NATIONAL EPA-TRIBAL SCIENCE COUNCIL
National Forum On Tribal
Environmental Science
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SEPTEMBER 24 - 28, 2006
HOSTED BY Quinault Indian Nation (QIN)
Ocean Shores, Washington
&ERA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Preface
The National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science was sponsored by the National EPA-Tribal
Science Council (TSC) and hosted by the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN). It was the first conference of its
kind. The conference was held from September 24 - 28, 2006 at the Quinault Beach Resort in Ocean
Shores, Washington. Tribes from across Indian country, tribal organizations, tribal faculty and students,
representatives of EPA, and other federal agencies were invited to participate. The conference theme was
"Tribal Science Priorities and Success Stories."
The Conference was structured around the concept of the Circle of Life, or Medicine Wheel, a powerful
symbol that has many meanings to the Native Nations and Tribes across America. Four knowledge tracks
~ Air, Water, Earth, and Community Health ~ aligned to four directions of the Circle provided the basic
concepts around which participants shared western and traditional Tribal knowledge. The Conference
included a full range of activities:
* Scientific presentations
* Intensive professional trainings
* Poster presentations
* Local field trips
* Film screenings
* Networking sessions, and
* Tribal presentations.
In the pages that follow, the results of this coming together and sharing of knowledge are documented.
All sections of this summary report offer insight into the National Forum on Tribal Environmental
Science. The Executive Summary gives a comprehensive overview of the entire conference including
background on the TSC and discussion of how the conference was planned and organized. This preface is
followed by a summary of the conference highlighting significant results and substantial questions that
arose during technical and training sessions; the summary report also embodies reflections on the broad
themes that emerged as a result of the interaction and collaboration of all the conference activities. The
table of contents contains a chronological listing of all conference activities according to the daily
schedule and conference tracks. Each listing includes session title, name(s) of presenter(s), and
affiliation(s).
Those who wish to obtain additional information about the specific presentations and trainings as well as
descriptions of the extracurricular activities can access:
http://www.epa.gov/osp/tribes/announce/National%20Forum.htm. A list of acronyms that appear
throughout this document is provided as reference. Appendices include: A) the conference agenda, B) a
final participant list with affiliation and contact information, and C) biographies of speakers.
The purpose of this document is to provide a record of the conference proceedings but also to provide a
vehicle for disseminating lessons learned to a broader audience and to encourage those who participated
in the conference to continue their collaborations. This summary report attempts to capture as much of
what occurred as possible, given the limits of its form. Ancillary materials, such as presentation slides,
information available on the TSC website and other websites, and resources cited throughout this report,
can be accessed in this report.
in
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Acknowledgements
National EPA-Tribal Science Council
Tribal Representatives
Co-Chair: Curtis Munoz, Kiowa Tribe, Region 6
Daniel Kusnierz, Penobscot Nation (Region 1)
Tony David, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (Region 2)
Michael Bolt, Eastern Band of Cherokee Nations (Region 4)
Christine Berini, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Region 5)
Curtis Munoz, Kiowa Tribe (Region 6)
Denise West, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (Region 7)
Richard Janssen, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Region 8)
Cheung, Marshall, 29 Palms Band of Mission Indians (Region 9)
Moses D. Squeochs, Fourteen Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Region 10:
Idaho, Oregon, and Washington)
Harold Frank, Jr., Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Region 10:
Alaska Native)
Agency Representatives
Co-Chair: Roland Hemmett, Region 2
Eloise Mulford, American Indian Environmental Office
David LaRoche, Office of Air and Radiation
Elizabeth Jackson, Office of Environmental Information
Elizabeth Resek, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
Thomas Barnwell, Office of Research and Development
David Charters, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Rita Schoeny, Office of Water
Charlotte Bertrand, Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation
Regional Representatives
Robert Hillger, Region 1
Roland Hemmett, Region 2
Thomas Baugh, Region 4
David Macarus, Region 5
Michael Callahan, Region 6
Brenda Groskinsky, Region 7
Patti Tyler, Region 8
Michele Dineyazhe, Region 9
Dana Davoli, Region 10
Executive Secretary
Monica Rodia, Office of Research & Development
Many thanks to all of the speakers, presenters and trainers who participated in the first National Forum on
Tribal Environmental Science, and whose work is profiled in this document. The Tribal Science Council
would also like to thank the over 100 Tribes that attended the conference from across the regions. A
special thanks to the Quinault Indian Nation for hosting the conference, EPA program and regional
offices and the American Indian Environmental Office for supporting this effort.
IV
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NATIONAL FORUM ON TRIBAL
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
and
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report was prepared by the National-Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tribal Science
Council. It is a documentation of the proceedings that occurred during the National Forum on Tribal
Environmental Science, September 23-28, 2006 in Ocean Shores, WA. The report itself contains
environmental research highlighting tribal success stories, summaries of panel discussions, speeches and
notes from the plenary sessions
Copies of the report can be obtained from: http://www.epa.gov/osp/tribes.htm
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report do not represent those of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency, but strictly those of the presenters and researchers.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 1
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Registration
Evening Event
Quinault Indian Nation Welcome 9
Monday, September 25, 2006
FORMAL WELCOMING SESSION 10
Facilitators:
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Roland Hemmett, TSC Agency Co-Chair, US EPA, Region 2, Edison, NJ
Opening Prayer
Dennis Martin, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Welcome 10
Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Guy Capoeman, Vice Chair, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Larry Workman, Manager of Centralized Communication, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Conference Overview 11
Roland Hemmet and David Nelson
KEYNOTE SPEAKER 11
Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
and State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Department of American Studies,
Buffalo, NY
OPENING PLENARY - American Indians/ Alaska Natives and Global Climate Change
Alaska and Global Climate Change 13
Lydia Olympic, Igiugig Village Council, Igiugig, AK
PANEL DISCUSSION - American Indians/ Alaska Natives Climate Warming Working
Group: A Red Paper 14
Daniel R. Wildcat, Haskell Indian Nations University, Haskell Environmental Research Center,
Lawrence, KS
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, USGS, Earth Surface Processes, Flagstaff, AZ
Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza, Lummi Nation, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
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Field Trips to Coast and Rainforest 16
Evening Event
Reception and Poster Session 17
Poster Abstract
Putting the Community behind the Wheel: Community-Driven Research
and Intervention in Kwakoegron, Suriname 17
Sarah Augustine, Suriname Indigenous Health Fund, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Daniel Peplow, Suriname Indigenous Health Fund, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Poster Abstract
Source Water Protection Planning in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer 17
Dale Becker, Evergreen Rural Water of Washington, Shelton, WA
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Department of Environmental Protection, Tahola, WA
Poster Abstract
The Decline of Salmon SpeciesThe Ecological and Urban Changes
in the Nooksack Watershed 18
Carmen Bland, Lummi Cedar Project, Bellingham, WA
Poster Abstract
Reducing Health Risks to the Anishinaabe From Methylmercury 18
Adam DeWeese, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Biological Services
Division, Odanah, WI
Poster Abstract
Mni Wiconi Rural Waters that Supply Water to One-Sixth of South Dakota Including
Three Indian Reservations 18
Syed Y. Huq, Director, Mni Wiconi-Rosebud Rural Water System, Rosebud, SD
Poster Abstract
Asthma Awareness Poster Boards from Bois Forte Environmental Services 19
Kevin Koski, Bois Forte Tribal Government, Department of Environmental Services, Nett Lake,
MN
Poster Abstract
Self-Regulating Tidegates and Estuary Restoration: The Fornsby Creek Restoration
Project on the Swinomish Reservation 19
Todd Mitchell, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Karen Mitchell, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Rachel LovellFord, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Sarah Akin, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
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Poster Abstract
Introducing...US EPA's Office of Emergency Management, How Can We Serve You? ....20
William Nichols, Regulatory and Policy Development Division, Office of Emergency
Management, Washington, DC
Poster Abstract
Groundwater and Heat Transport in the Hoh River Watershed: A Pilot Study on the
Impact of Forest Practices on Ground and Surface Water Interactions 20
Jill Silver, 110,000 Years Institute, Port Townsend, WA
Patricia Olson, Pacific Watershed Institute, Seattle, WA
Poster Abstract
Effect of Body Size and Lipid Content on Contaminant Concentration in White Sturgeon,
Acipenser Transmontanus 21
Christopher W. Thompson, Environment International, Ltd., Seattle, WA
Valerie A. Lee, Environment International, Ltd., Seattle, WA
Poster Abstract
Environmental Contaminants in Traditional Foods of the Yupik People on St. Lawrence
Island, Alaska 22
Vi Waghiyi, Project Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Environmental Health
and Justice Project for St. Lawrence Island, Alaska and Norton Sound, Anchorage, AK
Pamela Miller, Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Department of Research,
Anchorage, AK
Poster Abstract
Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Marine Mammals From the North Slope
of Alaska 23
Dana L. Wetzel, Mote Marine Laboratory, Aquatic Toxicology Program, Sarasota, FL
John E. Reynolds, Mote Marine Laboratory, Manatee Research Program, Sarasota, FL
Phil Mercuric, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL
Cyd Hanns, North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, Barrow, AK
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
8 A.M., AIR POLLUTION TRANSPORT
Facilitators:
Christine Berini, Fond du Lac Reservation, Division of Resource Management, Cloquet, MN
David LaRoche, US EPA, Office of Air and Radiation, Washington, DC
Identifying Transport Pathways Using the HYSPLIT Model 23
Glenn Gehring, Office of Air Quality, Department of Science and Engineering, Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton, OR
Petroleum Coke Dust Emissions from Open Boxcars along the Shoreline of North Puget
Sound, Washington 26
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Tony Basabe, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Swinomish Air Quality Program, LaConner, WA
8 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Robert Hillger, US EPA Region 1, Office of the Regional Administrator, Boston, MA
Daniel Kusnierz, Penobscot Indian Nation, Department of Natural Resources, Indian Island, ME
Monitoring the Water Quality at Boyden Lake after Repairing the Fish Ladder 28
Steve Crawford, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, Environmental Department, Perry, ME
Potential Effects of Suburbanization on the Water Quality and Quantity of Boiling Springs,
a Sacred Area to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community, Scott County,
Minnesota 30
Lanya Ross, Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community, Department of Land Management,
Prior Lake, MN
8 A.M., TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/TRIBAL CASES
Facilitators:
Tony David, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Water Resources Management, Environment Division,
Akwesasne, NY
Rita Schoeny, US EPA, Office of Water, Washington, DC
Risk Assessment Overview 32
Rita Schoeny, US EPA, Office of Water, Washington, DC
8 A.M., TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt, US EPA, Region 7, Kansas City, KS
Tribal Clean Water Act (CWA) 106 Guidance Overview 33
Carol Russell, US EPA, Region 8, Tribal Water Quality Team, Denver, CO
Data Storage 33
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
10 A.M., INDOOR AIR
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and David LaRoche
Tribal Science in Action Case: Studies from Bois Forte Environmental Services IAQ
Program 33
Kevin Koski, Bois Forte Tribal Government, Department of Environmental Services, Nett Lake,
MN
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Mold: Mycotoxins, Indoor Air Health Crisis in Indian Country 37
Curtis Munoz, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Environmental Program, Carnegie, OK
10 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Robert Hillger and Daniel Kusnierz
Developing Reference Water Quality Conditions for the Pueblo de Taos, New Mexico 41
Robert Gomez, Environmental Director, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
Jeff Ogburn, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
The Development of Water Quality Standards on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian
Reservation 44
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
10 A.M., TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/TRIBAL CASES
Facilitators:
Tony David and Rita Schoeny
A Risk Analysis for Contaminated Sportfish 46
Tony David, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Water Resources Management, Environment Division,
Akwesasne, NY
Using GIS to Measure Vulnerability and Risk Associated with USTs 46
Frank Harjo, Cherokee Nation, Inter-Tribal Environmental Council, Tahlequah, OK
10 A.M., TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Storage 47
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
Tribal Perspective: Region VIII Tribal Water Quality Data Management Model 47
Christa Tyrell, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Office of Environmental Protection,
Division of Water Quality, Poplar, MT
Dave Wilcox, Gold Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT
1 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung, Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Tribal Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 9, Coachella, CA
Thomas Baugh, US EPA, Region 4, Office of the Regional Administrator, Atlanta, GA
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Groundwater Heating in Forested Wetlands: A Pilot Study in the Hoh River
Watershed 47
Jill Silver, Watershed Program Manager, 10,000 Years Institute, Port Townsend, WA
An Investigation of the Possibility of Mixing of Waters in After-Action Monitoring Wells in
Ottawa County, Oklahoma 50
Tim Kent, Quawpaw Tribe of Oklahoma, Environmental Department, Quawpaw, OK
1 P.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Environmental Department, Atmore, AL
Patti Tyler, US EPA Region 8, Office of the Regional Administrator, Denver, CO
Source Water Protection Planning in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer 54
Dale Becker, Evergreen Rural Water of Washington, The Trading Structure Workgroup, Shelton,
WA
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Department of Environmental Protection, Taholah,
WA
Potential Contributions of the Burden of Disease and Injury to Assess Community Health
in Indian Country 55
Catherine Michaud, Harvard University, Harvard Initiative for Global Health, Cambridge, MA
1 P.M., TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/LIFELINE
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek, US EPA, Office of Prevention and Toxic Substances, Office of Science
Coordination and Policy, Washington, DC
OPPTS Tribal Lifeline Project: Exposure and Risk Assessment Software for Tribal
Communities and Other Unique Subpopulations 58
Anne Marie Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Durham, NC
Christine F. Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Annandale, VA
1 P.M., TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Assessment/Analysis 58
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Water Program,
Tribal Natural Resources Department, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Jennifer Ousley, US EPA, Region 7, Kansas City, KS
Carol Russell, US EPA, Region 8, Tribal Water Quality Team, Denver, CO
3 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and Thomas Baugh
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Invasive Species Impacts in Indian Country 59
Robin Powell, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
Mercury Contamination of Cheyenne River Sioux Land 63
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use in the Southwestern United States 65
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, USGS, Earth Surface Processes, Flagstaff, AZ
3 P.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce and Patti Tyler
Relationship Between In-Home Water Service and Acute Respiratory Infections Among
Alaska Natives 67
Troy Ritter, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Division of Environmental Health and
Engineering, Anchorage, AK
Jeff Smith, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Division of Environmental Health and
Engineering, Anchorage, AK
Improved Water Quality and Community Health in the Border Indigenous Communities
of Baja, California 68
Hiram Sarabia, University of California at San Diego, Superfund Basic Research Program,
Research Translation Core, La Jolla, CA
Paula Stigler, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Tribal EPA Region 9, Pesticide Program, Pala, CA
3 P.M. TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/LIFELINE
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Resek
OPPTS Tribal Lifeline Project: Exposure and Risk Assessment Software for Tribal
Communities and Other Unique Subpopulations 71
Anne Marie Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Durham, NC
Christine F. Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Annandale, VA
3 P.M. TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Reporting/Exercise 71
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
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Evening Event
Northwest Indian College: An Introduction to the College and Discussion 72
Facilitator:
Dan Burns, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math Program, Bellingham, WA
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
8 A.M., AIR
Facilitators:
David LaRoche and Michele Dineyazhe
Where Does the Dust Come From? An Analysis of Days with the Highest Particulate
Concentrations on the Bishop Paiute Reservation, 2003-2006 73
Toni Richards, Bishop Paiute Tribe, Environmental Management Office, Bishop, CA
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma's Method of Focusing Title V Permit Reviews Using
Backward-Trajectory Modeling and HYSPLIT 75
April Crouch, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Environmental Department, Seneca, MO
8 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce and Dave Charters
The Utility of Indices of Biological Integrity for Depressional Wetlands in Central
Oklahoma 78
Dena Hartzell, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
Joseph R. Bidwell, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
Craig A. Davis, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
From Greens to Blue-Greens: An Investigation of Algal Blooms in the Penobscot River...80
Daniel Kusnierz, Penobscot Indian Nation, Department of Natural Resources, Indian Island, ME
8 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF SCIENCE GRANTS AND TIPS FOR
SUCCESSFUL TRIBAL PROPOSALS (INCLUDES PART)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek and Christine Berini
Introduction to GPRA/Measures/PART 82
Elizabeth Resek, US EPA, Office of Prevention and Toxic Substances, Office of Science
Coordination and Policy, Washington, DC
Grant Writing Overview: What to Look For in an RFA; How to Partner With Academics
and Other Institutions 82
Kathy Hill, J.D., LL.M., Quail Plume Enterprises, Seattle, WA
Joseph Dupris, Ph.D., J.D., Quail Plume Enterprises, Seattle, WA
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8 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Treatment as a State 84
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
Tracey Ledder, Bad River Tribe, Water Resources Office, Odanah, WI
Use Classification System and Beneficial Uses 85
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Robert Gomez, Environmental Director, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
Margaret Watkins, Environment Department, Grand Portage Reservation, Grand Portage, MN
10 A.M., PANEL AND DIALOGUE SESSION
Facilitator:
Dan Burns, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math Program, Bellingham, WA
How Can Tribal Colleges and Tribal Government Environmental Programs Work
Together for the Benefit of Their Communities? 86
Charlotte Clausing, Northwest Indian College, Division of Science and Mathematics,
Bellingham, WA
Dawn Thomas, Salish Kootenai College, Native Plant Nursery, Pablo, MT
Bill Swaney, Salish Kootenai College, Department of Environmental Science, Pablo, MT
Gary Halverson, Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND
Richard Janssen, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Environmental Division, Pablo, MT
10 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Dana Davoli, US EPA Region 10, Risk Evaluation Unit, Seattle, WA
Connally Mears, US EPA Region 8, Director, Tribal Assistance Program, Denver, CO
Activities of the Grand Portage Reservation, MN, to Protect and Restore the Aquatic
Habitat in Lake Superior 92
Bradley Frazier, Director, Environmental Programs, Grand Portage Reservation, Grand Portage,
MN
Ryan Nelson, Grand Portage Reservation, Nonpoint Source and Solid Waste Coordinator, Grand
Portage, MN
Margaret Watkins, Grand Portage Reservation, Environment Department, Grand Portage, MN
Development of a Physical/Bioassessment Program on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian
Reservation, Nevada 94
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
XIV
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10 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF SCIENCE GRANTS AND TIPS FOR
SUCCESSFUL TRIBAL PROPOSALS (INCLUDES PART)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek and Christine Berini
Regional Overview: Grant Workplans and Accountability 96
Elizabeth Wendt, US EPA, Region 7, Kansas City, KS
Navajo Nation National Science Foundation Grant 96
Dr. Willard Gilbert, Northern Arizona University, Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians,
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, Flagstaff, AZ
10 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
Antidegradation 96
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Char Naylor, Puyallup Tribe, Environment Department, Tacoma, WA
Outstanding Reservation Resource Waters 97
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du Flambeau Band of Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau, WI
1 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung
David Macarus, US EPA, Region 5, Office of Science, Ecosystems & Communities, Chicago, IL
USGS Projects Supporting Environmental Science on Tribal Lands 97
David Meyer, Science Applications International Corporation, USGS Center for Earth Resources
Observation Systems, Sioux Falls, SD
EPA Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP) Success Stories: Nikolski Drum Cleanup
and Pauloff Harbor Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP), Battery Cleanup, and
Sampling, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 103
Chris Riggio, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc., Department of Community Services,
Anchorage, AK
1 P.M., CULTURE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Richard Janssen, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Environmental Division, Pablo, MT
Michael Callahan, US EPA, Region 6, Dallas, TX
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Quinault Indian Nation Development of Tribal Seafood Consumption Survey Software
(RARE) 107
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Lon Kissinger, US EPA, Region 10, Office of Environmental Assessment, Seattle, WA
Anna Towksjhea, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Cultural Science and the Twenty-Nine Palms Tribe: A Native Paradigm 109
Clifford Trafzer, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Environmental Protection
Agency, Yucaipa, CA
Anthony Madrigal, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Tribal Environmental
Protection Agency, Coachella, CA
Dr. Willard Gilbert, Northern Arizona University, Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians,
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, Flagstaff, AZ
1 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF QUALITY ASSURANCE TOOLS - QUALITY
ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN (QAPP) DEVELOPMENT TOOL
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Jackson, US EPA, Office of Environmental Information, Washington, DC
Gabriel Gorbet, Tribal Administrator, Greenville Rancheria, Greenville, CA
Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Development Tool Ill
David Taylor, US EPA, Region 9, Quality Assurance Office, San Francisco, CA
1 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
Criteria Development Ill
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
Margaret Watkins, Grand Portage Reservation, Environment Department, Grand Portage, MN
Implementation 113
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Rick Gitar, Fond du Lac Reservation, Office of Water Protection, Cloquet, MN
Paula Webster, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Natural
Resources Department, Division of Environmental Protection, Pablo, MT
3 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Michael Callahan and Richard Janssen
Tribal Emergency Management 114
A. J. Fisher, Director, Tribal Homeland Security & Emergency Management Program, DSD
Laboratories, Security Systems Division, Montgomery, AL
XVI
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Overview of National Incident Management System (NIMS) 115
Stacy Eich, Senior Tribal Emergency Management Planning Coordinator, DSD Laboratories,
Security Systems Division, Montgomery, AL
3 P.M., TRIBAL DIET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Roland Hemmet and David Nelson
Tribal Food Safety Initiative 117
John Persell, Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Division of Resources Management, Cass
Lake, MN
A Tribal Monitoring Program to Assess the Human Tissue Accumulation and Health
Effects of Persistent Organic Compounds and Heavy Metals Consumed in the Traditional
Diet in Rural Alaska Native Mothers and Infants 120
Martina Lauterbach, R.N., Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Division of Community
Health Services, Anchorage, AK
3 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF QUALITY ASSURANCE TOOLS - TURBO QAPP
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Jackson
Turbo QAPP 123
Melinda Ronca-Battista, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Tribal Air Monitoring
Support Center, Phoenix, AZ
3 P.M. TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
Monitoring 123
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Assessment: Attainment or Impairment 124
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Jeff Ogburn, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
Evening Event
Film Screening
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action 125
Directed by Roberta Grossman
Produced by The Katahdin Foundation
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Alaska Native Diet: Monitoring For Contaminants In Rural Alaska 125
Produced by Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. and World Turtle Productions.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
8 A.M., AIR DEPOSITION
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and David LaRoche
Fond du Lac Reservation Comprehensive Mercury Monitoring Program 125
Nick Axtell, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Mercury Fate & Transport on the Fond du Lac Reservation 127
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Alaska Native Science 129
Larry Merculieff, Seven Generations Consulting, Anchorage, AK
8 A.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Curtis Munoz and Dana Davoli
Emerging Issues in Contaminants in Our Environment, Endocrine Disrupters,
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products 131
Dr. Kim Winton, Director, USGS, Oklahoma Water Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Assessing Overall Concerns From Hazardous Waste Sites on Tribal Lands 134
Dr. Lynn Zender, Zender Environmental Science and Planning Services, Anchorage AK
8 A.M., TRAINING: METHAMPHETAMINE LAB HAZARD ASSESSMENT
OVERVIEW
Facilitator:
Marshall Cheung and Michele Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation Methamphetamine 137
Richard Keck, Cherokee Nation, Environmental Programs Group, Tahlequah, OK
8 A.M., TRAINING: INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION (NRDAR)
Facilitator:
David Charters, US EPA, Region 2, Edison, NJ
An Introduction to Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 138
Dolores Savignano, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality,
Arlington, VA
XVlll
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Trusteeship and Tribal Opportunities 138
Al Sedik, US Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC
10 A.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Patti Tyler
Vickie Kujawa, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Flandreau, SD
Emergency Preparedness & Response (aka FEMA) & the National Response Plan at the
National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science 138
Andrew Hendrickson, CEM State and Tribal Liaison, FEMA Region X - DHS
10 A.M., TRIBAL DIET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Curtis Munoz and Dana Davoli
Results and Discussion From the Swinomish Tribe's Toxics and Shellfish Project 142
Jamie Donatuto, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Office of Planning & Community
Development, La Conner, WA
Barbara Harper, DABT, PhD., Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation,
Department of Science and Engineering, Pendleton, OR
Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Serum of the Siberian Yupik People From St. Lawrence
Island 144
Pam Miller, Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Department of Research,
Anchorage, AK
Vi Waghiyi, Project Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Environmental Health
and Justice Project for St. Lawrence Island, Alaska and Norton Sound, Anchorage, AK
10 A.M., TRAINING: METHAMPHETAMINE LAB HAZARD ASSESSMENT
OVERVIEW
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and Michele Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation Methamphetamine 147
Richard Keck, Cherokee Nation, Environmental Programs Group, Tahlequah.OK
10 A.M., TRAINING: NATURAL RESOURCES DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS
Facilitator:
David Charters
Differences Between CERCLA Remediation and NRDAR Restoration 148
Mark Huston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality, Arlington, VA
XIX
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Restoration 148
Dolores Savignano, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality,
Arlington, VA
Coordination of Trustees and Response Agencies: Case Studies 148
Mark Huston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality, Arlington, VA
CLOSING PLENARY SESSION
Cultural Sustainability Models: Using Our Ways of Knowing in Management and Group
Discussion
How to Take Action To Protect the Environment 148
Claudia Walters, US EPA, Office of Research & Development, Sustainability Programs,
Washington, D.C.
A Global Environmental Perspective Symbolized by the Tribal Treaty Belt 149
James Ransom, Tribal Chief, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne, NY
A Tribal Approach to Environmental Issues 150
Terry Williams, Director, Fisheries Department, Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources, Tulalip, WA
Haudenosaunee Environmental Protection Process (HEPP): Applying Traditional
Teachings to Protect the Natural World and Promote a Sustainable Society 152
Mary Arquette, Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne Freedom School, Rooseveltown, NY
The Lifestream Principle 153
Preston Hardison, Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources, Tulalip, WA
TSC Closing Remarks: Summary of Conference, Future Tribal Science Priorities and
Goals, and Final Comments 155
Roland Hemmett, TSC Agency Co-Chair, US EPA, Region 2, Edison, NJ
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Evening Event
Reception Sponsored by Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
USGS Tribal Partnerships 156
Dr. Cindi Barton, Director, USGS Water Resources Science Center, Tacoma, WA
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LIST OF ACRONYMS X-l
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: AGENDA A-l
APPENDIX B: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS B-l
APPENDIX C: SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES C-l
APPENDIX D: SUMMARY OF WRITTEN FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS D-l
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Executive Summary
From September 24 - 28, 2006 over 300 attendees representing more than 125 Indian tribes and
Alaska native villages, intertribal consortia, tribal environmental organizations, academic
institutions, and federal, state, and local governments, as well as private and non-profit
organizations from every region in the country gathered at the Quinault Beach Resort in Ocean
Shores, Washington to attend the first National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science.
American Indian and Alaska Native leaders and professionals from 111 tribes participated in the
forum. The theme of the conference "Tribal Science Priorities and Success Stories" was
explored in four tracks: Air, Water, Earth and Community Health. The Forum was sponsored by
the National EPA-Tribal Science Council (TSC) and hosted by the Quinault Indian Nation
(QIN).
Background
The Tribal Science Council (TSC) was formed in response to a request in 1999 from the National
Tribal Caucus to provide a cross-agency forum to discuss national tribal priority science issues
and identify the most appropriate ways to address these issues. The TSC coordinates with the
National Tribal Caucus to integrate science priorities into the EPA's annual planning and
budgeting process. The TSC is comprised of scientists educated in western science as well as
those trained in tribal traditional knowledge that is vital to addressing environmental health
concerns of tribal communities.
The TSC is made up of EPA representatives from each program and regional office and a Tribal
representative from each region. Tribal representatives to the TSC work within their Regional
Tribal Operations Committees and EPA Regions to identify tribal science priorities. The
development of these priorities allows for an understanding of tribal issues and related EPA
activities, collaboration on solutions, and consideration of the Agency's planning process.
The TSC published "National Tribal Science Priorities" in April 2006. These priorities provide
an update to the first set of priorities identified by the TSC in September 2002. The priorities
included in the 2006 document are: (1) endocrine disrupting chemicals; (2) dioxin and dioxin-
like compounds; (3) persistent bioaccumulative toxics source reduction; (4) pharmaceuticals in
wastewater; (5) habitat loss; (6) environmental triggers for respiratory distress with special
emphasis on mold; (7) contaminated precipitation; and (8) biological stressors. The document
provides a description of the area of concern, current efforts to address the issue, and
recommendations for future action. In addition, examples are provided of where tribal impacts
are unique felt as a result of the issue.
The document also provides background information on the evolution of the tribal science
priorities from the original 2002 priorities to the current list and places the priorities in the
context of three sets of considerations for each of the priorities:
Tribal traditional lifeways
Environmental decision-making processes
Cross-priority activities
o Exposure and impact
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o Education
o Research
o Environmental Justice
o Restoration
The National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science was conducted as a result of the
recommendations in National Tribal Science Priorities and viewed as an opportunity to further
explore the above described priorities and share specific concerns and success stories with a
broader audience.
Conference Overview
The National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science was structured around the Four Directions of the
Circle of Life, or Medicine Wheel. From the Four Directions, Native and non-Native scientists converged
to share their knowledge of Air, Water, Earth, and Community Health. They came together to keep the
Circle of Life and the environment it encompasses clean and pure for all generations. In each of the
conference tracks there were a variety of activities in which participants engaged in sharing knowledge,
building new connections, and strengthening existing ties and vision.
The conference agenda included scientific presentations, intensive professional trainings, poster
presentations, local field trips, film screenings, networking sessions, and tribal presentations and
ceremony. Exhibitors included local artists and craftspeople (selling jewelry, baskets, and other
traditional items) as well as federal, state, and tribal organizations and agencies with environmental and
scientific information.
The conference opened Sunday evening with a banquet and welcoming celebration hosted by the Quinault
Nation. The event was well-attended and set an upbeat tone for the conference. In addition to formal
welcomes from the President and Vice Chair of the Quinault Indian Nation, attendees at the banquet were
treated to a performance of traditional song and dance by the Quinault and Queets Canoe Societies.
Opening ceremonies continued Monday morning with a prayer offered by Quinault Elder Dennis Martin.
Representatives of the Quinault Indian Nation ~ Fawn Sharp, President, Guy Capoeman, Vice Chair, and
Larry Workman, Manager of Centralized Communication, welcomed all those in attendance and shared
information about the land, history and future plans of the Quinault people. Roland Hemmet and David
Nelson, Co-chairs of the TSC, gave a brief introduction and overview of goals for the coming days
stressing that tribes and EPA must come together to integrate one another's knowledge to maintain clean
air, water and tribal land.
The keynote speech was delivered by Oren Lyons, of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs of the Six
Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The impact of global climate change was a major focus of Mr.
Lyons' talk. He explained how sacred teachings of Six Nations are relevant to all people in relation to
this crisis:
"The Great Peacemaker's laws must not be challenged, but nations today are challenging these
laws and one of the results is global warming. Although people are insignificant in terms of the
earth, they have been able to cause systemic change. The Great Peacemaker instructed the leaders
to make all decisions with the seventh generation in mind, so that this generation too will have a
sustainable life. The responsibility of all life is in the leaders' hands. Leaders must understand
the problems before they can find a solution. The problem must be examined and explored."
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The opening plenary followed, with initial remarks delivered by Lydia Olympic of the Igiugig Village
Council, in Igiugig, Alaska. She described why the observations of her people in a small Alaskan village
were vitally important to all those at the conference, saying, "Alaska Native people are still intimately
connected to the land. We know that something is wrong. The environment is not healthy, and it is a
matter of life and death for us and for the animals. The stories of Alaska Native people need to be told,
and they need to be heard. If the world is ready to listen to indigenous people ~ who know and
understand the rhythm of the earth ~ and act on this knowledge, then the earth's balance can return."
American Indians Alaska Natives Climate Warming Working Group: A Red Paper was the title of the
plenary panel discussion. Daniel R. Wildcat of Haskell Indian Nations University, Margaret Hiza-
Redsteer of USGS, Earth Surface Processes, and Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza, of Northwest Indian College
were the panelists. These speakers shared vivid details of how their local climate is changing and the
problems their communities are facing as a result. Their comments underscored the need for ongoing
communication and collaboration between Native and non-Native scientists and local experts to record
and respond to these issues. "Although global warming is especially apparent in Alaska, if we pay
attention, changes can be seen everywhere. It is necessary to collect accurate data so that tribal leaders
can make informed decisions regarding the future. This conference is the place to make key relationships
and to make things happen," said Dr. Wildcat.
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, a resident of the Navajo Nation as well as a member of the U.S. Geological
Survey, spoke about the need for training young Native American scientists and ensuring that there are
resources available to fund their work on reservations after they have completed their education. The
input of Native scientists is especially important she said, because, "Native American traditional
observations are science; therefore, science is not a new concept to Native American nations. Sixty
percent of the world's food crop and 80 percent of the world's medicines are the products of Native
American science. Native American culture is based on observation. So is science. We need to pay
attention to the signs all around us."
Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza went on to say that, "global warming is human driven, and the changes as a
result of this phenomenon are happening fast; humankind has become a geophysical force and everyone
should understand the urgency of the need to act to deal with changes already underway." He invited
conference participants to contact any of the panel speakers to find out about becoming a member of the
American Indians Alaska Natives Climate Warming Working Group. This ended the plenary activities
for the day.
Monday afternoon, conference participants were invited to take a tour sponsored by the Quinault Indian
Nation of either the coastal area or the rainforest. Both tours included a historical drive and opportunities
to enjoy the beautiful surroundings at the beach or in the forest, as well as scientific presentations and
tours of the local fishing industry. In addition to offering participants an opportunity to get to know one
another in more informal settings, these tours brought home to everyone the purpose of the conference -
to ensure that the beauty and abundance of the land continues.
Tuesday and Wednesday the conference was devoted to a combination of concurrent scientific sessions,
panel presentations, and professional trainings scheduled at Sam, 10am, 1pm and 3pm divided into four
tracks: Air, Water, Earth and Community Health. Sessions, panels, and trainings were offered in the
following broadly defined areas:
Sessions
Air Pollution Transport
Air Deposition
Indoor Air Issues
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Habitat Loss
Invasive Species
Water Quality Assessment Techniques
Water and Community Health
Food and Community Health
Culture and Community Health
Impacts of Climate Change in Earth, Air, Water
Heavy Metal Contaminants in Earth, Air, Water
Remediation Success Stories
EPA and USGS Support for Tribal Environmental Science
Panels
How Can Tribal Colleges And Tribal Government Environmental Programs Work Together
for the Benefit of Their Communities?
Cultural Sustainability Models: Using Our Ways of Knowing in Management and Group
Discussion
Trainings
Risk Assessment and EPA/Tribal Case Studies
Data Management For Water Monitoring
Overview of Science Grants And Tips For Successful Tribal Proposals
Overview of Water Quality Standards From A Tribal Perspective
Quality Assurance Project Plan Development Tool
Overview of Quality Assurance Tools - Turbo QAPP
Methamphetamine Lab Hazard Assessment Overview
Introduction to Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Question and answer periods were an important part of all sessions and provided a venue for lively
dialogue among participants and presenters. Consequently, constructive conversations emerged and hard
questions were raised that bode well for addressing problems that often arise from cultural differences
and/or poor communication between parties.
During each evening of the Conference there were additional opportunities for networking and learning.
These events were generally well attended and appreciated by participants. The events on Monday night
focused on an informal poster presentation; posters were displayed and presenters were available to
answer questions and discuss their topics with those in attendance. One of the goals of this session was to
give students and young professionals an opportunity to present their work.
On Tuesday night Northwest Indian College (NWIC) introduced the development of its Bachelors Degree
program in environmental science and sought input from conference attendees on its program goals,
structure, and content. There were approximately 60 people at the event, mainly Native environmental
personnel from tribes and the federal government as well as Native graduate students. It was a productive
evening from which NWIC took away many insightful questions and comments.
Wednesday night featured screenings of two films. Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action,
directed by Roberta Grossman and produced by The Katahdin Foundation, is a documentary film that tells
the story of Native American activists fighting to preserve their land, sovereignty, and culture. Alaska
Native Diet: Monitoring For Contaminants In Rural Alaska, produced by Aleutian Pribilof Islands
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Association, Inc. and World Turtle Productions, covered several topic areas including: sources of
contaminants, pathways of contaminants to the Arctic and rural communities, and the role of the Alaska
Native Traditional Food Safety Monitoring Program as a tool that Alaska and Kamchatka Natives can use
to better monitor and understand diet and the levels of contaminant exposure.
Thursday was the final day of the conference. Scientific and training sessions were offered at Sam and
10am. After lunch, the rest of the day was devoted to the closing plenary sessions and ceremonies.
Cultural Sustainability Models: Using Our Ways of Knowing in Management and Group Discussion was
the first plenary. Claudia Walters, US EPA, Office of Research & Development, Sustainability Programs,
James Ransom, Tribal Chief, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Terry Williams, Director, Fisheries Department,
Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources, Mary Arquette, Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne Freedom School, and
Preston Hardison, Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources were the panelists.
Each of these speakers reiterated the call to action and sense of urgency heard throughout the conference.
Ms. Walters' remarks discussed the impact of climate change and focused on the importance of increased
input from tribes and continued development of tribal traditional lifeways models at EPA. She said, "we
need a national model for cultural Sustainability. Risk assessment is the current way we make decisions
for science and policy, but it's not enough. While EPA will keep that tool, we need to incorporate social
and cultural perspectives for individual communities. We need a model for Sustainability that addresses
all of the relevant issues. We have looked at the environmental impacts, but we need to look at the
economic and social impacts, too. We need to look not at just one year, but multi-year data."
Chief Ransom began his presentation by displaying a tribal Treaty Belt and explaining how it told the
story of collaboration between Native American and non-Natives for hundreds of years. He pointed out
that collaboration did not mean becoming the same, but rather, sharing strengths. "We have established
Native environmental offices," he said, "and funding has been given by the government. But in the
process of helping the Tribes, EPA has wanted us to follow their ways. This creates mini-EPA offices
among the Tribes, but misses the opportunity for Tribes to bring their perspectives on the issues." He
went on to explain that Native people have a science of their own, rooted in thousands of years living on
the land. "As medicine people, we notice first the changes in the environment and feel the impacts first-
hand. We know that the natural laws take precedence."
In his discussion of tribal approaches to environmental issues, Terry Williams, pointed out the need for
tribes to consider cultural Sustainability in the next 100 years. "In the last 100 years, there have been
devastating changes to the land and the people. We must understand the past to help with the future," he
said. He went on to discuss a Native view of the impact of climate change and other environmental
crises.
"There is a fabric woven by the environment with all the species dependent on it. The trees,
plants, and animals all live on the land and have life and are our brothers and sisters. There are
relationships between each. They all interact with each other. Deer waste becomes nutrients for
the trees, plants, and mushrooms. The trees drop fruit to help us sustain life. All the jobs are
genetically imprinted in each species at birth... If there is too much degradation, it punches holes
in the fabric of the environment."
Mary Arquette described her experience as a scientist and teacher applying traditional teachings in
Akwesasne. In the Haudenosaunee Environmental Protection process she explained that the tribe's own
research and knowledge of tribal ways has been used and integrated at every stage. Project coordinators
examined traditional teachings, which produced three concepts for the model to relate the concept of
human health to the natural world: wholeness, good relationships, and survival. However, she said, "an
important limitation on the process and project work is in the area of finding funds to hire individuals to
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help restore the traditional lifeways and teachings of the Tribe." She continued, saying that "there are
very few people left who have this knowledge to impart to the younger generation. It is also difficult to
find people who know the language of the people and are also good at the scientific technical skills
needed."
The final panel presentation was offered by Preston Hardison on the Lifestream Principle, an indigenous
concept that explains how all are tied together by mutual obligations in the river of life. He explained
that, "Indigenous people want to get across this concept, at the international and national levels, that each
of us has an obligation and responsibility as a result of the river's flow - of animals, people, law,
resources, and pollutants. Cooperation is necessary because every action affects every planetary
inhabitant." He also raises the important issue that tribes and federal agencies need to work toward better
understanding of ownership and responsibility in regard to traditional knowledge.
Thursday night was the closing event of the conference. Roland Hemmet and David Nelson of TSC gave
a summary of what had been accomplished during the conference, outlined priorities and goals for the
future, and reiterated the TSC's commitment to its mission. The full and ongoing participation of
everyone in attendance at the conference was encouraged. The closing plenary was delivered by Dr.
Cindi Barton, Director, USGS Water Resources Science Center, and focused on the importance of USGS/
Tribal partnerships. The presentation highlighted a number of significant success stories and offered
concrete examples of how effective partnerships can lead to positive environmental outcomes.
Emerging Concerns, Next Steps, and Questions for the Future
A number of issues were raised consistently throughout the conference in many venues and from a variety
of perspectives - some are listed below. This list is not exhaustive and no attempt has been made to rank
the importance of items on the list; their relationship to many important conversations that occurred at this
gathering can be discerned more fully by reviewing the detailed notes on presentations and question and
answer sessions in the body of this report. These items suggest a range of concerns and questions that
many felt deserve further study and dialogue.
The potentially devastating impact of climate change on tribal traditional lifeways
The importance of place - to remember that each place is different and therefore the people who
live there are different, and the problems and solutions are unique for each place
The special knowledge Native Americans have of changes in the environment because of their
connection to their land
The unique quality of indigenous knowledge and recognition of the value of Native science that
has existed for generations
The urgent need to find ways to protect and share tribal traditional knowledge for the benefit and
healing of all
The importance of recruiting, educating, and retaining Native scientists in and for Native
communities
The need for more data sharing, especially with those whose resources are severely limited
The problem of diminishing funding which threatens existing programs as well as development of
new ones
The need to learn from effective Tribal/EPA collaborations and other collaborative efforts that
have succeeded as creative tools for change and empowerment
The need to assign responsibility to those who are responsible for environmental degradation as a
step towards reparations and funding to begin or complete recovery and remediation
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The importance of remembering that Native Americans need to set their own agenda, not have it
set by outside groups, EPA, or others, perhaps through a Native conference to focus on what that
agenda should be
The need for more and ongoing Native/ non-Native science dialogues, and
The urgent need for action.
Evaluations from both participants and presenters overwhelming indicated that time devoted to all
conference activities was time well-spent and most were enthusiastic about the prospect of attending
future conferences of this type.
To learn more or to get involved in planning or participating in the next conference, contact a TSC
representative at http://www.epa.gov/osp/tribes/tribal/who.htm.
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NATIONAL FORUM ON TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
CONFERENCE EVENT SUMMARIES
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Quinault Indian Nation Welcome
Facilitators:
Fawn Sharp, Guy Capoeman and
Bruce Jones, QIN Natural Resources Division Manager, Taholah, WA
Quinault Canoe Society
Drummers/Singers: Guy Capoeman, Carl Jackson, Tony Kramer, Richie Underwood, Eric
Ellingson, Doug James, Anthony Duke Capoeman, Cecil Moses Capoeman, DeWayne
Capoeman, Horton Capoeman, Jerome Obi, James Smith, Mikey Underwood, Dakota
Capoeman, Donald Hawks
Dancers: Carly Martin (Miss Quinault), Aiyana Underwood (Princess), Talissa Clifton (Lil
Princess), Melissa D. Capoeman(Underwood), Tahcoy Ibabao, Cleve Jackson, Arleen Kramer,
Erika Kramer, Charli Sampson, Wakeena DeLaCruz, Ilia Capoeman
Queets Canoe Society
Drummers: Gene Sampson, Laura Obi-Sansom, Tony Boome, Jeffrey Kalama,
Charles Sampson
Dancers: Sela Kalama, Silvanna Kalama, Carly Obi-Sansom, Kordell Obi,
Shawna Obi, San-Dee Wells, Noelani Wells, Marjie Sanchez, Tashia Garcia,
Sandra Wells-Kalama
Community members of all ages welcomed the conference attendees with a program of traditional song,
drumming, and dance. Adult men drummed and sang while women, children, and young men sang and
danced in traditional dress. The songs were performed with the permission of families to whom they
belong and the entire program was overseen by tribal elders and chiefs of the Quinault Nation.
The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) consists of the Quinault and Queets tribes and descendants of five
other coastal tribes: Quileute, Hoh, Chehalis, Chinook, and Cowlitz. The QIN is a sovereign nation with
the inherent right to govern itself and deal with other tribes and nations on a government-to-government
basis. Bylaws established in 1922 and a constitution approved in 1975 form the foundations of the
modern-day Quinault government.
The Quinault Indian Reservation, located on the southwestern corner of the Olympic Peninsula, is a land
of forests, swift-flowing rivers, lakes, and 23 miles (37 kilometers) of undeveloped Pacific coastline. Its
boundaries enclose over 208,150 acres (84,271 hectares) of some of the most productive conifer forest
lands in the United States. Their ancestors were sustained by the land and by trade with neighboring
tribes. Extensive salmon runs, abundant sea mammals, wildlife, and forests provided substantial material
and spiritual wealth.
Today the people of the Quinault Indian Nation have made it a priority to remember and reclaim their rich
heritage while undertaking a variety of modern enterprises. Tribal operations consist of: Administration,
Natural Resources, Community Services, and Health and Social Services. In addition, the QIN boasts a
number of successful enterprises, including Quinault Pride Seafood, Land and Timber, Quinault Beach
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Resort, Maritime Resort, and the Mercantile, all of which promote growth and develop the potential of the
Quinault Indian Nation.
Monday, September 25, 2006
FORMAL WELCOMING SESSION
Facilitators:
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Environmental
Protection Department, Cheyenne Rive Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Roland Hemmett, TSC Agency Co-Chair, US EPA, Region 2, Edison, NJ
Roland Hemmett and David Nelson welcomed participants to the meeting and introduced the Quinault
Honor Guard, which presented the colors (flags). Following the presentation of the colors, Dennis Martin
of the Quinault Indian Nation gave the opening prayer.
Opening Prayer
Dennis Martin, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Welcome
Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
President Sharp welcomed participants to Quinault Country and encouraged them to participate in the
field trips so that they could experience the beauty of the land firsthand. Quinault Reservation beaches
are closed to the public and protected. The Quinault appreciate scientists and the data they collect;
sharing and collaboration is important for collecting useful environmental data. For example, in 2005
while the State of Washington was aggressively trying to develop water quality standards, local tribes
encouraged the state to include fish presence data. The state did not include the data, and the tribes
contacted EPA for assistance. The Washington water quality standards were not approved, and the state
was told to include fish presence data. The new standards went into in effect on October 31, 2006.
Conferences such as this are instrumental for networking, collaborating, and sharing ideas and
information.
Welcome
Guy Capoeman, Vice Chair, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Mr. Capoeman welcomed participants and introduced Larry Workman, Manager of Centralized
Communication for the Quinault Indian Nation.
Welcome
Larry Workman, Manager of Centralized Communication, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Mr. Workman gave a brief overview of Quinault Country. The reservation is on the southwest corner of
the Olympic Peninsula, encompassing 330 square miles of land, including coastal areas, two valleys,
second growth forest, swampy wetlands (approximately 2% of total land, which is in lake bed remnants of
former glaciers), Lake Quinault, two large river systems, and several smaller river systems. The weather
is influenced by the Olympic Mountains. Glaciers from 20,000 years ago created most of the land forms
found on the reservation.
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The Quinault people originated as land mammal hunters, but, as the climate changed and glaciers began
to retreat, the Quinault became sea mammal hunters and fisherman. The Quinault were known as the
Salmon People and were the southernmost whale hunting tribe along the West Coast. Because the cedar
was considered the tree of life to the Quinault, they also were known as the Keepers of the Cedar. Cedar
was important in everyday life and was used in clothing, housing, and canoe making.
More recently, Quinault land was divided into 88 allotments, and the fragmented ownership of the land is
a challenge in managing the land and natural resources. Liquidation of most of the old growth forest in
the 20th century also contributes to the challenge of natural resource management.
The Quinault of today are still primarily fisherman. They also have an intensive forestry program and an
active tree-planting program. There is a variety of wildlife on the reservation, including threatened and
endangered species. A new challenge is an invasive species (e.g., the European green crab). Plant
species are also abundant on the reservation, and mushrooms, previously not utilized, have become an
important resource to the Quinault.
There are several cultural stands of trees dedicated for totem poles and canoes. Young Quinault people
travel on canoe trips to understand their ancestors and prepare for adulthood. Mr. Workman ended his
speech with traditional words describing his people, "From the time of the first moon to the time of the
last sun."
Conference Overview
Roland Hemmett and David Nelson
Dr. Hemmett introduced the TSC members. He explained that the TSC was established at the request
of the National Tribal Caucus to provide a forum for tribes and EPA to work collaboratively to
identify and address national environmental science issues important to tribes. He added the TSC
is a tribally directed, joint effort with EPA that is supported by the Office of Research and Development
(ORD). In April 2006 the TSC published a paper concerning tribal science issues. The TSC tribal
representatives determined the conference theme would be developed around these tribal science
priorities and emphasize promoting tribal relationships. The agenda was developed based on four
tracks: Air, Water, Earth, and Community Health. Approximately 90 percent of meeting attendees are
tribal, and while here, EPA would like attendees' input for developing a tribal training program.
Mr. Nelson described the need to integrate tribal tradition, teaching, and culture with scientific data and
statistics. Originally, tribes did not want EPA input on how to keep tribal land and water clean, and EPA
did not understand the tribal traditions and cultures, but the two groups are learning that it is necessary to
integrate each other's knowledge and that traditions and science must come together. He introduced the
EPA members of the TSC and thanked them for their help in planning this meeting.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
and State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Department of American Studies,
Buffalo, NY
Tony David, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, introduced Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the
Onondaga Nations. Chief Lyons helped establish the United Nations (UN) Working Group on
Indigenous Populations and is a member of the UN Human Rights Division. A full professor at the State
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University of New York at Buffalo, he recently was named the State University of New York
Distinguished Service Professor. In addition to receiving the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor,
he helped to diplomatically resolve the 1990 Oka Crisis, a violent land dispute in Quebec, Canada,
involving the Mohawk Nation.
Chief Lyons began his talk with a traditional greeting in the Onondaga language and thanked the TSC for
the invitation to speak. He mentioned that he had attended the TSC Risk Assessment/Health and Well-
being Workshop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2003.
