. Copies of the updated
manual can be ordered via the Web
at: www. epa.gov/ttbnrmrl
Illicit Discharge Detection
The Center for Watershed
Protection and the University of
Alabama, under a grant from the
EPA, have produced a
comprehensive manual for
municipalities that must develop
and implement programs to find
and correct illicit discharges to
their storm sewer systems. The
new manual includes detailed
information about creating and
managing a program, and a
comprehensive guide to field and
lab protocols.
The comprehensive manual
outlines practical, low cost, and
effective techniques for program
managers and practitioners to use.
The guidelines include details on
the types of testing used to detect
illicit discharges, information on
estimating program costs in terms
of capital and personnel expenses,
and timelines that estimate how
long program implementation will
take. To download:
www. cwp. org/idde_verify. htm.
Stormwater Phase II Training
EPA has announced its
Stormwater training schedule for
2005. "Getting in Step with Phase
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Region 10 Tribal Newsletter
II: A Workshop for Storm water
Program Managers" provides state
and local storm water program
managers with innovative tools and
real-world examples that can be
used to address the six minimum
control measures called for by the
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES)
Permit Program Phase II
requirements. Workshops will be
held in Lexington, VA; Memphis,
TN; Oklahoma City, OK; and
Indianapolis, IN. http://cfpub.
epa.gov/npdes/dates. cfm?program
id=0&outreach id=200
Water Training Online
Online, distance-learning
training module called Growth and
Water Resources is now posed on
EPA's Watershed Academy Web.
This training module explains how
changes in land use affect water
resources. It presents national data
on trends in development patterns
and activities on land that present
challenges for meeting water
quality standards. The module
describes a combination of
approaches to accommodate future
growth.
These approaches can be used in
a way that benefits the economy
and the environment and helps
meet water resource goals. The
module also includes a "tools"
section with links to online
resources, www.epa.gov/
watertrain/smartgrowth
2005-2015
The United Nations has declared
the years 2005 to 2015
International Decade for Action:
Water for Life: www.unesco.
org/water/water_celebrations/deca
des/water for life.ydf
Water Assessment Web
EPA now offers the first-ever,
interactive national database of state
water quality assessment data. This
Web page provides the public with
easy internet access to water quality
information at the sate and local
levels.
www. epa.gov/305b/2002report
Electronic Stormwater Permits
A new electronic permit
application system is available for
dischargers who need to comply
with EPA's Stormwater permit for
industrial facilities. Facilities
requiring coverage under EPA's
"Multi Sector General Permit" can
now fill out and electronically sign
theri applications using this system.
For more www. epa.gov/npdes/enol
EPA posts all industrial and
construction Stormwater
applications on
www. epa.gov/npdes/noisearch.
Toxic Chloramine
Ann Lagoy was cleaning a
shower when she began to feel
dizzy. The bleach she was using
reacted with an ammonia residue
from a prior cleaning to produce
toxic chloramine gas. This is one of
the worst gases you can come in
contact with.
Diesel Exhaust
The deadly effects of breathing
diesel fumes came into sharp focus
when the Clean Air Task Force
(CATF) released a report
estimating that diesel fumes kill
about 21,000 U.S. citizens each
year.
Furthermore, diesel fumes cause
27,000 nonfatal heart attacks and
410,000 asthma attacks in U.S.
adults each year, plus roughly
12,000 cases of chronic bronchitis,
15,000 hospital admissions, 2.4
million lost-work days, and 14
million restricted activity days.
The Clean Air Task Force report
cites numerous studies revealing
that diesel soot: 'degrades the
immune system; 'interferes with
our hormones, reducing sperm
production, masculinizing female
rats, altering the development of
baby rats (changing their bones,
thymus, and nervous systems),
modifying their adrenal and
reproductive hormones; • causes
serious, permanent impairment of
the nervous system in
diesel-exposed railroad workers;
• induces allergic reactions, not
limited to asthma, causing children
to miss thousands upon thousands
of school-days - a primary cause of
school dropout, consequent low
self-esteem, and subsequent life-
failure.
The new report is based on the
most recent available data from the
federal EPA combined with EPA
risk models, with calculations
carried out by Abt Associates, a
consulting firm that frequently
performs contract studies for the
EPA.
The key findings of the report
should come as no surprise. The
dangers of breathing diesel fumes
have been known for at least two
decades.
Tribal Schoolbus Grants
Congress has allocated $7.5
million in funding to Clean School
Bus USA for a cost-shared grant
program to school districts to
upgrade their diesel fleets for the
2005 fiscal year. School districts
only can apply includes federally
recognized tribes operating
schools.
Visiting the Grants/Funding
section of the Clean School Bus
USA website at htty://www.
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Region 10 Tribal Newsletter
epa.gov/cleanschoolbus regularly
to get information on application
requirements and due dates.