A synopsis of his remarks follows.
People ask me many questions during my travels. They want to know, what is the Indian philosophy?
How has Indian leadership prevailed and where did it come from? We took instruction from the Earth
and the natural world. There are differences between Indian culture and Western culture. Indians value
cooperation above competition. Relationships are valued above profit. Family and community are valued
above accruing wealth.
People ask me, where are we today and what is in store? They are worried about the state of Earth.
Although there are many reports which say that progress is being made in how environmental problems
are dealt with, there will be no real progress as long as we value profit over life. Meetings will be taking
place here, at this conference; constituencies, issues, and positions will be clarified. It is time to take
action. You have to make what has been discussed at these meetings operational.
The Iroquois have many names, including the native Haudenosaunee (People of the Long House), and
still have a traditional council of chiefs. Our history is one of strength and resilience. Roughly 16 million
Indians were living in North America at the time of Columbus' landfall, but that number dropped to
250,000 by the beginning of the 20th Century. Today, roughly 2.5 million people in the United States
identify themselves as Indian. It took 450 million years to reach a world population of 2.5 billion; it took
55 years to reach the second 2.5 billion. Doubling a population of this size over 55 years is not
sustainable! During the worldwide hunt for sustainable resources, Indians must keep their land and not
trade it. Humans must learn to share and work together to determine sustainable resources, regardless of
color or nationality.
The Great Peacemaker came among the Indians more than 1,000 years ago and brought peace to six
warring Indian Nations: Onondaga, Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, and Tuscarora. They gathered at
the shore of Onondaga Lake (currently the only Superfund lake in the United States, with 400 tons of
mercury), and the Peacemaker gave the tribes principles to live by and defined democratic structure.
Because the earth is female, women are in charge of earth and water; men are in charge of fire. Although
women are in charge, there must be a consensus, because locked leadership cannot help the people.
The first principal to live by is peace. It is not possible to have peace without health, but 50 million
people in the United States do not have health care. The second principle is of equity and justice; one
cannot have justice without equity. The third principle is the power of the good mind, which
encompasses reason.
The Great Peacemaker then planted a great white pine, with four roots of truth growing in the four
directions of the earth. If one is lost, the roots can be followed back to their source to find the Great
Peace. The Great Peacemaker's laws must not be challenged, but nations today are challenging these
laws and one of the results is global warming. Although people are insignificant in terms of the earth,
they have been able to cause systemic change.
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The Great Peacemaker instructed the leaders to make all decisions with the seventh generation in mind, so
that this generation too will have a sustainable life. The responsibility of all life is in the leaders' hands.
Leaders must understand the problems before they can find a solution. The problem must be examined
and explored. Corporations have usurped traditional leadership, and business has usurped government.
Profit is the driving force of today, and corporations, which are independent entities, have allegiance only
to themselves. The corporate leaders must accept the leadership of all life and must learn to understand
the earth. Mother Nature has only unchallengeable laws, and corporate leaders must adhere to these laws.
It is time for action, and each individual must be a leader and think for himself. Although it is common
for humans to be afraid, we must move beyond the fear. Strength comes from being united, so we must
also be united in our efforts. This is illustrated by Einstein's observation that the strongest law of the
universe was that of "compound" which starts slow, gains speed, and then explodes. Humans are in the
acceleration phase right now, and the two perfect storms of global warming and increasing human
population will soon explode.
Any profit taken is at the expense of future generations, and leaders must stop this acceleration. Chief
executive officers point the fingers at stockholders for demanding profits, so the stockholders must then
be responsible and think of the future. Although earth's resources are finite, humans are not acting as if
they are finite. To cool itself from global warming, the earth's atmosphere will begin to snow
continuously for more than 100 years. The snow will compress into ice, which will form glaciers.
Another ice age will occur.
Fortunately, cooperation is coming about. EPA and tribes are working together and planning, trying to
stop catastrophic environmental events. By the end of this meeting, there must be a plan of action in
place; information that has been gathered must be acted on. There is no compromise with the laws of
nature, so the plan must get humans back in line with these laws. The plan must be equitable, fair, and
consider the entire earth, not just the United States. It is the job of scientists and leaders to determine how
to address global changes. Courage of conviction is necessary, and racism must not get in the way.
Action must be taken now, because changes are going to occur at a surprising rate. Our duty is to do what
we can. Find unity of mind. Act on it.
OPENING PLENARY - American Indians/ Alaska Natives and Global Climate Change
Alaska and Global Climate Change
Lydia Olympic, Igiugig Tribal Village Council, Igiugig, AK
Lydia Olympic illustrated Chief Lyon's point about being ready to accept information from unusual
places by relating an anecdote about an event that happened in her village, which has a population of 47
people. One February, a little girl in the village found it very amusing that the squirrels were awake when
they should be sleeping. The girl's excitement led Ms. Olympic to pay more attention to the changes that
were occurring in her village and she asked the elders if they had any stories about global warming. They
did not; nor is there an Igiugig word for global warming.
She then described the following changes and issues that are emerging in Alaska.
A lot of change is going on in Alaska. Squirrels are coming out of hibernation in February; bears are
coming out of hibernation in March when there is nothing for them to eat. Migratory birds are arriving
early, in April, and dying in sudden freezes. Brown bears are moving into northern territories where they
have never been. The spruce bark beetle is infesting and killing more trees because of the higher
temperatures in the region. Cannibalism among polar bears is being recorded for the first time.
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Coastal waters are now so warm that there are tuna, sharks, and tropical fish present for the first time.
And ice is thinner all year long. Thinner ice means earlier ice breakup, which in turn causes injuries and
deaths among subsistence seal-hunters. Coastline erosion and the rise in sea level are resulting in floods.
Some villages are actually moving locations in order to avoid being destroyed by flooding during coastal
storms. There are an increased number of mosquitoes and sand flies. Additionally, large numbers of
salmon have died in lakes before spawning. Is it climate change?
Alaska Native people are still intimately connected to the land. We know that something is wrong. The
environment is not healthy, and it is a matter of life and death for us and for the animals. The stories of
Alaska Native people need to be told, and they need to be heard. If the world is ready to listen to
indigenous people ~ who know and understand the rhythm of the earth ~ and act on this knowledge, then
the earth's balance can return.
PANEL DISCUSSION - American Indians/ Alaska Natives Climate Warming Working
Group: A Red Paper
Daniel R. Wildcat, Haskell Indian Nations University, Haskell Environmental Research Center,
Lawrence, KS
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, USGS, Earth Surface Processes, Flagstaff, AZ
Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza, Lummi Nation, Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA
Daniel Wildcat explained that this paper began as the result of the Impact of Climate Change on
Indigenous Peoples Symposium held at the Haskell Indian Nations University in June of 2006. The
symposium was part of a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded effort, the Center for the Remote
Sensing of Ice Sheets. Additional volunteers to commit to this project are being sought.
He stated that scientific evidence is clear that we are experiencing global warming - heating, even
burning. If there is anyone who thinks that global warming is an abstraction, talk to Alaska Natives. It is
threatening their lifeways, challenging what it means to be indigenous. Although global warming is
especially apparent in Alaska, if we pay attention, changes can be seen everywhere. It is necessary to
collect accurate data so that tribal leaders can make informed decisions regarding the future. This
conference is the place to make key relationships and to make things happen.
Dr. Wildcat introduced two collaborators of the project, who gave their personal perspectives on the
subject of climate change.
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, a resident of the Navajo Nation as well as a member of the U.S. Geological
Survey, stated that there is a difference between a Native American scientist and a scientist who happens
to be Native American. Scientists are needed to investigate the changes in rainfall, rain-to-snow ratio,
and so forth. Many Native American scientists have learned science from dominant-society institutions
and have lost touch with their native and traditional ways, so funding is being secured to bring these
scientists back to reservations.
All around the Navajo Reservation National Weather Stations are recording information. But, the
National Weather Service (NWS) data are inaccurate for the Navajo Nation. The NWS stations are
outside of the nation and predict data inside the nation's borders via computer modeling. The computer
predictions show more rainfall than actually occurs. Borders of the Navajo Nation were drawn so that
Navajo people are living in the driest, most extreme areas. To rectify this and get more accurate readings
for Navajo, the nation is attempting to set up a weather station within its borders and bring Native
American geoscientists in to interpret the data.
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Native American traditional observations are science; therefore, science is not a new concept to Native
American nations. Sixty percent of the world's food crop and 80 percent of the world's medicines are the
products of Native American science. Native American culture is based on observation. So is science.
We need to pay attention to the signs all around us.
Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza stated that global warming is human driven, and the changes as a result of this
phenomenon are happening fast; humankind has become a geophysical force. A personal change in
behavior is required to stop what is happening on earth; nothing will change without a change to human
actions. The climate workgroup, formed to take action on "global burning," welcomes anyone who
would like to become a member.
It is necessary to be aware always of changes, even when they are imperceptible. The changes in Alaska
and the southwestern United States are obvious. The changes in the Pacific Northwest are not as obvious,
but they are present. The changes must be analyzed using a systemic approach (i.e., every change means
something and affects the system as a whole). Inequity is rampant throughout the world, and the
scientific advances made in the name of health and well-being are an illusion. We must respond to Chief
Lyon's call to action immediately.
Dr. Wildcat explained that geoscience must be made relevant to the big picture and that American Indian
and Alaska Native geoscientists with indigenous ideas are needed. Nature to Indians is not an abstraction,
and Indian scientists can bring this aspect to western science and technology. It must be noted that each
culture and tribe emerges out of a specific landscape and, therefore, tribes are different from each other.
Each culture has learned how to exist within each of these landscapes. Humankind needs this indigenous
realism, and stereotypical assessments of traditional environmental knowledge cannot be accepted.
Traditional environmental knowledge is not romantic or unrealistic and does not mean going back to the
past. Teaching traditional environmental knowledge, as opposed to science out of books, is more relevant
and more desirable to learn.
Solving the problem of climate heating impacts will require indigenous ingenuity. This "indigenuity"
will in turn need the empowerment of Native natural intelligence, imagination, inventiveness, agile
leadership, and honesty. Indigenuity plays to the strengths of the Indian people and is emergent from the
nature-culture nexus. It is experience-centered, experiment-rich, and informed by attentiveness to the
unique biomes and environments of the earth.
Volunteers, especially tribal college partners, are needed to work around existing agency, tribal
government, and university boundaries. The Working Group project includes a long-term NSF proposal
to assemble a partnership-coordinated geoscience and diversity program between tribal colleges in which
undergraduate scientists will perform geoscience research and gain experience while collecting data on
tribal ground that tribes need, especially as the budget of the Bureau of Land Management is $60 million
short of the level needed to survey tribal properties. American Indian geoscience literacy is necessary to
ensure that indigenous tribal knowledge of landscapes and climates are valued, used, and incorporated
into tribal geoscience education and research.
Wealth is found in relations. A collaborative effort between federal agencies, tribes, and tribal colleges
must be formed to ensure that geoscience education and research opportunities for American Indians and
Alaska Natives are integrated and coordinated. When looking at the natural world, Western scientists and
planners see resources; American Indians see relations. If society began to view the natural world in this
indigenous way, many changes for the better would occur.
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Lifeway protection activities can be advanced by using the latest information technologies
(e.g., podcasting, web technology, etc.) to create a web-based clearinghouse for accurate information and
knowledge about the impact of global warming on indigenous lifeways. Such a clearinghouse will benefit
many communities, tribes, and individuals.
Discussion
Comment ~ Preston Hardison, Tulalip Tribes, described a clearinghouse project on climate change
already underway at http://climate.nativecommons.net. A database system is being developed, and the
project leaders are looking for collaboration regarding data exchange models. Currently, there are more
than one million records about both science and traditional environmental knowledge, including links to
scientific and tribal literature that discuss environmental change and impacts. Such an effort requires
collaboration; information must be shared to survive because this is a crisis situation.
Comment ~ A participant expressed frustration with the lack of communication between tribes. EPA is
to be commended because it has good communication with tribes. A system for communication must be
established.
Comment ~ Christine Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, described the George Washington University
Graduate School for Political Management's Semester in Washington Program, which allows students to
study in Washington and learn how the federal government works, including elections, diplomacy,
lobbying, and issues management. There are 11 guaranteed spots for Native American students.
Field Trips to the Coast and Rainforest
Quinault Nation Ambassadors:
Phillip Martin Sr., Butch Pope, Phillip Martin Jr., Karl Braden, Bruce Wagner, Justine James,
Anna Towkajhea, and Patricia Ward Sheridan
Guided bus tours were provided by the Quinault Indian Nation. Both tours began with a drive along the
Pacific Ocean and included a history of places and people along the way. Tour guides were assisted in
their talks by the use of a guidebook compiled by Justine E. James, Jr., Cultural Resource Specialist,
Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA. A brochure describing the trips, prepared by the QIN Centralized
Communications Division, Taholah, WA, was also provided.
Coastal Tour
The coastal tour included a stop in the town of Taholah where the tour group visited the Quinault
Museum and the Quinault Pride Seafood plant. After these stops the tour continued along the Pacific
Ocean route to the beach at Point Grenville. Here the group was shown techniques for razor clam
sampling by fisheries biologists and given a presentation providing a general overview of the impacts of
algal blooms on the clam populations and harvests.
Rainforest Tour
The rainforest tour included a stop at Lake Quinault at the eastern tip of the Quinault Indian Reservation.
The group toured the fish hatcheries and learned about the workings of the hatcheries from the hatchery
crew. A lake-side presentation described local efforts to eradicate the invasive plant knockweed from the
area. The tour continued with a drive further into the Olympics. Here the group took a guided walk along
the US Forest Service Rainforest Trail in the Olympic Rainforest.
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Evening Event
Reception sponsored by Fond du Lac Reservation
Poster Session
The Poster Session was an informal session held in the evening after conference attendees had returned
from tours to the coast and rainforest. Posters were displayed throughout the hall and presenters were
available to answer questions and discuss their topics with those in attendance. Brief descriptions of
posters are included below. One of the goals of this session was to give students and young professionals
an opportunity to present their work.
Poster Abstract
Putting the Community behind the Wheel: Community-Driven Research and Intervention
in Kwakoegron, Suriname
Sarah Augustine, Suriname Indigenous Health Fund, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Daniel Peplow, Suriname Indigenous Health Fund, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
The Indigenous Amerindian and Tribal Maroon people living in Suriname are facing a potentially
catastrophic environmental and public health crisis due to environmental degradation from gold mining,
including mercury (Hg) contamination. Between 30 and 60 metric tons of Hg are released into the
environment each year by gold miners in the region. Risk-assessment studies show that food-chain
contamination and bioaccumulation are occurring at levels known to cause nervous system damage in
people. The effects of Hg are viewed by environmental and public health officials as scientific problems
and, it is assumed that objectively knowable facts, derived gradually and progressively through the use of
the scientific method, will lead to rational solutions. Meanwhile, tribal people who are most effected by
Hg pollution are increasingly resisting studies that do not address their own research needs and priorities.
This study revolves around the assumption that scientific experiments and observations reflect the cultural
context in which they are performed. In 2005, a community-driven risk assessment study was conducted
in partnership with the village of Kwakoegron. Community members revealed that they are concerned
with a variety of health risks associated with mining, including river sedimentation, poor sanitation
caused by the influx of approximately 10,000 transient miners, and cyanide released by large mines as
well as Hg released by transient miners. The cooperative approach yielded: (1) a three-point action plan to
address Hg contamination; and (2) an ongoing water quality project, both of which integrated relevant
technical, social, and cultural factors.
Poster Abstract
Source Water Protection Planning in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer
Dale Becker, Evergreen Rural Water of Washington, Shelton, WA
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
The Quinault Indian Nation completed a Source Water Protection Plan with the assistance of Evergreen
Rural Water of Washington. The planning process included delineation of source water protection areas
through step-wise time of travel modeling, potential contaminant source inventory, contaminant risk
assessment, and management through public education and development of Best Management Practices
(BMPs) for forestry. The step-wise approach to delineating source water protection zones was used to
provide a time of travel capture zone that allows for adequate protection of water sources with limited
resources. First, the time of travel zones was delineated using a circular Calculated Fixed Radius, which
assumes no recharge and no aquifer gradient. One, 5, and 10-year time of travel zones were then
delineated using WhAEM 2000, an EPA steady state, heterogeneous analytical element groundwater
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model. WhAEM 2000 results were evaluated based on comparison of static conditions to those measured
in previous aquifer assessments and sensitivity analysis. Based on cost estimates for numerical modeling
and the assessment of the WhAEM 2000 model errors, it was determined that no further modeling was
warranted until a risk assessment was completed for the aquifer. If the Source Water Assessment
concluded that there was a high risk of contamination, then further modeling would be assessed. Because
no high risk potential contaminant sources were present, no further modeling was deemed necessary. The
management plan includes public education, new forestry BMPs, and emergency planning.
Poster Abstract
The Decline of Salmon SpeciesThe Ecological and Urban Changes in the Nooksack
Watershed
Carmen Bland, Lummi Cedar Project, Bellingham, WA
The Lummi people of Pacific Northwest Washington have throughout their existence relied on the
abundance of salmon in the Nooksack River. Due to both ecological and urban changes in the Northwest,
salmon are disappearing; we are working to protect what is left of this resource. This project implements a
Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) approach to investigate changes in the watershed
that may be related to fishery decline and explores the use of 30 years of Landsat satellite imagery to
track urbanization and land cover change. It also utilizes data from the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration's (NASA) Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System (TOPS) to investigate
relationships between daily water flow, temperature, and water quality data for the Nooksack Watershed.
The NASA Applied Sciences program includes Water Management as one of its 12 areas of national
priority, and future work will extend this preliminary analysis to incorporate additional satellite data
measurements on parameters such as sea surface temperature. The primary goal of this project is to
develop the data and analysis techniques to develop a decision support tool for management of the
Nooksack watershed that integrates NASA data with ground-based observation systems.
Poster Abstract
Reducing Health Risks to the Anishinaabe from Methylmercury
Adam De Weese, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Biological Services
Division, Odanah, WI
Since 1989, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) has collected data on
mercury concentrations in walleye from lakes in the 1837 and 1842 treaty-ceded lands of northern
Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. Beginning in 1996, GLIFWC used these data to produce color-
coded, GIS-based consumption advisory maps providing lake-specific information on the amount of
methylmercury in walleye. GLIFWC received an EPA Science To Achieve Results (STAR) grant in 2003
to enhance and evaluate its efforts to reduce risks associated with subsistence-based consumption of
methylmercury contaminated fish. As part of the grant, GLIFWC's maps were revised to ensure that they
were culturally sensitive and that they adequately protected the health of tribal members. Tribal leaders,
health care providers, fish harvesters, elders, and youth were trained in the use of the maps. Tribal health
care providers were asked to train mothers with young children and women of childbearing age through
tribal health programs. The efficacy of these interventions is being evaluated through a series of targeted
surveys designed to document changes in knowledge and behavior after implementation of the program.
Poster Abstract
Mni Wiconi Rural Waters that Supply Water to One-Sixth of South Dakota Including
Three Indian Reservations
Syed Y. Huq, Director, Mni Wiconi-Rosebud Rural Water System, Rosebud, SD
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"Mni Wiconi" is a Lakota term meaning "water is life." The purpose of this project is to provide
adequate water to meet the economic, environmental, municipal, and public health needs in an area where
existing water sources are highly mineralized and of poor quality. Also higher than average numbers of
water-borne diseases are found in the design area. In some communities, water must be hauled from
distant places. Mni Wiconi was authorized by Congress in 1988. This is the largest Rural Water Project
in the Country. The area of study comprises 12 counties, one-sixth of South Dakota, and more than
12,500 square miles, including the Rosebud, Oglala, and Lower Brule Sioux Reservations.
Design population is 51,635.
Water source: Missouri River and Ogallala Aquifer.
Authorized funding: $440 million.
Authorized date of completion: 2008.
Design Flow: 13,886 GPM.
Will also serve 274,811 head of livestock.
The completed project includes intake, treatment plant, pipelines, pumping stations, reservoir, SCADA,
wells, and electrical transmission. Seventy-two percent of the project has been completed at a cost of
$300 million. Mni Wiconi generated more than 250 construction-related and 125 operation and
maintenance-related jobs. This project represents reconciliation at its best between Indians and Non-
Indians. The project is expected to be extended through 2012 at a total cost of more than $500 million.
Poster Abstract
Asthma Awareness Poster Boards from Bois Forte Environmental Services
Kevin Koski, Bois Forte Tribal Government, Department of Environmental Services, Nett Lake,
MN
Bois Forte Environmental Services displayed its four-tiered Asthma Awareness presentation board. EPA
has requested more involvement in asthma awareness activities, and this is a display that has been brought
to various wellness fairs, teen conferences, and asthma awareness functions for school children in the past
year. The boards include visual depictions of the major asthma triggers, depictions of the physiological
effects of asthma, copies of some of the better handouts available on asthma prevention, and a plethora of
tips for asthma trigger prevention in the household.
Poster Abstract
Self-Regulating Tidegates and Estuary Restoration: The Fornsby Creek Restoration
Project on the Swinomish Reservation
Todd Mitchell, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Karen Mitchell, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Rachel LovellFord, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
Sarah Akin, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Laconner, WA
The Fornsby Creek Self-Regulating Tidegate (SRT) project is a fish passage and habitat restoration
project located along the Swinomish Channel of the Skagit River delta in Washington State. This project
seeks to strike a balance between current and future land use by promoting hydraulic connectivity and
exchange coupled with active restoration plantings to stimulate riparian recovery. This project will reopen
the Smokehouse Floodplain to fish use by replacing existing impassible tidegates with self-regulating
tidegates (SRTs). The increased tidal influence will recreate estuary-type freshwater/salt water mixing
zones, critical rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. In total, the project will reopen more than 5 miles of
channel to fish and more than 70 acres of Tribal trust land will be planted in buffer vegetation. Extensive
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water quality monitoring (pre- and post-project) will determine the effect, if any, of the increased
saltwater on adjacent farmland.
Poster Abstract
Introducing...US EPA's Office of Emergency Management, How Can We Serve You?
William Nichols, Regulatory and Policy Development Division, Office of Emergency
Management (OEM), Washington, DC
This poster explains OEM's relationship with Tribes and what services, training, and information OEM
can provide to the tribes. The new Office of Emergency Management (OEM) consolidates the Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response's prevention, preparedness, and response duties by joining the Oil
Program Center, Emergency Response and Removal Program, and the Chemical Emergency
Preparedness and Prevention Office. Our mission is to ensure that this Nation is better prepared for
environmental emergencies.
OEM works with other EPA partners, Federal agencies, states, Tribes, local response agencies, and
industry to prevent accidents as well as maintain superior response capabilities. This is facilitated through
partnerships, joint strategy development, technology development and deployment, training, and
exercises. A major focus of our tribal services is to assist Tribes with oil spill prevention and
preparedness issues as they relate to the production and storage of oil. EPA can provide the following:
Inspectors for regulated oil storage facilities in Indian Country
Compliance assistance information for owners/operators and Tribal environmental staff
Oil spill prevention/response training, and
Chemical hazard assessment, preparedness, and response training.
Poster Abstract
Groundwater and Heat Transport in the Hoh River Watershed: A Pilot Study on the
Impact of Forest Practices on Ground and Surface Water Interactions
Jill Silver, 110,000 Years Institute, Port Townsend, WA
Patricia Olson, Pacific Watershed Institute, Seattle, WA
Forested wetlands draining to streams in the Hoh River basin are the subject of this five-year investigation
on the mechanisms and processes of groundwater heat transport to streams. Although forested wetlands
contribute surface and subsurface flow to streams, these forests are harvestable under the State Forest
Practices Act. Riparian shade on streams has been well studied and is recognized as an important
component of a healthy thermal regime. Groundwater shading has received much less attention,
especially in this region. A recent adaptive management research topic related to forest practices in
Washington State focuses on groundwater influence on stream temperatures.
The primary objectives of this study are to determine if a relationship exists between management
practices and groundwater temperature; and if there is a corollary relationship between groundwater
temperature and stream temperature. The data will additionally contribute to the evaluation of
groundwater relationship to stream base and storm flows.
The primary research question examines whether tree canopy removal changes groundwater temperatures.
Supporting questions considered include: (1) attenuation of groundwater temperature with distance from
surface water; (2) attenuation of groundwater temperature with depth from the surface, and at what depth;
and (3) contribution of groundwater to surface water, and the relative contribution and role (e.g., inflow to
holding pools, inflow to spawning habitat).
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Using Forward Looking Infrared technology (FLIR), aerial photographs, wetlands inventory, soil maps
and field reconnaissance, we identified areas of groundwater recharge and areas of discharge to streams in
the Hoh watershed. Three study sites were chosen from this sample settwo from managed forestlands,
including a recent clear cut harvest unit as the harvested site, a mature second growth stand as the control,
and an unmanaged old growth forest site as the reference site. The three sites have similar soil
characteristics, elevation, topography, slope, and aspect.
Instrumentation was installed in 2001, establishing ground and surface water networks to continuously
monitor water levels and temperatures in the stream, soil, groundwater and air of each site. Each site
included a stream, forested wetland, and upland areas. Each stream and 8 to 10 wells per plot were
instrumented with continuous recording pressure transducers. Other continuously measured parameters
include soil matric potential, soil moisture, humidity, precipitation, and solar radiation.
Poster Abstract
Effect of Body Size and Lipid Content on Contaminant Concentration in White Sturgeon,
Acipenser transmontanus
Christopher W. Thompson, Environment International, Ltd., Seattle, WA
Valerie A. Lee, Department of Research, Environment International, Ltd., Seattle, WA
White sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, populations have declined dramatically throughout much of
their range in the Pacific Northwest and are of great concern to many constituencies, including state,
federal, and tribal agencies in the United States and Canada. Both inorganic and organic pollutants are
suspected of contributing significantly to these population declines but little work has been done to date
to evaluate this. In many taxa, including fish, many contaminants continue to accumulate in individuals
throughout their lives such that, on average, the oldest individuals have the highest concentrations of
contaminants.
The Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency collected whole-body and fillet tissue samples from sturgeon in the Columbia River basin in 1996
through 1998. We conducted new analyses of these data, which indicate that concentrations of many
inorganic (e.g., chromium, mercury) and organic contaminants (e.g., DDTs, PCBs, phenols, chlordane, 2-
chloronaphthalene) increase with sturgeon body size (mass and length) in fillet samples. These results
were not obtained with whole body samples, but this may reflect lack of statistical power as similar trends
exist in both whole-body and fillet data. Also, if tissue concentration data are lipid-normalized, no
significant relationships are found between contaminant concentration in fillets and sturgeon body size.
This indicates that the positive relationship between contaminant concentrations in fillet samples and
sturgeon body size reflects an increase in lipid concentration with increasing body size in sturgeon, a
common phenomenon in fish.
Many conclusions and implications can be drawn from these results:
Larger (older) sturgeon are potentially at greater risk of harm from contaminants than are smaller
(younger) sturgeon.
Sturgeon may effectively sequester contaminants in muscle rather than in other tissues such as the
liver, where contaminants may have more deleterious effects.
Concentrations of contaminants in individual tissues, such as muscle and liver, may be much
more useful for assessing risk than are whole-body samples.
Assessment of the ecological risk to sturgeon from contaminants, as is being done at Superfund
sites in Portland Harbor and the Upper Columbia River, must include consideration of adults.
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It is not appropriate to use other fish species as "surrogates" to assess risk of pollutants to
sturgeon.
Additional work must be done to develop a non-lethal and minimally invasive method for
monitoring contaminant burden in, and assessing risk to, adult sturgeon.
For contaminants that are deposited to a significant degree in muscle tissue, we strongly advocate
additional work on prebreeding (juvenile and subadult) sturgeon to evaluate the relationships between
contaminant concentrations in muscle with (1) other individual tissues (e.g., liver, gills), and (2) whole-
body samples from the same individual sturgeon. These results could be used to develop a contaminant
monitoring program for adult sturgeon.
Poster Abstract
Environmental Contaminants in Traditional Foods of the Yupik People on St. Lawrence
Island, Alaska
Vi Waghiyi, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK
Pamela Miller, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK
This poster provided results of research and advocacy work on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. St.
Lawrence Island is located in the Bering Sea in Northwestern Alaska, 40 miles from the coast of Siberia.
All of the people of St. Lawrence Island are Yupik (Eskimos) who live in two tribal villages whose
livelihoods depend on the traditional foods that they hunt, fish, and gather.
One of the research teams for Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) has shown that the Yupik
people of St. Lawrence Island have high blood serum levels of poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
pesticides. The ACAT team for St. Lawrence Island is comprised of (1) scientists from State University of
New York, Albany; (2) environmental health researchers and advocates from ACAT in Anchorage; (3)
environmental health officers of the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nomethe entity that provides
medical care for St. Lawrence Island; and (4) five St. Lawrence Island Yupik researchers, all of whom
were trained in field and health research techniquesfour residents of St. Lawrence Island and one
currently living in Anchorage who coordinates all of the work of ACAT at the Island.
In 2000, ACAT was awarded a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which
supported the work of the ACAT research team for the first 4 years at St. Lawrence Island. The study was
titled: Environmental Health & Justice for St. Lawrence Island. This was a community-based
participatory research project in which the communities of Gambell and Savoonga on the Island
conducted environmental and health research. The study addressed impacts from the two formerly used
defense sites on the Island and the long-range transport of contaminants by oceanic and atmospheric
currents from more southerly latitudes to St. Lawrence Island.
With a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided in 2003, the ACAT
research team has been examining traditional foods of the Yupik people on St. Lawrence Island for PCBs,
three pesticides, and several metals. We obtained multiple samples of traditional foods (seal, whale,
walrus, fish, seal oil, greens, sea bird eggs, berries), including various parts of animals, for congener-
specific measurement of PCBs and levels of pesticides and metals. The ACAT research team is
determining the most significant sources of exposure, and how methods of preparation for consumption
influenced the level of contaminants. This information is critical to the community to help people make
informed decisions about food choices to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants.
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Poster Abstract
Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Marine Mammals From the North Slope
of Alaska
Dana L. Wetzel, Mote Marine Laboratory, Aquatic Toxicology Program, Sarasota, FL
John E. Reynolds, Mote Marine Laboratory, Manatee Research Program, Sarasota, FL
Phil Mercuric, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL
Cyd Hanns, North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, Barrow, AK
North Slope subsistence communities are concerned about contaminant levels in the environment and the
foods they consume. In this area, one contaminant type about which subsistence users are concerned is the
poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with oil and gas production and pollution (or spills).
Our studies involve two distinct projects: marine mammals and freshwater systems. We have worked
closely with Native hunters and scientists with the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife
Management to acquire samples. Ten matrices were analyzed from each of several bowhead whales and
pinnipeds (seals) taken for subsistence use. For the marine mammal matrices analyzed to date for PAHs,
we have found no detectable levels of oil-related contaminants.
Although PAHs are not currently detected in matrices of the bowhead whales or bearded seals, biomarker
assays suggest that some animals have been exposed to oil. Analyses also are underway to examine
possible effects of storage and handling on PAH levels of whale meat. Sediments and fish from two of the
largest freshwater systems on the North Slope, Teshekpuk Lake and the Colville River, are being assessed
for PAH concentrations as well. The sorts of baselines we are creating are especially important to
concerned subsistence communities who are trying to make informed decisions about their diets. The
baselines also are vital to assess future changes associated with oil and gas development in coastal regions
or offshore of Alaska's North Slope. When our analyses are complete, we will work with local educators
and leaders to communicate our results to the involved communities, as well as to scientists and decision
makers.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
8 A.M., AIR POLLUTION TRANSPORT
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and David LaRoche
Identifying Transport Pathways Using the HYSPLIT Model
Glenn Gehring, Office of Air Quality, Department of Science and Engineering, Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton, OR
This presentation explored the use of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's)
HYSPLIT model to identify transport patterns for air pollutants.
http: //www .arl .noaa.gov/readv/hysplit4 .html
The HYSPLIT (HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model is a complete system for
computing simple air parcel trajectories to complex dispersion and deposition simulations. The model can
be run interactively on the Web through the READY system on our site or the code executable and
meteorological data can be downloaded to a Windows PC. The following computations can be executed
using this system:
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Trajectories
Single or multiple (space or time) simultaneous trajectories
Optional grid of initial starting locations
Computations forward or backward in time
Default vertical motion using omega field
Other motion options: isentropic, isosigma, isobaric, isopycnic
Trajectory ensemble option using meteorological variations
Output of meteorological variables along a trajectory
Air Concentrations
3D particle dispersion or splitting puffs (top-hat or Gaussian)
Instantaneous or continuous emissions, point or area sources
Multiple resolution concentration output grids
Fixed concentration grid or dynamic sampling
Wet and dry deposition, radioactive decay, and resuspension
Emission of multiple simultaneous pollutant species
Automated source-receptor matrix computation
Ensemble dispersion with concentration probability output
Integrated dust-storm emission algorithm
Define rate constants to convert one species to another
Meteorology
Model can run with multiple nested input data grids
Links to ARL and NCEP meteorological data server
GUI integrated GRIB decoding for NAM, GFS, and ECMWF data
Access to forecasts and archives including NCAR/NCEP reanalysis
Additional software to convert MM5, RAMS, COAMPS, and other data
Utility programs to display and manipulate meteorological data
One use for this model is to identify sources (mostly large power plants) that may have contributed to
high ozone concentrations by tracking the path the parcel of air took before the high concentration was
observed (backward trajectory). Mr. Gehring presented several examples but first reviewed ozone
precursors.
NOx and VOC are ozone precursors that need sunlight to convert. Power plants emit considerable NOx,
but their emissions are typically low in VOC - they are VOC limited. NOx rich but limited VOC's is
called NOx limited. However, forests can emit considerable VOC, so location matters. A power plant
that gets NOx credits with air going over a forest can make ozone worse. In a NOx rich environment you
need to look at all potential sources of VOC. Somewhere downwind from pollution sources you will find
ozone.
If one were to consider two different sites and find unexpectedly high readings at one of them one might
discover that in the region there are a number of power plants. To understand why, one needs to know
where the air came from. A curve in the wind pattern may have brought it up from down below. If this
situation is examined more closely, one might find two suspected sources for high readings. Using
HYSPLIT software to do dispersion shows where in the region emissions were coming from during the
time of high readings. The software shows the dispersion; air passes over power plants then hits the
monitoring site. One can look at a 48-hour trajectory which shows dispersion indicating how the air
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moved. Ozone interlude is something else to consider. One usually sees a daytime peak (ozone needs
sunlight) but sometimes levels stay high at night. NOx sources (cars) can also help to drop ozone.
Mr. Gehring then discussed differences in ozone data between site 320030022 in the Las Vegas area and
ozone data gathered at the Great Basin National Park. The data indicated consistently, and sometimes
very significantly, higher 24-hour averages for ozone at the National Park. The Las Vegas area is
nonattainment for the 8-hour ozone standard. The Las Vegas zone shows a bigger diurnal pattern.
This reflects peaks and nonattainment issues ~ the area of concern here is Las Vegas ~ but if one
compares 24-hr averages, Great Basin is showing consistently and significantly higher concentrations
than are found in Las Vegas.
That raises some questions; what does this mean for people living in remote areas, such as many on
reservations; what is the impact on forest, on sacred places? Issues on the reservation for air quality that
should be considered include fires, plotting trajectories of smoke over time, looking for density patterns,
new sources of pollution, new pathways bringing air into reservation - these all need to be considered.
BlueSky - Wildfire Smoke Trajectories
http://www.blueskyrains.org/mapper.php
http://vista.cira.colostate.edu/views
Questions and Answers
Q ~ For people who don't understand the trajectory and how to use it, if you've got things set up and you
want to make a run, how long does it take you?
A - It's very quick...maybe five minutes.
Comment ~ So if I wanted to issue a burn permit I could look this up quickly, this seems like a great tool.
Also, when you were explaining the NOx concentration, most of the tribes live downwind of the big
urban centers where we know there are attainment problems. Using a system like this I'd like to see us be
able to get readings over the whole year. I think there are policy implications if you could do a lot of runs
to show the picture that those of us who are being impacted in rural areas on reservation don't have the
means to do.
A ~ People don't know that they have the high concentrations in the rural areas. If the concentration
from something upwind is causing you to go into nonattainment you can go to EPA, also file a citizen
suit. It can help to go to the source and close it down - the Mohave power plant in Nevada is an example
of this. But you'd need other tools if you are trying to make a case to EPA or courts.
Comment ~ Section 126 is used by eastern states affected by Midwest plants (Ohio Valley) to get EPA's
attention and force more controls on sources of pollution.
Q ~ What is the success of taking this to a regulator and saying you are being impacted by a source?
A ~ It's difficult, you raise awareness at EPA, at regional strategy meetings, and it may not be a legal
hammer, but it explains what's happening. This helps us get the monitoring we need to take it further, to
find point sources. We can take this and say, here's an area of concern, a data gap, and here's some data
we were able to get. The urban/ rural issue is a problem because the national network is largely urban.
Q - What's the credibility of the HYSPLIT model? Did developers do beta testing?
A ~ Yes, NOAA did. I think the origins of this were for them to figure out nuclear fall-out patterns. For
me, it works; a lot of people use it, so that's important to me.
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Comment ~ Tomorrow we'll have a presentation showing where HYSPLIT doesn't work as well, where
it gets lost, but it is a good tool. It's easy to use; it took me half a day to figure it out.
Comment - NOAA is a good organization.
A ~ Yes, but it doesn't matter how good it is, with modeling there are always going to be times where it
doesn't work.
Petroleum Coke Dust Emissions from Open Boxcars along the Shoreline of North Puget
Sound, Washington
Tony Basabe, Swinomish Air Quality Program, Office of Planning and Community
Development, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, LaConner, Washington
Tony Basabe has been working for the Swinomish for about 9 years. He began his presentation with
some personal remarks about the conference followed by a discussion of a current project on which he is
working. His remarks follow.
When I listen to a lot of these papers, with our air programs I see that we are starting to wake up the
regulators. We used to see them as the agents who were protecting us, but we're now helping them to see
pictures they couldn't see before. We're doing that with diminishing funds. The tribal folks here are
helping to affect many things that are not tribal issues. My issue is one of these and I feel bad that I didn't
notice it sooner.
For years I watched these box cars passing by, but I never thought what effect they might have. We have
a pretty good air quality program. We try to integrate as much as we can. We are right next to two oil
refineries and even though we are located in rural Washington, industrial areas are our neighbors. The
state has no authority on the reservation and prior to establishment of the Swinomish Air Quality Program
there was no monitoring there so now we are trying to fill data gaps.
Anyway, I was watching the box cars. They park right behind the casino. They park and leave the train
running, get out to have lunch and then get back on the train. I noticed that sometimes we had elevated
levels of pollutants and I asked the engineers to turn off the train engine but they explained the engines
were old and turning them on and off was a problem. So, I called a friend at EPA and soon the trains
stopped parking at the casino.
But then another issue of concern came to our attention - petroleum coke. EPA was interested in helping
us but the tribe would have to provide data. We pulled together EPA Region 10, the Swinomish Tribe
and industry to collaborate and address the issue of emissions. ITEP's Bill Auberle offered to assist us
with this as a class project. So far we have had one meeting with the refineries and EPA. So, this is a
work in progress.
The Shell refinery ships petroleum coke by rail and barge. This presentation deals with rail transportation
because the coke rail shipments cross the Swinomish Reservation within one half mile from the refinery.
Since late 1983 the Shell Oil Refinery in Anacortes Washington has been shipping petroleum coke, in
open gondola-type box cars, from the refinery to the Alcan Inc. aluminum smelter in Kitimat British
Columbia.
Each car is capable of carrying seventy-five to one hundred tons of coke. Fifty to sixty gondola cars
carrying coke are shipped a week, 365 days of the year.
3,750 to 6000 tons of coke are shipped weekly
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195,000 to 312,000 tons are shipped yearly
4,485,00 to 7,176,000 tons have been shipped to date
It is not only the amount of material being shipped that is of concern; the shipping route is also of
significance. The total rail track length from the oil refinery to the aluminum smelter is 1520 kilometers.
Eighty percent of the tracks are within 1 kilometer of water. Most of the route in NW Washington and
the British Columbia south coast is along the shore and in some cases directly over water.
As the trains travel through the region coke dust and large particles of coke are strewn in their wake.
Before this project began coke was loaded full on the sides and high in the middle of the box cars,
increasing the likelihood of spillage. A new method was proposed. At the first group meeting the
refinery agreed not to overload the cars. This helped to lessen spilling of large particles but had no effect
on fine particulates escaping the cars during transit because the loads in the open cars were vulnerable to
wind erosion.
The reason the fine particulates are of such great concern stems from the fact that emissions from
petroleum coke contain significant amounts of fine dust particles in the PM10 and PM 2.5 size range.
These emissions are currently regulated by EPA in Region 10 under the FARR. Petroleum coke also
contains numerous toxics including heavy metals and PAHs that are carcinogenic.
The location of train tracks on the north end of the Reservation is of special concern because of the
important waterways in the area. Simple examination of the area alongside the tracks reveals large coke
spills, with many discharging into water. Ten years ago there was an accident and a whole car of coke
was spilled into the bay. It was never cleaned up.
Although this is still a new project the team has already made some progress. Solutions are currently
being implemented including the following:
Leaky rail cars will not be used to carry coke
Rail cars will be loaded to lower levels
Rail car hoppers will be inspected after loading
Outside of rail cars will be cleaned after loading, and
Verification of the above procedures will be entered into a daily loading log.
Impacts of these solutions are expected to lead to near elimination of coke spilling along rail tracks and
adjacent aquatic habitats and fewer airborne emissions as well. All people and habitats along the coke
shipping route will benefit. More solutions are planned for the near future and we hope that this work
will affect awareness in the coke industry broadly.
Next Steps
Shell Oil Company will install a binding spray station at the Anacortes refinery and apply the
binder to all of the coke produced at the refinery immediately after production. The binder
application has the potential to reduce more than 90 percent of fine dust emissions from handling,
storage, loading and unloading and shipping by road rail and barge.
Determination of fine dust emissions from shipping petroleum coke.
The Institute for Tribal Environmental (ITEP) Professionals and the Engineering Dept. at
Northern Arizona have volunteered to assist with fine particulate (PM10, PM 2.5) transport
emissions modeling.
EPA has agreed to assist with high resolution chemical analysis of the Shell refinery petroleum
coke to enable refined modeling by ITEP.
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Questions and Answers
Q - You mentioned that you've seen some of the same products in shellfish sediments. Are you planning
on doing some sort of a sampling there?
A ~ I'm talking about coke dust on the box cars but some of it is coming out of stacks, some from run-
off. There are a lot of sources for what is showing up in the sediments. I don't think it's that easy, not
that straight-forward to know how to clean up sediments. Coke shipped by rail along the Columbia river,
it's used for a lot of different industries. It's not going away. We're starting now, but it's great when
Indian Country can shake up the rest of the country. The binding is really easy. Making the railroad
aware of potentially contaminating a lot of riparian areas, that's important. We're protecting our
resources because it needs to be done. But it took me several years just to see this. We're just getting
started.
Comment ~ Very interesting presentation, thanks for that. My comment concerns the fact that trains
carry lots of things going lots of different places; lots of places use coal and coal is transported in trains.
It's different but still has a lot of the same weathering. You've opened up the whole idea that
contaminants aren't just coming from smokestacks or tailpipes. We have to look at the whole picture. It
helps expand our thinking.
Q - Are you actively monitoring for PM emissions?
A ~ No, It's been really hard to get the money to do what I am doing. I want to, now that we have this
project in place. To determine how successful this is I want to monitor the effectiveness of the binder.
So, some kind of PM monitoring should happen. We have to do something about the fact that it's a
moving source. But, the issue just came to the front. The new people at EPA are saying, do it. I'd like to
do particulate monitoring. There is a monitoring station about three-quarters or a mile away, I recently
found out. But I don't know if that's close enough for this type of situation.
Comment - You might want to look at some data on children and elderly.
A - This story is just one piece of the story. When you look at a human being ~ tribal people especially -
- are getting pollutants at a much higher rate.
8 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Robert Hillger and Daniel Kusnierz
Monitoring the Water Quality at Boyden Lake after Repairing the Fish Ladder
Steve Crawford, Environmental Department, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, Perry, ME
Common sense, 7th generation, gain in knowledge, profit, mother nature always prevails, equity, fairness.
These are the "keywords" Mr. Crawford chose to begin his presentation. The Passamaquoddy Tribe
resides in Washington County, Maine, the easternmost point in the United States. There are two locales
for the Tribe, one on the coast at Passamaquoddy Bay where about 1,400 members reside, and one inland
where about 2,000 members reside.
The Tribe has had two separate locales and cultural histories since the 1830s. Originally, those residing
in the summer camp area accepted western ways, and those residing elsewhere did not. Now both groups
accept the western culture. Each Tribe was awarded 146,000 acres and operates under Joint Council
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Managers. In the Grand Lake stream area, some of the members act as guides for tourists to catch bass.
They had begun to notice that the alewife population was in flux.
A fish ladder installed for the paper industry and allowed by the coastal Tribe was preventing alewives
from swimming upstream into Grand Lake. The Grand Lakes Tribe wanted the native alewive population
to remain stable. Bass is actually the introduced species in this area, and is used for income and food for
the Tribes. However, alewives do not harm the bass population.
There have not been any previous alewife studies in southeast Maine. Boyden Lake is a 1,704-acre water
body used as a drinking water source with only one stream outlet, making it ideal to count fish going in
and out. The fish ladder installed there in 1974 failed within 10 years. There was a concern, however,
about repairing the fish ladder - adding another 1.2 million pounds of potential bio-mass to the Lake.
However, alewives are filter feeders and can improve the water quality.
The fish ladder failed from leaks in the structure. At % -pound each, there was not enough water
pressure for the alewives to ascend the ladder. Other concerns of the Passamaquoddy Water District at
the Lake included increasing turbidity values and chlorine levels. A $120,000 grant was secured to repair
the fish ladder. The project began in spring 2006 and ran through the summer with preliminary data
collection. Data will be collected again in spring through fall 2007.
An infrared underwater camera with a motion detector was used to determine if fish were going through
the ladder. One issue, however, is that the camera catches groups more accurately than individuals. One
camera was mounted on top of the fish ladder box and another in the fish weir in the stream. Macro-
invertebrates were vacuumed from the bottom. Zooplankton samples were taken at five locations.
No alewives were seen going up the fish ladder this year.
A second, major challenge is posed by the local commercial fishing industry. When the fish ladder is
fixed, local commercial fishermen use dip nets to collect alewives from the ladder box. There is a local
permit to allow harvesting alewives, but some violate the permit and over-fish the streams and Lake by
using the ladder box.
There is a great need for education, enforcement and outreach to stop the over-fishing.
Questions and Answers
Q - What are your future plans?
A - We will get the fish ladder problem resolved. Relations between the Tribe and the local people are
not good. Funding is needed for the Passamaquoddy Water District to enforce the ordinance. We will
contact the state to monitor this and get good data next year.
Q - Canada has a different philosophy regarding the importance of having alewives in the waters. Have
you had any exchange with Canadian Tribes or the government?
A - Canadians like to use alewives for food. We're now finding that alewives are good fodder for bass,
so having alewives in the Lake is good.
Q - Some want to remove the dams from the Penobscot River system to bring back salmon, but it would
also bring back alewives, impacting the food supply in the area. Some studies show negative impacts
from having alewives in land-locked lakes. Why do people harvest them?
A - People use them for bait to attract lobsters. Some people smoke them or use them for fertilizer.
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Potential Effects of Suburbanization on the Water Quality and Quantity of Boiling Springs,
A Sacred Area to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community, Scott County,
Minnesota
Lanya Ross, Department of Land Management, Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community,
Prior Lake, MN
"Like my Grandmother told me, 'It is the center, the place where you come from'," Joseph Brewer, from
a 1994 letter to the City of Savage City Planner. Ms. Ross began her presentation with this quote. She
continued:
Boiling Springs is the largest sand-boil spring in the upper Midwest. It never freezes or dries out. It is
the cleanest Minnesota River tributary and the headwaters of the last brown trout stream in the
metropolitan area.
In 1995 the Eagle Creek Aquatic Management Area was established by stakeholders, including local
residents, the Cities of Savage and Shakopee, state and federal government and nonprofit preservation
agencies, to restore pre-settlement conditions in an area (Eagle Creek) bounded by residential and
commercial development. Management objectives for a 400-foot buffer area established around the
Spring are to filter runoff, maintain streamside plant and animal habitat, and provide residents with
traditional, spiritual, and recreational opportunities.
Groundwater in the spring comes from a much larger area, however. In 2001 a groundwater flow model
was used to find out where the water in the Spring originates. Precipitation in southeast Scott County
flows to the Minnesota River. The area was glaciated at one time so there are large, sandy beaches, rocky
till uplands and silty clay till outwash. The bedrock is the Shakopee Formation with a carbonate aquifer
and the spring is at 740 feet. Pressure under the ground causes the water to "boil" or erupt.
Study objectives were to collect discharge and water quality data at Boiling Springs with analysis
parameters determined from nearby land uses, and compare the data to existing data (none prior to 1990)
and determine whether there is a negative impact from adjacent suburban development.
In 1970, contamination was primarily from agricultural chemicals, soil erosion, and road maintenance.
By 2000, contamination was primarily from lawn chemicals, soil erosion and road maintenance.
Quarterly water quality sampling along with discharge, stage and Hydrolab measurements began in 2004
at locations upstream and downstream of the Spring. Additional discharge, state, and Hydrolab
measurements were made weekly between April and November 2004 and every other week from
December 2004 to April 2005.
Results of the analysis between 2004 and 2005 show the discharges are highly variable at the Spring, even
though stream flow is not decreasing. In addition, pH is constant at all sites over the year. Temperature
is up and down with seasonal weather effects, and dissolved oxygen is lower at the downstream site.
Chloride levels are increasing at all three sites. Chloride was found in all groundwater samples and in
storm water ponds. Chloride may be leaking from the ponds.
Boiling Springs is fed by innumerable small seeps that coalesce into a small stream. The water is affected
by exposure to the atmosphere and surface runoff. Magnesium and calcium levels were constant.
Nitrogen was very low at all sites. There was a slight rise in phosphorus. There were non-detect values
of suspended solids and chlorophyll-A, so the tributary is still very clean. But the "boils" or discharges
are not as robust as they had once been.
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Newspaper articles describe Boiling Springs in the late 1800s as having boils up to four feet high, with
seven boils occurring simultaneously, and the pool was 20 feet deep. Now the boil height is about a foot
and one-half with only four boils occurring and the depth is one and one-half feet. The Spring was lower
than ever in 2005, according to anecdotal information, and there was a drought in 2006.
The Spring had been fed by iron-oxide tubes underground, which were cut during the construction of a
nearby housing subdivision. The Spring has not been as active as before the construction disturbance. It
is a challenge to give the data meaning. The Land Department works with local summer camp programs
to make observations at the Spring. Education for children about the Spring has been provided for several
summers.
Next Steps
Make Boiling Springs a part of the oral history
Take high-frequency spring discharge measurements
Obtain funding for age-dating spring water, and
Monitor high-frequency water pressure changes to determine if the boil is changing or decreasing.
Questions and Answers
Q - Are there other indicators being collected, like biological data?
A - The State of Minnesota is doing regular data collection on invertebrates and fish.
Q - What does the state biological information add to your study?
A - The state has seen no major changes.
Comment - The state's data should be integrated into assessing how and when to sample in the future.
Q - Do you monitor water quality from drinking water wells?
A - We do not have funding to do that.
Q - The biota is unique to the Spring. Could partnerships with other agencies, like Department of Natural
Resources, result in funding under legislative research programs?
A - The challenge is to work with the cultural resources department regarding land use. There is overlap
here, but the areas are still being treated as separate entities. No data is collected in the spring because it is
a sacred site.
Comment - Don't use old data because it gives false perceptions. Just use recent data. Your discharge
can't be increasing because of a larger amount of impervious area now.
A - We want to put in a float system or a weir but there is too much debris and no funding. We want
community volunteers to help. Our number one management goal is to maintain the Spring in its natural
state so that people don't want to modify the stream in any way. We're missing high frequency pulses.
Q - Has the chloride increase had any impact on plants or animals?
A - The state is not seeing an impact yet, but we need to look more closely.
Q - What about mitigation?
A - The Department of Natural Resources would do this, but we need to raise our voices and get funding
to make that happen.
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Comment - With the urban influence, changes could be long term, so you may need a larger sampling
window or time with more sample wells. Keep taking data longer and look closely at it.
8 A.M., TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/TRIBAL CASE STUDIES
Facilitators:
Tony David and Rita Schoeny
The instructors explained that the tribal risk assessment training session would be divided into two parts.
The morning session was basic training presented by EPA that focused on tribal issues, and the afternoon
session focused on case studies presented by the tribes. The training allowed for audience interaction,
tailored for the tribes, and included tribal examples.
Risk Assessment Overview
Rita Schoeny, US EPA, Office of Water, Washington, DC
The first presentation provided an overview of the risk assessment process in the federal
government, including a short explanation of how the process varies within agencies and
divisions. The framework for assessing carcinogenicity was explained as were "mode of action"
and required key events. Dr. Schoeny also explained dose-response relationships and how they
are applied to children and adults.
8 A.M., TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Wendt
Tribal water quality programs across the nation are functioning at different levels. Some are just getting
started, whereas others have been conducting monitoring for years. No matter the program status, one
question is heard nationallyWhat do I do with the data?
Data management is a term used generally. It can be interpreted in many ways. For purposes of this
training session, data management is the process of converting monitoring results into a useful set of data
that can be used to make decisions about programs. This session was to provide information on
managing data, including how to compile useful data sets, storing and managing data in an electronic
format, validating data, and reporting results. The training session included the following topics:
Tribal Clean Water Act 106 Guidance Overview
Data Storage
Data Assessment/Analysis
Data Reporting
Data Display/Presentation
The training covered basic and complex aspects of data management and provided an excellent overview
of components of a successful data management program including the new tools, requirements and
components of the Clean Water Act 106 grant program. This training was "tribally driven"; it was
requested by the TSC Tribal reps and EPA agreed to coordinate the training regardless of the state of
change and transition that the EPA's CWA 106 program is currently undergoing. It is entering a new era
of managing data and providing a new guidance to Tribes. The Tribal presentations were highlights
during the training; the real world stories provided the best overview of excellent monitoring programs
that other tribes can model their programs after. These examples of Tribes with advanced water
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monitoring programs were inspiring (although somewhat intimidating) to the many tribal environmental
professionals at the training. Nationwide representation provided abroad scope of abilities and questions
but also provided an excellent forum for posing questions and concerns that training coordinators
recorded for the EPA water program to help address in a Question and Answer document. EPA agreed to
address the concerns in a timely manner. EPA then committed to provide any and all materials from this
training onto a website about the TSC Conference with the proceedings.
Tribal Clean Water Act (CWA) 106 Guidance Overview
Carol Russell, US EPA, Region 8, Tribal Water Quality Team, Denver, CO
EPA Clean Water Action (CWA) Section 106 grants fund the establishment and operation of water
quality programs. EPA published draft guidance for tribes early in 2006. The guidance seeks to help
tribal water quality programs at various levels of sophistication and development. In addition, the
guidance outlines new reporting requirements and data expectations for all tribal programs receiving
Section 106 funds.
Data Storage
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
The Data Storage portion of the Data management breakout session covered three areas. First were the
basics of sound data management. Monitoring data requires three pieces of information to make these
data usable and to inspire confidence in the quality of the data. The first piece is a brief summary of the
monitoring project. This refers to an organization's monitoring plan and states the title of the plan, where
a copy can be obtained from, and the purpose of the monitoring.
Monitoring data will not be especially useful to your program unless you are able to store your results in a
format that allows you to manipulate, summarize, and analyze them. He presented a STORET Update
and summary of Migration tools and data storage Template options. The Data Storage portion of the Data
Management breakout session covered three areas (the last portion is covered in the Data Reporting
section of this training summary). First were the basics of sound data management. Monitoring data
requires three pieces of information to make these data usable and to inspire confidence in the quality of
the data. The first piece is a brief summary of the monitoring project. This refers to an organization's
monitoring plan and states the title of the plan, where a copy can be obtained from, and the purpose of the
monitoring.
10 A.M., INDOOR AIR
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and David LaRoche
Tribal Science in Action: Case Studies from Bois Forte Environmental Services IAQ
Program
Kevin Koski, Bois Forte Tribal Government, Department of Environmental Services, Nett Lake,
MN
Mr. Koski presented two case studies discussing the tools and techniques of the model Indoor Air Quality
Program at Bois Forte, deemed a Center of Excellence by EPA Region 5. The first dealt with the
renovation of a 30-year-old mold-infested home with a wet Preserved Wood Foundation (PWF) and the
second focused on using blower door airtightness tests, infrared thermography, visual inspections, and
building codes to diagnose construction flaws in new homes.
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His remarks follow.
If you put things in the ground they are going to turn to dirt. Houses with PWF's were designed for use in
California, where it is hot and dry most of the time, not Minnesota, where it is cold and wet. This case
concerns remediation of a house with PWF on the Bois Forte reservation - one of many like it. The
house was built in the late 1970's and is now occupied by a husband, wife, and their three young sons. A
wood foundation works as wood is meant to work ~ just like a tree it wicks the water up from the earth
through capillary action. Wooden beams suck water up, and insulation becomes saturated. Mold forms
throughout the entire structure, causing illness. All family members were sick with chronic upper
respiratory and sinus problems and anyone who visited got sick too. The children were sent away to stay
elsewhere in the summer because the problem was so bad.
The house in this case is badly situated, below the road, in rock and clay; its gutters are without
downspouts so all four corners of the house are splattered with water every time it rains. This house is
getting inundated every time it rains. Ideally, to remediate a situation like this, one would jack up the
house and redo the foundation with new materials. But, this is often unaffordable so we tried to come up
with an alternative... a ventilation chamber. We opened the walls, removing 12" of sheetrock and
insulation. Then we installed blocking to hold up existing insulation. The new wall was faced with cedar
to facilitate drying and the chamber was caulked. We then introduced dry air at one end of the chamber
(with a dehumidifier) and exhausted (in this case with a hair blower already in the house) it on the other
end. This created a continuous airtight chamber around the house's perimeter. One portion was passively
ventilated. Readings for Initial Moisture Content were:
Average sheathing moisture content was 29.7 percent
(High of 57.3%)
Average bottom plate moisture content was 46.2 percent
(High of 97.5%)
Average 2x6 moisture content was 36.4 percent
(Highof99.S
The caulked chamber MUST be maintained with the dry air or it will be filled with mold. Testing ports
were installed so that we could check air quality inside the chamber and alleviate pressure in it as well.
Three weeks after installation we saw dramatic results.
Our reservation housing department is really responsive; the housing director was open to suggestion and
understands the importance of addressing indoor air problems. The public works department addressed
the problems of the ditch and grade of the yard from the road, the gutters were repaired and a trench was
dug to pull water away from the house.
Another problem with much of the housing on the reservation is heat loss. Blower door technology is
something tribes should know about. We had houses that were way over budget and performing horribly,
losing huge amounts of heat. Blower door technology tells you how much air leakage there is in a house
and pinpoints where. Then you can caulk, insulate, and so on, to improve the way the home retains heat.
Residents complained of the following problems:
Cold floors throughout the house
Cold bedrooms especially adjacent to the attached garage
Cold kitchens
Drafts entering the house around doors, windows and sliding glass doors, and
Cold air coming in through the range hood exhaust fan.
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Several families reported going through an entire 300 gallon tank of propane in just over a month. Some
reported going through as many as five tanks over the entire heating season (at a cost of over $500 per
tank).
So, houses were closed up, windows locked, and a Tectite blower door system and pressure gauge was
attached and then the house was depressurized. Infra-red readings were taken at 8 different pressures (50
down to 15 Pascals) as we searched for air leaks. All 20 homes that were checked were found to have
consistently poor air tightness values, including in these specific areas:
Penetrations into attics
Top plates in attics
Around windows and doors
Air plenums
Around sill plates, and
Around electrical boxes.
Compared to the airtightness portion of the Energy Code (adopted to the MN State Building Code April
15, 2000), the homes were all found to be between 3 to 5 times leakier than the building code allows. The
energy portion of the Minnesota State Building Code has distinct prescriptive requirements for air-sealing
as well as a numerical airtightness standard, one of which must be followed by residential building
contractors:
Prescriptive Requirements. In the MN State Building Code, Minnesota Rule 7670.0470, Subpart
7. Air Leakage, item B., (sub items 1 & 2), it states that all Category 1 buildings such as these
"must be sealed around window and door frames, between wall cavities and window or door
frames, and at utility penetrations". In addition, they must be sealed "between wall assemblies
and their rim joists, sill plates, foundations; between wall and roof/ceilings; and between separate
wall panels".
All 20 homes were inspected. Building inspection findings revealed the following code violations:
1. Missing Insulation in the Crawl Space Walls
2. Missing Vapor Barrier in the Crawl Space Walls
3. Missing Insulation on Foundation Walls Above Grade
4. Missing Sheathing in Crawl Space Walls
5. No Air Sealing at Sheathing Penetrations
6. No Air Sealing at Top Plate of Walls
7. No Air Sealing at the Doors and Windows
8. No Air Sealing at the Sill Plate
9. No Sealing Behind Electrical Boxes
10. Poorly Installed Insulation
11. Covered Heat Registers (Missing Grilles)
12. Missing Heat Ductwork and Grilles
13. Missing Insulation, Duct Seal and Grilles, and
Undersized Grilles
14. Poorly Installed Furnace Filters
15. Heat Recovery Ventilators Improperly Hooked Up
16. Incomplete Final Cleaning
17. Range Hood Exhaust Fans Improperly Installed
In addition, we reviewed architect's drawings, project specifications, and contract documents. We
prepared a detailed and fully illustrated inspection report, including all inspection findings, infrared
images, blower door data, code quotes, drawing & spec quotes, and punch list for renovation work. We
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attended planning meetings with Housing representatives, Tribal Council, and the Tribal attorney then
sent reports out to architects and general contractors. We also attended meetings with the Tribal
representatives, architect, contractor, and subcontractors who were responsible for fixing the problem.
Finally, we approved a scope of work for renovations and supervised some of the renovation work.
Questions and Answers
Q - We have some of the same issues, can you give me an idea of what the BTU was of the air
exchanger. What's the system that you are using?
A - Those air exchangers are about 1000 btu. They are bigger than you need for a house that size. And
just an ordinary $200 dehumidifier. We channeled it into the chamber.
Q ~ Are the readings in the 20's that you got going to be sufficiently low to keep mold from growing?
A ~ We would have liked to see it under 20.
Q ~ What is the maintenance and cost?
A ~ We are going to watch their energy records for the year and see. The system doesn't run constantly;
it's on two hours/ off two hours. Ideally we'd like to have some kind of sensor so that it only runs when
the moisture content is higher. To train the family how to monitor would be great.
Q - What was the initial cost?
A - For materials $3,000, labor $3,000. The exhaust fan was already in place. In Canada they used the
fans that you use for radon mitigation but they didn't pull enough air, so they had to use a few.
Q ~ How big was the house?
A - About 24'x 24'
Q ~ Did you see any improvement in the sick kids?
A-Yes.
Q ~ Did you get any complaints about noise?
A ~ No. We did find that we were pulling too much air and getting some soil vapors, so we had to adjust
that.
Q ~ Did you have any problems with variations in measurements of the wood?
A ~ No, it wasn't very scientific. I isolated the bottom plate from the 2 x 6's and sheeting, looking at
ballpark numbers, and mostly looking for improvement. This wasn't scientific data.
Q ~ Did you consider using a rheostat?
A ~ I just turned down the fan that was there, and used a different setting.
Q ~ Why didn't they use the air exchanger? Was the family concerned about the costs?
A ~ We're monitoring that, but it only costs about the same a as light bulb. If we do more of these
houses we'll probably look for something different. We used the air exchanger just because it was there.
It was an experiment. So far, it is better than it was. Is it as good as it should be? Not yet.
Q ~ Did you check for radon?
A ~ Yes, there was a lot of radon testing in the area a few years ago and there wasn't very much.
Q ~ Does mold grow on concrete also?
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A ~ If there is dirt or grit on it, it could. I cleaned off everything but we didn't want to seal anything off,
we just wanted it to dry.
Q ~ Will mold grow on plastic?
A ~ Some plastics, if they break down or decompose a little bit. Some molds can grow on them a little,
but really, all you need is a tiny bit of dust... and the mold grows right on top of it.
Q -It sounds like you did a lot of work to find out what happened in the houses that were losing a lot of
heat. As a result of this did you have some kind of guide for homeowners or contractors?
A ~ These are all housing department owned and we're pretty involved in the construction now. One of
our long-term goals is to get a building code for the tribe that all the contractors and architects have to
follow. But the thing we really need is an on-site building inspector to ensure that code actually gets
followed. We're one of the EPA Centers of Excellence so they recommend other tribes come to us.
Comment -For their indoor air quality, if you can encourage your tribes to adopt building codes you have
more control over your contractors.
AWe need to push for more indoor air buildings inspectors.
Mold: Mycotoxins, Indoor Air Health Crisis in Indian Country
Curtis Munoz, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Environmental Program, Carnegie, OK
Mr. Munoz, a member of the Tribal Science Council, opened his talk with a brief discussion of the
Council and how his involvement on the Council has facilitated his work as a scientist. He then
proceeded to describe his current research into the problem of mold in Indian Country.
His remarks follow.
There are nine science priorities that the TSC is focusing on for Indian Country. These priorities are what
the TSC sees as common environmental science issues that are common to all tribes across the nation.
These issues are addressed with goals from identification to remediation of the problems that effect the
environment and human health. While a lot is known in the area of outdoor air quality in the EPA, with
the Tribal Programs emphasizing monitoring and gathering outdoor air data, little is known about indoor
air quality. Even less is known about mold and its effect on indoor air quality, especially in Indian
Country.
In traveling around the nation to different Indian tribes and Nations, I kept seeing the problem of mold in
Indian housing. Many told of how they would get sick while at home, but felt good when away. The
same physical ailments were appearing, regardless of the diet of the people.
Could mold really be causing these people to get sick? Could it be? I began to look and find if there was
a connection. I knew mold and fungi were known in small circles to be causes of contaminants in certain
foods due to their mycotoxins. Could these molds/fungi and their mycotoxins be causing the air inside
the homes to become contaminated? Is this contaminated indoor air quality affecting the health of the
Indian people, causing the different sicknesses of those living in these indoor environments?
Being selected to the EPA National Tribal Science has given me the chance to look into the mold issue in
Indian country. What follows is what I have found so far in my journey to get our questions asked about
how mold and fungi affect indoor air quality, and how this effects our personal health.
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On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, mold has been found in 75 percent of the 1,700 tribal housing
units. Health effects range from chronic sinusitis, severe headaches, fungal skin infections in children and
elderly, and upper and lower respiratory illness, and reports of elevated cancer cases, and diabetes
worsening. Mold is causing many tribal members to become sick. The diabetes epidemic on the Pine
Ridge Indian reservation alone is 800 percent higher than the US national average of diabetes in a
population.
A community of 153 houses east of Browning, Montana was found to be contaminated with black mold.
These houses were built on wooden foundations. Mold was so bad in one house that one-foot mushrooms
were found growing in the basement carpet. Candace LaMott's mother, who lived in the house, took ill
and died three years ago. She says her son suffers from severe headaches, and two grandchildren living in
the home "have difficulty breathing."
Jamie LaPier complained of frequent headaches that sometimes last for days. Her husband, Gale, says
he's also been getting "strange" headaches the past two years. They say their son, not quite four years old,
gets unexplained nosebleeds up to 20 times a month. The woman who lived in their house before them
died of cancer.
Others who reside in the wood-foundation homes, which are scattered across the reservation, report
ailments ranging from constant sore throats to asthma and other respiratory distress, odd bumps and
lumps, general fatigue, dizziness, and a host of other maladies ranging from kidney disease to cancer.
On the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, in Belcourt, ND, 320 federally subsidized homes are infested
with mold. Residents say the infestation is sickening them, and tribal officials say at least seven deaths in
recent years could be related to the infestation. Most (210) of these homes will have to be destroyed. Most
of the infested homes are small - about 600 square feet with two bedrooms. They are built of wood-frame
construction, have dirt floors and sit on a concrete block foundation over crawl spaces. Tribal officials are
worried about the black mold, causing flu-like and allergy like symptoms, which include skin rashes,
inflammation of the respiratory tract, bloody noses, fever, headaches, neurological problems, and
immunosuppression.
Even energy efficient homes are not off limits to mold. In Navajo Nation, Greasewood Springs, Arizona
25 homes had to be vacated and repaired due to mold infestation. "Energy efficiency was a big push ...
making the home the most energy efficient as possible "Jelina Petzinger said. But condensation forms if
the house is "too tight", she said, and subsequently, mold does as well. "Any home that did not have a
wood stove (has the problem)," Petzinger said. "The stove allows air to escape."
I can show many more examples across this country, but will share a personal experience.
I was called to come see a home where mold infested the walls and bathroom. Within 10 minutes I had to
go outside and get fresh air because my chest began to tighten up and I developed a massive headache. I
had been infected with mold from concrete dust in late 1999, and I knew what mold could do from
experience. This situation at this Kiowa tribal house brought back scary emotions to me. Is there a
connection?
Many tribal people see a clear connection between mold and sickness because we see through different
scientific eyes. Western science, via the CDC, does not see a connection I am told, because they do not
have enough "statistical power" to take a stance. Western science needs a number, while Traditional
science sees the spiritual connectivity of all things. But new information and research is coming forward
in the new science of the mold/fungi mycotoxin field.
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Fungi, mold in this specific case, are in a completely different kingdom of organisms called Eumycota.
They are eukaryotic having a well defined nucleus enclosed by a nuclear membrane, and the cells contain
a cell membrane and the various cellular organelles making them similar to animal cells.
Molds are found virtually everywhere in the environment (over 200,000 species of fungi have been
catalogued by scientists, and at least 200 of these have been identified as familiar pathogens).
Molds break down organic waste, and because of this they are readily found in building materials ranging
from wood, drywall, stucco, sheetrock, wall paper, ceiling tiles, and the list goes on.
Whereas much is known of viruses and bacteria, little is known of mold/fungi concerning indoor air
quality. New research is coming forth showing a distinct link between mold and human health and
disease. For example, researchers at the Mayo Clinic discovered that fungi, and not bacteria, are the
culprit behind chronic sinusitis. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, one in seven Americans suffers
from acute fungal sinusitis. There are 4 genera of toxigenic molds that are frequently found at higher
levels more indoors than outdoors:
Aspergillus
Penicillium
Stachybotrys
Cladosporium
The mycotoxins that these molds release into the environment are the culprit causing sickness in mold
infested housing across Indian country.
These are toxins produced by molds to defend against enemies in nature, which are bacteria, viruses, and
other organisms such as dust mites. The well known mold Aspergillus produces powerful carcinogens
including aflatoxin, the only mycotoxin regulated in America, and is the most carcinogenic chemical
known to science. Mycotoxins are relatively large and non-volatile molecules (do not readily release into
the air themselves), so direct contact is mostly required. Molds do, however, release spores containing
mycotoxins into the air. FDA has set maximum allowable levels (MALs) of total aflatoxin in food
commodities at 20 ppb. The MAL for milk products is 0.5 ppb. Their toxicity and carcinogenicity are
believed to be related to inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis. If you have eaten 40 tablespoons of peanut
butter, you have experienced a one in a million risk of dying from aflatoxin poisoning or an induced
cancer.
Aspergillosis is a large spectrum of diseases caused by members of the genus Aspergillus. The three
principal entities are allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, pulmonary aspergilloma, and invasive
aspergillosis. Aspergilloma is a very different disease also caused by the Aspergillus mold. The fungus
grows within a cavity of the lung, which was previously damaged during an illness such as tuberculosis or
sarcoidosis. Any lung disease that causes cavities can leave a person open to developing an aspergilloma.
The spores penetrate the cavity and germinate, forming a fungal ball within the cavity. The fungus
secretes toxic and allergic products that may make the person feel ill. The person affected also may have
no symptoms (especially early on). Weight loss, chronic cough, and feeling rundown are common
symptoms later. Coughing of blood (hemoptysis) can occur in up to 50-80 percent of affected people. The
diagnosis is made by X-rays, scans of lungs, and blood tests.
Tricothecenes inhibit protein synthesis in a variety of eukaryotic cells. This family of mycotoxins causes
multiorgan effects including emesis and diarrhea, weight loss, nervous disorders, cardiovascular
alterations, immunodepression, hemostatic derangements, skin toxicity, decreased reproductive capacity,
and bone marrow damage. During the 1970s and 1980s, the trichothecene mycotoxins were shown to be
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biological warfare agents when they were implicated in "yellow rain" attacks in Southeast Asia.
Black Mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, is a cellulolytic saprophyte with worldwide distribution.
Frequently isolated from paper, wallpaper and gypsum wallboard in buildings or residences that
experienced water damage, the fungus produces several mycotoxins (highly toxic macrocyclic
trichothecenes and related trichoverroids) as well as immunosuppressants and endothelin receptor
antagonists. Its harmful effects on animals and human beings have been studied since the 1930s.
The science and studies on mycotoxins are still in their infancy. Most of what is known is on exposure to
single mycotoxins in a laboratory setting. In real life situations, there is multiple exposure to mixed
mycotoxins. This increases the health risk. If mycotoxins are not bad as some still say, why does OSHA
require wearing special NIOSH respiratory masks for workers cleaning mold infested buildings? What is
known: the presence of competitive organisms may play a role, as some molds grown in monoculture in
the laboratory lose their toxic potency.
Humans are not the primary targets of molds, but are caught in a crossfire of biochemical warfare
between mold species and their enemies in nature each fighting for similar ecological niches. Human
health is affected when exposed to this mycotoxic war in indoor air.
The effects of multiple exposures to a mixture of these mycotoxins, combined with synergistic effects of
these biochemicals, are now being seen in Indian country due to the indoor air quality crisis. Certain
species will eat urea-formaldehyde insulation for dinner. When the fungi digest the urea portion to get
their nitrogen source, the formaldehyde portion is left behind;.in this case the mold indirectly affects
people by releasing concentrations of formaldehyde into the indoor air.
When a Tribal member goes to the doctor for chronic sinusitis and is prescribed an antibiotic for a
condition caused by a mold/fungi it only makes the condition worse. The antibiotic kills the good and bad
bacteria, giving mold more opportunity to cause damage to their body because there are no good bacteria
to keep the mold numbers in check. Then digestive problems start and the immunosuppressive effects of
the mold kick in and proliferate. This opens the door for opportunistic infection and the person's health
decline even more. The weakened immune system no longer fights off infection, and internally within the
genes and with carcinogenic effects of other mycotoxins you have a health crisis when the tumors appear.
We see that mycotoxins are cytotoxic, affecting protein synthesis, DNA, RNA synthesis, hepatoxic,
nephrotoxic, immunosuppressive, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, neurotoxic, and that this is a new
field of study. The health effects are controversial at the present moment, but time will prove that a
thorough study in indoor air quality focusing on mold and mycotoxins will benefit all people.
The CDC's Statement on mold:
During the past few years, there has been increased concern related to exposure to specific molds
that produce substances called mycotoxins. Health effects related to mycotoxins are generally
related to ingestion of (eating) large quantities of fungal-contaminated material. There is currently
no conclusive evidence of a link between indoor exposure to airborne mycotoxin and human
illness. It is important to note that many molds can potentially produce toxins, given the right
conditions. Some molds that produce mycotoxins are commonly found in moisture-damaged
buildings; research related to the importance of these findings is ongoing. Although the potential
for health problems is an important reason to prevent or minimize indoor mold growth and to
remediate any indoor mold contamination, currently there is inadequate evidence to support
recommendations for greater urgency of remediation in cases where mycotoxin-producing fungi
have been isolated.
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The EPA's Office of Indoor Air and Radiation has developed a web site dedicated to the mold issue and
has also produced two documents dealing with mold. The web site is located at
http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html. The two documents are also located there and are (1) "A
Brief Guide to Mold. Moisture, and Your Home" and (2) "Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial
Buildings" . Both documents can be downloaded using the PDF format. The web site also lists other
resources that are available.
Next Steps
The fact that mold in Indian housing is a very big problem is no surprise, but the health of the
Indian people being affected by the mold/fungi and their mycotoxins is a surprise to many outside
Indian country. The environmental impact of these organisms and their metabolites, how they
affect indoor air quality and human health is the primary concern of the EPA National Tribal
Science Council.
An organized effort needs to be launched in Indian Country to look into this issue, which affects
tribes across the United States.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ What can you do if you've got mold in your house? I've been hearing about black mold for years
and have it in my building. But you're saying that it's being suppressed.
A ~ Well, this is the CDC statement that came out after Katrina.
Comment ~ What I'm hearing is that there is suppression because of the potential cost of remediation;
people say that this might be the lead or asbestos of the 21st century.
A ~ Insurance companies don't want to be liable. We need to be sure that we vote for the right people to
deal with the problem.
Q ~ I'm curious to know the prevalence of mold outside Indian Country. I mean, once it affects other
people then maybe there will be some action.
A ~ Well, it is a problem especially if you don't have money.
Comment ~ Data on asthma rates in Indian Country could also be related. There is data out there, but it's
about what you do with the data.
Q ~ EPA has very limited regulation as far as mold, basically for schools, but for individual homes,
there's nothing as far as I know.
A I think that's right, I'm just getting into this. If anyone has any ideas or information I hope you'll get
in touch with me.
Comment ~ I think the key isn't money, but statutes. We need Congress to pass a law to establish
standards and remediation. Include something on Indoor Air in the Clean Air Act.
10 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Robert Hillger and Daniel Kusnierz
Developing Reference Water Quality Conditions for the Pueblo de Taos, New Mexico
Robert Gomez, Environmental Director, Taos Pueblo, Taos, NM
Jeff Ogburn, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
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This presentation focused on developing water quality standards, identifying reference water quality
conditions and maintaining good water quality on the Pueblo of Taos Reservation in north central New
Mexico.
A synopsis of the remarks given by Messrs. Gomez and Ogburn follows.
There are 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, which have existed in harmony with the land and water since time
immemorial. Clean water is of great importance to the Tribe and its lifeways, and all things are seen as
inter-connected.
Pueblo peoples have lived in west and central New Mexico, eastern Arizona, and western Texas. They
were sedentary farmers who lived closely together in permanent towns. Prior to the time of Columbus,
the people traded over vast distances. Macaw feathers and seashells were obtained through trade and are
still important to the Pueblo people today.
The Pueblo of Taos was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1960. It is the largest of the eight northern pueblos containing
119,000 acres and 2,410 members. About half the Reservation is in the mountains and includes Blue
Lake and Bear Lake along the Rio Grande gorge. Taos Pueblo lands are between 7,600 feet elevation and
13,000 feet.
The Tribe lives along the Rio (River) Pueblo and has maintained the waters in a clean and healthy
condition throughout its history. A survey in 2000 indicated that over 94 percent of Pueblo residents
consumed surface waters directly from the River at some point during the year. Blue Lake is a religious
site. When Theodore Roosevelt took Blue Lake for the national forest system, the Tribe had to get a
permit to go there. This was a great affront to the people.
In Congressional testimony, the Pueblo elders have said that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) "proclaims
the supremacy of man over nature; we find this viewpoint contradictory to the realities of the natural
world and to the nature of conservation. The idea that man must subdue nature and bend its processes to
his purposes is repugnant to our people." USFS multiple use policies have brought problems to the
watershed with timbering, grazing, mineral exploration, and pollution.
In 1970, President Nixon returned the sacred Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo. Since then a 48,000-acre tract in
the watershed has been managed under the Wilderness Act. The Nixon era also produced the Indian Self-
Determination Act. In 1990, Taos Pueblo and the eight other northern Pueblos applied for treatment as a
state under the 1987 Reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, Section 518.
Soon after, the Pueblo of Isleta's water quality standards (WQS) were approved by EPA. Taos Pueblo
opted to develop a set of its own WQS germane to its lands and designated uses. Until the mid-1990s, no
monitoring program existed. With the help of River Watch Network, a nonprofit watershed conservation
organization, Taos Pueblo was able to design a Watershed Study Design, a living document to be revised
throughout a water quality assessment process, and set water quality standards.
In the assessment process, the Tribe first determined the goals for the watershed and incorporated Tribal
knowledge, such as river use sites and plants collected, into the monitoring design. Traditional
knowledge was used to establish designated uses, such as for drinking and spiritual use. Next the Tribe
gathered information on watershed stressors and response indicators, like algal blooms and changes in
plants.
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In upgrading data to information and knowledge, current conditions were compared to expected
conditions. Healthy waters and impaired waters were identified, and a protection/restoration plan was
developed to tell the story of the waters. The assessment is revisited regularly to determine if data quality
objectives (DQOs) are being met and whether information is being turned into knowledge about how to
manage the watershed.
Thus, a baseline was built to determine the attainment of WQS, using biological, toxicological, physical
and chemical indicators. Reference conditions were the benchmarks set to compare current conditions
found in the watershed. One unexpected event occurred during the study design process. In July 2003, a
fire burned over 5,300 acres of forest along the Rio Pueblo. An aerially-applied hydromulch was used for
recovery.
The assessment plan had to be changed to reflect different terrain, vegetation, and the impact of the fire
on water resources. Flooding occurs after a fire, so a damage mitigation plan had to be developed. The
Tribe is investigating the content of the hydromulch to ensure that it will not contaminate the waters.
Under U.S. patent law, however, the company does not have to reveal the product's composition. The
company says the product is made of an ingredient that is ubiquitous in the environment. The Tribe is
investigating.
After the fire, the Tribal Environmental Office changed the sampling design to monitor sites below,
adjacent to, and above the fire damage. Sediment and water samples from the Rio Pueblo in 2003 showed
significant mortality and toxicity to aquatic organisms. The $4 million hydromulch did not work. On-
going concerns are sediment deposition in the River and stream bottoms, toxicity, and fish populations
that relocated from areas below the fire. Anxiety about the hydromulch composition persists, as well as
concern that the river water is unfit for consumption.
Taos WQS were adopted in 2001 designating existing and attainable uses for Pueblo waters, and setting
numeric and narrative standards associated with Tribal uses. The Tribe's WQS were approved by EPA in
June 2006. Four to five years of data has now been collected. The state was monitoring only the lower
watershed. Impacts have been noted from livestock/agricultural runoff, irrigation ditches, septic systems,
and urban development.
Now direction is needed from the Tribal leaders about whether to impose zoning or land use controls in
the watershed. The city and state won't mitigate urban runoff problems. Monitoring is now done above
and below the watershed to determine where problems are coming from. Turbidity tends to increase in
heavy snow years with readings between 40 and 60, while the standard is 10. The pH and the temperature
of the River are slowly rising. Total coliform has always been high. Most of these impacts are from the
fire.
However, overall water quality at Taos Pueblo is considered good to excellent. Water quality degrades as
it moves downstream and through the burned watershed area. Only radium-228 and aluminum were
found at levels above the WQS criteria. High levels of both are a natural result of a fire, according to
scientists that the Tribe consulted with, and normal levels should return in one to two years.
In summary, for a high quality coldwater fishery, designated uses must be monitored and can be impaired
in the future by a number of factors: Temperature/dissolved minerals, recreation and tourism activities,
riparian and upland grazing, septic tanks, natural sources, land disposal, land development, highway
maintenance and runoff, habitat modification, grazing, construction, bank and shoreline modification/de-
stabilization, and agriculture. Much data is being compiled that had not historically been gathered.
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"We are a people who live on the roof of the world; we are the sons of Father Sun, and with our religion
we daily help our father to go across the sky. We do this not only for ourselves, but for the whole world."
Questions and Answers
Q - Is there much communication between Tribal and non-Tribal offices?
A - The town of Taos has been in existence for 500 years. The Tribes have been in existence forever.
Just a month ago was the first face to face meeting. There is not much cooperation. There is a lack of
respect.
Q - When Blue Lake was returned to the Tribe, we also got Mt. Adams back, but the Yakima Nation had
trashed the land before it was returned. Was there any damage to Blue Lake before it was returned, such
as dump sites, latrines, or other impacts to the groundwater?
A - There were only recreational impacts to Blue Lake because it was a wilderness area. There was some
timbering in the lower watershed, but it has healed. The water quality has gone back to a good level.
Comment - The richer white people are, the more damage they do. They bring a lot of stuff and leave it.
We need to record and compare this and make people responsible for it. It would be good to collect
reparations from the responsible people. Environmental damage has been atrocious to our people. Now
if you start a fire, you must pay. We should monitor what pollutants come from campsites. My
grandfather could bathe in and drink the Lake water.
A - Blame won't help us. We must work together. We are excited about the 319 process and bringing
people together.
The Development of Water Quality Standards on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian
Reservation
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
Pyramid Lake is near Lake Tahoe on one-half million acres of Reservation lands in northern Nevada.
Pyramid Lake has a lower water level today because of water diversions to turn the desert green and grow
alfalfa. Fish and birds had been abundant at a second lake in the area, which dried up during the Dust
Bowl in the 1930s.
Upland vegetation includes sagebrush, rabbitbrush and ponderosa pine with urban communities located in
the lowland areas. Approximately 31 miles of the Lower Truckee River runs through the Reservation
with Pyramid Lake as its terminus. Pyramid Lake is 115,000 surface acres. There are year-round
recreational pursuits on the Lake, and permits are issued to non-Tribal members.
Improved water quality is needed for the Lake to support the Tribe's food supply - the endangered Cui-ui
fish and the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout, a large fish species that can accumulate more
contaminants in its fat tissue. Under Section 518 of the Clean Water Act, the Tribe has demonstrated
Council authority and competency to manage and protect its water resources. This recognition is required
to apply for Section 106 funds to run a water quality standards program and do monitoring.
Since the 1940s the Tribe has filed lawsuits against the state of Nevada, and later, EPA, for not protecting
their water. The Tribe has never lost a case, and some went to the Supreme Court.
The Tribe began monitoring water quality in 1981 with one person in the Environmental Department.
Now there are 22 education and mentoring staff, a water quality lab and an insect lab. Ninety percent of
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these programs are managed by the Tribe. As of 1990 the Tribe was treated as a state. Programs include
the following:
A four-year limnological study, 1989 - 1993
Development of the pyramid lake paiute tribe's water quality standards in 1994
The truckee river stakeholder negotiations with a settlement agreement in 1996
A review of water quality standards from 1998 - 2001.
The most recent review of Tribal water quality standards included the following public involvement
efforts:
Dec. 2000 - the Tribal Council adopted a resolution for a 45-day comment period
Jan. 8, 2001 - public workshops were conducted
Jan. 18, 2001 - a public hearing was conducted
May 2001 - a final revision of the water quality standards was completed including public
comments
May 24, 2001 the Tribal Council adopted the water quality standards
July 2001 - EPA approved the water quality standards
2004 - the Tribe updated its application to EPA for CWA 303 & CWA 401 programs
2005 - the Tribe responded to EPA comments
April 15, 2005 - the Tribe adopted the water quality ordinance updated from 1994.
In response to EPA comments, the Tribe strengthened its anti-degradation policy, included wetlands
under beneficial uses and narrative standards and developed a list of all surface waters within the
Reservation. The Tribe also has adopted a 0.27 mg methylmercury/kg (ppm) in fish tissue criterion in
response to EPA comments. The national standard is .3 ppm.
This forces upstream entities to deal with methylmercury issues and protects Lake fish from
contamination and the Lake from becoming a toxic dumping ground. Mercury is in the environment from
historic mining practices. Mercury levels are now dropping in Lake trout.
In addition to the Section 101 (a) stated objective to restore the Nation's waters, the Tribe's narrative bio-
criteria statement on anti-degradation from point and nonpoint source discharges emanates from a respect
for water. One Tribal use of water each morning is for each person to wash his or her face in a purifying
and healing ceremony. This respect has always been a part of Tribal ways.
Now Tribal members are the 2nd and 3rd generations of farmers. But they are also fish and trout eaters.
The Tribe must educate its own people. The challenge was to write "who we are" into the water quality
standards. All stakeholders at all government levels were invited to participate in the effort. Now
education programs are being developed to educate the people about why we need to protect the water to
protect our people. Outsiders also use the water, and we want it to be pure for seven generations down
the road - for more than 200 years.
Questions and Answers
Q - Before the Tribal Council adopted an EPA-approved water quality ordinance, were there any interim
protections?
A - We have always had good relations with the state, which helped us during the time we were waiting
for standards.
Comment - In New Mexico, at Taos, both Tribal and state standards apply. In 2001 the Tribe adopted
standards but waited until 2006 for EPA to approve them.
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Q - Is there any chance the level of the Lake can be brought up to previous levels through restoration?
A - The Tribe is working to get access to the upstream watershed and to get water rights to restore the
second Lake that is now dried up.
Q - Are you trying to get dams on the Truckee River taken out to restore water levels?
A - Yes, we need to get them removed.
10 A.M., TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/TRIBAL CASES
Facilitators:
Tony David and Rita Schoeny
The afternoon session consisted of case studies presented by the tribes. The training allowed for audience
interaction, tailored for the tribes, and provided tribal examples.
A Risk Analysis for Contaminated Sportfish
Tony David, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Environmental Division, Water Resources
This presentation illustrated an application of the risk analysis process as it relates to sportfish
consumption. Data from a fishing derby held in the Mohawk territory of Akwesasne (a reservation
bordered by New York State and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec) were used in the analysis. The
presentation utilized exposure models provided by EPA and shared risk management outputs of a
quantitative approach. There was also an explanation of the EPA Reference Dose and the safety factors
that are included in this estimation of acceptable risk.
There was a comment on the narrow focus of typical risk assessments which fail to look at multiple
species offish consumed by a target population. Experience has shown that assessments in the past have
made wide assumptions about overall risk based on the analysis of a single species offish. The focus
tends to be on resident fish: fish of limited habitat ranges. Often the more frequently consumed species,
especially species of cultural importance, are excluded from the analysis. This is because the range of
larger fish is not representative of the contaminated area or other contaminated sites and may bias the
results.
The importance of using Toxic Equivalency Factors for dioxins when estimating PCB concentrations in
sportfish was mentioned by another participant. TEFs are used to assume that the presence of one or
more dioxin-like PCBs puts forth a risk relative to the highly toxic 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,
thus contributing to the overall risk profile. Without considering the TEF the overall risk could be
underestimated.
Using GIS to Measure Vulnerability and Risk Associated With USTs
Frank Harjo, Cherokee Nation, Inter-Tribal Environmental Council, Tahlequah, OK
10 A.M., TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Wendt
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Data Storage (continues)
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
Tribal Perspective: Region VIII Tribal Water Quality Data Management Model
Christa Tyrell, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Office of Environmental Protection,
Division of Water Quality, Poplar, MT
Dave Wilcox, Gold Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT
This presentation included a review of local database development and maintenance including quality
control procedures, data pathways, and data security. An introduction of the database developed by Fort
Peck and other current data management approaches around Region VIII were described. The role of a
web-based version of the STORET Import Module (WebSIM) and status of data migrations for tribes in
Region VIII were also discussed. The current focus in this effort includes a regional warehouse, the
creation of a peer-training network, and participation in the exchange network through the WQX data
flow.
1 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and Thomas Baugh
Groundwater Heating in Forested Wetlands: A Pilot Study in the Hoh River Watershed
Jill Silver, Watershed Program Manager, 10,000 Years Institute, Port Townsend, WA
lill Silver is the Executive Director and Watershed Program Manager for 10,000 Years Institute. The
Institute is an international scientific research group investigating river, estuarine, and forest ecosystems
and producing reliable scientific information about the effects of natural resource development on these
ecosystems.
Ms. Silver explained that over the years she had become frustrated with the difficulty of trying to get
regulatory agencies to enforce rules and, as a result, had become more involved in applied research to
bring more science into the regulatory process. Her experience has been that bringing solid scientific
information to the table helps develop better rules.
10,000 Years Institute supports citizens and organizations who seek more in-depth, focused participation
in the policies and agency actions that affect public resources through organization of complex technical
information to help develop scientific data to support public conservation initiatives and public
participation in policy proceedings. 10,000 Years Institute scientists identify gaps in existing data and
flaws in study proposals that will perpetuate unacceptable uncertainties about the environmental effects of
proposed projects or policies.
This presentation of "A Pilot Study in the Hoh River Watershed" is an example of such a project. The
Hoh River, located on the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, is one of only a few
relatively healthy wild salmon-bearing rivers in the lower 48 states. Currently there are no regulations
restricting harvesting in wetlands.
The Hoh Tribe consists of about 160 members, and covers less than a square mile of territory. The Hoh
system is not mapped, and not protected.
The Hoh Tribe was interested in knowing more about the influence of forest practices on small,
groundwater-fed salmon rearing streams. In this case, adaptive management is an important approach to
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protect habitat. Perched saturation in shallow soil horizons on hill slopes is an important subsurface flow
path that contributes water and energy to wetlands and small tributaries used for salmon rearing. There is
more research on flow dynamics in shallow subsurface flow in forested landscapes, but it is generally
limited on heat transport to streams.
This pilot study examines groundwater heat transport responses to forest management practices in the
Hoh River basin. The project spent $160,000 over about five years, including $16,000 in gap funding.
Primary objectives of the study were to investigate the relationship between forest management practices
and groundwater temperature and to evaluate the relationship between groundwater temperature and heat
transport to streams.
Current thinking about how streams heat is that they are heated by air. We wondered if heating might be
related to soil and or groundwater temperature. A number of hypotheses were tested:
1. Ho 1 (null hypothesis): Groundwater discharge temperatures are not significantly altered by
canopy removal at depths equal to or greater than 0.5 meters.
Ha 1 (alternative hypothesis): Groundwater discharge temperatures at depths => 0.5
meters are significantly altered by canopy removal.
2. Ho 1: Stream temperature is significantly related to air temperature
Ha:2 (general alternative hypothesis): Stream temperature is significantly related to soil
temperature.
Ha:3 (general alternative hypothesis): Stream temperature is significantly related to
groundwater temperature.
Criteria for sites that were chosen for the study were that they show similarity with respect to four factors:
Soils with similar hydrologic characteristics
Slope aspectsouth to southwest
Topographystreams or wetlands on terraces and hill slope, and
Three land covers: stand to be harvested, mature growth similar to site to be harvested, old
growth.
The Hoh watershed is about 300 square miles. For the study sites the lower two-thirds of it are in areas of
forestry, homestead, and housing; the remaining third is in Olympia National Park, and is essentially an
unmanaged control. Rock Creek is almost completely harvested; however, the river significantly narrows
as you move into the mountains so it does vary to some degree from one end to the other. We did a
forward looking infra-red but it doesn't show mixing or show streams under trees. We needed two
consecutive days of full sunlight and we weren't able to get that until September. Also, the infra-red
wasn't suitable for the forested areas so we used other methods. Wells at testing sites were planned to be a
meter and a half deep but we dug until earth started falling into the wells and in actuality usually got
between a meter and meter and half.
Site 1 was mature growth forest harvested in 2001. We weren't able to get before and after readings for
this site as the land owner harvested the site before the agreed upon date. Pre-harvest installation was
done 08/087 2001. Post-harvest installation was done 11/11/2001.
Site 2 was the control, mature second growth forest. This site has the least variability of the three sites.
We installed a network of continuous monitoring equipment for soil, water, ground water, and air
temperature. I don't recommend HOBO weather stations for this type of site. We had a lot of problems
with them.
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Site 3 was reference old growth site. The old growth area was very wet and squishy throughout the year.
We had difficulty finding a site in this region to match the other sites; it had some very large
macrophytes. Water flows differently through this site, and it is a higher elevation and gets more rain or
snow events than the others.
We asked the following questions:
Does canopy removal change groundwater temperatures?
Do changes in soil and groundwater temperature affect stream temperature?
What is the relationship between stream, groundwater, and soil temperatures and air temperature?
o What are the primary variables & mechanisms?
Intuitively, we know that if you stand under a tree in the summer it is cooler. As I child growing up here I
was always cool, unless I was at the beach or the river. And now, working in all these different areas, and
a lot of clear cuts, it's definitely warmer - the climate is definitely different than it used to be. But you
have to do the science to show what the effects really are.
What we showed in this study was that by 2004 the stream temperature was going down, by 2005 it had
gone down significantly. We concluded that the shrub growth along the edge of the stream showed a
response due to shading. This is important because of the impact it has on salmon lifecycles. 16 °C is
considered to be the upper limit for spawning salmon. Groundwater and soil pre/post harvest, still remain
relatively stable. We believe there is an interaction between soil temperature and groundwater.
The assumption in the general literature is that air temperature drives stream temperature, but the results
from this study paint a different picture. But, here air doesn't exert a significant effect over all the
parameters. Soil seems to be more variable. This is a better comparison than with air. Also, we had some
really significant rain events between November 2002 and January 2003 and late October in 2003 and we
are seeing some results that may be related to rain or snow events during those periods.
Another complicated variable is the issue of water flow. There's actually no other project like this in the
Pacific Northwest, nothing in forestry. We are looking to compare data with other sites but will probably
have to set those up ourselves. I am looking for funding and support to bring on a student and put this
together into a paper for peer review.
To summarize, in light of our data, a hypotheses-exploratory analysis gives us the following results:
Ho 2 (general alternative hypothesis): Stream temperatures are significantly related to air
temperature.
Ha 2: (general alternative hypothesis): Stream temperatures are significantly related to soil
temperatures at 0.5 m depth.
Ha 3 (general alternative hypothesis): Stream temperatures are significantly related to
groundwater temperatures.
Next Steps
Compare data from this study with data from other sites.
Use subsurface heat transport models to examine key questions:
o What are the primary variables affecting the relationship between canopy removal and
groundwater temperature (e.g. soil depth, organic matter)?
o Do changes in groundwater quantity and temperature affect stream temperature? What
are the primary variables and mechanisms?
Test sensitivity of variables
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Identify potential mechanisms
Questions and Answers
Q ~ I'm not sure what you mean by adaptive management.
A ~ Adaptive management is a response to issues arising from regulations based on bridging the gaps
between academic and applied science, a group comes together to work by consensus. You adapt the
management regulations to meet specific goals that are not complete protection of our environment but
take into account the political realities.
Q Why did you dig the wells instead of drilling?
A ~ We didn't have equipment and carrying equipment would have been difficult. It was just easier.
Q ~ What is the temperature for rain on snow?
A~ It gets down really low. It's never been reported in literature in streams below 600 ft but in the Ho
watershed we are seeing frizell ice. There are streams there with no buffer, in areas where the canopy has
been removed; this is a very bad environment for fish.
An Investigation of the Possibility of Mixing of Waters in After-Action Monitoring Wells in
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Tim Kent, Quawpaw Tribe of Oklahoma, Environmental Department, Quawpaw, OK
Tim Kent is the Environmental Director of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma. Special interests of his
include groundwater and surface water contaminant transport and environmental geophysics. In this
presentation he describes an investigation to examine the possibility that mine water is mixing with water
being produced by wells and thereby contaminating the underlying aquifers in the region.
Nine tribes were moved to NE Oklahoma from various areas of the country by treaty in the 1800s. The
Quapaw Tribe was moved to northeast Oklahoma from their ancestral homelands in what is now
Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma through a series of treaties in the 1800s. Lead and zinc were discovered
on Quapaw tribal lands in the early 1900s. The Tar Creek site is part of the Tri-State Mining District,
which comprises approximately 300 square miles in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Oklahoma is the
only state with tribal involvement in these sites. This site is now known as the Tar Creek Superfund site
and is on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List. The NE Oklahoma
Superfund site is completely within the boundaries of the Quawpaw reservation.