School districts should begin to
assess bus fleets now by gathering
information on the make and age
of engines and number of students
riding the buses. They should plan
a strategy for retrofitting or
replacing older buses and/or
switching to cleaner fuels and look
for partners to assist with the clean
school bus project. For examples
of previously funded projects:
http://www. epa. gov/otaq/
schoolbus/demo_projects. htm.
The solicitation announcement
will be posted on the Clean School
Bus USA website in the spring of
2005, and will be posted for
approximately 45 days. For FAQs
and other information:
http://www. epa. gov/
cleanschoolbus
Cancer/Deck Fires
Raw lumber is placed in a
pressure cylinder where a vacuum
sucks air and water from the wood
cells. The cylinder is then filled
with a mix of water and pesticides
and pressure is increased to refill
the wood's cells with the mixture.
As the wood dries, the chemicals
are trapped inside.
CCA treated wood is most
dangerous when it is burned and
the arsenic is released into the air
and it concentrates in the ashes.
Just one tablespoon of ash contains
a lethal dose of arsenic.
Old wood decks, play sets and
picnic tables may pose a risk when
they are burned. All treated wood
should be disposed of properly.
Measuring Emissions
Carbon dioxide emissions
worldwide increased by about a
third between 1982 and 2002, with
developing nations such as China
and India posting the greatest
percentage increases. Russia, a
former Soviet Republic showed a
decrease as measured against the
total for the former Soviet Union.
CO2 in Million Metric tons
Year 1982 2002
U.S. 4,390 5,749
Western Europe 3,522 3,853
Russia 3,225 1,522
China 1,500 3,322
India 345 1,026
World Totals 18,25424,533
NOx Air Quality Standards
EPA has proposed three
regulatory options to maintain air
quality in areas that meet national
air quality standards for nitrogen
dioxide (NO2). The three proposed
regulatory options are: 1- To retain
the existing increments NOx
measured as nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
in the ambient air as established in
October 1988; 2- To allow states
that choose to implement an
interstate cap and trade program for
sources of NOx to rely on the
benefits of that program in place of
the existing increments to prevent
significant deterioration of NO2 air
quality; or 3- To allow states to
adopt their own planning strategies
and implement these in lieu of the
NO2 increment system. EPA is
accepting comments on the options
until April 14, 2005. http://www.
epa. gov/nsr/actions. html
ITEP
The ITEP- sponsored National
Tribal Forum Series continues with
a new Forum in April 2005.
The annual event, which brings
together tribal environmental
professionals, EPA representatives,
and others, offer tribal air quality
professionals a unique opportunity
to gather with their peers and
discuss environmental issues and
policies that impact the tribes.
This year's Forum was held
April 11-14 at the Treasure Island
Casino Hotel in Minnesota.
The hotel is owned and operated
by the Prairie Island Indian
Community and offers a variety of
amenities. Info: Lydia Scheer
928/523-6887
2005 Addiction
Percentage of population groups
who smke: American
Indian/Alaskan Native 44%,
African American 27%,
White/Non-Hispanic 21%,
Asian/Pacific Islander 14%.
Nearly half of America's
smoking population - more than 20
million people - say they want to
quit smoking in 2005. This year,
smokers trying to quit will be able
to take advantage of Committed
Quitters (http://www.
CommittedQuiters. com), an
individualized Web-based support
system that has been clinically
proven to increase the chances of
smoking cessation success.
When Smokers Quit: 20
minutes After Quitting - Your
blood pressure drops to a level
close to that before the last
cigarette. The temperature of your
hands and feet increases to normal.
8 Hours After Quitting - The
carbon monoxide level in your
blood drops to normal. 24 Hours
After Quitting - your chance of a
heart attack decreases. 2 Weeks to
3 Months After Quitting - your
circulation improves and your lung
function increase up to 30%. 1 to
9 Months After Quitting -
Coughing, sinus congestion,
fatigue, and shortness of breath
decreases; cillia (tiny hair like
structures that move mucus out of
the lung) regain normal function in
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Region 10 Tribal Newsletter
the lungs, increasing the ability to
handle mucus, clean the lungs and
reduce infection.
1 Year After Quitting - The excess
risk of coronary heart disease is
half that of smokers.
5 to 15 years After Quitting -
Your stroke risk is reduced to that
of nonsmokers. 10 Years After
Quitting - The lung death rate is
about half that of a continuing
smoker's. The risk of cancer of the
mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder,
kidney and pancreas decreases. 15
Years After Quitting - The risk of
coronary heart disease is that of a
nonsmoker' S (American Cancer
Society).
Better to have tried and failed,
than not to have tried at all.
Allstate P2
Allstate, the nation's second
largest auto insurer, is asking the
more than 3,200 auto body repair
facilities across the country that
participate in its direct repair
program to complete an auto body
specific environmental and safety-
training program. The non-profit
Coordinator Committee for
Automotive Repair's Safety and
Pollution Prevention (S/P2)
training an online training program
that focuses on safety and
environmental issues specific to
the repair industry, including
proper material handling and
disposal According to Allstate,
new environmental standards
strengthen the power of its referral
program for those customers that
request help in choosing a repair
facility.