The primary source of municipal water supply in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, is from wells completed
within the Roubidoux Aquifer. This aquifer is dolomitic and relatively low in dissolved solids
concentrations (less than 200 mg/L). The Boone Aquifer is primarily a limestone aquifer and is
stratigraphically above the Roubidoux Aquifer. The Boone Formation also is the host rock for secondary
mineralization (by sulfide minerals), which produced the metal ores that were mined in the Picher Field in
northeast Ottawa County.
Lead and zinc mining occurred in the Picher Field from the early 1900s to the late 1960s. Mining peaked
in Missouri around 1916, and then shifted to Kansas and Oklahoma where it finally ceased in the 1970s.
Most of the lead used in the two World Wars came from this area. While no mining is currently
conducted, at one time it was the largest lead mining operation in the world. Once mining ceased, water
was allowed to enter the mine workings and eventually filled the mines to the point that water presently
discharges from the mines at the surface in places. The mine water exhibits high concentrations of
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calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate, fluoride, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and
zinc.
Groundwater was pumped from mines until 1970 when mining ceased. This water was discharged into
Spring River. As groundwater filled the mines, it became contaminated by exposed lead and zinc sulfide
minerals and other sources of heavy metals. Due to the mines filling with water, and over-pumping of
Roubidoux groundwater, there is now a downward (vertical) flow gradient from the Boone aquifer to the
Roubidoux aquifer. This vertical gradient enhances the potential of contamination of the Roubidoux
aquifer.
With the filling of the former mine workings in the Boone Formation, hydraulic head has increased in the
Boone Aquifer; this has created the potential for a positive hydraulic gradient from the Boone Aquifer to
the underlying Roubidoux Aquifer. This creates the potential for contamination of the Roubidoux with
mine water. To examine this possibility, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality has been
monitoring several wells (including five municipal water supply wells and five recently constructed
monitoring wells) in Ottawa County.
After Action Monitoring performed by State of Oklahoma (ODEQ) began in 1992 in the form of
monitoring municipal water supply wells in the towns of Picher, Commerce, and Quapaw in 1992. These
wells began showing elevated levels of iron, zinc, and sulfate, indicating they were being affected by
mine water.
Results of this monitoring have indicated that all five of the municipal wells and at least two of the
monitoring wells produce water with elevated iron, zinc, and sulfate concentrations. Water quality data
from the mine water and some of the referenced Roubidoux wells was entered into the WATEVAL
computer program. Piper Plots of this water quality data also were generated. Results indicate that
samples from monitoring well "Picher 6MW" (the well thought to be most affected by mine water) is
exhibiting strong evidence of mixing.
Water samples from the monitoring well "Quapaw 5MW" have been exhibiting elevated levels of iron,
zinc, and sulfate; however, WATEVAL and Piper Plots indicated that the evidence of mixing in this well
with the water sampled from the mine shafts in the main portion of the Picher Field is tenuous. This may
be due to (among other factors) the proximity of the well "Quapaw 5MW" to the main portion of the
Picher Field. More specifically, this well is upgradient from where the mine water was sampled, and
therefore may be experiencing influence from the smaller mining operations just to the west of the city of
Quapaw.
EPA assumed poor casings were the problem so they funded OEDQ to correct the problem. In 1997,
ODEQ drilled and completed five monitoring wells in the Roubidoux Aquifer with state-of-the-art casing
design to ensure no leakage through the well annulus. This was to address concerns about potential for
mine water entering Roubidoux aquifer through poor well construction and/or natural fractures. The
cement job was monitored carefully, inflatable packers were then added above stream to ensure that
shallow water wouldn't continue deeper into the aquifer. Five such wells were drilled.
Results of monitoring the newest wells indicate that at least two of the five show evidence of being
affected by mine water (Picher #6MW and Quapaw #5MW. Evidence includes elevated levels of iron and
sulfates. To investigate this further, additional analysis is required. Were monitored Roubidoux wells
being affected by mine water? If so, was the mine water from the Boone formation reaching the
Roubidoux zone due to poor casing seals, or from natural geologic conduits (i.e. fractures)? A technique
was needed to investigate the possibility of mixing of mine water with clean Roubidoux aquifer.
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It was necessary to compare the chemistry of ground water samples suspected to be affected by mine
water with the chemistry of non-affected (clean) Roubidoux water and with mine water samples.
Piper diagrams were a viable technique. Piper diagrams are used in geochemistry and are a combination
of cation and anion triangles that lie on a common baseline. If you plot more than one sample on the
diagram you can tell if it comes from the same aquifer, for example. The balance of these things creates a
unique signature. This tells you a lot about where that water came from so these are visual tools to help
understand the origin of the groundwater.
Water quality data from the mine shaft, the Picher #6MW well, and the Commerce #5MW were plotted
on a Piper diagram. In this sample piper diagrams indicate evidence of mixing if all of the following
occur:
1) The analyses plot in a straight line in the cation and anion triangles;
2) The "mixture" plots between the two end members; and
3) The mixture exhibits the same proportions between end members in all regions of the Piper
diagram (the "mixture" plots at the same position relative to the end members in all regions of the
diagram).
The WATEVAL Computer Modeling Program has the capability of analyzing and quantifying the
evidence for mixing among input water analyses. The program utilizes the water analysis data of the end
members and calculates a predicted mixture. The predicted mixture is then compared statistically to the
actual mixture and a correlation coefficient (R) is calculated to measure the level of agreement between
actual and predicted mixture. A correlation coefficient of 0.9 (on a scale from 0 to 1) or higher, indicates
strong evidence for mixing. Water quality data from a mine shaft, the Picher #6MW well, and the
Commerce #5MW were entered into WATEVAL (aquifer input data also required). Results indicate that
water from Picher #6MW well is a mixture of mine water and clean Roubidoux groundwater (R=0.92).
In conclusion, it is clear that refilling of mines and over-pumping of Roubidoux wells has created a
downward (vertical) gradient of hydraulic head between upper aquifer (Boone formation) and lower
aquifer (Roubidoux) thereby increasing the potential for mine water contaminant migration into municipal
water supply.
Use of Piper diagrams and computer modeling provides strong evidence that mine water is impacting
Roubidoux groundwater in newly drilled monitoring wells. The fact that mine water is affecting newly
drilled monitoring wells with state-of-the-art casing design, indicates that contaminant migration is
occurring through natural geologic pathways (i.e. fractures and leaky aquitard formations) rather than
through conduits created by poor casing seals, probably on a regional scale.
Currently there are no primary drinking water standards for zinc or sulfates so there have been no
violations of standards but this situation needs to be closely monitored. Collapses are a potential threat in
a number of areas. Other problems exist where people are living right next to piles of mine waste. If
towns are bought out, wells there can be shut down but the Tribe isn't helped by this.. .they aren't going
anywhere.
Next Steps
ODEQ will continue to monitor wells as part of the After Action Monitoring of OU1
Data will be evaluated at the next five-year review to determine if action is needed (e.g., if
primary drinking water standards are being consistently exceeded), and
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A federal buyout has been initiated of properties in danger of subsidence according to a recent
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study. Consequently, municipal water supply wells may be
abandoned.
Questions and Answers
Q - What kind of remediation plans are in the works?
A ~ Right now EPA is working on them, trying to stabilize things. There isn't enough money to
completely remove all of the contaminated water.
Q ~ Whose mines were/are these?
A ~ Some started out as small mom and pop operations back in the late 1800's, then other companies got
involved but most of them are gone now. A lot of them are bankrupt or part of other big companies. A
lot of Quawpaw didn't want to sign mining rights agreements but unfortunately BIA stepped in and got
people declared incompetent and signed mining agreements on their behalf. So, BIA is another
responsible party.
Q ~ Isn't there enough arsenic and lead or other contaminants in the water to require some kind of
immediate response?
A ~ Well, most of the wells were capped, but the site is so complicated that nothing has been done yet to
address the problem to avoid future contamination or worsening.
Q ~ Is the aquifer overdrafted?
A ~ Yes, that is becoming a problem; they have to go deeper and deeper to get water from the aquifer.
Q ~ What is the point in testing to determine whether or not there is mixing if nothing is being done to
remediate?
A All these states are concerned about contamination getting deeper into the aquifer, this is the water
source for the whole region, and there are no reservoirs. So you could use the technique to understand if
the contamination is happening in other areas.
Q ~ What impact do the collapsed mines have?
A ~ One problem is that once an area is shut down, you can't live there, you can't farm there, so no one is
there and you get animals coming in, and they can be contaminated as well.
Q ~ Isn't there any money in Superfund?
A ~ Not really, because it wasn't reauthorized there isn't really enough money to sustain it. There's
nothing on the scale you need for this site.
Comment ~ It sounds like the BIA is responsible for this whole situation and they should be held
accountable.
A ~ Well, the federal government wants PRP's to pay and they are pursuing the old mining companies but
there hasn't been any decision on what responsibility BIA has. The Tribe is trying to work with them but
it is slow going.
Q ~ How many children in the areas have elevated lead levels?
A ~ In the early 90's IHS did a test of elevated blood levels in Indian children; they found it was 35
percent at that time. EPA came in and did an emergency response, replacing yards. Of course, now
people wonder why they spent all that money replacing yards that now they are buying out.
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1 P.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce and Patti Tyler
Source Water Protection Planning in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer
Dale Becker, Evergreen Rural Water of Washington, The Trading Structure Workgroup, Shelton,
WA
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Department of Environmental Protection, Taholah,
WA
Taholah, the Quinault Tribal headquarters located on the Pacific Coast in Washington, installed new
drinking water wells in 1995 with hookups for the community by 2000. New wells were needed because
the community's spring water source was drying up, possibly due to timber harvest operations by industry
in the area. Local leaders wanted to protect the new water supply. The Indian Health Service helped in
identifying a radius of 300 feet around the wells as a no-impact zone. The well fields are about four miles
east of Taholah near the Quinault River.
But the Quinault Tribe wanted more detailed planning and sought outside assistance (Becker). The
primary goal of the resulting project was to identify risk and reduce it to protect the new alluvial aquifer
water source. First, the area of concern was defined delineating all land uses and contamination sources,
and then a risk management plan and emergency plan was developed for the area to be communicated to
the public. There was also an emphasis on prioritizing limited resources to reduce risk.
Aquifers cover large areas. An even larger recharge area also must be identified. The EPA time of travel
delineation was utilized to see how far water travels in five to 10 years, for example. A Step-Wise
Delineation was used including initial modeling, analysis of how well the model captures the real world
problem, analytical element modeling and data acquisition, with results indicating the final source water
protection area.
Two types of models were analyzed. The Calculated Fixed Radius model using a steady state,
homogenous site, and no recharge or aquifer gradient. This model was found to be unrealistic based on
the landscape. The WhAEM 2000 model using heterogeneous aquifer changes over space, recharge, and
a modeled gradient was found to be more realistic. A well log with the quantity of water that has been
pumped can be used for analysis with this model.
The two wells are about 1,500 feet from the River in an alluvial valley floor with glacial till in the
uplands. Water is drawn from about 50 to 60 feet below the ground surface. However, in the summer the
water is about 16 feet below the ground surface and can be contaminated more easily. It was determined
how far it takes water to travel in one year. A model is needed that uses the 100-foot per day information.
The sources of contamination in the watershed are the River, recreational pursuits, and forestry. These
uses do not produce a high risk for public health, so the model is useful even though it's not perfect. In
addition, it would be too costly to install monitoring wells in the watershed area. It was determined that
risk could be managed using best management practices. The following options were proposed to the
Quinault Business Council:
Clean-up illegal dump sites in the watershed on the Reservation
Use forestry best management practices and designate equipment
fueling and maintenance areas
Reduce equipment use
Allow no forestry operations in the one-year time of travel zone
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Restrict fertilizer use
Place a ban on forest harvests in the five-year time of travel zone, and
Conduct public education about oil recycling and limiting herbicide use and littering.
Implementation of the BMPs depends upon endorsement by the Quinault Business Council. Then it will
be determined how BMPs would be put into place.
Questions and Answers
Q - Does the Quinault Business Council have complete information to make decisions, like bio-chemical
parameters for herbicides?
A - This project is not that detailed. It is simple risk assessment focusing on land use choices. Forestry is
not considered a high risk activity.
Q - Forestry practice in the area seems to be clear cutting. Is there any impact from that on the water?
A - We have surface water impacts from harvest like temperature and soil erosion, but not for the
groundwater or aquifers.
Q - If you sample the aquifers and get oil, can you identify the source?
A - This risk assessment model is used to prevent the problem. Where contamination has occurred, we
can trace a plume to the source and can find oil if there is a large spill. But contamination from
residential use is so small we can't detect it with our methods.
Q - What is the soil make up?
A - We would need to drill a lot of holes to find out. That is costly, and then the EPA Superfund would
hold us responsible for remediation. For source water protection we would need a detailed business
inventory to find those using chemicals. You can match chemicals to a point source, but it's more
difficult for a non-point source.
Comment ~ You could test the surface water before it enters the groundwater system.
A - We can't determine where the entire recharge area is located. Nature isn't as simple to understand as
we would like.
Potential Contributions of the Burden of Disease and Injury to Assess Community Health
in Indian Country
Catherine Michaud, Harvard University, Harvard Initiative for Global Health, Cambridge, MA
There are some key questions and indicators for human health assessment in the EPA Strategic Plan
2003-2008. Questions include: What are the trends in health status? What are the trends in human
disease and condition for which environmental pollutants may be a risk factor, including across
population sub-groups and geographic regions? Indicators for health status are mortality and life
expectancy; for human disease and condition, incidence and prevalence; and for human exposure to
environmental pollutants, measured blood levels.
Health is a top concern of Tribes. In preparing for the future, the Strategic Plan is focused on finding
bridges and common interests among Tribes and on risk prevention rather than just mitigation. There is a
multiplicity of risk factors and impacts over time that need to be considered, not just environmental risk
factors. There also are mortality disparities that need to be understood.
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For life expectancy, Michaud categorized the U.S. population into eight groups of "Americas" based on a
number of socio-demographic and geographical variables. Results showed that Asians have the highest
life expectancy, and Native Americans and high-risk urban Blacks have the lowest life expectancy, by a
difference of more than 35 years. Another finding was that this gap has not improved much between
1982 and 2000.
The disparities in mortality are not explained by race, income, or basic health-care access and utilization
alone or by a single cause of death, such as homicide or HIV. Mortality disparities are most concentrated
in young and middle-aged males and females, resulting from a number of chronic diseases with well-
established risk factors. Older people often seek and get more health interventions.
Policies aimed at reducing fundamental socioeconomic inequalities in access to health care are currently
practically absent in the U.S. Health disparities will have to be at least partially addressed through public
health strategies that reduce risk factors for chronic diseases and injuries.
A Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) is a metric developed to measure population health for the
Global Burden of Disease Studies from 1990 to 2001 to identify the relative magnitude of diseases,
injuries, and risk factors worldwide. It takes into account information on age specific mortality and the
epidemiology of non-fatal health outcomes, information on the value attached to various health states
relative to ideal health or death, and other social values. DALYs = YLL (years of life lost to premature
death) + YLD (years lost to disability from nonfatal conditions).
A 1996 Global Burden of Disease Study in the U.S. has several objectives:
Incorporate nonfatal conditions in health assessments
Develop a comprehensive set of internally consistent estimates for major health conditions
Quantify intra-country differentials in health outcomes by age, gender, and race
Place the U.S. public health situation in a global context.
Key findings of the study included the ten leading causes of death, which were ischemic heart disease,
lung cancer, and cerebrovascular diseases with motor vehicle accidents ranking ninth after colon and
breast cancers. For DALYs, top causes were ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, and motor
vehicle accidents with diabetes and osteoarthritis ranking eighth and ninth. Native Americans have a
higher rate of injuries as compared to Blacks, Whites, or Asians.
Leading causes of DALYs by race are ischemic heart disease for Whites, HIV/AIDS for Blacks, unipolar
major depression for Asians, and alcohol use and motor vehicle accidents for American Indians. The
leading causes of YLL among American Indians are motor vehicle accidents for males and females
followed by ischemic heart disease. The leading causes of YLD are alcohol use followed by unipolar
major depression for both males and females.
DALYs can be used to target the effects of nonfatal health outcomes on overall population health, to
compare the health of populations, monitor changes in the health of one population, and identify and
quantify health inequalities within populations. They can be used to inform debates on health service
delivery priorities, planning, and research and development and analyze the benefits of health
interventions and cost-effectiveness.
The relative importance of risk factors as a fraction of the total impact or disease burden is critical in
deciding the distribution of available and always scarce resources for interventions. A Comparative Risk
Assessment (CRA) framework from 2001 provides a way to link the growing interest in the causal
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determinants of health across a variety of disciplines. It also aims at mapping the alternative population
health scenarios that arise from changes in the distribution of risk factors.
The CRA includes several environmental risks: unsafe water; sanitation and hygiene (diarrheal diseases);
urban air pollution (trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease,
stroke); and indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels (lower respiratory infections and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease).
In the U.S. the burden of disease is attributable to ten leading risk factors in rank order: smoking (13
percent), alcohol use (eight percent), overweight and obesity (7.5 percent); high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, low fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity, illicit drug use, unsafe sex, and iron
deficiency anemia (all under six percent each).
Some disease is due to combined or multiple risk factors. Multiple causes also means that a range of
interventions can be used for disease prevention, with the specific choice determined by factors such as
cost, available technology, and cultural preferences. A holistic approach is needed as well as detailed
descriptions of the level and distribution of diseases and injuries.
A reliable and comparative analysis of risks to health and intervention cost-effectiveness is needed. A
major challenge is obtaining the data for burden of disease analysis, including deaths registration, disease
registers, epidemiological studies, health surveys, and health facility data. For risk factor analysis, the
population attributable fraction of selected risk factors and combined hazards of multiple risks must be
estimated.
Two major research challenges remain:
Applying burden of disease analysis and the CRA framework to estimate the distribution
and magnitude of major causes of disease burden for Native Americans and selected Tribes, and
Systematic analysis of burden of disease to provide an evidence base to inform debates on health
service delivery and planning priorities, research and development, and to analyze benefits of
health interventions and cost benefit.
Questions and Answers
Comment - Alaska Natives may be a separate group because of their dietary issues and concerns.
A - The Native American category includes Alaskans in the others listing.
Q - Do county health departments provide data?
A - Census data were used for population. Deaths by cause was obtained from the National Center for
Health Statistics. We need to explore what else is available to break data down for Alaska Natives.
Possibly, local Tribes could keep track of data.
Q - In the ten greatest risk factors, high cholesterol was number four for heart and blood pressure disease.
Are cancers related to high cholesterol?
A - The data doesn't yet look at those combined risk factors. It would be difficult to tell, for example,
what fraction of each disease could be attributed to smoking.
Q - Is smoking a leading risk factor for death?
A - It could be because heart disease, for example, is affected by smoking over time, and more women
are smoking now.
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Q - Did you use data that compares different studies?
A - The data were updated in 2001. I recently published new material on how robust the data are on
Native Americans throughout the U.S. Census data can vastly underestimate Native American health
data. Since death is not reported as much in Native American populations, this could lead to an over-
estimation of life expectancy in that group. The next step is to understand major risk factors in Native
Americans.
1 P.M., TRAINING: Risk Assessment and EPA/Lifeline
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Resek
OPPTS Tribal Lifeline Project: Exposure and Risk Assessment Software for Tribal
Communities and Other Unique Subpopulations
Dr. Christine Chaisson, Director, The LifeLine Group
Annie Blouin-Chaisson, M.P.H., R.D., The LifeLine Group
This training exercise began with an overview of the risk assessment process and its underlying principles
as employed at EPA and other western-style health and regulatory agencies. Regulatory and public health
agencies use exposure and risk assessment models to assess the potential exposure and risk that could be
experienced by individuals in a community as a consequence of chemicals appearing in their diets and
environments. Until recently, these assessments ignored individuals with unique exposure scenarios or
diets, such as those found in tribal communities.
The training included a walk-through of the operation of the software and a discussion about what kinds
of questions can and cannot be answered by the software. To illustrate the working of the software
(Tribal LifeLine and other ancillary programs such as the Dietary Record Generator), an illustrative
case study of a chemical that could be in traditional diets as well as in water and village environments was
presented.
1 P.M., TRAINING: Data Management for Water Monitoring
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Assessment/Analysis
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Water Program,
Tribal Natural Resources Department, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Jennifer Ousley, US EPA, Region 7, Kansas City, KS
Carol Russell, US EPA, Region 8, Tribal Water Quality Team, Denver, CO
This is the process through which monitoring results are evaluated to determine what they reveal about
the condition of a water body. Presentation included a Tribal perspective and covered the basics of water
chemistry and biological assessments including simple methods to assess data.
STORET INFORMATION (from Jennifer Ousley, R7): All CWA Section 106 grants starting on or after
of Oct 1, 2006, must report all data collected using grant funds from EPA. The data should be reported in
a STORET compatible format (such as MS Excel). EPA encourages tribes to transfer the data to
STORET to add to our national picture of water quality. A STORET (an EPA water monitoring
database) is not going away. It is changing names and the way that data is entered is being improved.
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Individually hosted STORET copies will be phased out; therefore, no technical support for these hosts
will be available in the near future for.
An internet based data entry tool call WebSIM will be coming later this year. In the mean time, a data
template is available nationally to have data ready in the STORET compatible format. It is a guide to the
required data elements for STORET/WQX (WQX is the Water Quality Exchange). The data template is
an excel spreadsheet and can be found at http://r5storet.com. Training for this template will be available
soon both online and on site at individual hosts. Once data is in this template format, it can be entered
into STORET using WebSIM, when it becomes available. Technical Assistance is available now for
those tribes already trying to enter data into STORET.
Data Assessment/Analysis - Tribal Group Exercise
The attendees participated in a group exercise that involved writing a water quality data assessment/
analysis. Small groups reviewed watershed data, monitoring data, and other information to assess the
water quality condition of the hypothetical watershed. As the attendees soon determined, there were
some problems with the data that made it difficult, if not impossible, to do an adequate assessment. The
exercise demonstrated that it can be difficult to assess the data and water quality without first having data
quality and enough data. Data quality is the essential component of data management. Without the right
amount, accurate numbers, and clear understanding of the data, an assessment can not be completed. The
attendees determined that more monitoring and better data quality assurance was necessary to complete
the assessment; the participants had accurate findings from the exercise.
3 P.M., Earth
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and Thomas Baugh
Invasive Species Impacts in Indian Country
Robin Powell, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
What is an Invasive Species? Any animal, plant, or other organism (including biological material of the
animal, plant, or other organism that is capable of propagating the species) that is not native to the
ecosystem and the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm,
or harm to human health.
Economic losses in the United States due to invasive species are estimated at $137 billion per year. Over
100 million acres in US are infested with invasive plants. Invasive plants constitute one of the most
serious economic, social, and environmental threats of the 21st century. Many Tribes are focusing on the
issue because of the negative impacts invasive plants are having on agriculture.
It is important to note that there is a difference between invasive vs. noxious plants. A "noxious weed" is
any plant designated by a Federal, State, Tribal or county government as injurious to public health,
agriculture, recreation, wildlife, or property. All noxious weeds are invasive. But what is a weed? A
"weed" is a plant that is where it isn't supposed to be or wanted. There are native, non-native, invasive,
non-invasive weeds. The term "invasive weed" is used interchangeably with invasive plant because none
of the invasive plants are wanted.
Invasive weeds are typically non-native plants, mostly of Eurasian origin. They arrived where they are
now as a result of global movement due to human actions (especially in the last 70 years) such as travel,
horticulture, and importation as environmental/ ecological remedies.
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Invasive weeds are highly competitive, allelopathic, and usually result in monoculture development. As
they are often imported without their natural predators they tend to be unchallenged in the system where
they take up new residence. They are also highly adaptive and highly prolific with excellent seed
dispersion, long seed viability, and extensive root development. Invasives are often rhizomatous with
high meristematic cell growth.
The impacts of invasive plants on Tribal lands are profound. They affect local ecology, environment,
culture, and economics. Invasive weeds can significantly alter the composition, function, and structure of
an ecosystem. They cause negative impacts to T&E species ~ more than 40 percent of listed species are
declining due to non-native species as a result of loss of habitat, competition, loss of food source, and/or
loss of ecosystem function. Invasives alter species diversity and abundance and cause a reduction of
native plant community composition.
Ecological impacts include the degradation of habitat for animals; loss of nesting sites for waterfowl or
migratory birds, and harmful effects on amphibians and fish are common. Purple Loosestrife, a plant of
Eurasian origin, was brought into the US as a landscape plant. It is listed as a noxious weed in the lower
48 states and Alaska. It reduces habitat for waterfowl and amphibians and changes the functionality of
wetlands. Beach Vitex is native to the Pacific Rim and was introduced in the US as a beach stabilizer.
Unfortunately it is out-competing native vegetation and affects dune building, so it is not working as a
stabilizer after all. It is also affecting sea turtles by changing habitat in ways that prevent turtles from
getting to their nesting areas.
Environmental impacts of invasives include increase sedimentation into surface waters due to erosion -
such as is caused by perennial pepperweed - and impacts to soil biology such as salt loading and the
introduction of mycorrhizae fungi that helps invasive plants but kills others. Other environmental impacts
affect water quantity and quality. Impacts to the riparian plant community lead to declines in properly
functioning condition (PFC) and dissolved oxygen depletion.
An indirect environmental impact is increased pesticide use; herbicides and adjuvants are often necessary
to control invasives. Any such use must conform to FIFRA requirements. Proper identification of pest
and selection of pesticide are essential as is the idea of not trading one evil for another. Pesticides affect
water and soil quality.
Finally, increased fire is another impact of invasive overgrowth. Tamarisk/Salt Cedar is of Eurasian
origin and several species have been introduced. It is a phreatophyte (water seeker) which uptakes up to
200 gallons of water a day. This affects soil quality. The plant was introduced for soil erosion control
and as an ornamental.
Eurasian watermilfoil is of Eurasian origin. This aquatic invasive affects fish habitat and the
macroinvertebrate community because it prevents sunlight from filtering to macrophytes and it is an
oxygen depleter. It was introduced accidentally and poses a real problem for fish survival.
Cultural impacts are of particular concern for Tribal people. Introduction of invasive plants can lead to
the loss of medicinal plants and important cultural materials. A reduction in native plants used in a
variety of traditional life ways and cultural practices causes a wide range of problems; impacts to funerary
objects include pesticide contamination; alteration of the landscape of culturally significant and sacred
sites can be devastating; there also is the threat of loss of traditional food sources and of potential
pesticide contamination of non-target species impacts.
Some traditional medicinal plants and foods that are threatened include the following:
Rosehips
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Spearmint
Hopsage
Penstemon
Berries
Fish
Turtles
Wild asparagus, and
Honey - invasive plants many not be usable by local bees.
Impacts to cultural artifacts can be caused by the loss of feathers used in ceremonies if invasives overtake
an area and waterfowl no longer use it. Yellow Starthistle causes many problems, including creating
access problems for collection of traditional plants. This Middle Eastern plant was introduced
accidentally through hay. It has achieved movement due to vehicles and soil disturbance. It has no
forage value and lowers grazing value where it takes over. It is harmful to livestock health, lowers
recreational value of land, and negatively affects the bee industry. Economic impacts of invasives are
many and varied:
Decreased land value
Decreased forage potential
Increased livestock illness or death
Impacts to livelihood
Loss of income
Costs for control if not detected early enough
PLS [spell out] costs $45m annually due to loss of forage crops and control
Health Issues (allergies), and
Reduction in recreational opportunities and income.
Leafy Spurge is another problem; it reduces land value for livestock and emits a milky substance that can
be toxic to livestock and affects human health as well. Many other invasive species affect tribes.
Invertebrates
Emerald Ash Borer: China
Ecological and cultural impacts due to reduction of Ash trees
Zebra Mussel: Europe
Economic impacts due to machinery breakdown
Environmental impacts due to changes in fish ecology and the food web,
bioaccumulation of pollutants, and changing of water clarity
Mammals
Norway Rat: Europe
Economic and public health issues
Nutria: South America
Ecological and environmental changes due to the destruction of wetlands
Beaver: North America
Ecological and environmental due to the creation of wetlands and increasing habitat for
other invasive weeds such as purple loosestrife
Reptiles & Amphibians
Brown Tree Snake: Asia
Bullfrog: Europe
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Fungi
Soy Bean Rust: Asia
Microbes (Viruses)
West Nile Virus: Africa
Exotic Newcastle Disease: Asia
The list goes on and on. Management of invasive species is attempted in various ways. Integrated pest
management (IPM) is the most effective tool in fighting the war on invasive species. But this is a long-
term effort. It is very important to know the invasive species and its biology to effectively control or
eradicate it. Management techniques can be categorized as follows: early detection and rapid response;
chemical control; mechanical control; biological control; cultural control, and prevention.
Through early detection and rapid response it is possible to minimize the establishment and spread of new
species through coordinated framework of public and private partners. Actions include detection and
reporting, identification and vouchering, rapid assessments, planning, and rapid response.
Chemical control is accomplished through the used of herbicides and their adjuvants to control and/or
eradicate. This usually leads to short term control but has drawbacks such as non-target species impacts.
Regulatory issues (under CWA, CAA, SDWA, and FIFRA) must be adhered to when pesticides are used
on federally held lands. Drift issues and T&E [define] concerns are another matter for consideration.
Proper identification of the pest is essential as is the need to properly identify the appropriate pesticide to
use against it.
Mechanical control consists of physical removal or prevention of the plant biomass by digging up,
cutting, mowing, and grazing. This can raise soil and cultural site disturbance issues and while it is great
for annuals, take care with perennials.
Biological control is the use of the native predators to suppress invasive species expansion. This method
requires a long testing phase to determine non-target species effects and the APHIS permitting process is
necessary. This method can lead to long term control in conjunction with other IPM tools and it is low
cost.
Cultural control and prevention is affected through decontamination of equipment and livestock, reducing
the transport of seeds, demanding weed-free hay and through the prevention of nursery sales of invasive
plants.
Long-term management of invasive species is only successful if there is coordination with outside entities
and stakeholders. Invasive species do not acknowledge boundaries. A wealth of expertise, emotional and
technical support, and educational materials is available - but funding is another issue. Awareness and
coordination are vitally necessary in winning the biological war with invasive species that will
significantly affect Indian Country throughout the United States.
Next Steps
Tribal Invasive Species Committee Goals:
Increase awareness
Promotion of TISC
Education
Engage tribes and external stakeholders
Provide technical support
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BMPs, management plan development and coordination with available expertise
Improve funding
Diversification
Improve coordination, and
Regional manager meetings and national workgroups.
Questions and Answers
Comment ~ Thanks Robin, that was really good. Here we have a species you didn't mention, Japanese
knotweed that really affects salmon.
Comment ~ Tulah Tribe's been working on environmental diversity for awhile, we have worked on an
internal definition that includes the cultural impacts. We hope the feds will come up with something on
the cultural impacts, guidelines. Is there a standard duty of care for property owners in controlling
invasive species on their property? We need some regimen of care. Also, you need to look carefully at
your local area and decide what works. In this area, for instance, we're trying to bring back beavers; the
loss of them is a huge impact on the water system. And finally on the issue of bees, it isn't just about
honey production but pollination overall.
A ~ There is the federal interagency working group, and we are working on getting standardized
language. Yes, the beaver is a good example, in my area it is highly invasive, so it's true that you have to
consider carefully what works for your area.
Mercury Contamination of Cheyenne River Sioux Land
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Environmental
Protection Department, Cheyenne Rive Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Mr. Nelson gave a talk explaining steps being taken to deal with mercury contamination in the waterways
in his community. His remarks are summarized below.
We had a project that stemmed from a Superfund site that involved gold mining operations over about
100 years. What we looked at initially was that we got on the project with EPA and some others; we went
to court with Homestake Gold Mine, suing them and settling out of court for about $1.8 million, and 400
acres of land in Wyoming, as well as some other concessions that will allow us to continue doing some
monitoring.
The first thing we looked at was assessing health impacts and ecological conditions on the reservation as
result of the mining. The EPA Superfund people wanted to know, why do you want to know, it's not on
your reservation? But we started sampling. Region 8 EPA worked with us as well as the US Fish and
Wildlife Service to examine the fisheries aspect. The Cheyenne River has been affected by mining and
agriculture and we wanted to look at the overall ecological status of that river system.
We started when our reservoir was at its fullest, and we started with testing fish and water sampling.
Then EPA asked for background data. The next year Cheyenne River found elevated levels of mercury in
fish, almost as high as in the Cheyenne river. Fish in both areas were exceeding acceptable mercury
levels, so our background concentrations were almost as high as those in our "problem" areas.
We found we were getting a lot of mercury deposition. This could be from China and Europe, because of
the jet stream. Once we realized how high the levels were we realized we had to tell the people. We had
to put out an advisory first on the Cheyenne River, then on all the waterways. Suddenly we started
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getting lots of calls with questions - why shouldn't we eat the fish? People brought in fish that were
covered with sores and wanted to know what was wrong with them.
Title V came into play, a settlement regarding mismanagement by the Army Corps of Engineers that leads
to constant flooding of the reservoir. We also wanted to test the sediment around the river because every
time you flood the reservation you're moving the sediment further out. We tested a ten mile section of the
river - the Corp found so many levels of contamination at so many depths that it was clear they were
moving the contaminated soil and sediment onto our lands. At this point we wanted to know how it
would be fixed. The reservoir is at an all time low now and it is causing problems with the drinking
water.
We are currently working with the Army Corps of Engineers to locate our water intake downstream, but
the problem is still there and if they raise the river level again, they will push the sediment back out.
So we still had the problem on how to inform the people. We were working with EPA and trying to come
up with a long-term monitoring program for mercury. If we are getting this, other reservations are
probably getting it too. An NIEHS grant allowed us to start a survey to show the habits of the people,
consumption offish, health impacts based on daily diet, how much they use the river system, and how
often they swim in the river. We are doing radio announcements saying not to eat fish, and sharing the
guidelines for how much fish can be eaten. But you still have people who eat catfish every other day.
Next Steps
We don't know how long this is going to take. We would like a program to track the problems beyond my
life and my kids' life. You have to consider over a hundred years of mining, and not just from
Homestake, but all around, lead, copper, uranium, gold. We have hundreds of years and tons of sediment
all along that river.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ Has the Corps done anything about removing the sediments? I know they've done some work with
PCBs in the east.
A ~ They were talking about dredging but we said no. We don't want to resuspend the contaminants and
have it affect our new intake.
Q ~ Do you know what effect there has been on people eating the fish?
A ~ Hopefully we'll learn from the survey. We want to look at their diet. If we find that people are
eating fish from the river system three, four times a week, we might go out and do another phase, do some
blood work.
Q ~ Are you working on a specific mercury rule for the tribe?
A ~ We are counting on the EPA right now, until we have the money, but we won't adopt the state
standards.
Comment ~ Navajo Nation rejected the EPA standards and we are working on our own.
A ~ Well, when you're financially challenged you can't fight every battle.
Q ~ Do you have any problems with acid mine drainage? Are you dealing with that if the river bed dries
and then remobilizes the contaminants?
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A ~ We haven't seen a lot of that, probably because upriver they've dredged and seem to have cleaned it
up pretty well. But there are other mines that we're still working with EPA on, trying to keep them from
leaching. We haven't seen it yet.
Comment ~ In Navajo we are getting a lot of help from MIT and Harvard and Stanford. You might want
to get in touch with them.
A ~ We did discuss that, but at this point because of legal issues we can't do that now. I can't really
discuss that.
Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use in the Southwestern United States
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer, USGS, Earth Surface Processes, Flagstaff, AZ
Native Americans of the Navajo Nation are the fastest growing reservation population in the United
States, with one-half of the residents below the age of 23 (U.S. Census, 2000). They live in an
ecologically sensitive arid to semi-arid region with limited resources. Here, as on other Native lands,
traditional people live a subsistence lifestyle that is closely tied to, and dependent on, landscape
conditions.
Global change, with regard to climate, includes significant changes in long-term average temperature and
precipitation. Many studies have shown that in the past couple of decades, average temperatures have
risen (compared to historic averages) in many parts of the world, including the southwestern United
States. This past decade, the southwestern United States, including the Navajo Nation, has also been
experiencing a major drought. Global warming may already be contributing to drought severity on the
Navajo Nation. The dual effects of increased temperatures and decreased precipitation are likely to have
profound effects (both geologic and biologic) on the semiarid landscape that includes southwestern tribal
lands.
For the region of the Navajo Nation, the amount of effective precipitation, the moisture not lost to
evaporation, decreases by approximately 2" for every 1 °C increase in temperature. Annual rainfall in
many parts of the Western Navajo Nation averages between 5 and 7 inches in "normal" years, but has
been as low as low as 1 to 2 inches in many areas during recent drought years. In addition, average annual
snowfall for the Navajo Nation has decreased significantly since the early part of the 20th century.
Our work has found that some land use practices, such as importing weedy hay during periods of drought,
and off-highway vehicle use, are compounding the sobering effects of drought and climate change to
mobilize surface sediment and degrade rangeland. Sand dunes that cover approximately two-thirds of the
Navajo Nation have become active to partly active in many areas in recent years.
We are working on a rather small project on bedrock mapping, gathering information for land use
planning and urban development. I have only 3 USGS staff. But I have a lot of students working on this
project and many of them are residents of Navajo. The objectives and strategies of the project are to
examine the structural stability of housing foundations, look at the environmental impacts of landfills and
septic systems, examine hydrologic resources, and determine landscape stability and surface erosion.
Bedrock is affected by changes when things are out of balance. You see impacts. Each ecosystem reacts
differently to climate change and I think it's important to strategize through effective land use and
planning. This is not just an environmental justice issue.
We are working with a very large area, covering parts of three states about the size of West Virginia. It is
also a varied landscape. Navajo is divided into chapters. We've had a ten year drought. Lots of other
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tribal lands in the Colorado plateau are affected. To get information for land use planning and urban
development we did surfical mapping, looking for geological hazards and landscape changes in response
to land use and climate change. We are also looking at drought mitigation and issues affecting surface
erosion and vegetation.
Looking at spring environments, we saw that the springs that were most reliable are the ones in Navajo
oral history, the ones mentioned in lots of stories and songs. Comparing old maps with current
topographical ones we can see that in less than 20 years the channel location of the Little Colorado River
has moved more than a mile. We suspect that changes in streamflow dynamics cause the river to change.
Sediment accumulates and causes the channel to move. Streamflow may also be caused by the effect of
wind blowing sediment.
We are looking at the impact of roads and off-road vehicle use to determine changes in surface run-off
and ranch land management. Raising awareness is important; suppressing off-road vehicle use is one way
to address severe run-off events. Comparing old photographs from early in the 20th century to current sites
we can see changes as well - we see a lot of land surface change.
Impacts of climate change include monsoons coming later and later. High intensity rain events come in
September instead of rainstorms in July. Snowfall is decreasing, our overall data show. Snowfall is like
having water in the bank. For example, Denver relies on snowmelt to address their water needs. They
have no idea how they will meet the need for water if they cannot count on snowmelt in the spring.
Two-thirds of Navajo is covered with sand dunes. Dunes are very sensitive. Looking at changes in the
types of dunes and how active they are also shows some of the devastating impacts of climate change.
We are seeing increasingly mobile dunes - sand dunes with high mobility are unstable, vegetation free
and move with the prevailing winds. With long-term drought infiltration rates change. We need to
redefine how we think about drought and compare what is happening in different areas. Dune mobility
leads to destabilization of the land which affects land use. It also creates an environment friendly to
invasive species, such as solsisa which travels into the area hidden in hay and takes root in disturbed
areas. Changes in the sand also lead to changes in sediment availability. All of these factors are working
together to create some very inhospitable landscapes.
Questions and Answers
Comment ~ I was wondering, at Taholah tribe we've been doing some land use modeling. Have you
done anything on the cost of delay or cost of inaction? If you have some plan, can you run a model to
determine what the costs of delay are if you wait ten years, or twenty years? In this region our winter is
two months shorter, causing changes in water and salmon habitat. And it looks like we've already lost
1/3 of our infiltration in this region. But we believe that with different land use we can actually affect
wind. We think that the cost of delay is too high ~ the window of opportunity to deal with climate
change is just going to close. Also, I think its great working with students, but as we get into issues of
culture and tradition we need to be careful about the legal framework around knowledge.
A ~ Actually, I'm part of the tribal climate working group and this is one of the issues that we have
discussed at length. Tribes are going to have to be more open with one another; there have to be ways to
talk about these issues so that we don't give away the information, say the name of a specific plant, you
could just talk about medicinal plants, but we have to find a way to talk about it and share information at
this point. As for putting a dollar amount on the cost of delay, I don't think you can do that. I think the
situation is too far gone for that. I know that native people really care about their homes, they don't want
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to leave them and they are going to do everything they can to improve things and they need the
information to do that.
3 P.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce and Patti Tyler
Relationship Between In-Home Water Service and Acute Respiratory Infections Among
Alaska Natives
Troy Ritter, Senior Environmental Health Consultant, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Jeff Smith, Environmental Department, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Division of
Environmental Health and Engineering, Anchorage, AK
The primary question addressed by this research is whether sanitary facilities (water and sewer) connected
to homes have improved the health of Native Americans. There have been about 200 studies globally
related to this question since the mid-1950s. Partners in this study included the Denali Commission and
numerous other Native American health organizations.
There is still only basic water and sewer service in about 34 percent of Alaskan villages. Some areas are
too swampy to build in-home sanitary facilities. Portable toilets are placed in homes and children often
are in charge of dumping the containers at a waste site. The containers freeze in the winter, and waste
material is hauled away. Overall, only about two percent of homes in the U.S. do not have piped, running
water, and sanitary facilities.
For drinking water, many Alaska Natives have to catch rainwater in a container or break ice chunks out of
ponds in the winter. In towns, there is usually a central water supply where containers can be filled and
brought home. There are some new facilities being built in some parts of central Alaska.
A recent study compared disease rates statewide and regionally with the availability of in-home water and
sanitary services. Data on in-home service came from the Rural Alaska Housing Sanitation Inventory and
from personal interviews with residents. Disease data were collected from the Indian Health Service
hospital discharge records. CDC illness classifications and outbreak information for gastroenteritis,
pneumonia, influenza and other soft-tissue infections were also used.
In looking at hospitalization rates in both high and low water service regions in the state, the data showed
that for diarrhea cases there was no difference in disease incidence. But there was a large difference in
the incidence rate for pneumonia and respiratory infections, with more cases in areas without in-home
water and sanitary services, and a moderate difference in skin infections.
Analysis of data for children under age three living in the Yukon between 1999 and 2004 showed that low
service communities had pneumonia cases 11 times higher than the U.S. average. Respiratory infections
and pneumonia cases recorded were also very high. These diseases are a major cause of death worldwide.
For skin infections and hospitalizations, there was a higher disease rate with lower service in the home.
Among conclusions reached in the study regarding respiratory infections, it is clear that having ready
access to water encourages increased consumption of water for drinking, hand washing, and sanitation
purposes, thus limiting disease. Communities that have piped in water use 24 gallons/day/person versus
two gallons/day/person where there are no services. In-home practices are poor where there is no in-
home service. For example, all the people in the house will wash their hands all day long in one bowl of
water.
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Regarding diarrhea rates, study researchers looked at White and Bradley's 1972 classification system of
water-borne disease and disease caused by an inadequate quantity of water. Diarrhea is water-borne, and
it is contracted mainly from drinking contaminated water. Other data showed that where there are potable
water sources within 30 miles of a home in Alaska, Natives are already benefiting from this service in the
form of lower disease rates.
Next Steps
Continue to provide sanitation infrastructure to deliver convenient access to an adequate quantity
of water
Do more research on the variety of uses for water among Native Alaskans
Recognize respiratory infections as an indicator of sanitation conditions
Mobilize and utilize the assets of the environmental health program to assist with a respiratory
epidemic and to educate people about health
Improve the ability to collect comprehensive disease statistics
Do follow-up studies on the burden of disease and the cost to the health system and the family,
and
Use two randomly selected groups in an ideal experiment design.
Questions and Answers
Q - Are there concerns about indoor air quality, such as molds, for respiratory infections?
A - Housing is poor. Southeast Alaska has more rain and molds, but had the lowest disease burden.
There is permafrost there, so most houses are built on stilts. Molds can't easily migrate into homes.
Q - Is there a public education program?
A - An education program is just starting, and will stress hand washing.
Q - Is there education work being done with Tribes directly and their health providers or clinics?
A - Because the focus is statewide service, consultation is provided directly to health services, not
residents.
Comment - Local schools do educate children on hand washing.
Improved Water Quality and Community Health in the Border Indigenous Communities
of Baja, California
Hiram Sarabia, University of California at San Diego, Superfund Basic Research Program,
Research Translation Core, La Jolla, CA
Paula Stigler, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Tribal EPA Region 9, Pesticide Program, Pala, CA
There are indigenous communities in the northern Baja Peninsula of Mexico. There are also several
indigenous communities near the Baj a/California border, including the Kumiai and Cucapa peoples, and
the Paipai within 100 km. All are directly related to Tribes in the U.S. Some continue to inhabit ancestral
territory that was divided by the US-Mexican border.
In Mexico, indigenous people are not considered sovereign nations, but are recognized as a special needs
group. All tribal communities have their own government that may include both traditional and elected
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authorities. Most Tribes hold regular meetings (asambleas) to discuss issues and make decisions. There
are regional or Intertribal Councils at the state level, which have greatly increased native political power.
Environmental issues include a lack of infrastructure for drinking water sources. Most communities use
hand-dug wells or spring boxes. There are operation and maintenance concerns, and the water is of poor
quality and quantity. Non-point source pollution and source water protection are also major issues.
Regarding infrastructure with the old pump water system, typically a reservoir leads to a sand filter and a
solar pumping station which doesn't always work. Pipes may run through a cemetery because the
government didn't work with the local community, and pipes often leak, reducing water pressure. Hand-
dug wells are not covered, so contamination occurs, including with animals such as frogs and worms,
leading to a higher rate of gastrointestinal illness compared to the Mexican population overall. Some
wells are simply abandoned. Water storage and transportation are often not handled in the most sanitary
manner.
Regarding non-point source pollution, solid waste dumps are open to the environment, and streams are
contaminated by latrines where there are no septic systems. Without adequate infrastructure, wastewater
management is a major concern along with operation and maintenance of current systems.
From 1996-1998, in the initial assessment phase of the study, Mike Wilken and the Campo Tribe
conducted a wetlands restoration project in San Jose de la Zorra. They found the drinking water in some
indigenous communities to be contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria. Drinking water samples were
taken in four communities using the JA JAN Coalition-Laboratory Network, the EPA/Mexican standard,
indicator bacteria E. co///Total Coliform, the IDEXX System (Standard Method), and data reports were
generated.
For monitoring on April 16-17, 2005, using health risk levels established by the World Health
Organization (WHO) for drinking water contaminated with E. coll, high risk levels were found for the
Kiliwas Faustinos storage drum (54-hour hold time) and Kiliwas Reservoir (53-hour hold time).
Samples were taken in four border communities, San Antonio Necua (community 1), Santa Catarina
(community 2), San Jose de la Zorra (community 3) and La Huerta (community 4), from various sources
of water - spring/creek, well, reservoir/storage tank, transporting container, storage drum, house
container, and water tap in the front yard. The highest numbers of E. coll were found at the source, in
streams or springs and wells and in storage drums or containers. One community had a high level from a
tap source.
Next, an environmental health survey and sanitary survey was conducted in the same communities. An
initial survey was followed by another one every two weeks over four months. Survey instruments were
used by community promotoras. The survey was designed in collaboration with the community doctor,
health agencies, and education faculty. The main source of water for families in communities 2 and 4 was
a community fountain. For community 1 the source was a spring and for community 3 a well. The most
commonly used containers to collect water were buckets, 5-gallon jugs and gravity piping.
All stored their water in a bucket or a large drum. All containers were covered and placed onto furniture
off the ground. About one-third of respondents had disinfected the water in the past two weeks in
community 1. Between 80.9 and 93.2 percent had not disinfected water in the other three communities.
However, it was difficult to correlate incidence of disease (diarrhea, fever) with water quality.
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Site inspections and assessment of water systems were conducted next in seven indigenous communities
with $36,000 provided by EPA. The Pala Band of Mission Indians sponsored the project. U.S. and
Mexican nonprofit groups conducted the assessment (Aqualink, CUNA, JA JAN Coalition).
Recommendations for improvements to the water systems were ranked based on E. coll results. San Jose
de La Zorra (where there were many children), Kiliwas, and Neji received the highest rankings followed
by San Antonio Necua, Satan Catarina, and La Huerta. No risk was found in Cucapa where the Colorado
River water is filtered. But the community does not like the taste of the water. Improvements were
estimated at $619,599 for a total combined population of 1,233 individuals.
New water systems are being installed with about $900,000 from the Mexican government and with
supplemental money from EPA through the Pala Band. At San Jose de la Zorra, Mexico committed
$236,238 and the U.S. $33,000 to construct a new well, water storage tank and distribution system. At
San Antonio Necua, Mexico committed $235,509 to do the same work and the U.S. provided $33,000.
For maintenance and operation, $56,000 in Border 2012 funds were used. For community capacity
building, groundwater source protection training was provided along with operation and maintenance
training for new systems. The systems must be low-tech to make them cost-effective for communities.
Next Steps
Obtain pending funding from Pan American Health Organization
Show a causal association between improved access to potable water and
improved health among community members in Necua and San Jose de la Zorra
Design health surveys and drinking water quality samples to be administered once per month
Take two virus samples, and
Compare the results to previous study findings.
A community-based approach is recommended for local population buy-in to improve drinking water
practices and continual communication. Tribal needs-oriented projects are necessary along with Tribal
representation in design and administration. Projects must build in Tribal sustainability, and project
reports should be made directly to the community.
The study showed also that Tribal health concerns must be addressed on both sides of the border in a
community-based and multi-disciplinary approach. There is a lack of understanding of cross-border
Tribal relationships. These aren't just bi-national, but tri-national issues, and Tribal sovereignty must be
honored.
For more information or to make suggestions, contact Paula Stigler at pstiglerigipalatribe.com or Hiram
Sarabia at hsarabia@ucsd.edu.
Questions and Answers
Q - Did you consult with the communities to put in new facilities and for water usage?
A - The communities don't want chlorination or disinfection, so wells are drilled deeply enough that
there isn't contamination.
Q - How many Tribes north of the border are involved?
A - Two or three Tribes in the US and five to seven communities on the Mexican side.
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3 P.M.. TRAINING: RISK ASSESSMENT AND EPA/LIFELINE
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Resek
OPPTS Tribal Lifeline Project: Exposure and Risk Assessment Software for Tribal
Communities and Other Unique Subpopulations (continued)
Anne Marie Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Durham, NC
Christine F. Chaisson, The LifeLine Group, Annandale, VA
This Tribal risk assessment training session was focused on case studies presented by the tribes. The
training allowed for audience interaction, tailored for the tribes, and included tribal examples.
An estimated 25 participants attended the session. Although the knowledge base of the attendees varied
greatly, even those with less technical seemed interested and stayed for most or all of the session.
Comments from those attending the Tribal LifeLine Session expressed concerns about the need to return
to the communities and the need for acceptance from communities. Several attendees commented that
there is a need to use existing data or surveys from/of traditional foods, plants, etc. and one said, "I don't
want Alaska to be a target for studying. We have been studied long enough and that makes me angry."
Aspects of the course identified as particularly good or strong included the following:
Making the connection to tribal needs
Seeing examples of risk assessment being used, and
The session wasn't too technical ("not too much science").
Two concerns also were noted:
Potential use needs to be developed, particularly with regards to tribal codes and legislative
changes, and
Different regulatory interpretation (how risk assessment varies across EPA) is a concern.
When asked how they would make use of course information in their tribal communities, attendees said
they would make reference to methods that can be used to promote change and discuss use of this model
with risk assessment professionals.
3 P.M.. TRAINING: DATA MANAGEMENT FOR WATER MONITORING
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Reporting/Exercise
Eric Wilson, US EPA, Region 9, Office of Water, San Francisco, CA
The new reporting requirements under CWA Section 106 grants will help tribes to collect critical data and
information for effective management of their water quality programs as well gather consistent data for
EPA to use to determine trends in water quality across the nation. The new report that tribes are required
to submit will include: a description of the tribe's monitoring strategy, list of tribal waters, interpretation
of the data, and monitoring data results. EPA's assessment report requirements were covered in detail.
Recording monitoring data and reporting these data to EPA is important. It was emphasized that this does
not have to be complicated or a burden. A few protocols are required, for example, analyte names must
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match those used by EPA. Several free tools are available to assist, in particular the Tribal Template
developed by EPA Regions 5 and 8, and the WebSIM web based data migration program.
Evening Event
Reception Sponsored by Northwest Indian College
An Introduction to the College and Discussion
Facilitator:
Dan Burns
Located on the Lummi Indian Reservation in Washington State, 20 miles from the Canadian border,
Northwest Indian College (NWIC) is the only accredited tribal college in the states of Washington,
Oregon, and Idaho. NWIC grew from the Lummi Indian School of Aquaculture (founded in 1973), a
single-purpose institution developed to provide a supply of technicians for employment in Indian-owned-
and-operated fish and shellfish hatcheries throughout the United States and Canada. In 1983 the Lummi
Indian Business Council recognized the need for a more comprehensive postsecondary institution for
tribal members, and the school was chartered as Lummi Community College, an Indian-controlled,
comprehensive two-year college designed to serve the postsecondary educational needs of Indian people
living in the Pacific Northwest. In June of 1988, Lummi Community College was approved as a candidate
for accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWASC), and on January 20,
1989, in acknowledgement of its wider mandate, Lummi Community College became Northwest Indian
College.
The educational philosophy of Northwest Indian College is based upon the belief that the opportunity of
post-secondary education must be provided within the Native American community. Northwest Indian
College is committed to the belief that self-awareness is the foundation necessary to achieve confidence,
self-esteem, and a true sense of pride; to build a career; to create a self-sufficient life-style; and to
promote life-long learning. It is also committed to the belief that a self-awareness program must include a
study of Native American culture, values and history.
Northwest Indian College (NWIC) introduced the development of its Bachelors degree in environmental
science and sought input from those in attendance on program goals, structure, and content. There were
approximately 60 attendees, mainly Native environmental personnel from tribes and the federal
government and Native graduate students. NWIC will be applying for approval to implement the degree
program beginning September 2007. Below is a list of questions and comments that were discussed.
How will the program accommodate the fact that NWIC will have students from various Tribes
with diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions while at the same time existing on the Lummi
Nation? How would this effect the tribal communities of the students, would they want to return
to their homeland after graduation or would they not return, contributing to the "brain drain" of
the various Indian Nations?
What about Distance Learning to remote sites?
What about scholarships for students?
What are our local historic environments and how can the program serve them? The program
should be designed to learn about those environments that help to define the various cultures and
traditional ways.
The program should try to work with existing networks and Universities such as the Traditionally
Black Colleges and Universities for input. How have the HBCU's evolved?
The "Native World View" should be brought back and acknowledged.
The students need role models and natives to look up to. What about Native faculty?
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The program needs to incorporate culture, language, customs, etc. Keep regional identity and
incorporate what you have (Salmon etc.).
There needs to be a research/thesis component for science students with a cultural component for
benefit of Indian Nations.
A question-based curriculum would be good. Western and Native ways need to be used.
We need to prepare students to think holistically and think critically.
The program must be scientifically rigorous and defensible with a core foundation in "good"
science, while at the same time remaining true to the traditional ways and needs of the Indian
Nations. The inherent thinking that TCU's do not produce science of the same rigor and
defensibility as the main stream Universities and Colleges may be a challenge for accreditation
and funding.
The program should be well rounded, incorporating Environmental Studies and Justice, as well as
Federal Indian Law. The students will need the knowledge of the various laws, regulations and
agencies that work with Indian Nations on Environmental issues, as well as the skills to
effectively work with them (communication, reading, writing, research skills, etc.).
The program must also build relationships with various organizations and agencies to offer good
networking and internship opportunities to the students. This is also essential to show the students
the type of jobs that are available for them after graduation.
For more information on the program and to provide input contact Dan Burns (dburns@nwic.edu) or Ted
Williams (twilliams@nwic.edu).
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
8 A.M., AIR
Facilitators:
David LaRoche and Michele Dineyazhe
Where Does the Dust Come From? An Analysis of Days with the Highest Particulate
Concentrations on the Bishop Paiute Reservation, 2003-2006
Toni Richards, Environmental Management Office, Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bishop, CA
The Bishop Paiute Tribe is located on the California/Nevada Border in the deepest valley at 4,000 feet
between the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains. It is about 200 miles south of Reno, Nevada, 270 miles
east of Las Vegas and 300 miles north of Los Angeles. The Reservation is just 60 miles north of the
Owens Dry Lake in California, the largest source of PM-10 in the nation. Thousands of tons of dust are
released into the atmosphere each year.
Wind and soil disturbance causes dust. The Owens Dry Lake was once a lake with water in it, but it was
drained in the early 20th Century when an aqueduct was build to transport water to the City of Los
Angeles. When the alkali soils on the lakebed are exposed to moisture, the surface is very susceptible to
wind erosion. Winds pick up sand, which in turn stirs up smaller particles, creating airborne dust.
The Tribe is trying to determine whether dust episodes on the Dry Lake affect the Bishop Paiute
Reservation and whether conditions have changed since the implementation of controls. High dust days
are measured by PM-10. The study started with days having at least one hour over 100 micrograms/m3,
but there were too many such days to define the study.
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Then days were selected to analyze for at least one hour over 200 micrograms/m3. All days that exceed
the CA and Bishop Tribal 24-hour standard, 50 micrograms/m3, have at least one hour over 200
micrograms/m3. Other significant dust episodes have hourly concentrations in this range. There were 35
days with at least one hour with a concentration over 200 micrograms/m3. The data are spread between
2003 and 2006 with 10 days in 2003, 14 days in 2004, 10 days in 2005, and 3 days in 2006 (one-half year
recorded).
October 2004 had the highest PM concentration days. The maximum hourly concentration was 1,200
micrograms/m3 with typical wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph from the southeast, mostly involving
frontal passage episodes. The data are compared to the PM-10 data standard and come from several
sampling sites, including air quality programs of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Lone Pine Paiute Shoshone
Reservation, and the Ft. Independence Reservation. The most critical site was the Great Basin Unified
Air Pollution Control District, which handles mitigation efforts on the Dry Lake.
Analysis methods from 2003 forward included graphs, maps of activity on the Dry Lake, and modeling of
back-trajectories with HYSPLIT. From 2005 forward pollution wind roses were created and visibility
information was collected via photos of a fixed location. An episode is composed of a multi-day event.
The analysis was completed for every day with at least one hour with a concentration over 200
micrograms/m3.
Over a five-day episode, April 9-13, 2003, a series of wind peaks was recorded from the southeast with
evidence of a frontal passage. There were high concentrations at Lone Pine Reservation on all days and
activity on the Dry Lake only two days. FIYSPLIT was of limited value for these readings. Researchers
expected the Lone Pine site to get higher concentrations than the Bishop Paiute site if the dust was
coming from the Dry Lake, but this didn't happen. Over a five-day episode, March 29-April 2, 2004, a
reversal was experienced with winds from the southwest hitting Bishop before Lone Pine. There appears
to be a Dry Lake rerun when the wind changes. FIYSPLIT performs well with reversals.
On October 14-15, 2005, wind and pollution roses and the back-trajectory showed that wind was from the
southeast and then from the north. The local wind changes just before highest concentrations are
recorded. At Dry Lake, the highest concentrations were at the south end of the Lake. Data showed that
wind direction varied with an interesting reversal.
There was good agreement of wind gust information with pollution/wind rose and no high concentrations
from Lone Pine. Visibility information is strongly affected by weather (water vapor), but is useful for
identifying storms. HYSPLIT is in general agreement with other wind information. Activity on Dry
Lake and around the Lake and high concentrations at Ft. Independence were noted for one day only.
Generally, it is a problem to understand the data due to the variety of episodes, especially when there is
no activity on Dry Lake and high concentrations are recorded at the target sites. More research is needed
on other potential source locations. However, the high PM-10 days can be separated into those where the
Dry Lake probably had an impact and those where it probably did not.
Forty-nine percent of high dust days also have high activity on the Dry Lake. Forty-six percent of high
dust days are also high dust days for the Lone Pine Reservation. Thirty-three percent of high dust days
are also high dust days for the Ft. Independence Reservation. Nearly half the time there is evidence of
activity on the Dry Lake when the Bishop Reservation has high PM-10 concentrations.
Have there been changes overtime? Mitigation has proceeded with state implementation beginning in
1998 over about 40 square miles by 2003. Another 30 miles was mitigated since 2003, and 30 acres have
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shallow flooding or managed vegetation (salt grass) to limit dust. However, the weather has not been
consistent over time.
Conclusions are that Dry Lake affects the Bishop Paiute Reservation but also other sources may be
affecting the site. Construction confounded sites where mitigation might have been working. There is
not enough data for firm conclusions about trends. There is also too much variability in the weather to
draw firm conclusions. Even in drier years there was not always more dust because at least some
moisture is needed to fluff the soil and allow it to be picked up by the wind.
Litigation over violation of the standards will be on-going to seek additional controls. There may be a
policy shift to eliminate the federal PM-10 standard for rural areas. However, the CA standard would still
apply (50 micrograms/m3). The Bishop Paiute Tribe has adopted its own PM standards, the same as the
CA standard. There is little enforcement action.
For more information, contact Toni Richards at trichards(gibishoptribeemo.com or
www.bishoptribeemo.com.
Questions and Answers
Q - Are there any correlations with health effects on high PM days?
A - Only anecdotal evidence. People at Lone Pine complain of respiratory problems. We would like to
correlate local health clinic emissions with high dust days.
Q - What is the composition of the dust?
A - The dust is high in cadmium and selenium, but not tungsten. There is erosion of the Sierra Nevada
and White Mountains in the valley, too. For 25 years the District has tried to identify chemical
composition but there is no defined chemical signature.
Q - Is mitigation with grass the only method tried?
A - Shallow flooding is used along with salt grass. Gravel, water, and plants are recommended.
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma's Method of Focusing Title V Permit Reviews Using
Backward-Trajectory Modeling and HYSPLIT
April Crouch, Environmental Department, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Seneca, MO
In 2005, the Tribe had an enrollment of 2,362 members. The Eastern Shawnee Treaty ceded 22 square
miles of land in the northeast corner of Oklahoma to the Tribe. There are other Tribal bands in the north
and central parts of the state. Buffalo are raised on the Shawnee Band's land. The Quapaws Band in
northeastern Oklahoma has the worst pollution problems and has Superfund grants to do testing.
Tribal air quality improvement efforts consist of several ongoing initiatives: a smoke-free homes
program, assessments of homes and daycare centers for hazards to children, a program to discourage trash
burning to limit dioxin release from plastics, and a program on how to burn wood fires more efficiently to
limit particulate matter pollution, as well as performing the backward-trajectory modeling of ozone to
focus Title V permit reviews.
The backward-trajectory modeling program is used to determine where contaminated air is originating.
Ozone concentration data is obtained from the Quapaws air monitor located about 5.5 miles northwest of
the Reservation. Trajectories represent the flow path of a parcel of air over time. Six trajectories are
monitored per day, starting at peak ozone hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., especially between March and
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November. Twenty percent of the worst days for ozone are used to focus permit reviews. HYSPLIT is
used to examine the step by step procedure.
Crouch summarized the backward-trajectory procedure. Initially, eight-hour averages are downloaded
from Air Explorer and information from HYSPLIT is downloaded. The 20 percent worst days are
determined by sorting the file by descending concentration. The first 52 days were found to be the worst.
Then the range of average flux, humidity, and ambient temperature is found for the 20 percent worst days.
Any days for which the values fall outside of this range are eliminated.
The 20 percent worst days are plotted using a modified Excel file to create a GIS shape file. The 20
percent best days are determined by sorting ascending concentrations, which are then plotted on the GIS.
Conclusions are drawn, and the areas from which trajectories originate on high concentration days will
focus the permit review.
In 2001 the 5 percent best ozone days were when winds originated from the north, toward Kansas and
Missouri, and had a higher wind speed than on other days. The worst five percent ozone days come from
the south and Arkansas, and Dallas, Texas, during which the air moved slower. Patterns were similar for
2002 - 2005. The data show that permits from operations in areas north of the Tribal lands are not a
concern, but those from the south need more intense focus.
The Tribe's environmental department was established in 1997, and it provides a number of services:
Drinking water testing
Groundwater monitoring
Recycling
Radon testing in homes/daycare centers
Environmental assessments of homes
Food service inspections
Land management, and
Leased properties management.
Grants received for 2005-2006 include funding for the following programs: Section 106, watershed
compliance, Section 103 air compliance, wetlands, pesticides, groundwater monitoring, radon testing,
GAP, a HUD grant, and self-governance. For radon testing, a staff member places a radon canister at
breathing level in an individual's home or a daycare center for seven days in the rooms most occupied
(not kitchens or bathrooms). If test results are above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/1), then a second test is
done and both are averaged. Long-term testing and mitigation may be needed.
For a pesticide project, groundwater well samples are taken at Tribal members' homes. Analysis is done
for nitrogen, phosphorus, and pesticides from agricultural runoff. If high levels are detected, an activated
charcoal filter is installed in the home water system. In another program, the Lost Creek Bridge was
replaced because the original, low bridge did not allow fish to swim through the channel.
An EPA 106 watershed grant has been used to monitor water quality monthly in three streams. Samples
are analyzed in the Eastern Shawnee environmental department lab for flow, nutrients, dissolved oxygen,
turbidity, pH, conductivity, and E. coll. Tests are run during the recreation season, and swimming
advisories are posted when levels are high. The highest E. coll rates have been found in Lost Creek
where cattle swim and drink. There is also discharge from a lagoon-style waste treatment plant in the
watershed.
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In Ottawa County, Oklahoma, lead and zinc mines were operated until the 1970s. Around 48 million tons
of mining waste was left above ground (chat piles), resulting in the Tar Creek Superfund site. In 1979,
blood-red acid drainage ran from the site whenever a rain event occurred. One spot burned the hair on
horses' legs it was so acidic.
The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1983, and in 1996 EPA spent more than $100 million
cleaning up lead-polluted yards where children played and had high lead blood levels. The state bought
out 52 families with children less than six years of age to move them from the contaminated area. EPA is
attempting to buy out the remaining 1,600 residents due to the subsidence risk from underground mining
that occurred in the area. Schools and utilities will be shut down in one year. Cardon, OK will be a ghost
town. For more information on this project, visit http://www.leadagency.org.
Questions and Answers
Q - How are you doing radon mitigation where people still live?
A - The older homes where people live have been tested, and they don't have radon.
Q - What is the source of drinking water?
A - Drinking water wells are 5.5 miles away and are located on a different aquifer than the one near the
contaminated site. The aquifer has been tested for pesticides and heavy metals with no contamination
found.
Comment - For the children who have lead concentrated in the fat of their abdominal cavity, perhaps the
levels could be documented and compared to levels years later. Third world countries have heavy metal
concentrations showing up in people.
Q - Why is the runoff red?
A - The color can occur from lead, arsenic and zinc.
Comment - Usually when there is lead present, arsenic is also occurring.
A - In fish tissue samples last year, arsenic was found to be very high. The sample will be retested this
year using a different method.
Q - Have you tested whether the mine tailings on the surface chat pile (5.5 miles from the environmental
department office) result in lead deposition near the office? Soils would need to be tested.
A - We could team up with the Quapaws Band to do this testing. There are grants for testing at the
Superfund site.
Q - Can remediation be done along the streams using plants that take up toxic materials? Animals and
cattle could eat the plants and get high levels of toxic chemicals.
A - Cattails are being planted along Tar Creek which take up lead and arsenic. Cedars might work.
8 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Troy Pierce and Marshall Cheung
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The Utility of Indices of Biological Integrity for Depressional Wetlands in Central
Oklahoma
Dena Hartzell, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
Joseph R. Bidwell, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
Craig A. Davis, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Office of Environmental Services, Perkins, OK
The recognition of the values and functions of wetlands has led to an increased interest in determining the
condition of the remaining wetland habitat. In Oklahoma, approximately 66 percent of wetlands that
originally existed in the state have been lost; due mainly to agricultural practices and urbanization, but
little research has been completed on these systems.
The index of biological integrity (IBI), used to determine wetland condition, is becoming a well-
established assessment method in other parts of the United States. The IBI was first developed for fish in
streams. Over the past 20 years, it has been used to assess wetlands in Ohio and Minnesota. Most
researchers use macroinvertebrate and plant assemblages to determine IBI.
The Zoology Department at Oklahoma State University in cooperation with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
evaluated the ability of metrics from previously developed IBIs to determine the condition of depressional
wetlands in central Oklahoma. Objectives were to determine similarity between created wetlands and
natural wetlands and to evaluate the response of metrics from previously developed IBIs to disturbance in
Oklahoma wetlands. This project also compared old farm ponds that had wetland vegetation to natural
wetlands. Between September 2003 and luly 2005, the plant, macroinvertebrate, and bird assemblages of
wetlands were surveyed.
Wetland selection consisted of
18 palustrine, emergent wetlands
12 natural wetlands, and
6 created wetlands.
Wetland disturbance score was determined by the following factors:
Rating from 0 to 30
Buffer zone
o Width (>50m, <10m)
o Surrounding land use
Vegetation within wetland
o Mowed
o Livestock activity
Hydrology
o Levees/dams
o Installed outlet/drainage structure
Abiotic factors were also included. Water depth was measured. Quanta Hydrolab provided temperature,
pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity and specific conductivity measurements. A Hach Test Kit was
used for total phosphate and nitrate readings and standard methods were used to determine alkalinity and
hardness.
Vegetation assemblage was assessed in fall 2003, summer 2004, and summer 2005, including a cover
map with one transect with at least four quadrants in each habitat type percent coverage, identified to
lowest taxon. Macroinvertebrate assemblage was assessed through seasonal sampling between October
2003 and My 2005. Two samples were taken from each habitat type with at least four samples per
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wetland using a d-frame dip net and identified to the lowest taxon. Avian assemblage was also assessed
through seasonal sampling between October 2003 and July 2005 using a 10 minute point count and
playback tape with no precipitation and <25km/hr wind. These tests were done three times per season at
three week intervals.
Overall, the avian assemblage (13 out of 14) and the macroinvertebrate assemblage (13 out of 16) had the
most metrics exhibiting a significant relationship with disturbance scores, while for the vegetation
assemblage, only 7 out of 12 metrics had a significant linear relationship with disturbance. The number
and type of metrics that had a significant relationship with disturbance varied seasonally and with wetland
size. The IBI is a potential wetland assessment method for Oklahoma, but metrics pertaining to Oklahoma
fauna need to be developed.
Natural and created wetlands appear to have assemblages with similar characteristics because only 6 out
of the 43 metrics across the three assemblages were significantly different between wetland types.
Jaccard's similarity index of species present between wetland types was 38 percent for plants, 56 percent
for macroinvertebrates, and 65 percent for birds. Based on comparison of the individual metrics, it
appears that multi-metric assessment methods can be used to determine the condition of created wetlands.
Some things were discovered that should be considered because of our water. The impact of cattle needs
to be considered more closely as their presence has been shown to increase species diversity but this study
did not capture that impact. Caution should be used when using both natural and created systems in
assessments. Caution should be used when determining which assessment method to use for determining
created wetland health. Caution should also be used when using created wetlands in assessment methods.
IBI showed a promising level 3 assessment method for Oklahoma. It should be noted that birds and
macroinvertebrates provided more information than plants.
Questions and Answers
Q - Were all the assemblages on small and large wetlands combined in the comparison of natural versus
created wetlands?
A - For metric response they were separated but for the comparison of natural and created they were
combined. Most of the large wetlands were created. There were twice as many natural wetlands that
were mostly small.
Q - How did you standardize d-net sampling?
A - We tried to standardize by dipping the net to the same depth and by keeping it to a minute.
Q - Did you use HGM?
A - They are working on that now.
Q - Were the created wetlands all old farm ponds?
A - We had one created to be a wetland. All the others were abandoned farm ponds. There are a lot in
Oklahoma.
Q - What is the tribe going to do with this data?
A - The school is supposed to give the data to the Tribal water program but we didn't get all the IBI on
Iowa land. There were only 4 wetlands on the reservation so we were discouraged from going forward.
We're waiting on the state.
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From Greens to Blue-Greens: An Investigation of Algal Blooms in the Penobscot River
Daniel Kusnierz, Department of Natural Resources, Penobscot Indian Nation, Indian Island, ME
For more than 12 years, the Penobscot River has experienced regularly occurring episodic algal blooms
during the summer months and seen the community composition shift from green algae to Cyanobacteria.
The most recent and serious bloom contained both Anabaena and Microcystis, producing no anatoxin-a
and low levels of microcystin in samples collected. This bloom reached all the way to the ocean from its
beginning 75 miles upriver.
The presence of this bloom prompted the Penobscot Nation Water Resources Program
(http://www.penobscotnation.org/DNRAVater/wrhome.html') to issue an advisory to tribal members using
the river. Will the presence of algal reproductive structures in the sediments forever change the
composition of future blooms? The Penobscot Nation is working with the U.S. Geological Survey,
Bigelow Laboratories, Maine DEP, and others to answer this and related questions. This presentation
reviewed the research being carried out by the tribe's water resources program to describe the extent of
the bloom problem and to determine the factors causing the bloom, and posed questions about what will
happen in the future. Daniel Kusnierz has been the Program Manager since 1993. His description of the
Tribe's response to concerns over the algae blooms follows:
The Penobscot Reservation is pretty unique. Basically it consists of the Penobscot River. In a settlement
in 1980 the tribe gave up its claim to approximately two-thirds of the land in the State of Maine and
retained the river and all of its islands from shore to shore. The main location where tribal members live
is Indian Island. The tribe also has trust land throughout the state.
We have multiple paper mills and municipal waste all over the state and everything gets dumped in the
river, so it is a big concern for the reservation. In the mid-1990s we were doing baseline monitoring and
noticed that the river was getting cloudy. We didn't know if this was caused by algae or just a result of
rain upstream. We started looking, driving around and made note of where the river was cloudy and
where it was clear. We began to suspect it might be an algae bloom, and if it was, we wanted to know
where it was coming from.
We determined that there were blooms and they were originating in the lower West Branch and Dolby
Pond but species composition was diverse and there were no toxin producers found at that time. The West
Branch of the river is a highly dammed section. We set up sampling locations throughout this area. We
were also interested in looking at Dolby Pond. Dolby Pond is impounded. We put together a grant
proposal with EPA to study this intensively and were able to combine it with a waste load study that the
state was doing. So, we were able to do a lot of samples, but the bloom didn't return. In 1997 there were
readings to give some concern. And we were able to narrow down the fact that algae blooms were first
occurring in Dolby Pond.
In Maine phosphorus really is a limiting factor for where you are going to have algae blooms. In 1997
there were some volume limits on phosphorus so that may have affected the results we got. Then in 2001
the problem was really worse; major increases in phosphorus affected blooms. At that point the Maine
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) came in and said that they were going to put new limits
on phosphorus. We could see the blooms seemed to be linked to changes in activity at the mills and were
affected by phosphorus levels.
Then in 2004 we had the worst bloom ever and it was now dominated by cyanobacteria:
Anabaena macrospora
Anabaena spiroides
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Microcystis aeruginosa and
Microcystis flos-aquae
All known toxin producers of anatoxin-a and microcystin
Only some cyanobacteria contain hepatotoxins or neurotoxins. All of them contain lipopolysaccharides
(LPS) in their cell wall, which may be the cause of irritations of the skin, digestive tract, respiratory
membranes, eyes, and ears. The implications of the present state of knowledge for surveillance and
management are that any mass development of cyanobacteria may be a potential health hazard.
If the cyanobacterial cells contain hepatotoxic microcystins, cause for concern may be higher because of
the chronic effects of this potent toxin. Although Anabaena was clearly the dominant species (90% of
biomass in sample), they were not producing detectable levels of anatoxin-a (neurotoxin). Microcystis
was present in low levels (10% of biomass in sample), but they were producing detectable levels of
microcystin (hepatotoxin) at 0.20|o,g/L. Guidelines for managing risks in recreational water are 10 ug/L
total microcystins or 50,000 cells/mL for children and 44 ug/L total microcystins or 220,000 cells/mL for
adults. (See www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/eh38.htm for guidelines.)
What does this mean for ingestion risk? Microcystin levels were below WHO levels for finished drinking
water (1.0 ug/L). What does this mean for contact risk? At 20 ug/L microcystin in the top 4 meters of
surface waters we had a moderate risk situation. What this all really means is that whenever you have an
algae bloom, especially in the Northeast, you should be concerned. Depending on the levels of toxins
present, adverse health outcomes range from skin irritations and gastro-intestinal illness to long-term
illness or even death. The impact on pets is also important to remember.
Dolby Pond is like a lake with a river running across the bottom of it and you could see the algae flow.
By mid Aug 2004 the bloom extended down the coast to Lincolnville - over 75 miles downriver. We
recommended that people and their pets and livestock avoid the large areas of green algae. These blooms
actually reached all the way down the river into the Penobscot Bay.
The blooms seemed less visually intense below dams but had higher levels of microcystin. We have to
wonder, are dams potentially breaking up algae filaments and increasing growth? The blooms are
constantly moving around, so it would help if we could find some method for continuous monitoring.
The discharger(s) have decreased phosphorus and Maine DEP is proposing to develop phosphorus
criteria. If we could remove phosphorus, would it make a difference, would it affect the underlying
condition, or would just a small change in phosphorus in the future cause problems? But the biggest
questions are.. .have we seen a permanent species shift? And will other factors contribute to or trigger a
bloom, such as weather or nitrogen to phosphorus ratio. Tribal members cannot carry out sustenance
fishing due to toxics including dioxins, PCBs, and mercury. These blooms further impair the Tribe's
ability to carry out cultural and traditional practices including sweat lodges, canoeing, gathering plants for
food and medicine, and swimming.
Next Steps
Additional work needs to be done and data gaps filled in the following areas:
Define what constitutes a bloom
Determine onset and severity of blooms (especially relative to other years) possibly using data
sondes
Determine factors affecting blue-green algae blooms
Determine taxonomy and community composition
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Do P sampling
Determine role of dams as "cookers," and
Investigate the impact of tailrace or turbines on bloom dynamics.
Questions and Answers
Q - What are the effects on the ecological receptors?
A - That's a great question but we don't know. We presented some of this and talked to a lot of people
who are experts on blue-green algae who wanted to know that too. Has anybody heard about the effect on
wildlife?
Comment ~ I've seen two-headed frogs in Minnesota and heard it was related to some chemical
contamination.
Q -We're trying to establish wild rice in our wetlands and a lot of people came back from working in the
water with rashes; could that be related?
A - Could be, algae is one of the things that could cause it.
Q - We don't have resources to test for toxins. Do you know where we could get help with that?
A - We can get some names for you. University of New Hampshire is doing a lot of work on cyano
bacteria and blue-greens and suggested we need to focus on the fact that if you have them, you have a
problem; it's not just a problem if you have a high concentration of toxins.
Comment -1 would recommend that you just decide what levels and species composition matter to you -
come up with something specific to require of dischargers. I think you should get rid of the word bloom.
A -1 think that sounds good. I'd like to get away from the concentrations also, but the Department of
Environmental Protection needs something specific.
Q -1 have a question about the increase in phosphorus. Did the dischargers up production or change
treatment practices when you saw levels change?
A - We were told a lot of different things. We were told they weren't adding phosphoric acid to the
system but as time went by it seemed clear that they were. It seemed as if, when the plant that was shut
down for awhile came back online, there was no communication between the paper maker and the
treatment plant.
8 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF SCIENCE GRANTS AND TIPS FOR
SUCCESSFUL TRIBAL PROPOSALS (INCLUDES PART)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek and Christine Berini
Introduction to GPRA/Measures/PART
Elizabeth Resek, US EPA, Office of Prevention and Toxic Substances, Office of Science
Coordination and Policy, Washington, DC
Grant Writing Overview: What to Look For in an RFA; How to Partner With Academics
and Other Institutions
Kathy Hill, J.D., LL.M. and Joseph Dupris, Ph.D., J.D., Quail Plume Enterprises
The Grants Overview Session consisted of the following presentation topics:
Introduction to GPRA, Measures, and PART
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Grants Overview (a "cookbook" approach to grant writing (using a successful grant application
as a teaching instrument); how to partner with academics and other institutions; tips)
EPA Regional Overview (grant work plans and accountability; available resources and how to
access them; a student exercise based on a successful grant application (same grant used as a
teaching instrument by other presenters)
Tribal Success Story: Navajo Nation National Science Foundation Grant
Links and publications to the American Indian Environmental Office website:
http: //www .epa. gov/indian/
http://www.epa.gov/indian/tgrant.htm
http://www.epa.gov/indian/overcat.htm
Region 10 website for grants information:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/rlO/tribal.NSF
httD://vosemite.epa.gov/R10/TRIBAL.NSF/webpage/Tribal+Grants
Region 10 Environmental Results Information:
http://vosemite.epa.gov/R10/ECOCOMM.NSF/webpage/measuring+environmental+results
Profile of Tribal Governmental Operations - Appendix F
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/publications/assistance/sectors/notebooks/tribal.html
EPA Grants Office: EPA Rules, Regulations, Policies, etc.
http: //www .epa. gov/ogd/
EPA Strategic Plan
http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/plan/plan.htm
Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/assistance.htm
EPA Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements
http: //www .epa. gov/ogd/grants/competition .htm
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/part.htm
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/planning/gpra.htm
National Center for Environmental Research
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/
Grants.gov (Find, Apply & Succeed)
Overall, the comments received from those attending the trainings were positive. While the student
exercise "scared away" as many as 10 individuals (session attendees literally left the room), those that
remained participated fully, were very energetic, and seemed to really enjoy the class exercise. From the
session organizers' viewpoints, the student exercise was helpful to the participants - we would
recommend something similar in other training sessions where appropriate.
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Comments included the following:
Strong aspects of the course: step by step process (logical/easy to follow), group exercise, "first
person" experience, and knowledge of presenters.
Aspects that did not work as well: course was too short; needed more indirect cost information,
pace was too fast and there was too much information.
8 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
This is atribally focused water standards course. Water quality standards are the cornerstone of state,
territory, and tribal water quality standards management programs. This course introduced all aspects of
the water quality standards program, including the interpretation and application of water quality
standards regulation, policies and program guidance, the development of water quality criteria (human
health, aquatic life, nutrient, and biological), and other facets of the water program. Highlights included
topics ordinarily covered by EPA's Office of Water "5-Day Water Quality Standards Academy."
Treatment as a State
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Dan Mosely, Environmental Department, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Nixon, NV
Tracey Ledder, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Odanah, WI
Nancy Schuldt opened the first morning session with an introduction on Treatment as a State, or TAS,
and the appropriate citations from the Clean Water Act that define the application process and the
eligibility requirements for a federally recognized tribe to assume water quality authority for waters of the
reservation. This introductory presentation was an edited version of the introduction usually provided at a
tribal water quality standards academy. At a previous tribal WQS academy held in Poison, MT (Sept.
2005), this particular aspect of a tribal water quality standards program elicited many questions and much
discussion about what constitutes a complete application, the timeliness of EPA review and decision-
making, and local/regional political opposition from states.
Dan Mosely, representing the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, then presented a case study of his tribe's
experience in applying for TAS, first for § 106 program authority (awarded in 1990), then for the authority
to promulgate tribal water quality standards. Dan explained other aspects of the PLPT water quality
program history, specifically their relationship with the University of California-Davis in developing their
water quality standards. Their approach included significant limnological monitoring and research, field
and lab experiments, and modeling, and relied heavily upon biological data to yield critical information
for developing standards and making management decisions. The results of these early studies have been
published as technical reports, and also in peer reviewed scientific journals.
The PLPT application for TAS to develop water quality standards was originally submitted in 1994, but
approval was held until a regional stakeholder agreement, the "Truckee River Water Quality Settlement
Agreement", was completed. An updated TAS application was submitted in 2004, but as of yet, has not
been approved by EPA Region 9.
Tracey Ledder, of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, gave a case study on the Bad River
Band's decision to move forward with a tribal water quality standards program, and their approach to this
objective. Protecting the Band's water resources is a clearly stated goal in the tribe's IRMP, and they
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have been monitoring water quality across the Reservation since the late 1990's, including some
cooperative monitoring with a local non-profit watershed organization.
Back in 2000, the Bad River Band requested that EPA, during its efforts to promulgate 'core' water
quality standards for Indian country (the vast majority of tribes without their own approved WQS),
develop 'tailored' standards for Bad River. This option was offered to tribes in Region 5, and those
tailored WQS are still on the books for Bad River; as they continue to move towards a full tribal program,
the standards will be revisited.
Bad River has drafted several iterations of their TAS application for WQS program authority, from 1996
through 2006, because of changing legal staff. EPA reviewed two versions in 2005, and a final
application was submitted in March 2006; deemed complete in August 2006. The public comment period
was still open at the time of this Forum, and Bad River staff visited with local town boards and other
cooperators as a courtesy "heads-up" to those organizations, and to answer their questions.
Use Classification System and Beneficial Uses
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Robert Gomez, Environmental Director, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
Nancy Schuldt gave an introduction to the topic of beneficial uses and developing a use classification
system, an edited presentation from a tribal water quality standards academy. In summary, designated
uses:
Are water quality goals
Are established by authorized Tribes
Are protective of existing uses, at a minimum
Must be consistent with the CWA
May include subcategories of uses
May differ among segments of a waterbody
May not include waste transport or assimilation, and
May be removed under certain circumstances.
Robert Gomez, Director of theTaos Pueblo Environmental Office, presented a case study on their
development of designated uses, "Incorporating Traditional Knowledge into Tribal WQS: Setting
Designated Uses Consistent with Cultural Considerations". He spoke about consultation with the tribal
elders, who had provided testimony to Congress: "In all of its programs the Forest Service proclaims the
supremacy of man over nature; we find this viewpoint contradictory to the realities of the natural world
and to the nature of conservation... The idea that man must subdue nature and bend its processes to his
purposes is repugnant to our people."
He explained that in the early phase of the Taos Pueblo WQS development, the tribe asked about the
goals for each watershed. Traditional tribal knowledge was incorporated into monitoring design, e.g.,
known river use sites, drinking water, herbs collected there, etc. Traditional knowledge was used to
establish Designated Uses in WQS as well. Impairments and likely sources were identified, as well as
Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters.
In 1990, Taos Pueblo and the rest of the 8 Northern Pueblos of New Mexico submitted applications for
Treatment as a State pursuant to 1987 Reauthorization of the Clean Water Act §518. Shortly thereafter,
the Pueblo of Isleta's WQS were approved by EPA. The 8 Northern Pueblos consortia developed a set of
generic WQS based on the New Mexico WQS; Taos opted out and choose to develop a set of standards
specific to its lands and Existing and Designated Uses.
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10 A.M., PANEL AND DIALOGUE SESSION
Facilitator:
Dan Burns, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math Program, Bellingham, WA
How Can Tribal Colleges and Tribal Government Environmental Programs Work
Together for the Benefit of their Communities?
Charlotte Clausing, Northwest Indian College, Division of Science and Mathematics,
Bellingham, WA
Dawn Thomas, Salish Kootenai College, Native Plant Nursery, Pablo, MT
Bill Swaney, Salish Kootenai College, Department of Environmental Science, Pablo, MT
Gary Halverson, Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND
Richard Janssen, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Environmental Division, Pablo, MT
Dan Burns opened the session, making introductions of the panelists and inviting the audience to take an
active role in the conversation. He asked that everyone consider two important questions while listening
to the panelists in regards to how Tribal Colleges might develop in the future:
Is there value to collaborations? And how do we get that started?
Gary Halverson
Gary Halverson is a professor at Sitting Bull College. He began his presentation by sharing some of his
personal story and continued from there to describe some of the challenges and possibilities he expects to
encounter in the future.
When I started at Sitting Bull College, I was planning to teach agriculture. But no one signed up.
I ended up teaching a lot of math and chemistry and physics.
I love my job. I feel that I have a love of the land and a reverence for it that fits very nicely with my
Lakota neighbors. I've been working on a project, and we now have a thriving herd of Bison. I did the
same thing with an equine program. Lakota people have been known for their horsemanship and that had
kind of died out because a lot of students don't have access to horses, but working with the community
we've been able to put together a program that everybody can support. Getting the community involved
is difficult but it pays off in the end because everybody is willing to support the program.
More recently I've been working on setting up an analytical chemistry lab. I've been told that at Standing
Rock about $200,000 worth of monitoring samples are sent out annually to be analyzed. Why not set it
up so that we can keep that money here? Train technicians to do the work, get the lab. So, we've got the
lab set up and we're working on making it happen.
When I was asked to speak about how we relate to the tribe I thought we didn't, but recently we've had
reason to do a lot of that. There are a lot of things that we couldn't help with - for example rabies testing
on animals - but wanted to make a focused effort at Standing Rock with this lab and when I talked with
the Tribe they encouraged me to expand it, look for other entities to do testing for. I'm hoping we can
show that we can do a good job on these analyses.
Initially it is going to just be a student lab for students taking analytical chemistry and then it will be a
research lab for them to do their research projects. They will be able to do their work on site and that will
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be a benefit for them. In the future, I'd like to provide services for Standing Rock and then offer analytic
services to others.
Charlotte Clausing
Ms. Clausing has worked at the Northwest Indian College as a Water Quality Field and Lab Technician
II, Freshwater and Marine Re-circulation Aquaculture Systems and as a Salmon Hatchery Technician for
the Lummi Tribal Fisheries. Her remarks described a recent project.
Our biggest project for partnership and success has been monitoring fecal coliform. EPA, the Department
of Health, dairy farms, and the college handled management of the project.
We've progressed and we're doing quite a lot of sampling. I collect on one side of the area and my
colleague collects on the other side. Within 24 hours our samples are analyzed and posted on the college
website www.nwic.edu .
It's taken a lot of partnerships to make this work. Every semester I have new students. I adjust my
sampling routes to their schedules. The college had an MOU to work with the Lummi Tribe; I was
working on another project that stalled and so I started working with the hatchery group. We put on many
hats. We work with everybody and when we get these people together the partnership works a lot better.
I was called on to help out with a 2nd grade school project. I bring along Coho eggs at the eye stage and
manage the aquarium and then in May we release the salmon into the stream as part of the Lummi salmon
reclamation project. This summer we've been working on setting up a new lab, getting involved in a lot
more projects. Future research topics will include fecal coliform life cycles, surveying streams for
location of Pacific Northwest freshwater mussel populations, and more.
Bill Swaney
William Swaney is director of the Environmental Science Department at Salish Kootenai College. He
worked for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for 15 years before coming to SKC. His
experience includes wildlife biology and environmental protection program management. His remarks
are summarized below.
I have a lot of perspective on what is happening or what should be happening in tribal colleges. I think
what we've heard so far is that people will come to you and say, can you do this? Can you at least try?
That will happen, so it's good to plan, have some forethought about what you will do when that happens.
I'm going to talk a little about that.
We're really fortunate, blessed, being located in Pablo, Montana. We have alpine habitat, we have
glaciers, some of the driest areas, we have lakes, streams, wetlands, in total the reservation is about 1.3
million acres. To my knowledge we have one of the only tribally designated wilderness areas.
Regarding our academic program structure, we offer a full environmental science program. Basically
restoration is a plant focus, environment is a rocks and air focus, and in forestry we're offering a bachelor
degree for the first time. We want to respond to the old growth foresters - there are a lot of people in the
field near retirement age and we have a lot of young people who don't want to leave the reservation.
We are a very intertribal college; we had about 55 tribes represented at the college last year. We make
our students volunteer. We have internships and research, and a senior thesis that requires tribal
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involvement. We are, or should be, the generators of future tribal employees. Some of our graduates here
are now tribal employees. We want to graduate good students as well as good citizens so we make them
volunteer.
The tribal government has what's called a river honoring, where our young people are exposed to our
elders. Students do everything from direct parking to working in the greenhouse. On a less significant
basis, but where we hope to improve, some of the resource management programs have had some of our
student volunteers. We have several major community events where students can get involved.
Students are required to do a research project. The capstone is a senior thesis where they take their
internship research and put together a professional paper. Sometimes students do research that the tribe
will be interested in. At times senior theses are directly or indirectly supported by tribal programs. Some
examples.. .projects on owls, frogs, bears, and a swift fox reintroduction project included a student intern.
What kills calf elk? This is an interesting issue for wildlife managers, that is, how well can you count calf
elk from a helicopter? We have some very high tech things going on, landscape imaging, land
management.
A significant issue is the widening of highway 93 through our reservation. We're concerned about the
animals, especially the turtles. Students can be involved in a research project that may be useful to tribal
management. Obviously, preparing future tribal employees is one of the most important things we can do
for the Tribe.
Bringing in guest lecturers from the tribes, staff members as adjunct instructors are ways we bring tribal
issues into the college. Taking the students on field trips is also a way we give students experience and
offer mentors in the field.
Challenges? We could be doing more. Tribal government allows eight hours of education leave for
employees to take classes but there is resistance. Sometimes hiring brings up tribal preference issues.
Another area for opportunity to have collaboration is to have tribal members involved on the board.
Dawn Thomas
In 2001 Dawn Thomas received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from SKC. In
the summer of 1998 as an internship student, she was hired to start a native plant nursery and
environmental restoration program under the supervision of Virgil Dupuis. Dawn now grows native
plants for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' restoration projects. She is also writing a native
plant growing manual for the Tribal Forestry Department. She spoke about the involvement of students at
the greenhouse on a variety of projects.
I think the best thing I have done is to get my husband to quit the tribe and get to the college. He has
worked for the tribe and with EPA Region 8 for so long that he knows so much about what is going on
and he can share that with his students.
I run the native plant nursery and my first job was as an intern identifying native plants in part of the
reservation. Lately we have gotten into seed collection. Students get a good hands-on learning
experience.
Students work in the greenhouse, in the field; this really helps with botany and forestry classes, knowing
habitat and how to collect the seeds.
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A project that we've worked on is highway mitigation. We did nine acres of highway mitigation. We
collected seeds and now the tribe is growing all native materials. The seed is grown and then put back in
the area where it was collected.
Yellow iris is a really bad weed on the reservation. We've worked with that and sprayed these areas and
replanted the stream to make it more natural.
Richard Janssen
Mr. Janssen is the Division Director for the Natural Resources Department of the Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes. He began his talk by asking, how can tribal college and environmental organizations
work together for benefit of the community?
I look at Bill Swaney as an academic now - and I expect him to ensure that he provides potential
employees for jobs in the field where I need them. It seems since the Brownfield Program was
established EPA has money for this and I am always looking for graduates and tribal members to hire.
School teaches you how to walk, but out in the field your experiences really pays off. Our SKC graduate
has worked really hard and soon is going to be promoted to a position as a full-time program manager. I
have a good relationship with Bill, but we do not meet as often as we should. Due to funding cutbacks we
are having trouble moving forward, there's more paperwork, more business-related goals and objectives.
If we don't meet those goals and objectives, we won't get the money ~ so maybe that money can go over
to Iraq or something.
Recently we signed an MOU with EPA; they want tribal students to work at EPA, in the region and at
headquarters, but most Indian people want to live on the reservation. So we are working to set up the
program so that students can come to us on the reservation and spend time working with the people and
the land. I think EPA is realizing that if they want to make a more successful effort to get Indian people
to work at EPA they need to work with tribal government. A lot of my jobs lately are based on EPA
funding.
They came to me and said they had money for work in pesticides. I took the maximum I could to hire a
full-time person and asked for someone with a bachelor's degree but no experience needed. This person
will become a fully licensed pesticide expert. We cannot forget those Indian students who are out there
who don't live on the reservation, or those who have moved away. We need to remember they are out
there. We need to give them incentive to stay with us or come back to us. It seems like our best and
brightest sometimes get taken out from under us.
In our department we currently have no money for interns; we can provide volunteer positions to provide
experience for students over holidays at Christmas and spring break, but they usually want to get paid for
working in the summer. SKC has a water quality testing lab that the Tribe's Water Quality Control brings
all our testing to - that's worth about $3 5k a year. So we take advantage of that. Some people say tribal
colleges don't prepare students well enough but I think it's the student that determines how well they are
going to do.
Facilitator - Thank you panel. Now I have a question for the group and I'd like us all to discuss this.
You're all very busy; do you feel like there is a real benefit to put the time in to build these relationships?
Do you feel it is a priority? We'll list some thoughts on this chart and then hear some comments and take
some questions for the panel.
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Flipchart Notes
Negatives Positives
* Requires work * Shared resources, MOUs
* What do you do when key people leave the * Collaborations, people moving back and forth
tribal college or tribal government? between college and tribe
* Environmental goals being made by outside * Tribal members on college boards
organizations determine tribal agenda
* Funding cutbacks * Educational leave for Tribal employees
Comment ~ I came to this session because I wanted to recognize what you are trying to do, coordination
and collaboration between schools. I think it is really important to think about where we are going in the
future. Some things we are starting to adopt out here is looking ahead 100 years, and looking back 100
years. Where do we want to be in 100 years? Climate is a big issue in a lot of areas ~ population,
energy, water, waste treatment, transportation ~ all have a big effect. Labs are important with so much
need to deal with pollutants and health monitoring. Once you start a water quality lab it branches out; you
want to build for growth. Universities and colleges can help with getting those structures together. The
ecosystem restoration process not only restores the ecosystem, but the culture. The greenhouses are
going to be useful in future, to deal with climate change, population growth. Artificial propagation is
going to be part of the future. If species migrate out of our reservation, we can't follow them, so we need
a way to bring them back. How in governance do we incorporate what we learn from our colleges and
universities? How do you get that information and pull it into a governance form to manage for the
future? Once you get the colleges together you'll be able to answer a lot of the questions that tribal
leaders are asking. I think you've got the capability to start doing that here.
Comment - As you move towards four-year degrees, keep in mind we have graduate degrees. We are
working on a program in tribal governance. We will have a graduate program with a special tribal track
in the future and are working on programs where students can spend more time at home, and on bridge
programs.
Comment ~ The most important thing that we can do is to develop the strengths and partnerships that we
have. None of us can do it on our own. At ITEP (Intertribal Environmental Professionals) at Northern
Arizona University we try to do that as much as we can, but we need to strengthen out relationship with
other tribal colleges. The support Rick is getting from EPA for the pesticide program is important. More
people need to know about what's going on, talk about models that are successful, going beyond Region
8. If there's anything that ITEP can do to help with that, let us know.
Mr. Swaney Responds - I've been lucky to be in places where there's been tremendous growth. I've been
part of what we call the tribal college movement. They are miracles. We were told that it would never
work but we've seen the growth in EPA with the "Indian desk" where environment issues are being
brought to the highest levels. There's been a huge amount of growth but we're so busy sometimes
chasing the money trying to sustain our programs and we need to be mindful of why we exist. Part of our
mission is to assist our tribal governments. So these partnerships are too important not to develop. There
is nothing more important than to develop the human infrastructure in Indian Country.
Facilitator - My next question is, how can we work with outside organizations? Part of the answer is that
we need to invest the time to strengthen the relationships between tribes and colleges but what about
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outside organizations? How can they help? For instance the EPA Tribal Science Council asked us, "How
can we work with tribes?"
Comment -1 think the answer is to build a strategic plan that demonstrates how these colleges work and
what they can produce for tribal people. I think you should target Microsoft and other organizations that
say they are looking for leaders. We need to be ready when things in Washington change. I think the rest
of the country looks to Indian Country to answer some of these questions; they think we know something
they don't ~ and they're right. When EPA starts getting back to work we need to be ready with a plan.