EPA Removes Chemicals
The EPA has finalized several
actions that will create incentives
for industry to use solvents that are
less toxic and may help decrease
the formation of ground-level ozone
or smog. Each of these actions is
based on extensive scientific and
technical review over a period of
years. These reviews concluded
that the chemicals pose less risk that
previously thought and that
reclassifying them would not
compromise public health, and may
even benefit public health if they
are substituted for more toxic or
environmentally damaging
chemicals.
Under the authority of the Clean
Air Act, EPA has de-listed or
exempted six chemicals; the solvent
ethylene glycol mono-butyl either
(EGBE) has been removed from the
list of air toxics (also know as
hazardous air pollutants) and the
chemical t-butyl acetate (TBAC)
and four others exempted from
control as volatile organic
compounds (VOC). EPA last
delisted an air toxic (caprolactam)
in 1996.
Poison Prevention
Every 15 seconds, U.S. poison
centers receive a call about
someone being exposed to a poison,
and 40 percent of those cases
involve a child under three years
old. In 2003, poison centers
reported an estimated 70,000
children under the age of six were
involved in common household
pesticide-related poisonings or
exposures in the United States.
According to the National Safety
Council, more than 50 percent of
over two million poisoning
incidents each year involve children
under six. Such figures show the
need for everyone to lock up
household pesticides and chemicals
in a high cabinet out of the reach of
children. In most poisonings,
children swallow common
substances found around almost
every home. In addition to
pesticide products, these include:
prescription drugs, nonprescription
pain killers, vitamins, cosmetics,
and personal care and cleaning
products. Poisonings also involve
house plants, tobacco products and
alcohol.
EPA has educational materials
available to help prevent accidental
poisonings. The materials can be
obtained by calling EPA's
Environmental Publications line at
800/490-9198. Tips on how to
protect children from pesticide and
lead poisonings are available at:
http://www. epa.gov/
oppfeadl/cb/1 Ojtips/
Plastic Bottles
The biggest growth in bottled
beverages isn't beer or soft drinks
or juices. It's tasteless, colorless
and sugarless water. And while
that can mean fewer cavities and
slimmer waistlines, it irritates
Patricia Franklin, the director of a
nonprofit group that promotes
recycling.
The boom in plastic water
bottles has Franklin frazzled
because while the recycling rate is
extremely low, the demand from
recyclers is actually quite high.
Franklin, who runs the Container
Recycling Institute, doesn't blame
individuals as much as what she
feels is a recycling system that
hasn't kept up with consumption
patterns - especially when it comes
to water.
Bottled water is the single
largest growth area among all
beverages, that includes alcohol,
juices and soft drinks. Per capita
consumption has more than
doubled over the last decade, from
10.5 gallons in 1993 to 22.6 in
2003, according to the Beverage
Marketing Corporation. The
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6 May 1,2005
Region 10 Tribal Newsletter
growth has been even more
impressive in terms of water
bottles sold: from 3.3 billion in
1997 to 15 billion in 2002.
Only about 12 percent of
"custom" plastic bottles, a category
dominated by water, were recycled
in 2003, according to industry
consultant R. W. Beck, Inc. That's
40 million bottles a day that went
into the trash or became litter. In
contrast, the recycling rate for
plastic soft drink bottles is around
30 percent.
The low water bottle recycling
rate also impacts the overall
recycling rate of all recyclable
plastic containers. That's fallen
from 53 percent in 1994 to 19
percent in 2003.
Eleven states have bottle bills
but they are a patchwork with no
two alike, and only three states,
California, Hawaii and Maine,
include plastic water bottles in their
law.
Plastics should be recycled so
that less petroleum - a finite
commodity - is consumed.
Perchlorate
Perchlorate inhibits iodide uptake
and may impair thyroid and
neurodevelopment in infants.
Perchlorate in 47 dairy milk
samples from 11 states and in 36
human milk samples from 18 states
were measured. Iodide was also
measured in a number of the
samples. Perchlorate was
detectable in 81 of 82 samples. The
dairy and breast milk means were,
respectively, 2.0 and 10.5|ig/L
with the corresponding maximum
values of 11 and 92|ig/L.
Perchlorate was present in virtually
all milk samples, the average
concentration in breast milk is five
times higher than in dairy milk.
Although the number of available
measurements were few, for breast
milk samples with a perchlorate
content greater than 10|ig/L, the
iodide content and may impair
thyroid development in infants.
On the basis of limited available
data, iodide levels in breast milk
may be significantly lower than it
was two decades ago.
Recommended iodine intake by
pregnant and lactating women may
need to be revised up ward. (Texas Tech
University)
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