Facilitator ~ I've been working in situations where I've seen the tribes or agencies aren't working with
tribal colleges and I just wonder how we can build those relationships.
Mr. Halverson Responds ~ I went to a meeting where the agency sat down and said, OK, how can the
tribal colleges help us meet our objectives? And, even here, I think this meeting is still being driven by an
EPA agenda. I think we need to sit down and talk about the fact that we can work together, but what is
important to the Tribes and our people has to be considered. The effect on seven generations, for
instance. What kind of direction do we want the four-year degree in college to take? These are some of
those questions. I think there are real things we can work with EPA on for the benefit of both groups and
develop programs that are relevant to the tribes at the same time, but we need more discussion and not to
be bulldozed.
Comment ~ I have worked for the Superfund program for 18 years. I've seen a lot of things and
participated in a lot of activities and want to say something as an employee. I realize we have a lot of
problems collaborating with tribal colleges. In my community we have one, but it's been hard to work
with them. Usually the money is so small that the administrative cost takes up half the budget. And we
don't have a grant writer on our staff. How can we better serve the people? For the past ten years I've
been working on the impact of abandoned uranium mines and when you work on that there are always
health concerns you have to look at. But we do academics and you have to prove what the problem is and
we're restricted in Superfund to do certain work. I always tell my supervisors and ask for more funding
or bring in the health department or go to the tribal and other colleges and universities for help. I know
the possibilities are there. Summits and conferences are places where we can gather and provide some
strategies. We used to have interns who were training in the field and then we started getting interns that
were majoring in physical education, not science. We wanted people who would be able to replace us
when we retired, but where are they? There's no mentoring going on. The other issue is: having a
laboratory. We wanted to establish a lab but we hardly have any land. But there are kits and stuff you
can do in the field, though. A lot of work I do now, you can't send to independent laboratories unless
they are part of EPA or a state program and they can't always do all the things you want them to do.
Sometimes the only thing you can do is raise the yellow flag when you're in the rank and file of the tribal
government. I just wanted to say that.
Comment ~ I just wanted to suggest that one of the outcomes of this conference could be for this dialogue
to continue as part of this conference. So that we can work on something between now and next year.
Facilitator ~ There are several ways that we can think about this. USDA sponsors a monthly
teleconference that is open to all tribal colleges. I don't know if we could do something like that through
EPA or USDA. I don't think we want to wait another year, but we need to find some kind of way to keep
the conversation going.
Comment ~ I'm on the Tribal Science Council and I am wondering if we could put some tribal college
professors on the council. I don't know if it is possible but I think we could look into that.
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Facilitator - We'll pass around a pad and if you could put your information here, if you're interested we'll
figure out if we can do an email group or something. We'll get all the tribal colleges involved and we
could invite tribal environmental people to that as well.
Comment ~ I think it is important to get some tribal scholarship people in that group. We have a student
who has been working on that, on getting that connection between tribal jobs and education.
Facilitator ~ Hopefully we can keep this going! There is a portal site for all science faculty at all the
tribal colleges, the address is http://stemrc(giaihec. org. and you can also contact me at my email address
dburns@aihec.org if you are interested in finding out anything about local contacts at the tribal colleges.
Thank you all.
10 A.M., WATER
Facilitators:
Dana Davoli and Connally Mears
Activities of the Grand Portage Reservation, MN, to Protect and Restore the Aquatic
Habitat in Lake Superior
Bradley Frazier, Director, Environmental Programs,
Ryan Nelson, Nonpoint Source and Solid Waste Coordinator,
Margaret Watkins, Grand Portage Reservation, Environment Department, Grand Portage, MN
The Grand Portage Reservation is at the northeast tip of Minnesota along the Canadian border and Lake
Superior. The Reservation has 56,000 acres, 24 miles of shoreline, and bays and islands. About 550
people live on the Reservation, which is relatively pristine and well cared for by the Native Americans.
Outside interests often want to study the area because there is little pollution or development there.
Sometimes the Tribal Council refuses. Management practices there are all based on sound science.
The 1854 Treaty ceded territory for Grand Portage, Bois Forte, and Fond du Lac Reservations. The
Grand Portage Tribal Council is the governing body for the Reservation. Under the Trust Lands and
Natural Resources Division, there are departments for land use, natural resources, environmental
protection, air, water, solid waste, nonpoint source pollution, forestry, biology, GIS, conservation and
management of wildlife, and emergency management.
Since 1995 the Tribe has had a land use ordinance that protects the land and waters of the Reservation,
provides for review of building permits, and environmental assessments. A solid waste ordinance has
been in effect since 1998, and a permit program for construction and demolition waste was established in
1999.
Regarding land use, the northeast tip of the reservation and islands enjoy a preserved status. Commercial
area is mostly near Grand Portage, and most residential area is along the Lake shore, making water
quality protection somewhat difficult. Much of the land is forested and the entire Reservation drains into
Lake Superior. There is a buffer along every stream and lake for preservation purposes. The Tribe is
working now on getting a 100-acre buffer around wetlands so the forestry industry can't affect the water
quality.
The Grand Portage Tribe had one of the first integrated resource management programs in the U.S. The
forestry department assures that best management practices are followed to protect water quality. A
Forestry Resources Management Plan was established in 1986. Prescribed burns are used to restore
native species. There is a wildfire protection and management plan, and GIS is used to protect resources.
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For the past 15 years the biology department has been working on restoration of coaster brook trout, a
threatened species, and reintroduction of Lake Sturgeon. The water quality department has been
collecting data since 1995 to monitor mercury, surface and groundwater contamination, sediment, and
water chemistry. Water quality standards were established in 2005. Currently, staff is developing
nutrient criteria for the waters and trying to establish baseline emissions before proposed mining occurs
on preserved lands. One company that owns mineral rights may be developing a platinum mine.
The Tribe and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have a cooperative agreement approved by EPA
Region 5 to work together to develop and implement water quality standards, establish a no discharge
zone for the Lake at the northeast tip of the Reservation and preserve joint jurisdiction over the shoreline
waters. In this unique area is the Little Spirit Cedar Tree, a spiritual site now listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. There are also petroglyphs, a nature preserve and rare plants that occur only
in an arctic climate but live there due to the cold Lake waters and cold climate.
The wetlands program provides for wetland inventory and classification. Nutrient criteria are being
developed for water quality standards to protect the wetlands. They consist of 46 percent forested
wetlands, 44 percent depressional wetlands, nine percent scrub, and one percent emergent wetlands. A
nonpoint source pollution control program was developed in 2005. One project is the restoration of Red
Rock Creek from pollution where it runs through a gravel pit. NPDES permits are issued for construction
sites and a rain garden project was established in 2006 - 2007.
Air quality is monitored and a haze camera is operated overlooking Lake Superior. The air is usually
clear except when forest fires are burning. Some particulate matter comes from the south, Minneapolis
and Chicago. Staff is trying to establish baseline air quality prior to mining in the area to determine if
there has been any degradation. For renewable energy, the Tribe is seeking a grant for wind turbines.
There is commercial-grade wind power potential with a rise in the elevation from 600 feet at Lake level to
1,800 feet at mountain top. Just one wind turbine could provide all the Tribal energy needs.
There are some specific problems in Grand Portage Bay that are exacerbated by a shallow bay with little
mixing of waters, and islands that block the flow of waters. There is commercial development in the area.
There are high fecal coliform bacteria measurements (from septic systems) in the Lake after significant
rain events. Fine sediments accumulate, and new aquatic plants are becoming introduced to the area.
Changes have been noted in aquatic insect populations. There is a $60,000 project with NTCS funding 50
percent to put best management practices into effect around the casino, including landscape rehabilitation.
A specialist has been hired to create a rain garden to reduce contaminants in stormwater from running off
the parking lot. A solid waste removal program is in place. The environmental department also has
created a pesticide policy to avoid unnecessary spraying on the Reservation.
The staff has worked with the Minnesota Department of Health to create fish advisories. Emergency
management staff train and prepare people for potential disasters that may harm them or the environment.
All programs have an educational outreach component for the schools. Programs are in place to do
walleye surveys and river surveys, to monitor sturgeon in the St. Louis River, and to monitor the growth
of wild rice in the Lake. Resource contamination is assessed and fish are monitored for mercury. Tribal
members are interviewed regarding consumption rates and eating patterns.
Enforcement programs are in effect for hunting, fishing, trapping, and harvest limits are set. Annual
wildlife surveys are conducted, and moose populations are monitored using aerial surveys and radio
telemetry. For more information on the Tribe's natural resource management and environmental
protection programs, visit www. 1854authority.org.
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Questions and Answers
Q - What impact has been noted from iron mining and taconite operations in northeast Minnesota?
A - A lot of old mines exist in the 1854 ceded territory. There is no hunting or fishing there, but we are
concerned about the air and water quality. There is some drainage to Lake Superior.
Q - Are there invasive species on the Reservation?
A - There are some plants, purple loosestrife, spotted knapweed, but not many in the Lake. There are
some zebra mussels at Duluth.
Development of a Physical/Bioassessment Program on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian
Reservation, Nevada
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation is about 31 square miles along the Lower Truckee River, including
12 perennial and 12 intermittent streams, wetlands, springs, and nearly 500,000 acres of land in Nevada,
northeast of the Lake Tahoe area. The traditional subsistence food of the Tribe has been fish from
Pyramid Lake, primarily the endangered Cui-ui (pronounced Kwee-wee) fish, which eat plankton and
thus have lower levels of mercury than some species, and the Lahonian cutthroat trout, a threatened
species. The larger fish eat smaller fish and have concentrated mercury levels.
Upriver from the Reservation is Reno, NV, an impoundment for urban use, and a sewage treatment plant.
In 1994 it was a dry year, and when the city sewage treatment plant discharged effluent to the River,
which runs through Tribal lands, many fish were lost. There is also a gold and silver mine upriver, the
source of mercury in the fish. The larger fish, like trout, have mercury levels that exceed the standard.
An impoundment on the River for urban water use has also lowered the Lake level drastically. It is down
about 80 feet from the early 1900s level. Fish often can't get into the Lake from streams because the
water levels are so low, so the red-side shiner and other large fish species are declining. Species
reintroduction programs have been undertaken. There are mountains across the Lake, and when there are
heavy snows in winter, the Lake level rises. There is a large pyramidal rock in the Lake, from which the
Lake got its name.
In the bioassessment program, Mosley has been examining the occurrence of aquatic insects as an
indicator to determine water quality. Tribal members say that the animals speak to us. The leopard frogs,
the amphibians, and the fish look like they're asking us to rescue them. We must listen.
Over 20 years of collecting data (1981-2000), Mosley has used several insect collection methods: the
Surber sampler (1981-1999), a one-meter kick net (1992-1993), and a 10 x 18-inch kick net (2001 to
present). Differing numbers of replications were used and three counting/identification methods:
estimated counts (1992-1993), presence/absence (1994-1995), and total counts (1981, 1996 to present).
The best collection technique used has been the kick net with 500-micron net, 18-inches wide by 12inches
high to sample a 1 x 3-square foot area. Rocks are also scrubbed with a soft brush to get mayflies, which
have very fragile wings. A garden trowel is used to dig three to six inches into the substrate to get
burrowing insects. Habitat, fish, and chemical data can be entered into an Ecological Data Application
System (EDAS), software that is free to Tribes.
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After looking at ED AS metrics (70) and EPA metrics (14), Mosley could determine which metrics gave
the best biological integrity assessment of the stream. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe biological index
consists of four metrics: taxa richness, percent EPT individuals, percent tolerant individuals and percent
dominant taxon. These were used to give a score and narrative rating (excellent to very poor) for the
samples. Between 1989 and 1996, sites appear to be improving. Biological index ratings moved from
very poor or poor to fair and one excellent rating. Between 1996 and 1999 the index remained at fair and
slightly higher for some sites with good water flow.
Benthic macroinvertebrate data showed that during a dry year, 1989, species such as scuds, snails,
flatworms, and Asian clams declined in abundance on the Lower Truckee River. In a normal year, 1981,
or a wet year, 1996, the species increased, especially midges, mayflies, and caddisflies. In a survey from
1999 to 2004, the number of benthic macroinvertebrates (total BMI/square foot) increased during high
flow periods. Three miles below the water treatment plant, water quality was improved.
In another index of physical habitat assessment from 1999 to 2005, samples showed no areas capable of
supporting diverse species on the Reservation. Recommendations include using a standard collection
method, and for identification, methods such as total count or a standard sub-sample size (200 to 300
organisms) to allow for other types of analyses (e.g., RIVPACS). Also, non-biological data such as
physical habitat assessments and water chemistry (pH, DO, conductivity, temperature) should be
analyzed.
Next Steps
Finish the PhyHab/BA QA project plan
BMIIBI development
Fish IBI development
Algae IBI development, and
Physical habitat index development.
Questions and Answers
Q - Do you have a recommended minimum flow for macro-invertebrates in the River?
A - Yes. The audience was referred to another presentation during the conference. In places where the
River is healing, with sedges and willows growing, the insects proliferate. Even deer and mountain lions
or cougars are coming back.
Q - How were wet, dry, and normal years defined?
A - By flow. A wet year was 500-900 cfs, a normal year 200-300 cfs and a dry year less than 50 cfs. The
flow depends on snow pack each year. One year with heavy storms the Lake was up 15 feet. Models
show we will get more rain, but we are also going to lose our fisheries, since a highway will be built on
that site. A marina was built in the 1990s during the drought.
Q - Can you get rid of formaldehyde at the fisheries?
A - It is not used there.
10 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF SCIENCE GRANTS AND TIPS FOR
SUCCESSFUL TRIBAL PROPOSALS (INCLUDES PART)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek and Christine Berini
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Regional Overview: Grant Workplans and Accountability
Elizabeth Wendt, US EPA, Region 7, Kansas City, KS
The Regional Overview section emphasized the importance of incorporating measures for Environmental
Results into the planning process of the work plan itself. The difference between competitive and non-
competitive grants was examined; participants were introduced to the Competition Order, the required
Logic Model for Environmental Results (competitive grants), and sources for more information. Many
web-links for additional information were shared with the audience; EPA committed to put these links
onto the TSC website under the Conference Website/Grants training section.
Navajo Nation National Science Foundation Grant
Dr. Willard Gilbert, Northern Arizona University, Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians,
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, Flagstaff, AZ
10 A.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
Antidegradation
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Char Naylor, Puyallup Tribe, Environment Department, Tacoma, WA
Nancy Schuldt introduced the topic of antidegradation, again using a module from the tribal water quality
standards academy to provide context and definitions for this required component of a water quality
standards program. Authorized Tribes must develop and adopt an antidegradation policy to protect
existing instream uses; high quality waters (water quality that is better than the levels necessary to support
propagation offish, shellfish and wildlife, and recreation in and on the waters); Outstanding National
Resource Waters (ONRWs) designated by the Tribe; and waters where there is a potential impairment
associated with a thermal discharge.
Authorized Tribes must also identify antideg implementation methods, describing how the policy will be
implemented on a case-by-case basis. This implementation plan may be part of the Tribe's WQS, or
referenced in the WQS and contained in another Tribal document. Essentially, the antideg policy is there
to ensure that "existing uses and the level of water quality necessary to protect existing uses shall be
maintained and protected"; it provides absolute "floor" of water quality condition - Tier 1 waters. High
quality waters (Tier 2) should also be protected, at their higher functional quality, unless a compelling
case can be made to the public that a proposed activity that would lower the quality of a Tier 2 waterbody
is necessary to accommodate important economic or social development.
Finally, Tier 3 waters, or "Outstanding National Resource Waters" - ONRW - are those waterbodies for
which no degradation will be permitted, except on a short-term or temporary basis. A Tier 3 water
(waters of exceptional cultural, recreational or ecological significance)
does not have to be high quality water; it could simply carry tremendous cultural significance that the
Tribe wants protected from development.
Nancy had invited Char Naylor of the Puyallup Tribe to give a case study on their antidegradation policy.
However, the Puyallup Tribe was entangled in litigation related to their water quality standards program
at the time of the Tribal Science Forum, and Char was not able to give a formal presentation because of
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the sensitivity of their status. Char was available for questions on this subject, though, and gave a brief,
informal description of the Puyallup Tribe's antideg policy from the audience.
Outstanding Reservation Resource Waters
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du Flambeau Band of Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Nancy expanded on this topic, introduced earlier in the discussion on antidegradation and also during the
session on designated uses. She gave an example of how the Fond du Lac Band had established their
checklist and procedure for documenting the ecological, cultural, aesthetic or recreational values of a
specific water body in order to recommend its special Tier 3 designation. At the time that the Fond du
Lac Reservation Business Committee adopted the draft water quality standards into ordinance, they also
approved the ORRW designation of five of the most productive wild rice lakes on the Reservation.
Gretchen Watkins of the Lac du Flambeau Band presented a case study on their process for identifying
and protecting Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters (ORTW). Lac du Flambeau, along with its other
designated uses, defined their Tier 3 waters in their antidegradation policy as follows: "Where high
quality water constitutes Outstanding Tribal Resource Waters (or OTRW's), such as waters of
outstanding cultural, spiritual, recreational, or ecological significance, as specified in the Tribal Water
Quality Standards (in Table 2), the water quality shall be maintained and protected."
Under their antideg policy, existing ambient water quality in OTRW's may not be lowered; new or
increased discharges to OTRW's are not permitted; and exceptions are defined. In determining which
reservation waters are to be designated OTRW, Gretchen noted that they should have cultural, spiritual,
recreational, or ecological significance. Currently, there is little infrastructure discharging to the waters
of the reservation, and the majority of property within reservation boundaries is tribally controlled, but
there is also room for future growth and development. OTRW is a mechanism for tribes to utilize their
water quality authority to protect important natural and cultural resources.
1 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and David Macarus
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Projects Supporting Environmental Science on Tribal
Lands
David Meyer, Science Applications International Corporation, USGS Center for Earth Resources
Observation Systems, Sioux Falls, SD
Mr. Meyer gave an overview of USGS services available to Tribal scientists as well as some examples of
USGS/Tribal partnerships. His remarks follow:
USGS is a science agency. We don't do regulation. The agency is built around resource partnerships. I
recommend that you use our web site as a resource. Note that there are a lot of interesting portals and
websites for USGS information. I'm going to give you some of them, but there are a lot more that I won't
have time to show here.
USGS on Tribal Lands
Infrastructure Development
Analytical tools for resource management
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Information infrastructure
Workforce development
Science Support and Technology Transfer
Alternative energy
Hazards assessment/mitigation
Resource management
Wildlife/biology
Water quality/resources
Synergies between Tribal/Federal programs
USGS on Tribal Lands - Water
Long standing partnerships with Tribes (& the EPA)
Programs
Cooperative Water Projects
National Streamflow Information
Nat' 1 Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA)
Toxic Substances
Ground Water Resources
Hydrologic Research & Development
State Water Resource Research Inst.
International Projects
Water Information Coordination
Water Information for Education
http://water.usgs.gov/education
National Water Information System (NWIS)
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
USGS on Tribal Lands - Biology
Home page
http://biologv.usgs.gov
Nat'l Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
http://www.nbii.gov
Programs
Bioinformatics
Contaminant Biology
Aquatic Ecosystems
Fisheries/Aquatic Resources
Invasive Species
Status/Trends of Bio Resources
Terrestrial/Endangered Wildlife
Cooperative Research Units
USGS on Tribal Lands - Geology
Programs
Earth Surface Processes
Minearal Resources
Earthquake/volcano Hazards
Cooperative Geologic Mapping
Energy Resources
Coastal/Marine Geology
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Astrogeology
Geomagnetism
Geology for Education
Ask-A-Geologist@usgs.gov
GEO-Data Explorer (GEODE)
http://geode.usgs.gov
USGS on Tribal Lands - Geography
Programs
Land Remote Sensing
Missions
Data Preservation/Access
Research & Applications
Geographic Analysis and Modeling
Science Impacts
Earth Explorer
http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov
Global Visualization Viewer
http://glovis.usgs.gov
Geography - Natural Hazards Support System
USGS on Tribal Lands - Geospatial Information
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)
Coordinates USGS information holdings
Coordinates with other Federal, State, Local & Tribal agencies
Holdings: Geospatial One-Stop (geodata.gov)
Standards: Federal Geographic Data Committee
The National Map:
http: //nationalmap. gov
USGS Seamless Data Distribution System
http://seamless.usgs.gov
NAWQA and The National Map
USGS on Tribal Lands - Annual Reports
1997-2003 available online at www.usgs.gov/indian
2004 available from USGS booth outside (hardcopy or CDROM)
Contacts for USGS Native American liaisons at URL above (and on last slide)
USGS on Tribal Lands - Annual Reports
Searchable by:
Tribal Organizations
Events
Reservation/State
Activities:
Resource/Environmental
Education
Technical Assistance
Coordination/Policy
Future Opportunities
Sinte Gleska University Example: Infrastructure development
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Develop pilot projects between Universities, SGU, Rosebud Sioux Tribe & USGS
Water/Biology/Geography disciplines
Benefit to SGU & Rosebud communities
Real world experiences for SGU students
Develop spatial analysis lab at SGU
Mapping/geospatial analysis tools/capabilities
Training/internship opportunities
Spatial database development
Pilots:
o Water quality
o Invasive species/ethnobotany
o Housing
o Alternative energy (geothermal, wind, microhydro)
USGS operates the Landsat with NASA and has one of the largest image archives on earth
Earth Explorer has a broad range of data, not just imagery. Information and images available through
these systems offer a wealth of data with many practical applications. Here are some examples I have
done, primarily with northern plains tribes.
For instance, working with Landsat imagery of homes, road maps, and other geographic features,
students created a map of their community; this sort of thing can be used to show the tribal council or the
community how the underlying aquifer is affected by various things going on in the area. These kinds of
images aren't necessarily representative of scientific studies but they are important as a tools for showing
non-scientist what is going on. Here are some other exercises that turned out to be useful:
A group in Fort Collins has a hand held technology they are using for species identification, in
this case it is used for identifying medicinal plants on the Sioux Reservation.
An intern worked at the housing authority in Rosebud to develop a housing database for the
reservation which, like so many others was undercounted, one of the problems of relying on poor
maps lacking house locations and other locational information.
Wind generators cannot be visible from certain sacred sites but USGS can work with these
technologies to help plan where to locate them. Other areas to look at are hydro-power or
developing biomass fuel from switchgrass.
Geothermal development can also be helped by use of some of our technologies. We found a
"warm-spot" in SD, if you drill down 150 ft under rosebud you find water that's 150 degrees.
Rosebud might be able to take advantage of this to heat buildings.
Grasslands may be the most altered environment on earth. One of the things USGS does a lot of is land
cover management, generating data sets such as the Greenness Index. We did this on the
Rosebud Sioux Reservation (Todd County). Tom Frederick, SGU rangeland manager, provided
encouraging reviews for Antelope & Rosebud; quantitative validation showed warm and cool season
grasses (and mixtures of the two). Sand hills and mesic-hydric areas represent ecosystems that are treated
separately because satellite imagers respond differently to them. Some crops were showing as sand
hills.. .this will be addressed with an improved crop map "non-range" mask derived from a combination
of NLCD and Susan Maxwell's 2000-2001 crop maps of South Dakota.
The value of the satellite database that has been consistently processed and is provided by the USGS
EROS Data Center as a standard product is what we want to show here. We also calculate a number of
other measures from the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Indexaka "Greenness"). Including
Percent of Average Seasonal Greenness that is a relative indicator of actual vegetation performance
related to the mean performance for each 1-km pixel.
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In order to integrate the satellite-derived vegetation measure (percentage of average seasonal greenness)
with climate data (the Standardized Precipitation Index) and other useful environmental data sets, we use
a data mining method known as regression tree modeling over 776 sites correlating to weather station
locations. So the model output using the 1-km satellite greenness data provides more locally-specific
information.
By knowing the ecological conditions necessary for the maintenance of specific pathogens in nature, one
can use these characteristics to identify the spatial and temporal distribution of disease risk. In some
cases, to investigate these questions, we utilize the principles of landscape epidemiology. The underlying
premise of landscape epidemiology is that by knowing the geographic conditions necessary for the
maintenance of specific pathogens in nature, one can use the landscape to identify the spatial and
temporal distribution of disease risk.
We have begun research along these lines with scientists from the Division of Vector Borne Diseases,
CDC, in Fort Collins, CO. We are beginning studies of three vector borne diseases: plague, Lyme disease,
and LaCrosse encephalitis (one of four arboviruses found in the US). We are helping CDC in responding
to the unexpected outbreak of West Nile encephalitis in the New York City area.
Geographic Spread of WNV
Avian
Vet
Mosquito
Human
1999
249
26
18
62
2000
4305
69
515
21
2001
7332
731
919
66
2002
16741
14571
6604
4156
2003
11597
4521
7847
9100
Another vector borne arbovirus, Dengue Fever, is a major border health issue. This year 10-20 cases of
dengue fever have occurred on the US side of the lower Rio Grande valley. This is a spillover effect of a
major epidemic in Mexico, where thousands of cases have occurred.
Indigenous Knowledge Center for Education and Science Impacts (IKCE-SI) is another important source
of data for Tribes, http://www.usgs.gov/science impact/index.html
In Lakota - Ikce SI means "honoring the common person." Sinte Gleska was awarded a five year grant
with other awards going to MIT, Wharton, New Mexico State, and Prescott College. Sarah Wolfe (SGU)
is Primary Investigator and John Goes-in-Center is consulting. Areas of study and program development
include:
How to utilize indigenous knowledge to better understand natural processes
Social memory learning ("oral traditions")
Knowledge management (capturing knowledge in a retrievable manner)
Decision support to tribal leaders (water resources, land use planning, ecosystem recovery,
rangeland management), and
Education and outreach (also to scientists, who have an opportunity to learn as well as teach).
USGS synergies enable Native Americans to succeed using USGS and NASA technology and innovative
science and math educational programs. They can also provide decision support tools to tribal leaders for
promoting economic development and managing tribal resources and create an innovative yet practical
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model for uplifting Native American communities on a national scale including infrastructure
development, resource management, career development, and research.
Rangeland management offers an example. Over the last 150 years, grasslands in the North Plains have
been reduced to 40% of their original size. In the east - crops and pastures replaced native grasslands; in
the west has been the introduction of "exotic" plants for/by cattle leading to profound disruption of
Lakota lifeways. Often, management practices have adversely affected the abundance and distribution of
species important to Lakota culture. How can we document the transition from original grasslands to the
current system and articulate its impacts? Is it possible to restore indigenous ecosystems - such as bison
ranges, for instance?
An integrated approach to rangeland management shows how to support economic development while
maintaining cultural integrity. Ranching is an important economic activity, but typical commercial
practices over the long term can reduce both range productivity and biodiversity
Alternative management practices have been shown to balance both economic and ecosystem viability.
Reintroduction of bison on the North Plains also plays a role in grassland ecosystem recovery and
restoration. Such practices are consistent with the Lakota belief in working within, not in spite of, natural
systems. The following datasets were useful in developing plans for this program:
National Land Cover Classification
Seasonal Change over Rosebud (Landsat 2000)
Rosebud Rangeland Productivity Mapping - Landsat 2000
A decision support framework utilized satellite observations, soils data, and meteorological data to
observe past performance and predict future performance of grasslands. Climatic/meteorological
influences were isolated from management influences and field data was collected in collaboration with
Tribes, universities, and states.
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe has developed methods to get Bureau of Indian Affairs forest inventory
information into the FIREMON database. Populating this database is one of the key steps to feeding data
into the LANDFIRE remote sensing process. Providing LANDFIRE with accurate ground information
will aid the LANDFIRE products to better represent actual ground conditions. The lessons learned at the
Coeur d'Alene Tribe have the potential to be applied across other Tribal lands in the United States.
And, finally, USGS has archival imagery and maps ~ aerial imagery dating back to the 1930's and maps
dating back into the late 1800's. Cultural preservation is an important aspect of USGS archival programs.
The Blue Cloud Abbey Image Archive contains thousands of archival and historical images of North
Plains; silver plates have been scanned, restored, and printed in collaboration with Sisseton/Wahpeton
Sioux Tribe. Again, I recommend you look at the website to see how much there is there. I've only given
a few examples.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ You showed geothermal energy potential and wind potential, has anybody put that together and
compared with barrels of oil and such?
A ~ Yes, they are doing that.
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EPA Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP) Success Stories: Nikolski Drum Cleanup
and Pauloff Harbor Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP), Battery Cleanup, and
Sampling, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Chris Riggio, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc., Department of Community Services,
Anchorage, AK
Mr. Riggio gave the following remarks.
This presentation covered two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Indian General Assistance
Program (IGAP) success stories in the Aleutian Islands region of Alaska. These include two Aleut village
sites: Pauloff Harbor Village on Sanak Island and Nikolski Village on Umnak Island. The Nikolski
project consisted of a community and tribal cleanup of a drum site near the village. The project required
working closely with their consultant, as well as with the U.S. Air Force, the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation, and the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. (APIA) to complete the
project successfully. This drum project was mostly completed during the summer and fall of 2005, but is
still ongoing.
The Pauloff Harbor project was completed in May 2006 and involved the cleanup of over 2,000 pounds of
old batteries in and around the village site. Analytical samples were also collected from several sites with
suspected contaminants of concern, including a couple of possible former military sites. Work at this site
was completed following an EPA-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). These projects
highlight the cooperative efforts between various agencies and Tribes and also EPA IGAP projects of
which the Tribes and EPA are very proud. These projects show that Tribes have tremendous capabilities
to undertake such challenges when provided adequate funding, technical support, and assistance.
The Nikolski drum consolidation project was a community and tribal effort in collaboration with the U.S.
Air Force (USAF), the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Aleutian Pribilof Islands
Association, Inc. (APIA).
USAF site drums were removed a few years ago during an earlier cleanup of the old USAF military base,
but some petroleum and other contaminants were left behind at this site. Various agencies and community
members started to stockpile old vehicles, tanks, and drums adjacent to the USAF site. The community
collected old drums from the village in an attempt to consolidate drums into one area and clean up the
village. Some of the drums contained residual diesel fuel, while others contained some oily water, and
others contained used oil. Ongoing releases were beginning to occur in this area from some of the drums.
USAF and the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation began to get very concerned
about these ongoing releases and requested that the Tribe take appropriate action. Nikolski Tribe worked
with agencies as well as EPA to address the problem using their EPA IGAP grant funds.
Cleanup work was conducted by Tribal members during summer of 2005 in conjunction with technical
assistance from a consultant and involved agencies. The Tribe did most of the work with some assistance
from a contractor and from us; they collected their own water samples for testing, used their own heavy
equipment. We emphasized safety in operations - everyone on the job had authority to stop the project at
any time if something unsafe was observed. It was made clear to everyone to follow correct procedures
when handling petroleum fluids during operations in order to avoid an explosion, spill, or other dangerous
situation! We had to think carefully about where to stage the disposal site, to be sure it wasn't too close to
the shore, it had to be high enough so that years from now it wouldn't be in the water again.
The project followed a careful plan, according to the following steps:
Work with EPA for approval to use IGAP funds for proposed work.
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Select contractor to assist in project (if desired).
Contractor or Tribe write Project Plan.
Submit plan to EPA and state regulatory agency for review and approval.
Address review comments and complete final version of plan.
Order materials for crew and project supplies (tyvek suits, gloves, goggles, liner materials, clean
drums, etc.)
Review plans with Tribal project team.
Emphasize safety in completing work.
Schedule project and coordinate with contractor for technical assistance.
Contractor travel to site to assist team during project.
Prepare area for lined containment cell.
Ensure all equipment working properly.
Consolidate like contents of drums into clean drums in containment area.
Keep track of quantities and label drums as work completed.
Triple-rinse drums prior to crushing; contain all rinsate to be treated in oil-water separator.
Test drums of consolidated fluids and make sure drums within secured & lined containment area.
Treat oily rinsates and oily waters through oil/water separator and scrubbers.
Collect treated water, sample it, and hold in clean tanks until approval to release in accordance
with approved plans.
Recycle or dispose of old cut up drums, tanks, and vehicles.
Move vehicles to containment cell one at a time; drain fluids out of engine, fuel tank, cylinders,
transmission boxes, etc. and collect into drums.
Clean vehicle fluid vessels and collect rinsate.
Cut up & crush drums, tanks, and old vehicles once fluids drained and vessels cleaned.
Note that this list is not all-inclusive and is only a brief summary for this project
Other projects will probably be different, so it is always important to consider all the steps and
requirements as unique. Working closely with EPA and other regulatory agencies to complete the project
correctly is also important.
Lessons Learned
Tribes are capable of doing a lot! This was a great example of a Tribe rising to the challenge with
minimal expense.
Address drum issues early so that such a problem is not created.
Work with EPA and other agencies if you have unresolved issues with petroleum products
(drums, used oil, old tanks, etc.)
Reach out for help from agencies and consultants to solve such problems early before they create
a big messy oil spill.
Be brave and ask for help on environmental problems.
Working together is key - set aside your differences with agencies and other community
members and solve the problem. A lot of good can come out of it!
The Pauloff Harbor QAPP, Battery Cleanup, and Sampling Project was another clean-up project we
worked on in the Aleutians. There are several hundred Aleut archaeological sites on Sanak and Caton
Islands, dating back to at least 3,000 years ago, and likely to approximately 9,000 years ago. The islands
were heavily populated by Aleuts prior to first contact with Russians.
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Two Aleut villages on Sanak Island that were busy cod fishing stations around 1909 were the Pauloff
Harbor and Sanak Villages. The island also had an active cattle ranch, slaughterhouse, and meat
packaging facility up until around 1953. During WWII, Sanak Island became an important military
outpost supporting the war effort in the North Pacific. Sanak had both an Army Aircraft Warning Station
and a Navy Radio Relay Station (1943-1946). At their largest, the bases had over 300 persons, then were
abandoned after end of war.
The villages were abandoned in the early 1970s and a herd of Scottish highlander cattle was established.
A lot of tribal members who grew up on the abandoned sites live elsewhere now, usually in the larger
cities, but some of the tribal members are hoping to move back to these villages; considering the price of
fuel and problems in the fisheries, things changing, probably from climate change, and salmon farming,
it's going to be difficult.
Currently the island is used for subsistence food gathering by Aleuts and others living in the region.
These are very rich in subsistence food resources:
Duck and feral cattle hunting.
Fishing for halibut, salmon, trout, and cod.
Gathering of seagull eggs, urchin, baidarki (chiton), clams, and other shellfish.
Foods support economic, physical, cultural, and spiritual well-being of Aleuts and others in region.
Concerns were raised by the Tribe about the effects of old drums, batteries, and former military sites on
the health of the island and subsistence resources. Investigations of some sites were done, but cleanup
work was limited. Some of the military sites were listed as "No Further Action" by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers.
The Pauloff Harbor Tribe decided to start a site investigation and conduct some cleanup of batteries,
drums, and main environmental hazards using EPA IGAP grant funds. Also, they conducted an
investigation of a possible former military dump site. The Tribe worked with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to address the site if it was determined to be part of the old military site and if contaminants of
concern were present. Site visits were conducted in 2003 and 2004 for planning of future work.
A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) was completed during 2004-2005 for completing battery
cleanup and soil sampling. The Tribe worked closely with US EPA for review of draft versions of the
QAPP, forwarding information to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to keep them involved.
Approximately 2 months of preparations and planning were done before conducting field work. We took
lots of photos and lots of notes because it really helps; we also spent a lot of time interviewing people and
the elders, especially about their history. A lot of tribal members come across these forgotten sites when
they are out fishing so we are trying to use this information to update lists. We can't just go digging into
an old military dump site because there is always the risk of coming across unexploded ordinance, which
we have a lot of in the Aleutians.
The focus of the project was to get these batteries out. A lot of them were broken open. Broken batteries
had to be containerized (so that wind wouldn't spread dust all over), wrapped, taped, and put into
contractor bags. We expected to get about 100 Ibs and ended taking out over 200 Ibs, a lot of which are
now being recycled.
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Lessons Learned
Stay closely involved with various agencies - they can help provide technical and maybe even
financial support.
Work cooperatively with various parties.
Plan on collecting good field information during early site visits in order to write QAPP & to
prepare for field work.
Collect GPS coordinates & lots of digital photos during early site visits.
Take plenty of notes in the field.
Interview several people who know site history.
Plan on lots of time to write QAPP, to allow time for reviews, and to address comments.
Sometimes it takes patience and perseverance to get the QAPP done! However, a good plan pays
off in the field.
Allow plenty of time (several months) for:
planning and preparing for field efforts.
coordinating with laboratories (if samples collected).
ordering, purchasing, and shipping supplies, and getting gear in order.
Be sure to write and follow a Health & Safety Plan.
Allow time for reviewing field plans and training people for field work.
Plan field work to occur in the best season.
Make sure all field team members have proper training far in advance of field work
(HAZWOPER 40-hour, First Aid/CPR, etc.)
Have extra supplies and materials on hand for field work.
Ensure you are prepared for the unexpected and to address any emergencies - there might not be
a hospital nearby.
Consider renting a satellite phone.
Set up contracts for technical support and assistance, if needed.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ Are you planning to recycle that scrap metal?
A ~ For now we're just cutting it up and burying it all in a pile. We're hoping to find a buyer for it at
some point.
Q ~ Having performed the site assessment and monitoring under the GAP program are the tribes planning
to get the military to open these sites for clean up?
A ~ Yes, the Air Force does plan to come back out; concerns were raised to their legal department, but
we didn't want to waste time and money arguing. The state of Alaska was really helpful in getting
various parties involved in getting the clean up done. With the Corp of Engineers, there's a problem
because of budget cuts.
1 P.M., CULTURE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Michael Callahan and Richard Janssen
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Quinault Indian Nation Development of Tribal Seafood Consumption Survey Software
(RARE)
Lon Kissinger, US EPA Region 10, Office of Environmental Assessment, Seattle, WA
Anna Towksjhea, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA
Samuel Iwenofu, Quinault Indian Nation, Department of Environmental Protection, Taholah,
WA
Data from past fish consumption surveys in the Pacific Northwest, 1994 to 2000, show that Tribes
consume much more fish than the general U.S. population at 20 grams/day. The Squamish Tribe in 2000
was consuming 214 grams/day, the Squaxin Island Tribe 76 grams/day, the Tulalip Tribe 73 grams/day,
and the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission 59 grams/day. The EPA recommended general fish
consumption value is 17.5 grams/day.
More data on fish consumption are needed to support health and regulatory needs, to compare
consumption between Tribes, to evaluate and examine differences between Tribes culturally and
environmentally that affect consumption rates, and to examine relationships between body
weight/gender/income/age and consumption. In developing a tool to leverage experience gained in earlier
surveys to enable Tribes to retain custody of their data and provide a user-friendly, standardized format,
the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) based on MS Access was used.
Funding was obtained for the pilot study from the Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) and
NHEERL from 2003 to 2006. EPA Region 10, NHEERL, and Westat partnered to develop a Squamish
survey-based CAPI in MS Access. In early 2006 the CAPI was updated and a user's guide and training
manual were completed. The Quinault Tribe reviewed the software and participated in pilot testing and
software customization. Westat finalized revisions based on the pilot test and a Quinault acceptance
survey in lune. There is the possibility of added funding in 2006.
Issues with surveys and CAPIs include the fact that current seafood consumption rates are suppressed
(lower than the Tribal ideal for consumption or original consumption rates). CAPI may not be consistent
with the narrative story-telling approach common to Tribes, and may not capture qualitative impacts of
contamination on Tribal cultures and life ways. Tribal elders may not be comfortable with the CAPI
format, and program modifications are expensive.
Using CAPI, however, information can be obtained on the consumption of species groups and individual
species offish and shellfish for a 24-hour recall period, a yearly in and out-of-season period and
throughout the year for adults and children, including methods of preparation, portions consumed and
parts of organisms consumed. Information is also obtained on the sources of seafood (restaurant vs.
home), harvest locations, time-sensitive factors, interviewee history, and demographics. The quality of
the interview is also maintained and cooperation and reliability fostered.
Software components include a set-up or "supervisor module" with a configuration for each Nation, a
species library, and the ability for deployment by USB drive onto the interviewer's PC, allowing the
accumulation of data from multiple sites onto the supervisor's master version. A reporting module
provides six statistical reports and query options are available. Seafood portion photographs are used also
to accurately depict cooked preparations and are easily transportable for the interview sessions.
Individual configuration set-up screens allow the development of underlying database tables to customize
the CAPI to interview members of a particular Tribe. Information can be tabulated in a number of ways,
for example, to define species and groups of species based on feeding levels and sites in the water where
different levels of contamination can exist. The number of days and seasons are used to compute
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consumption rates. The types of preparations and sizes of portions associated with different species can
be tabulated. Parts of shellfish consumed are associated with species type as well as catch and harvest
locations.
Interview questions for adults include the following:
A CAPI introduction
24-hour recall of species and species group consumed
Where the fish was prepared and how much was consumed
Seasonal consumption rates vs. the rest of the year, and
Parts of finfish consumed, sources of seafood and harvest location.
The software won't allow questions to be skipped, and contains out of range error checking, data entry
verification, and the ability to annotate responses.
Interview questions regarding consumption rates for children under age six include the following:
The age, gender and number of children
Weight and height of each child
Whether the child was breastfed and duration
Whether the child eats seafood and when consumption began
Whether the interviewee was present for meals with children
Who prepares children's fish/shellfish and how much/how often it was consumed, and
What parts of the fish/shellfish were consumed.
Changes in consumption can be tabulated, as well as the reasons for change. Some questions relate to
consumption at Tribal gatherings and overall demographics. Reports are generated using simple statistics
showing the mean annual grams per person (raw weight) consumed per kg body weight per day, standard
deviation, and variance. Consumption rate reports are also generated by species for the 24-hour recall
period and seasonal/annual timeframe for each Tribe. Overall consumption rate percentiles are generated
for each Tribe.
Why did the Quinault participate in the study? The Nation recognized that determining seafood
consumption rates was important in the development of scientifically defensible Reservation water quality
standards for the Tribe and EPA. Because Tribal members consume more seafood than the general
public, more stringent water quality standards may be needed to protect community health.
The CAPI was pilot tested to train interviewers in consistent data collection and interviewing methods,
determine how well the survey works with different Tribes, especially people aged 50 to 65, and to
modify the survey based on pilot results. Researchers prepared for the pilot test by consulting with Tribal
members and fisheries biologists regarding consumption and preparation methods, and the development
of harvest area maps. They also identified people to interview and selected the interviewers in
consultation with the Tribal leaders.
Results of the pilot test allowed the program flow and supporting materials to be modified. The survey
was found to be easy to use and Tribal elders were comfortable with CAPI as long as they were
interviewed by Tribal members. Interviewees felt that the survey accurately captured Quinault seafood
consumption. Thus, the software could be used for a full-scale Quinault Nation survey.
Next Steps
Conduct full scale Quinault Nation survey using CAPI
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Seek potential additional funding for final upgrades and revisions
Test with another Tribe for validation of flexibility, and
Make the instrument available for use by other Tribes.
Questions and Answers
Q - Did any Tribal members find the interview insulting?
A - A Tribal member supervised the interviewer for the pilot study. Tribal members also realized that the
information is important to set water quality standards for health and the protection of their seafood
consumption culture. They are the first Coastal Tribe to be surveyed. Also, interviewers were trained to
get the true voice of the people in their interviews and at Tribal gatherings. EPA ensured the quality of
the questions for validity. The Tribal members helped to customize the CAPI to their experiences and
used species names that were common to the Nation. They ensured that pictures of the foods were
accurate. Tribal members conveyed how important the fishing industry is for economic viability of the
group.
Q - Why did the Quinault get involved in the study?
A - They want to ensure that adequate water quality standards are developed and that artificially
suppressed rates of consumption are not inappropriately used for policy. Tribes want to look at how
much their people want to consume, not just rely on standards that have been set after waters have been
contaminated.
Q - Does the EPA value collecting historic rates and is that information available?
A - Yes. The Squamish Tribe has a more historical context with their water and groundwater resources
and their rate of seafood consumption.
Cultural Science and the Twenty-Nine Palms Tribe: A Native Paradigm
Clifford Trafzer, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Environmental Protection
Agency, Yucaipa, CA
Anthony Madrigal, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Tribal Environmental
Protection Agency, Coachella, CA
Dr. Willard Gilbert, Northern Arizona University, Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians,
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency, Flagstaff, AZ
In 2005 the Tribal EPA of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians in California began a project
to develop a model for the inclusion of Native cultural science into western science and current EPA risk
assessment paradigms for a more elective, holistic, and inclusive form of health and environmental
decision-making in the context of the current global ecological crisis. The Tribe resides in southern CA
near the Mexican border.
The process started with cultural interviews in which Tribal members asked questions about changes over
time, plants and medicines, trails, and springs to develop a general model so that problems could be
addressed as they arise. Tribal health and environmental concerns, ideas, knowledge, and values were
needed as a baseline. Cultural science is often found in stories and is sometimes revealed in dreams and
in communication with spirit beings. It is knowledge of the world, not just superstition, but not
compartmentalized like western science.
Direct experience with the natural world reveals to the Native people that all things are animate,
possessing a spiritual power and a creative energy in a living, inter-related, and evolving universe. Tribal
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traditional practices and knowledge have guided traditional land management of wild resources and
practices such as tilling, pruning, finding water, and knowing what seeds to sow and plants to eat and use
for medicine. Tribal elders hold this knowledge as well as understanding of how the environment has
changed over time.
For example, a virus was killing people in the Four Corners area of Arizona. The Tribe and CDC worked
together to integrate their forms of science and find a cause. Native people told CDC that it had been a
wet year with a lot of pinion nuts produced, which were being eaten by rodents, which in turn were found
to be passing on a virus to humans. Tribes have a tremendous store of knowledge about the environment
learned over thousands of years.
These "ways of knowing" are important to bring to children in the classroom and are being incorporated
into a new curriculum by the Tribe. When this was done, their scores in western science tests went up,
ensuring more math and science careers for Tribal children. People think that the Indians left the
environment alone, but they actually interacted with the environment by tilling and planting seeds and
managing burns to ensure the food supply. But our environment has changed in many ways.
Before the 1930s there were plentiful tortoise populations along the Colorado River and many rabbits.
After the water table dropped from impoundments, these species nearly disappeared. In the 1950s
soldiers training for Korea shot the deer along the river. The valley had lots of mesquite trees and small
animals, but when cattle ranching changed to farming after World War II and pesticides were used, there
was a major change in the fish in the Colorado River. We don't eat the mesquite beans on the
Reservation anymore because of pesticides. We have learned all this through oral interviews.
As we gather knowledge, we have developed a model for use by the Tribal Environmental Office. We
have established a Tribal Cultural & Resources Committee to consult with the Tribal EPA. It draws on
Tribal cultural science experts, elders, members and special projects. This knowledge is used to
determine impacts of river dredging on the Reservation, and to set beneficial uses of the water. Tribal
science gives more specificity in addressing a problem.
A year-long consultation process has prompted the EPA and the Tribal EPA to support cultural science
through targeted funding. Specific projects that could begin with the consultation process include the
dredging of the Whitewater River, pollution in the Colorado River, habitat loss and issues of diet and
consumption. Regarding dredging, elders will be consulted about the impact on plants that are used for
medicines and making baskets.
GIS mapping is used to depict areas for collection of data after implementation of the consultative model
for integration of cultural science. The consultations between the Tribal EPA and EPA allow access to
and sharing of all information, an opportunity for mutual education on EPA risk assessment protocols and
Tribal values, mutual respect for each other's views, and to build support for funding the consultation
process.
Comments
Comment - Canada accepts Tribal oral history in its Court of Claims, but the U.S. does not. The United
Nations accepts our traditional oral history. Regarding sovereignty and intellectual property rights, Tribes
fight the same battles year after year. The Supreme Court says Alaskan Natives are not Indian. Tribes
need an intellectual property rights ordinance regarding the biological and scientific taking of DNA
information from them. The next conference should be on Bio-Prospecting.
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Comment - Natives look at everything as being alive. There is a story about the close relationship
between hunting, whales, and humans. A man on the north slope of Alaska's body is in an igloo but his
spirit has departed. It has joined the whales who taught him that the whalers would be coming. As a
whale he could share his meat with the widows and elders or give up his life and come back as a duck.
He became a duck, flew back, and became a human again.
Comment - There are many sacred things that the elders won't share with others. They are recorded
inside one's spirit. I was taught to only speak the sacred language to other Tribal members, but we are all
affected by environmental problems. I have come to find out why our fish and clams are contaminated. I
am here to listen and learn. Maybe some good will come out of it.
1 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW: QUALITY ASSURANCE TOOLS - QUALITY
ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN (QAPP) DEVELOPMENT TOOL
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Jackson
This two-part session provided an overview of two currently available tools specifically designed to assist
tribes in understanding Quality Assurance (QA) guidance and in developing QAPPs. These tools, the
Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Development Tool and Turbo QAPP, were developed to address
difficulties tribes encounter in the following areas: limited experience with the EPA QA system and
requirements, QA guidance not tribe-friendly, inconsistency in EPA regional requirements and reviews,
long, difficult and resource-intensive review processes, and lack of tribe-friendly QA training.
Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Development Tool
David Taylor
David Taylor, US EPA Region 9, one of the key developers of the QAPP Development Tool, walked
through various modules contained on a CD-ROM disk, which is focused on developing QAPPs for water
monitoring projects. Melinda Ronca-Battista from the Tribal Air Management Support Center (TAMS)
provided an overview of Turbo QAPP, which focuses on simplifying QAPP development for air
monitoring projects. Turbo QAPP was developed as a means of guiding tribes through the QAPP
development process by prompting users to enter information at specific points in the process, similar to
the concept of Turbo Tax for filing taxes - and generates a full QAPP based upon the information entered.
Both tools provide a user-friendly tool for creating QAPPs.
All session participants received copies of Turbo QAPP and the QAPP Development Tool. For additional
information or a copy of the CD ROM tool for tribes to use in preparing Quality Assurance Plans,
send email to taylor.david@epa.gov.
1 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Facilitator:
Nancy Schuldt
Criteria Development
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Daniel Mosley, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Environmental Department, Nixon, NV
Margaret Watkins, Grand Portage Reservation, Environment Department, Grand Portage, MN
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Nancy introduced the topic of criteria development, using an abbreviated presentation from the tribal
water quality standards academy to cover the key concepts. States and tribes must adopt criteria that
protect the designated use, and:
Must be based on sound scientific rationale
Must contain sufficient parameters or constituents to protect designated use, and
Must support the most sensitive use.
Criteria can be narrative, as in the "free from" statements often used in WQS documents, or they can be
numeric, derived from EPA guidance or other scientifically defensible methods. There are five broad
categories of criteria: human health, biological, nutrient, bacteriological, and aquatic life.
Dan Mosely gave a case study on the PLPT experience in developing biological criteria for their tribal
waters. Their first step was identifying stressors:
Point source: Waste Water Treatment Plant
Nonpoint Sources: North-Tahoe Drain, Steamboat Creek, urban storm water runoff, and GW
return flows back into the river.
Diversion Dams: Lower lake levels, increase TDS
Exotic Species: Non-native salmonids (Rainbow trout) compete and hybridize with native
Lahontan Cutthroat trout (LCT). Brown and Rainbow trout are more aggressive, and effectively
compete with LCT. Tall Whitetop, purpleloose strife, and the aquatic Eurasian watermilfoil are
competing with native plants.
PLPT initially submitted a narrative statement regarding protection of biological communities and
populations, then developed numerical criteria (temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, and mercury)
for protection offish populations and human health. PLPT then began the process of monitoring benthic
organisms for purposes of developing an IBI (Index of Biological Integrity) for the Lower Truckee River,
working closely with contractors and regional agency partners, and utilizing EPA guidance. Reference
sites were selected, and four core metrics were used for their IBI: taxa richness, % EPT taxa, % tolerant
individuals, and % dominant taxa. This IBI is particularly responsive to wet and dry years. The PLPT is
also refining aquatic life uses under the "TALU" framework, with biological condition and human
disturbance gradients identified. PLPT plans to continue its bioassessment program on streams and
wetlands, and ultimately develop IBFs for those waterbody types.
Margaret Watkins then presented a case study on Grand Portage's process of developing bacteriological
criteria for coastal and inland waters on the Grand Portage Reservation. Most primary contact
recreational use on Grand Portage is along Lake Superior; only one inland lake is used for swimming,
because inland lakes are commonly highly colored, with mucky bottoms and substantial littoral
vegetation.
The federal Clean Water Act requires that all waterbodies have "primary contact recreational" as one of
their beneficial uses. Without being required to conduct a use attainability analyses (UAA), the only way
the Tribe can have water bodies designated for only secondary contact recreation is to apply
bacteriological criteria sufficient to support primary contact recreation. Although primary contact
recreation may not be occurring in wetlands, EPA still requires the designated use to be assigned to
wetlands as well.
Grand Portage had several options to deal with this inconsistency between natural condition and
suitability for primary contact recreational use. Primary contact recreational use is divided into
subcategories based upon frequency of use: high, moderate, or infrequent. Numerical criteria in for E.
coll in Grand Portage's WQS vary according to the intensity of use for swimming.
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Implementation
Rick Gitar, Fond du Lac Reservation, Office of Water Protection, Cloquet, MN
Margaret Watkins, Grand Portage Reservation, Environment Department, Grand Portage, MN
Rick Gitar presented a case study on the Fond du Lac Band's framework for implementing their WQS
through §401 certification. Tribes have this authority once their WQS have been reviewed and approved
by EPA, but can choose one of two routes: EPA can process the 401 certification using the tribe's WQS,
or the tribe can process the 401 certification themselves. Fond du Lac opted to develop its own process
for 401 certification, which applies to any federal permit for an activity with the potential to affect water
quality: i.e., CWA 402 (NPDES), CWA 404 (Wetland fill - US Army Corps of Engineers), or FERC.
The applicant must provide all pertinent information (defined in Fond du Lac's process), and the Fond du
Lac Environmental Program provides the administrative review of the application. This review includes a
30-day public comment period, after which a decision recommendation is made by Environmental
Program staff. The application is reviewed for compliance with applicable federal regulations, tribal
water quality standards, and any other applicable tribal regulations. The decision recommendation can be
certification, certification with conditions, or denial, and is signed by the Director of the Resource
Management Division. An appeals process is also defined, after which the Fond du Lac Reservation
Business Committee (the governing body) has the authority to make a binding decision.
Margaret Watkins gave a presentation on the Grand Portage Band's Cooperative Agreement with the state
of Minnesota for a specific area of Lake Superior. The Cooperative Agreement formally recognized a
small portion of Lake Superior historically and currently used by tribal members. (Many Band members
drink the water from Lake Superior bays without treatment because groundwater quality is poor and
treated water from the community system is not available because of distance.) The Cooperative
Agreement established a process by which the Band and MPCA would work cooperatively to plan and
administer independently adopted water quality standards for the portion of Lake Superior referred to as
the Grand Portage Zone. It also developed procedures for joint implementation of water quality standards
including the designation of an area as a No Discharge Zone in both the Minnesota and Grand Portage
WQS.
The Preservation Zone of the Land Use Ordinance is adjacent to a No Discharge Zone in the waters of the
Grand Portage Zone of Lake Superior. The Preservation Zone in the Land Use Ordinance and the No
Discharge Zone of the WQS protect an area that includes pictographs, Pukaskwa Pits, Little Cedar Spirit
Tree (Witch Tree) that is listed on the National Registry of Historic sites, and the community drinking
water intake. The Preservation Zone also protects rare and medicinal plants and their habitats, an
archipelago of islands with rare vegetation, and threatened and endangered species.
The Grand Portage Land Use Ordinance and Water Quality Standards work together to assure that both
the land and waters are given equal protection for similar use designations. The use designations for both
land and water within the Reservation reflect Grand Portage cultural and social values.
3 P.M., EARTH
Facilitators:
Michael Callahan and Richard Janssen
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Tribal Emergency Management
A. J. Fisher, Director, Tribal Homeland Security & Emergency Management Program, DSD
Laboratories, Security Systems Division, Montgomery, AL
Ms. Fisher works in a government advocacy role with DSD. She helps Tribes interface with state and
federal governments to comply with regulations and ensure funding for homeland security needs. States
prefer to dictate the terms with which they will interface with Tribes, but it must be the reverse to best
represent Tribal needs.
Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Ms. Fisher effectively works to have states work closely with
Tribes as local governments, which allows them to apply directly to the state for funding rather than first
having to go through other local governments. Subsequent provisions of the Act passed in 2004 identify
Tribes as applicants to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). But Tribes must have a plan
approved to apply for the grant funding. So the start-up money to develop a plan is committed to be spent
by Tribes on their own behalf.
In South Dakota, DSD helped Tribes become directly funded by the state. DSD also has identified two
Tribes for a special grant program. Recently, DSD also advocated at the federal level for planning and
training funding to be made available in addition to structural or equipment funding. Each Tribe should
identify a person or attorney to be educated in this process. There has been about $4 billion identified by
the Department of Homeland Security for Tribes to access. In one case, the Fondulac Tribe north of the
Twin Cities, MN, wasn't able to obtain any funding.
In general, DSD Laboratories provides professional homeland security and emergency management
planning services to Tribal governments to assist in the design, implementation, and management of a
comprehensive program consistent with complex federal compliance measures. As a governmental
advocate, DSD is unique in providing coordination for Tribes at all levels with the Department of
Defense, DHS, and other federal agencies and departments that affect Tribal governments' homeland
security responsibilities.
There are over 100 grant programs that are directly or indirectly related to homeland security. DSD
works to ensure compliance and eligibility for future grants for Tribes. DSD prepares grant applications
on the Tribe's behalf at no cost. When a grant is received, DSD implements the grant requirements and
assists the Tribe in grant reporting requirements.
Under federal laws and directives, DSD also prepares All-Hazard Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) and
National Incident Management System (NIMS) Plans, and handles training, assists with emergency
management accreditation program (EMAP) compliance, interoperable communications for first
responders, emergency operations center (EOC) planning, FEMA hazard mitigation and FEMA flood
mitigation planning, fire mitigation planning, and hazardous material emergency preparedness planning.
DSD also assists Tribes with environmental emergency preparedness planning, bioterrorism/biohazard
preparedness planning, chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) preparedness,
critical infrastructure protection hardening and strengthening, tribal homeland security strategy planning,
continuity of operations (COOP)/continuity of government (GOP) planning, mutual aid agreement
planning, training in weapons of mass destruction/hazardous material/first responder/CERT, and exercise
planning and validation using a holistic all-hazards approach.
DSD first prepares a "crosswalk" between Tribal policies and applicable federal and state statutes,
regulations, directives, policies and guidelines to determine the necessary course of action to achieve and
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maintain DHS compliance. Existing gaps in policy, programs and strategies are identified. Funding
sources are identified to mitigate the gaps. A Tribal Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
Strategy is developed that quantifies needs, mitigates deficiencies and reinforces the capability to prevent
and respond to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), natural disasters and acts of terrorism. Effective
remediation and recovery efforts are also delineated throughout the entire threat spectrum.
For more information on DSD, contact A. J. Fisher at 318/344-6997 or email afisher@dsdlabs.com
Overview of National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Stacy Eich, Senior Tribal Emergency Management Planning Coordinator, DSD Laboratories,
Security Systems Division, Montgomery, AL
In March 2004, the Secretary of Homeland Security, at the request of President Bush, released the
National Incident Management System (NIMS), a comprehensive system to improve Tribal, state and
local response operations using the Incident Command System (ICS) and the application of standard
procedures and preparedness measures. Directive 5 required federal departments and agencies to adopt
and Tribes and other local and state jurisdictions to fully implement NIMS to remain eligible for federal
preparedness funding.
To be compliant with NIMS, Tribes, states and local governments were required to complete several
activities by September 30, 2006. Tribes, like other government entities, must prevent, respond to and
recover from emergencies and disasters to preserve life and property in the community. All emergency
incident responders must work together to comply with NIMS.
Criteria to receive follow-up preparedness funding for FY07 includes complying first with the FY05
requirements, including the following:
Completing the NIMS Awareness Course, an independent study on the Emergency Management
Institute (EMI) web page at: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is700.asp
Formally recognizing the NIMS and adopting NIMS principles and procedures by adopting
ordinances or legislation at http://www.fema.gov/nims
Determining which NIMS requirements have already been met and using DHS grant programs to
fill gaps
Developing a strategy and timeframe for full NIMS implementation during FY05--full
compliance is required by FY07 for assistance, and
Institutionalizing use of the Incident Command System (ICS).
FY06 NIMS compliance activities include the following:
Adopting NIMS at all local governmental departments and agencies and private emergency
sectors
Managing all emergency incidents and preplanned events in accordance with ICS
Carrying out and supporting emergency incident and event management through multi-agency
coordination
Communicating timely information to the public during an incident through a Joint Information
System and Joint Information Center.
There are 22 compliance measures for FY06. For a more detailed list, go to http://www.fema.gov/nims.
As of August 2005, the federal government had compiled a list of departments and emergency
preparedness grants that were available through the EPA, Departments of Agriculture, Justice, Education,
Interior, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Energy, and Transportation; the Nuclear
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Regulatory Commission and the Tennessee Valley Authority. For more information, contact Stacy Eich
at 910/245-1976 or email seich(gidsdlabs.com.
Questions and Answers
Q - When asked, the State of MN said that Tribes are cities, but now only one Tribe in the state gets
funding.
A - There is a pass-through distribution procedure that defines how states allocate dollars. According to
the regulations, if one Tribe gets Homeland Security money, then all the Tribes should get it.
Q - Can Tribes get information about how a law passed affects their homeland security?
A - Contact your state Homeland Security coordinator and get a strong advocate for the Tribe.
Comment - We have a Tribal liaison from FEMA, but they are not supportive. In California, no funding
has been secured for the Tribes - even if it's money going back to the federal government unused.
A - We're seeing some progress working with states. Homeland Security agrees with us (DSD)
regarding the definition of Tribes. But reporting from the states about needs for Tribal funding isn't
always accurate. A Tribal advocate must educate each state about how it is supposed to work through the
system. Even though very few Tribes have gotten money, the states do not report a problem to Homeland
Security. We still need legislation that provides direct funding to Tribes.
Q - Homeland Security is an important part of a healthy environment. How can we help be your voice?
Not many Tribes even know that October 1 is a deadline that needs to be met.
A - Six of nine Tribes in South Dakota don't know what NIMS is as of 9/27/06.
Comment - Agencies need to work smart and communicate laterally among themselves. Tribal
involvement is needed. The U.S. Forest Service has gained trust among Tribes. Perhaps we can work
with them.
A - We need a National Tribal Homeland Security Commission. In South Dakota, DHS is supportive of
Tribes forming coalitions. The Tribes must unify.
Q - How do we find an advocate?
A - You can outsource it. Tribes can call at no cost. There is an emergency performance grant available
to support a Tribal committee and a manager for emergencies.
Q - Can the federal government extend the deadline?
A - DSD has talked with the DHS and FEMA about this, and our Tribes have gotten an agreement from
the federal government that they can show a "good faith effort" to the state and still receive their grants.
A problem has been that you have to be in compliance first to apply for a grant to do emergency
preparedness planning. A government advocate can intervene for you to put together an implementation
strategy.
Q - If a Tribe is not compliant on October 1, 2006, will that affect FEMA hazard mitigation funding also?
A - Yes, noncompliance will affect that funding. FEMA provides some funding for planning purposes,
and you don't have to go through the states to obtain it. You can go directly to FEMA. You have a better
chance of getting a grant this way even though you're competing with all the other states. FEMA will
offer a minimum amount of money, but you can negotiate and get a higher level.
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Comment - There was an extension given on a May 2005 deadline. All Tribes need an All-Hazards
Mitigation Plan. If you have this, there are four grant programs you can apply for under FEMA. (With a
show of hands, only one Tribe in the audience had this grant.) Hire a consultant.
Comment - We had a clean water plan that the federal government wanted us to change. We fought it
and won. But most Tribes don't know about regulations and how to access planning funds.
Comment - Tribes were invited to attend the FEMA hazard mitigation planning. Only two people came.
And FEMA didn't talk about NIMS training during their training. We needed to know six months ago
that this deadline was coming. (Many in the audience had indicated that they weren't aware of the
deadline.)
3 P.M., TRIBAL DIET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Roland Hemmett and David Nelson
Tribal Food Safety Initiative
John Persell, Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Division of Resources Management, Cass
Lake, MN
As part of a Tribal food safety initiative, a cooperative fish and wildlife monitoring program was initiated
in 1999 through the Environmental Quality Departments of seven Tribes: the Minnesota Chippewa, Leech
Lake Band of Ojibwe, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Turtle Mountain
Chippewa, Grand Portage Chippewa, and the White Earth Chippewa. The overall research, monitoring,
and data quality objectives focused on the development of a Tribal Food Consumption Guide.
Approximately 1,171 fish of several Tribally utilized species were collected from 30 lakes. Of these, 905
fish were analyzed for mercury and 266 fish, including subsamples of liver and egg tissues, were analyzed
for previously screened organic chemicals of concern such as dioxins/furans, polychlorinated biphenyls,
and DDT. Deer, moose, duck, turtle, bear, and wild turkey tissues also were assessed.
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) began fish mercury research in 1992. They examined a variety of
food sources common in the traditional diet to explore the risk associated with such consumption:
Fish
Waterfowl
Deer, moose, bear
Herbs and medicines
Can Tribal governments best balance food consumption benefit and risk by considering both western
science and traditional knowledge? MCT's current initiative takes this approach. Mercury research began
in 1992; assessment of food contaminants other than mercury began with literature review in 1996.
Contaminant research in foods is generally based on average American exposure scenarios. FDA
recognition of developmental impacts in the recent adoption of mercury is reluctantly following a
State/Tribal lead. US FDA conducts some monitoring of commercial foods and USEPA, States, and
Tribes assess wild fish and game. In 2003, the National Academies Institute of Medicine published
"Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds in the Food Supply." Some Canadian and other international data
exists regarding wild and commercial food contaminants.
There is a paucity of data usable for a comprehensive Tribal food guide so the Tribe would have to do its
own research. However, Canadian research identified burbot (Lota lota) liver as a valuable screening
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tool. In 1998 funding was identified and US EPA approved a QAPP prepared for a screening study using
methods 1613b (D/F), 1668a (PCBs) and 8081b for OC pesticides. Burbot liver was collected and
analyzed in 1999.
Screening study results showed that discrete samples were preferred as composite results have greater
potential for variance from the mean; the EPA Columbia River Study of 2002 showed up to 70 percent
variance from side to side. Both burbot muscle and liver were analyzed as discrete samples from five
Mille Lacs Lake burbot and samples showed the following results:
Average muscle D/F = 0.10 pg/g TEQ (ND = 0)
Average liver D/F = 2.8 pg/g TEQ (ND = 0)
Average muscle PCBs = 0.18 pg/g TEQ
Average liver PCBs = 14.3 pg/g TEQ
Average muscle DDT = 9 ppb
Average liver DDT = 379 ppb
MCT's discrete analyses included the following:
905 fish muscle: mercury
276 fish tissue organic analyses: muscle, liver, eggs (30 lakes)
10 deer tissue organic analyses: muscle and liver
10 duck muscle, liver: organics
14 snapping turtle: mercury
2 moose muscle, liver: organics
1 bear muscle, fat: organics
1 wild turkey muscle: organics
Dioxins were reported as ND=0. Deer and moose D/F and PCB data were consistent with Canadian
studies. Other results were as follows:
Mercury (0.01 to 1.6 ppm) and DDT (<0.5 to 379 ppb)
PCBs(<0.1to40pptteq[l.lppm])
Dioxin/furans (0 to 6.0 ppt teq, who 1998)
Bear, deer, ducks, moose, turkey, perch, and panfish showed no contaminants found. Four species offish
were represented; dioxin and PCBs were very low for walleye and perch but tended to jump up with
salmon. Six lakes were tested as reference area lakes for background levels. There was some
contamination in some lakes; however, there are edible fish available. Consumption guides suggest
eating fish three times a week or less depending on your situation - pregnant and nursing mothers,
children, should be more cautious. Where the fish were caught and what kind offish also were of
importance.
Leech Lake Reservation
Boy Lake Tulibee (n=3)
DDT = 12 ppb
D/F = 0 ppt TEQ
PCBs = 0.12 ppt TEQ
Six Mile Lake Tulibee (n=3)
DDT = 4 ppb
D/F = 0.02 ppt TEQ
PCBs = 0.02 ppt TEQ
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Highest DDT = 84ppb, Tulibee
At subsistence levels there is a significant amount of DDT, which indicates a problem in several lakes.
Why it is in some lakes and not others is unknown. DDT was used everywhere.
White Earth Reservation Lakes sampled were White Earth, Many Point, Big Elbow, Bass, McKenzie,
Snider, South Twin, and Strawberry. Walleye up to 7 pounds; Northern up to 16 pounds.
Fish Muscle (n=53).
Lake Superior Lake Trout
PCBs = 784 ppb
DDT = 567 ppb
PCBs LOG 4 ppb
DDT LOG 25 ppb
Lake Michigan Lake Trout
PCBs =1614 ppb
DDT =105 6 ppb
Little River Band 2005 Chinook Salmon (n = 3)
DDT = 83, 113, 154 ppb
D/F TEQ = 0.2, 0.7, l.gppt
PCBs TEQ = 12, 20, 39 ppt
PCBs Total = 334, 488, 769 ppb
We don't know as much about these fish as we would like to know but suffice it to say that they are
getting exposed to contaminants in their run across Lake Michigan; they may also get over into Lake
Huron where there are a lot of contaminants. In a substantially deep spot the Manistee River empties into
Lake Michigan. PCBs obviously are the contaminant of concern here and are quite high; generally
speaking, levels of around 1 TEQ are of concern based on old cancer slope factors. The new cancer slope
factor is even more dramatic. The numbers on the PCB concentration in these relatively small fish (the
largest was maybe 9 pounds), is of real concern. At very low parts per million levels for the Great Lakes
TEQ ranged up to 40. More research needs to be done. If this contaminant was uranium the fish would
be glowing in the dark! At these contaminant levels it is likely that fish fecundity will be affected as well.
In response to these results, the following consumption guidance (along with information about
commercial foods as well) was provided:
WCBAC (Inland Waters)
Perch, Panfish, Whitefish, Tulibee, Sucker, Bullhead-unlimited (hotspots identified)
Deer and moose muscle-unlimited
Walnuts, hazelnuts-unlimited
No snapping turtle
No walleye over 20 inches (smaller 1/mo)
No Northern over 30 inches (smaller 1/mo)
Fish eggs and liver-ceremonial use only
Limit beef and cheese servings to one meal per week (exceptions: cottage and American cheeses
unlimited)
Avoid Tuna.
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Conclusions
The MCT is well embarked on putting together a tribal food guidance book and these are some
recommendations included in it. This is what we advise and people take what they want, they use these
foods ceremonially and for sustenance. The data support previous studies demonstrating the need to
know the overall quality of major Tribal traditional and commercial foods. Many traditional and
commercial foods may be consumed without limitations due to contaminants. Mercury is ubiquitous but
hot spots do exist and hot spots exist for DDT, PCBs, Dioxins/Furans, and perhaps others. Finally,
knowing the contaminants present in traditional Tribal foods will allow Tribal governments to inform
Tribal members regarding safe food consumption decisions. This knowledge should encourage Tribes to
advocate for remediation where necessary and for Tribally protective environmental quality management.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ What did you use for consumption rates when coming up with your food guidance?
A ~ For mercury we went to a default of !/2-lb of fish per day, but for PCB or DDT we took our rates
straight out of EPA information: !/> Ib offish a day is the standard, codified by a number of tribal
government I work for.
Q ~ Has your information been presented to the Tribal community and how have they responded?
A ~ That is our next step. We are poised to go to the Tribes ~ there are 6 involved at the grassroots
levels. We'll be bringing those communities into focus groups and do a pre-test, screen the groups
carefully presenting the food guide and letting them work with that for a few months and then come back
three or four months later to get their feedback to put into a final food guide. So, that's our strategy. But
in general, it's been talked about and we have verbal guidance out in some of the areas, like Cass Lake
(our Superfund site), so the Tribal community has the information not to eat the whitefish.
Q ~ Do you have any trend line data, in terms of over the years, how are these contaminants going, some
seem to be going down?
A ~ I've seen the trend line going down in the Great Lakes but this is my first foray into the Great Lakes
except for mercury, and though we see a trend line going down for PCBs, for instance, we're still seeing
some very toxic fish. I wonder, as we dechlorinate are we increasing contaminants? I don't know, I
couldn't find any answers. I'm disappointed that EPA is not doing TEQ in those fish.
Q ~ One thing that stood out to me that you only recommend one meal of beef. I wondered why are beef
and cheese are on there?
A ~ It's just based on a large list. We've got some commercial foods on there too.
A Tribal Monitoring Program To Assess the Human Tissue Accumulation and Health
Effects of Persistent Organic Compounds and Heavy Metals Consumed in the Traditional
Diet in Rural Alaska Native Mothers and Infants
Martina Lauterbach, R.N., Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Division of Community
Health Services, Anchorage, AK
The Alaska Native population is 125,000, representing 19 percent of Alaska's total population ~ the
highest Native American population percentage of any State. Approximately 65 percent live in rural
areas, 35 percent live in urban areas, and 58 percent live in villages of 200 or less. Most of the rural
communities have no road connection with major population centers.
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About 60 percent of the Alaska Natives live in very remote areas and they are the most subsistence-
dependent in the U.S. population. Culturally the traditional diet is critical; Alaska Natives hunt, harvest,
prepare, and share their traditional foods. The Alaska Native diet has a beneficial impact due to the large
amounts of micronutrients.
Accumulation of organic contaminants in the food web biomagnifies; the developing fetus and pregnant
women are most sensitive. Transport of contaminants by ocean, river, and atmospheric mechanisms may
be increased by a warming climate. Circumpolar contaminant issues are also unique; global air currents
are hemispheric, ocean currents are global, and all local sources are eventually distributed globally. This
means that pollutants from all over the world are transported into the circumpolar environment. These
include two major categories:
Persistent Organic Pollutants
Highly persistent, fat soluble, easily transportable
Industrial origin - PCBs, PBFRs
Agricultural pesticides - DDT, Toxaphene, Mirex, HCCH
Industrial by-products - Dioxins, Furans, HCB
Heavy Metals
Hg, Pb, As, Cd
All are naturally occurring, and easily transported
Hg, As, Cd exist in forms that vary greatly in toxic potential
Exposure routes include food chain exposure at low but chronic levels. Most sources are distant, with
some local. Atmospheric transport, ocean/river transport, and wildlife transport all contribute to the
problem. The effects of exposure routes are notable for their impact on maternal/ fetal exposures.
Maternal exposure is mainly through diet, which is often composed of many traditional foods. Fatty acids
are very important healthy nutrients and the best source is from fish.
Higher levels of these nutrients in Alaska Natives are probably due to a higher consumption offish. This
illustrates the benefits of traditional diet high in fish. Traditional diet is also thought to help protect
against the risk of maternal diabetes. Traditional food has public health and cultural benefits but it is also
contaminated through several sources and activities:
Mining/oil extraction
Industry, powerplants
Military Sites
Landfills, and
Naturally occurring minerals.
Maternal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals are decreasing in "lower 48"
United States women but no trend data are available for Alaska Native Women. The fetal exposure route
is transplacental while newborns are exposed through breast milk. There are several types of potential
adverse effects in newborns from exposure to POPs, Lead, Mercury, Cadmium:
Growth
Neurological (cognitive impairment), and
Immunological (infections).
Alaska Natives in the rural communities have a rising concern about contaminants and possible risks of
threatening their culture and their health. The Tribal Council from two regions requested evaluation and
monitoring of the POCs, and the tribal council signed a resolution, which authorized ANTHC to create
the monitoring program.
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The maternal blood levels of contaminants found in Alaska Native women are similar to those of
Scandinavian women, and in the United States to all races combined and women of child bearing age.
Maternal and infant pairs were recruited during the first prenatal visit. Mothers received information
about the program, signed consent forms to be in the program, and a completed dietary history.
Specimens from mother and infant were obtained at this time, and medical records were reviewed. A
prospective cohort of maternal-infant pairs were drawn from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the Arctic
Slope, and the Aleutian/ Pribilof Islands. This multi-year program was started in 1999. The first cohort
finished enrollment in 2003: 205 mothers, 91 newborns.
A wide variety of analytes were monitored:
Metals ~ lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic
POPs ~ Persistent pesticides, e.g., DDT
PCBs
Selenium
MicronutrientsLipid content & omega-3 fatty acids, and
Toxaphene, brominated flame retardants, and perflourinated octane sulfonates (PFOS).
Laboratory Analysis was done for POPs and metals by the National Center for Environmental Health,
CDC; Johns Hopkins University did micronutrients; University of Alaska at Anchorage did Omega-3
fatty acids.
Results showed that of the essential POPs, only beta hexachlorocyclocyclohexane, oxychlor, t-NONA,
and DDE were above the limit of detection. Of these, only DDE was statistically different from the
NHANES population (lower than NHANES). For the infants, all POPs were below the limit of detection
except DDE, which was lower than the adult population. For mothers, geometric mean concentrations for
cadmium and mercury were significantly greater than those reported in the Second National Report on
Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Lead was not different than for the NHANES population.
Urinary mercury concentrations were higher than NHANES. Geometric means for urinary arsenic were
18.9 ug/L but there is no population level for comparison. However, the 95 percent CI was 15 to 23,
which is less than the level of 50 that has been associated with possible adverse health outcomes.
Correlations were found between health outcome (pregnancy outcome and rate of infectious disease
during 1st year of life) and blood levels. There was a correlation of levels of PFOS, PBFR, and
Toxaphene between mothers and infants, and a correlation of levels of POPs and micronutrients with
dietary history.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ Why did you say Alaska native women have more PDBEs?
A ~ Probably because we use a lot of flame retardants in clothing.
Q ~ I'm from Scent, Alaska and we haven't had any luck getting funding to do similar sampling in our
area; do you know if IHS has plans to do anything on that? And I was wondering why the level for
mercury in Alaska Native men was so much higher?
A ~ I'm not sure about the mercury issue in men, I'd have to talk to my boss about that. As for doing the
south central area study, we'd have to get some resolutions from the villages before we can do any of the
programs or studies.
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3 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF QUALITY ASSURANCE TOOLS - TURBO
QAPP
Facilitator:
Elizabeth Jackson
(See the description above of the 1 p.m. session)
Turbo QAPP
Melinda Ronca-Battista, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Tribal Air Monitoring
Support Center, Phoenix, AZ
3 P.M., TRAINING: OVERVIEW OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FROM A
TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE
Monitoring
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Tracey Ledder, Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Odanah, WI
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du Flambeau Band of Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Nancy opened this final session with a brief, edited version of the water quality monitoring module used
at the tribal water quality standards academy. This introduction touched on key aspects of developing a
tribal monitoring program: identifying the monitoring objectives, designing a monitoring approach to
achieve those objectives, data collection (field and lab), data management and interpretation, and
conveying the information gained in a monitoring program to the public and the EPA. Water quality
monitoring supports a water quality standards program, by tying the monitoring framework back to the
designated uses and criteria. Monitoring data can be used to develop and revise WQS, assess attainment
of designated uses at various spatial scales, identify both impaired waters and those in good condition,
and ultimately protect and restore waters.
Tracey Ledder then presented a case study relating Bad River's approach to water quality monitoring,
linked to their designated uses. Bad River is monitoring, among other parameters, nutrients, solids, fecal
coliform, alkalinity and hardness, and stream flow; using Hydrolab and YSI multiprobes as well. There
was no existing water quality data for Bad River waters, prior to 1997.
Their monitoring data has identified elevated nutrient concentrations in some areas, but they are still
attempting to better define ambient or background nutrient levels for waters in this ecoregion. Also, the
Marengo River exceeds the state and federal fecal coliform criteria, especially during and after rain
events, as it reaches the reservation boundary. In this watershed, there are historical issues with failing
septic systems, and some small dairy operations. Bad River elected to add some "chased" rain event
sampling to their monitoring program to better understand the relationship between high flows and
bacterial exceedences.
Jurisdictional issues have limited the ability to take action thus far; only the tribe has this critical
bacteriological data, but the Town of Marengo does not accept this data as justification for reviving a
proposed sewage district. Wisconsin DNR and county staff shortages add to the problem of finding a
'fix' for this impairment, but cooperation with a regional watershed agency (bacterial sampling from
headwaters to the edge of the reservation) may lend credence to their efforts to control bacteria levels.
Gretchen Watkins spoke about Lac du Flambeau's watershed assessments and their water quality
monitoring strategy. Basically, they have been doing a comprehensive assessment of lakes (baseline
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assessment of all lakes over 40 acres), streams (baseline assessment), and wetland (vegetation inventory
and water quality); and have included targeted assessments (investigating sources of pollution). With this
approach Lac du Flambeau is able to assess over 90% of their lake water acres, but many small lakes
(56%) are not assessed. The targeted assessments have been used thus far to monitor impacts from
commercial cranberry operations, storm water runoff, shoreland development, and mercury.
Assessment: Attainment or Impairment
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Jeff Ogburn, Taos Pueblo Environmental Office, Taos, NM
Nancy used a portion of the "Introduction to Assessment and Attainment" module from the tribal water
quality standards academy as an intro to this final WQS overview topic. She briefly touched on §305(b)
reporting, §303(d) listing and TMDLs, before presenting a short description of Fond du Lac's experience
in waterbody assessment and 305(b) reporting. She explained the way that Fond du Lac utilized its
monitoring data and numerical criteria to determine whether or not each waterbody wasjully supporting,
partially supporting, or not supporting its designated uses. She emphasized the usefulness and legitimacy
of including best professional judgement by tribal natural resource and environmental staff in reaching
these assessment decisions. Fond du Lac also has opted, in its 305(b) reports, to assess mercury
impairments (human health uses) independently from aquatic life uses. Most lakes and streams on the
reservations are fully supporting their designated aquatic life uses, but all of the waterbodies that have
been sampled for fish mercury concentrations do not support unlimited fish consumption, due to
widespread mercury contamination of the fish commonly consumed.
Jeff Ogburn gave a case study of Taos Pueblo's experience in collecting water quality data in support of
their water quality standards program. The Taos Pueblo Environmental Department's knowledge of their
water resources (their cultural values and usage as well as their ecological values) has enabled them to put
their monitoring data into context. In their assessment process, the Tribe first determined the goals for the
watershed and incorporated Tribal knowledge, such as river use sites and plants collected, into the
monitoring design. Traditional knowledge was used to establish designated uses, such as for drinking and
spiritual use. Next the Tribe gathered information on watershed stressors and response indicators, like
algal blooms and changes in plants.
In upgrading data to information and knowledge, current conditions were compared to expected
conditions. Healthy waters and impaired waters were identified, and a protection/restoration plan was
developed to tell the story of the waters. The assessment is revisited regularly to determine if data quality
objectives (DQOs) are being met and whether information is being turned into knowledge about how to
manage the watershed. Thus, a baseline was built to determine the attainment of WQS, using biological,
toxicological, physical and chemical indicators. Reference conditions were the benchmarks set to
compare current conditions found in the watershed.
Jeff also queried the audience as to their ideas and experiences in taking water quality monitoring data
and turning that information into an analysis and report on water quality conditions. Often it is difficult to
take this last step in the process of a water quality protection program, and provide information back to
the community and EPA offices.
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Evening Event
Film Screening
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action
Directed by Roberta Grossman
Produced by The Katahdin Foundation
This feature-length documentary film tells the story of Native American activists fighting to preserve their
land, sovereignty, and culture. Framed by the words of Winona LaDuke, HOMELAND presents a vision
of how people all over the world can work towards healthier lives and a greater respect and care for the
planet we share.
Alaska Native Diet: Monitoring For Contaminants In Rural Alaska
Produced by Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. and World Turtle Productions.
The film "Monitoring for Contaminants in Rural Alaska" covered several topic areas including: sources of
contaminants, pathways of contaminants to the Arctic and rural communities, and the role of the Alaska
Native Traditional Food Safety Monitoring Program as a tool that Alaska and Kamchatka Natives can use
to better monitor and understand diet and the levels of contaminant exposure. While identifying the range
of communities participating in Alaska, the film focuses on the community of St. Paul and explores how
the program is helping this rural community to address concerns about exposure to contaminants and its
implications for public health.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
8 A.M., AIR DEPOSITION
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and David LaRoche
Fond du Lac Reservation Comprehensive Mercury Monitoring Program
Nick Axtell, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Department, Cloquet, MN
Nick Axtell has been employed by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa since March 2003
as the Air Program Coordinator. He got his Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from the
University of Minnesota Duluth. During his tenure as a student, he researched the biosorption ability of
aquatic plants to remove aqueous metallic ions from water, and had an internship with the American
Indian Environmental Office in Washington, DC. In addition to his duties at Fond du Lac, he serves on
the Executive Committee as a representative for Region V in the National Tribal Air Association.
Fond du Lac partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health to collect and analyze fish tissue
contaminants from reservation waters, and develop culturally sensitive fish consumption guidelines for
the tribal community, many of whom rely on fish at a subsistence level. Mr. Axtell described the process
as summarized below:
Fond du Lac Reservation is located in northeastern Minnesota in a rural area about 20 miles from Duluth/
Superior. The Reservation layout is comprised of 101,000 acres including 45,000 acres of wetlands and
2,855 acres of lakes. There are 3,800 Band members. Ceded Territories cover 8 million acres.
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Atmospheric deposition of mercury is of particular concern in the boreal forest and wetland ecoregion of
Northeastern Minnesota, as geochemical and microbial processes enhance mercury availability to the
aquatic food web. In its methylated form, mercury bioaccumulates in the higher aquatic trophic levels to
concentrations that are hazardous to top predators (piscivorous fish, eagles, osprey, loons, kingfishers,
mink, and otters) and humans. Consequently, fish caught in reservation waters can be dangerously high in
mercury content.
The Tribal Air Program has been monitoring atmospheric deposition of mercury weekly since 1997, and
has specifically measured methyl mercury deposition since 2001. To better understand the fate and
transport of mercury in aquatic ecosystems, the Tribal Office of Water Protection has initiated several
projects to investigate mercury levels and potential exposure scenarios. Two sediment assessment projects
measured mercury and methylmercury in reservation lake and stream sediments, and results indicated that
sediment mercury levels exceeded threshold effects concentrations in all water bodies.
The Fond du Lac Air Program was established in 1999. We have one full-time and two part-time
employees and have monitored for six pollutants. A wet deposition monitor is used ~ not to be confused
with a dry deposition monitor - to measure rain and snow. Generally this type of monitor catches 85 to
90 percent but it doesn't catch as much in winter. Measurements are collected weekly. We stopped
monitoring for certain contaminants because we lost some EPA funding. We make collections in small
bottles but if we get a big rain it will overflow so we keep a bucket there too and measure the overflow
and make notes on that as well. When looking at weekly accumulations, we tend to get a lot of spikes
around June, July and October, probably because it rains more in those months.
Concerns with mercury are of particular interest in boreal forest/ wetland ecoregions because they are
very sensitive to mercury deposition. Methylation occurs due to watershed characteristics. And mercury
then bioaccumulates up the food chain.
Some facts about mercury in Minnesota from Year 2005 Data:
3,341 Ibs released in MN (down from 3600 Ib in 2000).
98 percent was discharged to the atmosphere.
Only 10-30 percent of deposition comes from in-state sources.
58 percent of mercury emitted comes from energy production (up from 51%).
22 percent is from "purposeful uses" (down from 28%).
20 percent is from materials processing (down from 21%).
Updates at the site include replacing an old M.I.C. monitor with a NTN monitor in 2002 although we are
not using NTN analysis. We implemented methyl mercury analysis in September 2000 and ended in
March 2005. Currently, we are integrating our mercury deposition, water quality and watershed data with
our sediment mercury data to evaluate potential correlations and to better understand the implications for
protecting human health and critical aquatic resources.
Next Steps
More taconite plants coming online means we will need to look for and monitor localized
hotspots.
We need to secure additional funding to what the Tribe is paying for monitoring.
We need to restart methyl mercury monitoring.
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Questions and Answers
Q ~ Is the 20 percent you mentioned from emissions?
A-Yes.
Q ~ Can you explain what taconite is?
A ~ Taconite is a product of iron ore processing; when they process they ship it out in these little balls.
Mercury is emitted when they fire up the ore.
Q I was curious about where your monitors are; are there people there?
A ~ No it's a clearing in a forest. There are a few offices there and during the summer there are people
there for a forestry camp for a couple of weeks. It's probably fifteen thousand acres
Q I was just wondering if there was any effect from being downwind from an urban area in terms of
where you place the monitors.
A ~ We have a very urban looking cycle for ozone ~ generally in rural areas you see a flatter graph, but
we have a lot of peaks and valleys, the same as you'd find in an urban area.
Comment -What would the tropospheric height of mercury concentrates be? Could that be having an
effect and is any technique that would capture that?
A - I don't know how you'd measure that.
Q ~ Do you have any information on public awareness, at the Tribal level and others?
A ~ The state of Minnesota released the Hg TMDL study trying to integrate information from the air and
water program, but the way they did that study was very controversial because they met behind closed
doors with industry. When that was discovered there was quite an outcry. When they released the final
study some key statements had been removed at the request of industry. But it came back to bite them
because the study shows that most of the emissions were from outside the state and they couldn't use it to
get any changes in the state. They went back and eventually the three largest emitters in the state have
had to make changes. Overall in the state there is a lot of public awareness.
Mercury Fate & Transport on the Fond du Lac Reservation
Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Reservation, Environmental Program, Cloquet, MN
Nancy Schuldt is the Water Projects Coordinator for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa,
and has been working for the Band since September 1997. She has a B.S. degree in Biology from the
University of Dayton, and a Master's degree in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Kansas. She has
been involved in developing Fond du Lac's water quality standards program, which includes a
comprehensive water quality monitoring program, assessment and reporting, data management and
analysis, and criteria development. She also is responsible for the Band's Nonpoint Source Management
Program, and numerous water resource investigations related to protecting and restoring Reservation
waters. Her presentation built on what Mr. Axtell had already discussed. She added the following
remarks:
The Tribal community relies upon natural resources for subsistence: wild rice, fish, waterfowl, and game
and given what we know about bioaccumulation, the community has health concerns about exposure to
environmental contaminants. Resource monitoring and protection efforts acknowledge mercury risks. In
addition to the human effect, wildlife is a big concern as well, especially birds, but also fur-bearing
wildlife. We wanted to do this assessment to find out what was going on with mercury falling into our
watershed - which is huge, by the way. Our reservation is almost all water. At the same time we looked
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at PCBs and lead. There had been a direct connection found for uptake of heavy metals in wild rice. We
wanted to get a sense of the overall effect on the watershed as well.
GLNPO funded a study of 12 reservation lakes to characterize sediments, assess contaminant levels in the
bioavailable portion (Hg, PCBs, Pb), and do toxicity tests. A sediment quality database was developed;
an additional indicator of reservation water quality was also done. Results showed, as expected, higher
mercury values associated with organic sediments. 30 of 96 sites had dry weight mercury exceeding the
Level I SQT of 0.18ug/g. Shallow wild rice lakes, and shallow flowage lakes (highly stained) had
consistently higher mercury levels.
We saw a definite relationship between water depth and mercury concentration so we wanted to be sure to
take samples at different depths. Also, looking at Perch Lake, which is primarily wetland with wild rice
in the south basin and fisheries in the north basin, we saw very different characteristics. We sampled at
various places as rice was harvested and after processing. We also sampled wildfowl and moose, because
these are all traditional foods for the community.
Phase II of the Sediment Study GLNPO project included twelve St. Louis River sites, looking at the same
parameters as before, plus methyl mercury. We analyzed archived samples from the first study for MeHg
and added to the database. We also partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health to study fish
contaminants and develop a culturally sensitive consumption guide. Fish were collected from reservation
waters; we targeted species that are commonly eaten by Tribal community members. Mercury drives
consumption restrictions (we ruled out PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, toxaphene).
A Wild Foods Study was based on our goal to find a culturally appropriate way to develop guidelines,
where and what kind offish, what size, how much can you safely eat? You can't just say to people, don't
eat fish. Because we knew that PCBs weren't an issue in the area we didn't include them in this study.
But, because we knew about lead uptake in wild rice we wanted to learn more about that. We did a
comprehensive risks/benefits analysis funded by Minnesota Sea Grant and asked do cultural and
nutritional benefits of wild foods (vs. market alternatives) offset contaminant exposure? Wild rice,
waterfowl, and moose were analyzed for mercury and lead.
Waterfowl and fish have comparable mercury levels.
Clearly, to understand mercury impacts on human diet, fish is not the whole story. Fortunately with wild
rice we weren't finding high concentrations of lead or mercury. More testing needs to be done, keeping
in mind what the state and federal government are doing to reduce emissions, but knowing we have
sources of pollutants in our own backyard.
Next Steps
Continuing studies sampling more waterfowl
Update fish tissue data
Ongoing atmospheric deposition monitoring, and
Partnering on study of mercury methylation/demethylation rates, in situ.
Questions and Answers
Comment ~ I know that USGS has been looking at mercury methylate in fish and I was wondering if you
had worked with them? And also have you looked at interaction between factors, have you done any
multifactor graphs, for instance PH and dissolved carbon?
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A ~ We couldn't show any relationship between PH and mercury contamination. We have a pretty
narrow range, and I am aware of the other studies you mentioned.
Comment ~ We looked at some populations in Washington and did blood work and found that levels
weren't too high except in those who were eating the whole fish, some immigrant populations, for
instance Russians who grind up whole carp to make fishcakes.
Alaska Native Science
Larry Merculieff, Seven Generations Consulting, Anchorage, AK
Larry Merculieff has almost four decades of experience serving his people, the Aleuts of the Pribilof
Islands and other Alaska Native peoples in a number of capacities. His reach has been broad and varied; a
few of the positions he has held include City Manager of St. Paul Island, Commissioner of the Alaska
Department of Commerce & Economic Development (a cabinet post), President and CEO of Tanadgusix
(A.K.A. TDX) Corporation, and Deputy Director of the Alaska Native Science Commission. A synopsis
of Mr. Merculieff s remarks follows.
I don't have a presentation, because an elder told me that anybody who has to get up in front of a group of
people and has to work from a piece of paper shouldn't be up there. I find that when I made that shift I
started speaking more from the heart.
I had a traditional upbringing, I think the last generation who really had that. I was raised by the whole
community. The women took me out berry picking; I watched them cut up meat. I spent time with the
elders. I spent time with the hunters and the fishermen. And of course with my peers. The name I was
given when I was four is "cuhya" which means extension. By age five I had an "acha." It's a relationship
between a younger person and an older person, and it was so strong. He taught me much of what I know
about being an Aleut man, about what I know about ethics and values, hunting and fishing, being a keen
observer. From age 5 to age 13, when he took me under his wing, he may have only said 200 words to
me because words were superfluous.
He would take me out to hunt sea lions. Sea lions to us were like buffalo to the plains Indians. I would
sit out there for hours and hours and I was given the opportunity to explore out for as far as I could for
myself. He didn't place boundaries on my way of knowing. I would notice that hunters seemed to know
that the sea lions were coming before they came. And four or five guys would shoulder together, within
microseconds of each other. It was an amazing process to watch. By age eleven I could read the winds,
tides and currents; I could navigate in fog without instruments; I could feel the subtle movements of the
water, the energy of the water, and smell and see the difference in the water. I could watch the birds that
came through the water and all this gave me cues.
At age eleven I shot a sea lion. I knew the instant of its death; I felt the sudden energy that said, I have
consciousness and I have energy and I am giving myself to you. Nobody had ever told me about this and
afterwards I went to my acha and told him and he looked at me, nodded his head and said "good."
So that's the kind of upbringing I had. Throughout the entire village I would be welcomed in any home at
anytime. I was always affirmed. I was never scolded. To grow up that way is very special. And never
being given instruction is very special. The understanding of the way of knowing comes from the notion
of the real human being, the fact that we have a profound connection to creation ~ that is the spirituality
basis that western science is very uncomfortable with. It creates particular kinds of challenges.
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On the western side of my experience, I have immersed myself in Cartesian-based science, in the Bering
Sea where I lived I have talked to every scientist I could, read every white paper. I was one of four
Native Americans on the White House Council on the Oceans. And so on. The point is that I do
understand western science.
Back in the 1970's our people started noticing things that were anomalous. So we knew something was
happening out there in the Bering Sea that was pretty profound and the problems indicated food stress to
us and seemed to be system wide. So we started flagging this in different kinds of western forms, but
nobody listened. And then finally, thirteen years later in 1990, the scientists put together a food
conference and concluded that we were experiencing this food stress. Sea lions were declining, 80
percent loss of sea lions, some species of bird down by 80 percent, harbor seals, sea otters, red face
cormorants -it's an ecosystem-wide phenomenon. This is going to affect all native cultures all across the
north and eventually is going to affect down here. But nobody would listen to us. After ten years of
effort a theory was developed that high sea drift net entanglement was the cause of sea lion decline. It
contributes, but it is NOT the cause. If they had listened to us they would have saved time and money
chasing after wrong hypotheses.
Any people who have a sustained connection to their environment for thousands of years notice things.
We see it in terms of connection. Bird guano. Very important. Scientists never looked at the loss of bird
guano, an effect of the loss of two million sea birds. Just last year scientists studying in the Aleutians
discovered that the PHs and nitrates transported inland were necessary for grasslands to exist. The elders
talked about how a single drop of gasoline would harm the ecosystem. Then we have the Valdez.
Scientists then study outboard motor gas in the rivers discharging 2 gallons of gas.
The average Alaskan Native consumes 420 Ibs of wildfoods per capita - our relationship to the
environment is still close, so we notice things. People started noticing changes ~ ice thinning, beavers
moving in to Alaska; we found belugas in the center of Alaska; salmon meat hanging to dry just fell off
the skin, lesions on fish in all the rivers. Elders noted that water levels are going down in all the rivers,
the temperature is going up and the fish are scraping against the rocks on the bottom. Water temperature
is going way up; parasites began appearing years ago, but just recently began being studied. All these
things are the result of warming.
Native people with a sustained connection to environment will and do know a lot of what is going on. I
want to change the way people talk about Native knowledge. Knowledge without wisdom is useless. I'm
not trying to put down western science, but they do not have the kind of picture that Native people have
about what is going on. Western science is quantitative. The traditional way of knowing is qualitative.
It's not to say one is better than the other, but without the component of the Native way of knowing,
western science is weaker than it needs to be. They truly have not come together, because of institutional
competition, mandates of agencies, jealousies. I regret that Native people throughout the world are
meeting the mandates of the institutions that have funding. We need the money. But what really is
needed is forums where we have Native people discussing among ourselves what is happening. After
that, then we can sit down at a conference like this and negotiate. We don't want to just meet the goals of
federal agencies. If we do that we lose our young people, we lose our native ways of knowing.
I think about the benefits of Native ways of knowing:
One, we can flag anomalies sooner than anybody else;
Two, we can help hone in the hypotheses to save time and money;
Three, we can provide history, our elders can remember, our stories go back further;
Four, we can compare today's observations to the models of scientists.
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I think that things are changing so fast today that the number of variables in the ecosystem can't be
evaluated quickly enough by western science. In ten years the whole ecosystem has changed.
Working with local people gives you a chance to create real partnerships, real partners can advocate for
funds from agencies.
Our elders told us that seals and birds are like honey beesthey send out scouts for food. We brought
this idea to western scientists and they said they needed proof. But they couldn't tell us what they needed
to get the proof. We worked with Russian scientists and they told us exactly what we could do. We took
this information to the Forest Service and showed them, asked them what we need to do next. They said
radio telemetry. How much would it cost? $400K, and we got it. From that point on the scientists and
the Alaskan Natives really came together, so it can work. One last point look at this website
www.nativeknowledge.org. and also www.nativescience.org
Next Steps
What do we need to do? First educating of the decision makers within the government arena. We need to
have capacity building in communities so that they can determine what their concerns are, and I see
improvement on this through EPA. We need a forum just amongst Native people and then we need a
Native conference and commitment for funds for demonstration projects.
Questions and Answers
Q You mentioned you're on the Native American Fish and Wildlife Commission. They've been doing a
lot of good training for us but I hear they've lost funding. Are we going to see any more money for this
in Alaska?
A ~ No, most of the money is going to the Iraq war and other places.
Q ~ You said you were the last generation to get the traditional knowledge. What is your community
doing about this for young people now?
A ~ Well, it's sad but we have to create more artificial means for teaching kids now; we've got spiritual
camps where we bring together young people and the elders. One of the things kids up there did, several
vessels went aground up there, seven of them, and we were talking about what we could do about it. In
one case, the owners abandoned a vessel and nobody would claim it or deal with it. So we sued all of
them and got a seven million dollar settlement to take it apart. Kids went through a public education
program, got village support, and they took the vessel apart to recycle.
Comment - You might be interested to know that there is world indigenous conference in the makings
now, not including scientists.
8 A.M., WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Curtis Munoz and Dana Davoli
Emerging Issues: Contaminants in Our Environment, Endocrine Disrupters,
Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
Dr. Kim Winton, Director, USGS, Oklahoma Water Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Dr. Winton, now with the USGS Oklahoma Water Science Center, has worked in the agriculture industry
with chemical breakdown products from pesticides and fertilizers. She has found it particularly difficult
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to standardize the methods used by chemical handlers to measure biological effects. Even though the
same instructions are given to all users of chemicals, samples come back with different results in
chemical breakdowns. Other USGS centers have had the same problem. There is a need for consistent
protocols, study design, and quality assurance.
Emerging contaminants (ECs) are organic compounds newly discovered at measurable concentrations in
the environment, such as hormones, food additives, detergents, disinfectants, and pharmaceuticals.
Methods for their analysis are still experimental, and analytical methods are still being developed. ECs
are sporadically detected in the environment in parts per trillion concentrations. Human health and
environmental effects from long-term exposure to such small concentrations are uncertain and may be
negligible.
Some ECs are steroids and sterols, naturally occurring and synthetic lipids, or fat-soluble chemicals,
including alcohol (sterols), bile acids, many hormones, some natural drugs, and poisons found in the skin
of some toads. Cholesterol is a sterol. Steroid hormones include the adrenal cortical steroids
hydrocortisone, cortisone, aldosterone, and progesterone, and the male and female sex hormones,
testosterone and estrogen. Most oral contraceptives are synthetic steroids. Cortisone and its derivatives
are the most widely used steroids in medicine.
Many studies in the past 10 years have indicated that ECs, including some pesticides, plasticizers,
nonylphenols, synthetic musks, hormones, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are estrogenic and can
be taken up by aquatic biota. This can cause a decrease in fertility, the presence of both male and female
hormones and reproductive organs in fish, amphibians, and rodents as well as physical malformations
(e.g., frogs with six legs). Estrogenic compounds bio-accumulate and mixtures have additive effects.
Zeranol, a growth promoter for beef, and estradial-17b have been linked to increased risk of breast cancer
and autoimmune diseases in humans. Phthalates in pliable plastics have been linked to greater occurrence
of female characteristics in baby boys. Sources of ECs include wastewater treatment plants, domestic
septic systems, industrial discharges and livestock confined or concentrated feeding operations (CAFOs).
Animal feed often contains hormones. Surface runoff from sludge application of poultry litter can contain
ECs. Caffeine and food preservatives can also be ECs.
A major problem is determining where the ECs are coming from. In 1999 the USGS did a national
stream study. For 139 streams sampled in 30 states, 62 basins had CAFOs present, 52 were in urban
basins, 17 were in mixed land use basins and eight were in minimally developed basins. Five analytical
methods were used to look for compounds in streams. Even cities with wastewater treatment plants don't
have the analytical capacity to recognize EC pollutants or implement ways to treat them.
A total of 95 wastewater organic compounds (ECs) were analyzed from sites across the U.S., including 22
antibiotics, 14 prescription drugs, five nonprescription drugs, 15 hormones and steroids, and 39 household
and industrial compounds. ECs were detected in almost 80 percent of samples, and 82 of 95 ECs were
detected at low concentrations of less than 1 ppb to 6 ppb. Few health standards or guidelines were
exceeded, but only 14 of the 95 ECs had standards. Detection of multiple ECs was common.
A total of 34 percent of samples had more than 10 ECs. The most frequently detected ECs were fecal
sterol, nonprescription drugs, DEBT (insecticide), detergents, disinfectants, and plasticizers. In looking at
six Oklahoma and Arkansas sites, fecal steroids (cholesterol) were detected at four sites; caffeine, soap,
and a plasticizer at two sites; and several other ECs at one site. There are poultry farms in northern
Arkansas. There were 18 "other" hits for ECs. Several antibiotics were found in a site on the Mississippi
River near St. Francisville, LA, which could lead to treatment-resistant bacteria.
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Other studies include one in 2002 by USGS of stream bed sediments and water samples at five Oklahoma
stream sites. New analytical methods and revisions of previous methods were used to analyze more than
100 compounds. An article summarizing the results will be published in the near future. Another study
between March 1999 and March 2000 sampled 10 groundwater wells and surface water sites near the
Ozarks to look for bacteria.
At the Cave Springs Branch of Honey Creek in Delaware County, Oklahoma, of 47 ECs being evaluated,
the groundwater had fewer compounds than the surface waters. The highest detections were four types of
detergents found 9 times, five types of plasticizers found seven times, two types of disinfectant found
seven times, three types of fecal sterols found seven times and two types of preservatives found 9 times.
In the Turkey Creek watershed of northwest Oklahoma from 2002-03, very few groundwater detections
were found, but PAHs (from fuels), fecal sterols, fire retardants, stimulants and detergents were found.
There is a medium-sized city in the headwaters of the study area as well as an agricultural basin. Another
Oklahoma study of swine feeding operations in 2001 found 38 detections of fecal sterols and 32 of
household detergents. A total of 34 of the 78 groundwater monitoring wells had hits.
In the Cimarron Terrace Aquifer, in 2003, with an agricultural and grassland watershed, groundwater
wells showed that the highest level of ECs were detergents and household cleansing products from septic
systems. Eight different pesticides were found, mostly Atrazine. Phenol was detected 23 times and
DEBT was found frequently. A total of 28 groundwater wells out of 45 had contaminants. Of 72 EC
compounds screened, 20 ECs were found.
In northwest Arkansas in 2004, sites upstream and downstream from a wastewater treatment facility were
sampled for 108 analytes or EC compounds. All but one site had at least one detectable EC. Downstream
sites had more ECs than upstream sites. A background site had detections similar to the upsteam site.
ECs with the highest (five or more) detections included disinfectant (phenol), detergent metabolites (para-
cresol), disinfectant tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate and several flame retardants, fragrance/flavorings, non-
prescription drugs (caffeine), insect repellant (DEBT), and fecal sterols.
In summary, ECs may be useful indicators of possible sources of accompanying chemicals, such as nitrate
or phosphorus. They may or may not be conservative in hydrologic systems. Low concentration health
effects are not known, but antibiotic resistance in bacteria is common as are endocrine disrupting effects
in fish and amphibians. Pharmaceuticals may be the next recharge/discharge age-dating tool.
Background levels in water basins are not known.
Next Steps
We need to look at what we can do immediately:
Examine our own household chemicals and try to reduce or switch to less harmful ones
Have a center where unused medicines and other products can be turned in
Develop new ways of water treatment, i.e., new technology, and
EPA is doing and should continue doing research on the impacts of ECs on aquatic life and
human health.
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Questions and Answers
Q - Is tertiary treatment sufficient to extract ECs?
A - It depends on the compound. A large percentage of ECs are extracted using activated charcoal, but
there is no one treatment that gets all ECs at present.
Q - Do we need a higher level of water treatment?
A - Perhaps a higher treatment level could be designed, but we need more studies.
Comment - EPA uses this data from the USGS and tries to respond to what is being found. EPA has a
standard for Atrazine, which is found everywhere in agricultural basins. With human feces being the
source of many ECs, it is difficult to analyze and determine where there are problems. We need to do
something about eliminating the contaminants. Bacteria can easily change form as well.
Q - Public health advisories say to flush old pharmaceuticals down the toilet. If we were able to catch the
ECs at the treatment plant, what would we do with them?
A - The best defense is a good offense. Don't throw old drugs in the toilet. Once in the groundwater,
they are difficult to deal with. Some biodegrade over time.
Q - Of the 95 ECs, there are only 14 with a water quality standard. It takes EPA years to get from the
scientific data with these pervasive compounds to establishing standards. How can we deal with that?
A - In EPA's defense, all of these compounds are emerging science. Even with the standard analytical
methods, it takes a long time because the compounds react differently in acid or basic pH soils, for
example, or in different waters.
Comment - Some phthalates/flame retardants are around a long time, but other countries are dealing with
them. We need cautionary information. The U.S. is behind. However, if we get a handle on one
problem, then another new compound springs up. We have a very active chemical industry.
Assessing Overall Concerns From Hazardous Waste Sites on Tribal Lands
Dr. Lynn Zender, Zender Environmental Science and Planning Services, Anchorage AK
Dr. Zender lives in Alaska and has worked with Native American Tribes on environmental issues for
eleven years. She has worked on a nation-wide, EPA-funded program to find issues and concerns at
hazardous waste sites on Tribal lands and to develop ways to work with the Tribes on solutions. A model
for intangible risk assessment is needed for contaminant studies. Quantitative contaminant exposure does
not accurately describe Tribal risk. For example, one contamination problem has developed in the
hauling of "honey buckets" (human waste disposal bins) from homes to the disposal site.
There is no indoor plumbing in some small villages. There may be skin exposure and contamination from
the material to the waste haulers' skin. There may also be inhalation issues where open burning produces
smoke. In addition, study was needed to determine whether there are children playing at the hazardous
waste site and coming into contact with hazardous material. The frequency of contact needed to be
assessed.
The purpose of this one-year project in 2004 was to assess the overall national situation of hazardous
waste sites on, or next to, Tribal lands and to describe the risks to Tribes that the sites pose. Sites were
identified through federal databases, agency web sites, and by 115 responding Tribes nationwide. This
information has been compiled into a new database, called Tribal Hazardous Sites Registry (THSR) that
Tribes are reviewing. Responding Tribes answered questions about risks to their lifestyles. A separate
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empirical study was performed that provides added context and a relative health symptom risk study. A
model was developed to determine physical risks from contaminant exposure.
Over 15,000 hazardous waste sites and facilities that present potential risks to Tribal lifestyles were
identified. About 979 were Superfund sites, 582 were hazardous waste facilities, 1,104 were open dumps,
7,884 were mines, 4,075 were leaky underground storage tanks, 320 were formerly used defense sites, at
least 33 were Brownfields and 88 were newly identified sites or site groups.
Tribes were then asked to rate the sites as a concern. Surveys were sent to 559 respondents. Telephone
calls were made to verify receipt of the survey. There was an overall 20.6 percent return rate. This
response rate yielded enough data to have statistically significant data. However, conclusions weren't
drawn for Tribes not covered in the survey.
Do sites affect Tribal lifestyles? The answer is yes. Fifty-seven percent of Tribes responding have
changed their subsistence activities due to concerns about hazardous sites. Nearly 80 percent of all the
sites have affected subsistence practices in some way. Seventy-four percent of the sites have affected
other traditional practices in some way. In addition, 52 percent of responding Tribes said that life ways
such as performing ceremonies, making baskets, art, tools, and making traditional medicine have changed
because of concerns about a hazardous waste site.
Findings showed that 91 percent of Tribes have some members practicing traditional activities. In Alaska
the top three activities are: 94 percent hunting and fishing; 66 percent gathering and everyday use of
plants; and 68 percent use of smoke houses. In the lower 48 states, 68 percent of Tribes hunt and fish, 63
percent conduct powwow activities, 56 percent conduct ceremonies with smoke, gather and use plants,
and farm.
About 58 percent of hazardous sites affect subsistence practices substantially, with concerns from 80
percent of respondents about sites changing where Tribes hunt and fish. However, traditional practices
continue at sites that are significantly contaminated. Seventy-one percent of Tribes said traditional
activities take place on or next to a site of concern; 58 percent consume fish, game, or plants from a
contaminated site; and 33 percent have some Tribal members who drink untreated water from streams
with site drainage.
A related study showed that Tribal members were generally unlikely to trade off their traditions in
exchange for physical benefits such as clean food and environment or long-term physical health. Short-
term health effects from being at or next to a hazardous site in the past 10 days included dizziness,
stomach upset, diarrhea, sore throat, cough and headache. Other findings include the following:
43% of Tribes changed where they hunt, fish and gather foods; 27% changed the activity
frequency
34% changed how much food they consumed; 39% changed how much traditional food was eaten
39% changed what type of traditional food they ate; 30% have stopped a subsistence activity
40% changed where traditional lifestyle activities take place.
Another questionnaire was developed to determine how much tradition matters to Tribes. This study was
not done with EPA funds. Tribes were asked if changing a tradition matters as long as the tradition is still
performed. A total of 76 percent of Tribes said a change matters a lot or is extremely important.
Responses also showed that Tribes are losing their basket-making tradition because of fears of
contamination when coming in contact with waters to gather the reeds and grasses to make the baskets.
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In attempting to assess intangible risks and tradeoffs, researchers developed a values scale with
comparisons made between different traditional practices and health or exposure. They found that Tribes
valued or were more concerned about the exposure of many elders to environmental contaminants during
berry-picking practices and retaining their traditions compared to non-elders having low exposure risks
and also compared to having good short-term health.
In addition, the loss of traditional knowledge and elders was valued by Tribes over the pollution of a
sacred site with intangible risk only, which was valued more by non-Tribal respondents. Tribes were
equally concerned about non -tribal members polluting and jurisdictional issues and tribal members
having regular physical exposure to a nearby open dump.
Tribes were more concerned about children playing at an abandoned building with high risk of
contamination compared to elders gathering near a small dump with low risks. Non-Tribal respondents
agreed. Tribes were more concerned about intangible pollution and the loss of tradition compared to
physical pollution and cancer risk but with traditions continuing. Non-Tribal respondents were more
concerned about the cancer risk.
The researchers have developed a computer model to estimate exposure and risk to Native Americans
from chemicals at hazardous waste sites. The model could be improved to be more user-friendly and
include additional characteristics of the modeled individual and the environment. This could provide
default values for certain exposure factors that the user can accept or alter. The model could be made to
account for more advanced exposure scenarios. Unsteady dermal absorption from the aqueous phase,
dermal vapor absorption, liquid phase inhalation, and incidental ingestion of water could be taken into
account.
More activity categories and exposure pathways could be added. More case examples are needed for
additional activities categories and exposure pathways. A user manual should be developed highlighting
additional case examples, and which assists the novice user. A technically defensible focus group should
be performed along with this effort.
The computer model was called The Native American Exposure and Risk Assessment Computer Model.
It was created on an accelerated development cycle and has not completed beta-stage testing. The model
has also not gone through a full QA/QC software development cycle, so it cannot be distributed yet to end
users. Other technical computer manipulation changes need to be made so that information on risk
assessment can be saved by more than one user.
Next Steps
The model must be made to generate a user-friendly report documenting the user, chemical, and
activity information
Updates must be made to the user interface to make the computer model more user-friendly
Documentation needs to be enhanced to have a robust help system to guide the novice user
through model usage, reducing training time for users, and
The model should be linked with government or other chemical databases directly from the
software to make input of physical and toxicological characteristics of the chemical of interest
much easier for the user.
The model was developed and documented by Zender Environmental Science and Planning Services.
Zender can be contacted at www.zender-engr.net.
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Questions and Answers
Q - How was data obtained for the risk assessment coefficient?
A - The Tribes enter all the numbers. For example, if skin absorption of a chemical during berry picking
is of concern, one would look up the chemical on IRIS and get a risk default value. Also, there are tables
with different factors and gender to show how much skin is being exposed. We need to know if a person
wears gloves, if both sides of the hand are exposed and whether sleeves are rolled up to expose arms, too.
We need to observe how the berry picking takes place and we need a hazard index for when most of the
body is exposed.
Q - How has the response been from EPA's Office of Solid Waste?
A - EPA is initiating internal review of the model and will consult with Tribes on its use.
Q - Are you using a Lifeline approach?
A - No. Lifeline is a population-based model designed for overall population findings and does a great
job for that. But our model is individual based. The values we come up with are used to help set
regulations and policies for contaminants.
8 A.M., TRAINING: METHAMPHETAMINE LAB HAZARD ASSESSMENT
OVERVIEW
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung and Michele Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation Methamphetamine
Richard Keck, Cherokee Nation, Environmental Programs, Tahlequah, OK
The Methamphetamine Lab Hazard Assessment overview is designed to educate participants on the
dangers surrounding former methamphetamine laboratory sites. These illegal drug labs have created a
toxic legacy of potentially contaminated properties. Communities are now forced to address the concerns
associated with reoccupation and development of these sites. The course will provide insight into the
identification and assessment of the various hazardous substances used to illegally manufacture
methamphetamine. The course is an overview of the larger two-day Methamphetamine Lab Hazard
Assessment course taught by Cherokee Nation Environmental Programs.
8 A.M., TRAINING: INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL RESOURCES DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION (NRDAR)
Facilitator:
David Charters
The objective of this class is to provide participants with a brief overview of Natural Resources Damage
Assessments and Restoration(NRDAR). Specific presentations will be made on the following topics:
A brief introduction to NRDAR
An overview of NRDAR from both a Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Oil Pollution Act (OPA) perspective
Trusteeship
How the NRDAR process goes beyond the EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment
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An Introduction to Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
Dolores Savignano, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality,
Arlington, VA
This portion of the class provided a brief introduction to the NRDAR process including a review of the
statutes, explanation of the terms natural resource service, injury, damages, and baseline. In addition, an
explanation was provided of the phases under the Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA a.k.a. Superfund) and Oil Pollution Act (OPA). The goal is to
restore natural resources impacted by releases of oil or other contaminants and to replace services that
were lost while the habitat was contaminated.
Trusteeship and Tribal Opportunities
Al Sedik, US Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC
10 A.M., EARTH
Facilitator:
Patti Tyler
Emergency Preparedness & Response (aka FEMA) & the National Response Plan at the
National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science
Andrew Hendrickson, CEM State and Tribal Liaison, FEMA Region X - DHS
Andrew Hendrickson spoke about the history of FEMA and the provision of supplemental federal
assistance, including the role the State plays in the declaration process. He then explained how the
Recovery programs help citizens through the Individual Assistance Program and jurisdictions through the
Public Assistance Program. He highlighted the ability of Tribes to work government-to-government with
FEMA after a declaration for a State has been made by the President. He also touched on the Homeland
Security grant programs that support the process of developing response capability.
His remarks follow.
At the beginning FEMA had some growing pains. The 1990's were referred to as the decade of disaster
and the NRP was developed as an effort to consolidate various response agencies. There was also a shift
at the state level regarding cold war planning; because the USSR no longer existed, states could focus
more on floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Cold war equipment and resources began to be used as a
resource for FEMA disaster response and there was the first deployment of FEMA urban rescue
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is important as it will be a requirement for a lot of
funding. I encourage most tribes to look into CERT program. At the EMS institute there are three tribal
programs in emergency management. I encourage tribes to become more familiar with these programs.
FEMA funds cover travel and the training so the only cost is food and they can also take the trainings on-
site to large gathering of tribes. You can find more information at the FEMA website.
There are ten FEMA regions and each of those regions corresponds to a varying number of states and
those states are the primary organization to which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issues
grants. Tribes need to get involved so that they can access these grant programs. Terrorist events
immediately trigger federal involvement. Otherwise FEMA is involved based on state/county evaluation.
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FEMA goes through county by county to determine needs and sends recommendations to the White
House. At this point in the process we would also be communicating with tribes if they are affected.
Because of the Stafford Act the only way FEMA can work is at the request of a governor. If a tribe is in
an impact area we talk with them, usually in conjunction with the state. Public assistance is the program
that is particularly of interest to the Tribes. We can help with rebuilding, removal of debris, but there are
areas FEMA can't address, especially Tribal-owned buildings, such as clinics.
FEMA has a tribal policy that is mostly based on the trust relationship; the relationship requires that
Tribes need to have a state level hazard mitigation plan on record to be eligible to work government-to-
government with FEMA. Also, in that case funding to repair is based solely on tribal funding and if there
is more damage statewide there might be greater funding opportunities that could lead to enhanced hazard
mitigation.
The National Response Plan (NRP) builds on what works from previous plans and incident response but
forges new approaches and mechanisms to address today's threats. The NRP addresses the complete
spectrum of incident management activities and uses the NIMS to establish a framework for coordination
among federal, state, local, tribal, nongovernmental, and private-sector organizations.
The National Response Plan is based upon the belief that incidents are typically managed at the lowest
possible geographic, organizational, and jurisdictional level. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 and
HSPD-5 required a comprehensive national approach to domestic incident management through the
development of a National Response Plan (NRP) and National Incident Management System (NIMS).
NIMS standardizes incident management processes, protocols, and procedures for use by all responders.
The NRP establishes several program parameters:
Federal coordination structures/mechanisms
Direction for incorporation of existing plans
A consistent approach to managing incidents
Construction of the NRP, and
NRP Applicability.
The NRP fully incorporates the following:
Federal Response Plan
Domestic Terrorism Concept of Ops Plan
Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan
Initial National Response Plan (INRP), and
Other national-level contingency plans.
The NRP bases the definition of Incidents of National Significance on situations related to the below four
criteria set forth in HSPD-5:
A federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested the assistance of the
Secretary of Homeland Security.
The resources of state and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been
requested by the appropriate state and local authorities. Examples include the following: Major
disasters or emergencies as defined under the Stafford Act; and catastrophic incidents. A
catastrophic incident is any natural or manmade incident, including terrorism, which results in
extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population,
infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, and/or government functions.
For Incidents of National Significance that are Presidentially declared disasters or emergencies,
federal support to states is delivered in accordance with relevant provisions of the Stafford Act.
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Note that while all Presidentially declared disasters and emergencies under the Stafford Act are
considered Incidents of National Significance, not all Incidents of National Significance
necessarily result in disaster or emergency declarations under the Stafford Act.
More than one federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to
an incident, for example:
o Credible threats, indications, or warnings of imminent terrorist attack, or acts of terrorism
directed domestically against the people, property, environment, or political or legal
institutions of the United States or its territories or possessions.
o Threats or incidents related to high-profile, large-scale events that present high-
probability targets such as National Special Security Events (NSSEs) and other special
events as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with other
federal departments and agencies.
o The Secretary of Homeland Security has been directed to assume responsibility for
managing the domestic incident by the President.
In the case of a catastrophic incident the primary mission is to save lives, protect critical infrastructure,
property, and the environment, contain the event, and preserve national security. Standard assistance-
request procedures may be expedited or suspended. Selected federal response resources will mobilize and
deploy and begin necessary operations.
Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) serve as the coordination mechanism to provide assistance to state,
local, and tribal governments, and federal departments and agencies conducting missions of primary
federal responsibility. EFSs provide staffing and resources for the incident management structures and
may be selectively activated for both Stafford Act and non-Stafford Act incidents.
Emergency Support Functions include:
ESF #1 - Transportation
ESF #2 - Communications
ESF #3 - Public Works and Engineering
ESF #4- Firefighting
ESF #5 - Emergency Management
ESF #6 - Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services
ESF #7 - Resource Support
ESF #8 - Public Health and Medical Services
ESF #9 - Urban Search and Rescue
ESF #10 - Oil and Hazardous Materials Response
ESF #11- Agriculture and Natural Resources
ESF #12-Energy
ESF #13 - Public Safety and Security
ESF #14 - Long-Term Community Recovery and Mitigation
ESF #15 - External Affairs
Support Annexes include:
Financial Management
International Coordination
Logistics Management
Private-Sector Coordination
Public Affairs
Science and Technology
Tribal Relations
Volunteer and Donations Management
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Worker Safety and Health
Incident Annexes
Biological Incident
Catastrophic Incident
Cyber Incident
Food and Agriculture Incident
Nuclear/Radiological Incident
Oil and Hazardous Materials Incident
Terrorism Incident Law Enforcement and Investigation
The NRP builds on what works from previous plans and incident response. The NRP represents a true
"national" framework in terms of both product and process. The development process included extensive
vetting and coordination with federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, nongovernmental organizations,
private-sector entities, and the first-responder and emergency management communities across the
country.
The NRP incorporates best practices from a wide variety of incident management disciplines to include
fire, rescue, emergency management, law enforcement, public works, and emergency medical services.
Collective input received from our public and private-sector partners has been, and will continue to be,
absolutely critical to the implementation and continued refinement of the core concepts included in this
groundbreaking national plan.
Questions and Answers
Note ~ Various members of the audience questioned the issue of the presenter's focus on state rather than
tribal government. There was confusion about NIMS, and concern that there is great lack of awareness of
the importance of NIMS funding as a requirement to draw down funding. Even more complicated are
areas where there is fee land and trust land in Indian Country. Problematic relationships between states
and Tribes can also interfere with the process and documentation.
Mr. Hendrickson's Comment ~ A key issue of concern was highlighted during Q&A regarding NIMS
compliance. There was some confusion generated regarding the difference between federal preparedness
grants and post-disaster recovery grants and their need for NIMS compliance to be eligible for these
funds. Another common concern in the audience was the notion that only the Governor can request a
disaster declaration and that Tribes do not have that option. Also of concern is the fact that the
Department of Homeland Security has defined Tribes as a type of local government, a definition that is
not consistent with Treaty-based definitions of Tribes as sovereign governments.
Comment - I think it is a flaw in Homeland Security in identifying Tribes as a local government.
Comment - It seems to me that each tribe should be working towards NIMS certification and should have
an official representative involved. It seems that we should look at amending the Stafford Act to clarify
some of these issues.
Comment ~ There is an amendment to the Stafford Act right now but it doesn't mention the Tribal issues.
Q ~ I'm concerned because our Tribe is not going to be NIMS compliant but what bad effects can tribes
face if they aren't NIMS compliant? What funding can be cut off?
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A ~ There's a list on the NEVIS website at www.nims.gov. It's only related to preparedness grants, but
there are a number of grants tied to that. Tribal housing there can be a problem if there is an overlap in
the individual/ public assistance program.
Q ~ What about tribal member-owned housing?
A ~ If the person is responsible for ownership of the home, then that would be under the individual
assistance program.
10 A.M., TRIBAL DIET AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
Facilitators:
Curtis Munoz and Dana Davoli
Results and Discussion from the Swinomish Tribe's Toxics and Shellfish Project
Jamie Donatuto, PhD., Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Office of Planning & Community
Development, La Conner, WA
Barbara Harper, DABT, PhD., Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation,
Department of Science and Engineering, Pendleton, OR
The Swinomish Tribe is located near inner Puget Sound in Washington and has about 1,000 members.
The reservation is about 7,000 acres of both uplands and tidal basin land. The community collects
shellfish for subsistence and cultural ceremonies. The harvest is also sold to support families on the
reservation. A four-year EPA-funded project begun in 2002 and ending in August 2006 was undertaken
to test the hypothesis that the Swinomish people are exposed to low-level, chronic bio-accumulative
toxics when participating in subsistence gathering and consumption of shellfish.
The study aimed to find out whether people come in contact with toxins while gathering shellfish, how to
use culturally competent measures to determine exposure and to describe any resultant health problems.
Targeted chemical groups for sampling included heavy metals (arsenic, copper, cadmium, selenium,
mercury, lead and nickel), PCB aroclors and WHO listed congeners, PAHs (extended list), dioxins/furans,
chlorinated pesticides, and butyltins (TBT).
Point and nonpoint sources of contamination were surveyed, including a petrochemical plant near the
reservation. Currently, all five petrochemical plants in Washington are on Tribal reservations, creating an
environmental justice issue. There is also heavy boat traffic in the area. Sample collection was primarily
in the tidal basin for steamer clams, butter clams, and Dungeness crab. Tribal QA/QC protocols and
methods were used to harvest the species that indicate how exposure can occur. Currently the data are
being tabulated for final results.
Fish consumption is also a key factor in Coast Salish Tribal risk assessments (dose x toxicity = risk) that
examine health effects from eating contaminated subsistence foods. But this risk assessment model does
not incorporate Swinomish cultural specifics or consumption rates, so it was not used. The Swinomish
developed its own fish consumption survey, asking individuals how much seafood is consumed and
whether it is close to the U.S. national average of one serving/month. A 1994 Columbia River Intertribal
Fish Commission survey did not include data on the highest fish consumers. A 1996 Tulalip and Squaxin
Island Survey receded data from the highest consumers to lower rates.
In designing the Swinomish fish consumption survey, researchers attempted to determine whether data on
the currently suppressed fish consumption rates is valuable or whether data is desired on the rates of
consumption promised by the original Treaties and the amount Tribes would like to be able to consume
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today, according to their cultural preferences. If the suppressed data are used, the standards might be set
using them and not what the Tribe actually desires. It was determined that data from the highest fish
consumers should be included in the survey.
Oral interviews with open-ended questions were favored over written or computerized surveys to allow
culturally significant information to the collected. Tribes were allowed to perform their own surveys.
"Seafood diet interviews" rather than consumption surveys were conducted with 108 Tribal members.
Before initiating the interviews, it is important to determine the questions to ask, the collection and data
analysis methods, and to remember that the answers are Tribe-specific. Results from the interviews
produced a bi-modal curve for those who eat less and those who consume more shellfish.
While data are currently being analyzed for the final report, some preliminary findings show that in clams
the biggest cancer risk driver is arsenic, and the biggest non-cancer risk drivers are PCB congeners, then
arsenic. In terms of risk assessment for clams, there were no sites sampled that were totally free of
contamination (indicated in green for advisories). Seven sites were categorized as those from which only
one meal per week (alone or in combination) should be consumed (orange indicator); seven sites were
found from which only two meals per week should be consumed (yellow indicator); and one site where
no meals should be consumed (red indicator).
For crabs, the biggest cancer risk drivers are arsenic, PCB congeners, and dioxins. The biggest non-
cancer risk driver is arsenic. Risk assessment advisories are now being produced that show there were no
uncontaminated sites for crab harvesting and consumption. There were five sites where one meal per
week (alone or in combination) should be consumed; four sites where only two meals per week should be
consumed; and no sites were found where no meals should be consumed.
The primary mitigation of the contamination is cleaning up the sites to eliminate contaminants. Due to
cultural practices, an advisory cannot be made to eat no fish, simply avoiding risk. After the survey, the
project managers held a traditional clambake for the Tribe, using a steaming method with hot rock layers
placed among the clams and covered with sand. Researchers concluded that current assessments are not
adequate because of the intangible risk and values that can't be easily quantified. A new community-
based health assessment framework or tool is needed based on health, not on illness.
Next Steps
Develop a message using a seafood spiral that recognizes seafood use for the body and for the
spirit
Provide community outreach and education at community gatherings and youth programs
Publish consumption information in the Kee-yoks newsletter and on the SWN96 cable TV station
Teach video skills to youth using "Native Lens" so cultural ways can be captured by them
Use "Tox-In-A-Box" tools to educate youth using hands-on experiments and sampling, and
Eliminate negative media stereotypes that "all natives are drunk."
One claymation video was developed by youth showing Columbus going "back to the future" to 2005 and
seeing the contamination, then wanting to return to the 1400s. When the missionaries came to America,
the native peoples knew that the earth and North American would never be the same. In addition, an
award-winning, 3-minute movie was made about what kind of man or woman one will be in the
community, looking at resilience and in choosing between traditional and current cultural values.
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Questions and Answers
Q - How would qualitative values be included in the study?
A - A qualitative numerical scale can be used, but the fine cultural points are easily missed, like the
values inherent in lifestyle choices. The Tribes are saying they need a new kind of tool, like the movie,
which records values visually.
Comment - Tribes have outside agencies doing surveys on consumption. The rate of fish being
consumed today doesn't reflect what it was or should be. It is important to point out that the Tribes want
to increase the consumption levels of shellfish. The Swinomish are pushing for using the consumption
rate at the time of the Treaties. This can be found in some ethnographic records.
Q - Can Tribes use contaminant data to influence permit decisions for industrial use and to set effluent
standards?
A - This data probably will be used in the future. But there hasn't been a big problem with cleanup yet.
The Tribes got one company to clean up a dump site during its NPDES review. We would rather
comment than litigate. In the 1855 Treaty, the Swinomish were given land that was later taken away and
industry built facilities on it that pollute.
Q - What is the source of arsenic in the study?
A - Arsenic is everywhere in Puget Sound. We don't know if it is from naturally occurring background
levels or from aluminum smelting operations.
Q - Was total arsenic sampled?
A - Organic and 10 percent inorganic samples were taken. They were not species specific.
Q - In doing ethnographic research, are there protocols we could follow?
A - Barbara Harper has especially good methods. She can be contacted for information.
Q - Is there any way to reproduce the procedure or methods to get the quantitative information?
A - Most of the survey dealt with qualitative information. Past research literature has quantitative data.
We went from one knowledge leader to others that we were referred to by the initial contacts until they
were all identifying each other as knowledge leaders. Then we knew we had the right people to talk to.
Each one verified the other in answering questions.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Serum of the Siberian Yupik People From St. Lawrence
Island
Pam Miller, Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Department of Research,
Anchorage, AK
Vi Waghiyi, Project Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Environmental Health
and Justice Project for St. Lawrence Island, Alaska and Norton Sound, Anchorage, AK
Miller is based in Anchorage, Alaska, near Norton Sound. ACAT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
cleaning up toxic chemicals in the environment. The group takes science and converts it to protective
health policies. ACAT develops a list of core values to guide its advocacy and research. Project
coordinators have evaluated hazardous waste sites created by the U.S. military, mining, and oil and gas
development. There are over 700 military sites along the Bering Sea Coast in northwest Alaska. The
sites were used for intelligence surveillance near Russia in the Cold War.
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Contaminants include PCBs, heavy metals, pesticides, and petrochemicals. ACAT works with the Norton
Sound community to clean up these sites, which are some of the most polluted Superfund sites in the U.S.
The region is downsteam or downwind of many of the polluted sites. There is much concern about the
long-range transfer or drift of the contaminants to the north because the Arctic is already a hemispheric
sink for pollutants due to ocean and wind currents. The contaminants stay there and concentrate because
of the cold and high fat content in the fish, other animal species, and people.
Waghiyi spoke about the Yupik people on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea and several villages
including Gambell, Savoonga, and Northeast Cape. There are 1,500 native people left on the island.
They hunt whales, walrus, seal, birds, and fish and eat plants and berries, which grow there. They use
seal skin to make boats to hunt and for clothes and carve ivory from the walrus tusks. The Tribe was
fortunate to avoid cultural change when the area was settled by missionaries, because it is somewhat
isolated geographically. Also, the native language is difficult to learn.
One woman named Annie Alowa began seeing high cancer rates among the people who were normally
very healthy due to a vigorous way of life. She also observed low birth rates and miscarriages. She tried
for 20 years to get help from many different agencies with little success. At Gambell, there is a military
base with buried material. At Northeast Cape, once a very clean area with lots of wildlife, there was a
military air base.
ACAT, a nonprofit organization, has gained the trust of the people living there to address environmental
problems by using interactive studies and working with city councils and other organizations locally. In
the past, people from the outside would come to take blood and hair samples. They were never heard
from again. Studies are being undertaken now to improve the contaminated sites. A current project has
several primary aims:
Hire and train local people and community health workers
Create programs that residents can understand regarding the dangers of pollution and the
food they consume, and
Address prevention and treatment of environmental health problems.
"The military left a big mess in this area. My people are dying of cancer. They didn't drink alcohol or
smoke," Waghiyi said. Newspaper articles started generating stories several years ago about PCBs found
in university studies. Waghiyi said she doesn't have a university degree. She works from her heart
regarding the injustices passed on to her people. She worked with the State University of New York,
which had interacted very well with the Mohawk Nation, to determine the level of chemical
contamination in the area.
A study examined global sources of contamination from the military and took samples from birds, eggs,
the air for PCBs and groundwater for VOCs, the surface water, plants, soil, and sediments in the river at
the military site near Northeast Cape. Plants that are edible traditional food sources were sampled also.
A detailed community health survey was given to about 250 respondents. The sediment cores helped date
the time of contamination and correlate with the time that the military bases were in operation.
Mercury was found in sediment core samples with peaks occurring when the military had a lot of
electrical equipment in use. At Northeast Cape the PCB levels were found to be similar to those in
heavily industrialized areas. Even though these are old sites, they are like active ones today because there
is so much pollution still occurring. People fish near there and breathe contaminated air. PCBs attach to
dust particles, which blow about on a windy day.
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MIREX, a flame retardant, was found in the sediment, air, biological samples, and in people's blood
samples. PCBs were found on edible plants and berries like roseroot and arrowroot. These levels can be
lowered somewhat by washing the plants. PCBs are a concern because they are carcinogenic and cause
neurobehavioral problems. Chlorinated biphenyls and DDT are still accumulating in the Arctic. The
people decided that they wanted their own blood serum levels checked for contaminants. High PCB
levels were found in human samples at all the communities, with 9,000pg/g at Northeast Cape, 7,500 pg/g
at Savoonga and 6,000 pg/g at Gambell. The PCB level for people in the lower United States is about
1,000 pg/g.
Older people have the highest concentration levels. PCBs are also being passed on to the younger
generation. There are specific patterns of congeners that people retain from past exposure. There is also
a high percentage of chlorinated congeners, indicating recent exposure. Some congeners are transient in
the body, but leave behind their effects while in the system. At Gambell, the pesticide DDE, once used
by the military, was also found in human blood levels. New data show that Chlordane is still showing up
at eight to 10 times the levels found in people in the lower U.S. Chlordane was not used by the military,
but Lindane and DDT were.
In summary, Norton Sound has 30 defense sites where the contamination effects need to be analyzed, but
the military is secretive. There are also some radioactive and chemical warfare agents that have been
dumped at the military sites. In trying to use the scientific data to form policy, ACAT is trying to get
toxic chemicals banned. They are working with the Stockholm Convention (150 governments and 50
Tribes) to get bans through the United Nations. There were 12 chemicals originally named by the
Convention for which bans would be sought. More chemicals are being added currently.
Next Steps
Get entire families of chemicals listed for bans, not just single chemicals, which is too
slow
Identify the communities with the highest concerns and get resolutions from them for
bans
Get permission from the natives to sample
Have the elders help design interviews and surveys of the air, water, groundwater and soil
samples
Interview the elders for their knowledge of the military operations in the past
Push for residential cleanup standards, and
Advocate for landfill and groundwater cleanup.
Annie Alowa died of liver cancer. She is featured in two video programs, "I Will Fight Until I Die" and
"If You Are Not Our Enemies, Then Help." There have been many injustices from the Department of
Defense to people of color and those with low incomes. Waghiyi also works with women on a study to
sample breast milk and a newborn's first meconium. The women welcomed the study. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers' cleanup of some of the sites was only six inches of soil removal. The military
representatives call us alarmists and say that the PCB levels in our people are safe.
Questions and Answers
Q - Has research been done on detoxifying the human body of these chemicals?
A - We have not done research on this, but have used our traditional ways of healing and detoxifying the
body. The "Health Med" program from California has been effective in detoxifying children in the
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Chernobyl disaster and the people who worked to clean up the World Trade Center site. Sun, exercise,
and good nutrition are needed for at least six months.
Q - Is the Public Health Service (PHS) doing anything to help?
A - No, but it is a good idea that we work with them.
Q - If the Department of Defense is turning a deaf ear, what about working with a Congressional
delegation?
A - Waghiyi was in Washington D.C. in May to work with the Stockholm Convention. A delegation may
go to Washington to work on the defense budget ~ $86 million is needed to clean up the area. The Tribal
restoration advisory board needs to be revitalized as well. The Corps is less hostile now and they use
some of Tribal data.
Q - Is the Russian side of the Bering Sea contaminated?
A - There is not as much research on this area, but efforts are underway through the Arctic Monitoring
and Assessment Program.
Comment - The U.S. and Russia partner through the International Bering Sea Forum for stewardship of
the Bering Sea. They want to document the occurrence and use of mustard gas by the military and
radioactive material from decommissioned submarines. Estimates have been as high as 30,000 to 60,000
chemicals that were being used. Only 1,000 have been studied. We also need to look at the interactions
between the chemicals.
There are TUMS, aspirin, and hormones in the North Atlantic. There are 85,000 chemicals produced in
the U.S. Less than 10 percent have been tested for toxicity. We must address chemical classes, not just
analyze one chemical at a time. It's too slow. Countries in the European Union are more progressive. A
group called "Coming Clean" in the U.S. works on banning chemicals. Working first on the state and
local level is effective to ban classes of chemicals more quickly.
Procedures under the federal laws passed in the 1970s are too onerous to get chemicals phased out. Use
of local ordinances can be effective to address national and global problems. Science doesn't give us all
the answers. We need the "body of evidence" to support it. For a reprint of the data on contaminants,
contact Vi Wahhiyi at ACAT, 505 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 205, Anchorage, AK 99503 or call
907/222-7714.
10:00 A.M., TRAINING: METHAMPHETAMINE LAB HAZARD ASSESSMENT
OVERVIEW
Facilitator:
Marshall Cheung and Michele Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation Methamphetamine (continued)
Richard Keck, Cherokee Nation, Environmental Programs Group, Tahlequah
10:00 A.M., TRAINING: NATURAL RESOURCES DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND
RESTORATION
Facilitator:
David Charters
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Differences Between CERCLA Remediation and NRDAR Restoration
Mark Huston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality, Arlington, VA
An explanation of the differences between the two processes, how they relate, and the benefits of working
together will be discussed. In addition, an explanation between CERCLA risk assessment and NRDAR
injury assessment will be provided.
Restoration
Dolores Savignano, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality,
Arlington, VA
A discussion of issues relevant to restoration including, public involvement, options for implementation,
and monitoring.
Coordination of Trustees and Response Agencies: Case Studies
Mark Huston, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Quality, Arlington, VA
Several case examples such as St. Lawrence River were discussed that highlighted the coordination
between trustees and response agencies. Most of the interest from the class focused on the Tribal
Opportunities and Coordination of Risk Assessment and Damage Determination. Questions generally fit
into two categories: One was how the damage assessment regulations apply to tribes and the second was
how to place a value on cultural resources for the purposes of restoration. In future presentations it is
recommended that a Tribal representative present information as well.
CLOSING PLENARY SESSION
Facilitator:
Claudia Walters, EPA, Office of Research & Development (ORD), Sustainability Programs,
Washington, DC
How to Take Action to Protect the Environment
Claudia Walters provided the following remarks:
EPA has a history of many environmental improvements with policies and programs to address issues.
We did do something right, with others helping. Laws have been passed and implemented. We don't
have rivers on fire or drums with toxic chemicals being buried anymore. Restoration activities have
resulted in the bald eagle being removed from the threatened and endangered lists. But the world is
changing from local issues to global impacts on our natural resources. We need to define the scope and
depth of the problems to solve them.
Regarding global climate change, the earth's surface temperature has risen one degree in the past century.
There is much evidence in the polar ice core samples that shows the release of carbon gases has risen by
35 percent in the past century. The changes are most evident at the Poles, but the emissions don't
originate there. Arctic temperatures are rising at twice the rate of the rest of the world in the last 10 years.
There are risks to both plants and animals. The polar bear population is declining. Without a food source,
we are seeing cannibalism among bears.
Tribes tell us that tree lines and migration patterns are changing. People generally don't realize the depth
and scope of the problem. The ocean is a sink for carbon dioxide. The water is more acidic and warmer
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now, actually causing the bleaching of some coral reefs. All of this is driving the changes in our weather
patterns and the severity of storms. Wildlife habitat is fragmented. It is affected by pollutants and
invasive species. Even the bees and flowers are affected.
Across the U.S. there is an increase in cancer, heart disease, and diabetes in an overweight population.
Asthma is increasing among children. Mental health problems, especially depression, are more common,
with one in five people affected. There has been an increase in crime and school violence. One recent
study showed that money doesn't make people happy. Happiness depends on personal relationships.
As our population increases, we are consuming more land and more energy. Charleston, S.C. has
experienced a 50 percent growth in population in recent years and a 250 percent increase in urban sprawl.
Environmental, economic, and social problems are increasing. Tribes are experiencing many natural
resource impacts. However, the federal government, according to U.S. Comptroller David Walker, says
the decrease in funding for programs will worsen in the future.
Clearly, we need to do business differently. The news media is doing a good job of getting the message
out to the mainstream population. Time Magazine's article, "Be Worried, Be Very Worried," about
global climate change, as well as National Geographic and Vanity Fair stories give us hope for
sustainable programs. Al Gore is emerging as an environmental leader.
We need a national model for cultural sustainability. Risk assessment is the current way we make
decisions for science and policy, but it's not enough. While EPA will keep that tool, we need to
incorporate social and cultural perspectives for individual communities. We need a model for
sustainability that addresses all of the relevant issues. We have looked at the environmental impacts, but
we need to look at the economic and social impacts, too. We need to look not at just one year, but multi-
year data.
The issues are not linear, but holistic, integrating all aspects of life. ORD has a sustainability research
program. The Tribal Science Council has a paper on traditional lifeways to develop a life-giving
paradigm with respect for natural law. Our designs for solutions must be culturally-based to be
meaningful for people. We must come to the table and have a collaborative effort for planning and
decision-making, with a long-term view. The issues are complex. We need to move now and work
together multi-laterally to develop global solutions.
A Global Environmental Perspective Symbolized by the Tribal Treaty Belt
James Ransom, Tribal Chief, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne, New York
Chief Ransom's remarks are summarized below.
The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is located in eastern New York State and in Canada.
When looking at the global perspective, skin color doesn't matter as an indicator of how committed you
are to finding solutions. We must look outside the box.
Our Treaty Belt (displayed) was one of the first agreements made with outside peoples. There are two
parallel lines of purple wampum beads made from shells with a band of white wampum beads between
them. The purple lines signify two vessels on the same river (white beads). The vessels are side by side
and must help each other down the river.
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One purple line represents the Iroquois Confederacy and the Mohawk Tribe. The other line represents the
people we have a treaty with. Once, one line symbolized other native peoples and the other the French
and the Dutch. The Treaty Belt explains the importance of the relationship between the two parties as co-
equals in partnership, brother-to-brother. The two vessels are on one river that they must share.
Also on the Treaty Belt there are three rows of white beads - these stand for the principles that define
relationships - peace (respect), a good mind (equity), and strength or the power of a good mind
(empowerment). These are the principles needed to take action. We need good communication between
the two vessels. We will have some differences, but a "good mind" means that we acknowledge them and
work to overcome them. Strength comes from following the first two principles. We will mutually co-
exist as we travel the river together. We will keep the peace, use a good mind, and that gives us a strong
relationship. We will help each other on the journey from time to time.
The Treaty Belt is a good way to talk about the EPA and Tribal relationship. One row of purple beads is
a birch bark canoe representing the Tribes. The other row of purple beads represents the ship of the EPA.
Both share one river that we must ensure is there for the future.
Today the health of the environment is threatened. Historically, there has been a problem in the EPA-
Tribal relationship because of the need by EPA to follow rules, policies, and procedures. EPA has
expected the Tribes to follow the same procedures. EPA has done valuable work, and was the first
federal agency to have a government-to-government policy of working with the Tribes, unlike the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM).
We have established native environmental offices, and funding has been given by the government. But in
the process of helping the Tribes, EPA has wanted us to follow their ways. This creates mini-EPA offices
among the Tribes, but misses the opportunity for Tribes to bring their perspectives on the issues. We
have our own science rooted in thousands of years living on the land. As medicine people, we notice first
the changes in the environment and feel the impacts first-hand.
We know that the natural laws take precedence. The canoe can help the ship. When there was a disease
outbreak and Navajo people were dying, we called on the ship to help, but they couldn't. The Center for
Disease Control (CDC) asked the Navajo for help with information about the environment. EPA was told
that it had rained a lot that year, and the nut trees were producing a plentiful supply of nuts. This food
supply in turn increased the population of deer mice. The ship tested mice droppings and found the mice
were carrying a virus (the Hanta Virus).
Sometimes western science is not enough, and Tribal knowledge is not enough. But when the ship and
the canoe work together, problems are solved. Once, when testifying about toxic contaminant levels, I
asked the industry representatives and the EPA this question: What do you do when your mother has
cancer? Do you remove the lump or put a Band-Aid on it? You must remove it.
Earth is our mother. A toxic dump is a lump on her breast. You can't cover a toxic dump with a Band-
Aid. You must remove it. Tribes have been advocating for years for this kind of paradigm of health and
well-being. EPA now appears to be listening to the Tribal Science Council.
A Tribal Approach to Environmental Issues
Terry Williams, Tulalip Tribe, Director, Fisheries Department
Mr. Williams was the first director of the EPA Environmental Indian Office and has been employed by
the Tulalip Tribe for 25 years. He gave the following remarks.
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Cultural sustainability is very important to think about for the Tribes in the next 100 years. In the last 100
years, there have been devastating changes to the land and the people. We must understand the past to
help with the future.
In a salmon recovery assessment program, there was habitat description data going back only to the
1930s. There is no baseline data showing what the environment was like before impacts occurred. So the
Tribe has to be creative. The population will double in the next 20 to 25 years. Climate change means
there will be impacts to the micro-climate. When a micro-climate model for a watershed was run, we
discovered land use impacts from forestry, agriculture, and urban development.
The Quinault Nation has been called "the salmon people" for the last 10,000 years. The Tribal Science
Council was told that the culture may not be sustainable due to loss of the species. Different models
show that salmon will be extinct in Washington in the next 25 years.
Other issues we face are wildfires in California that are the size of the City of Chicago. The intensity and
range of hurricanes and tornadoes has increased. Water will be a driving issue for the environmental
sustainability of human life. In talking to non-Indians and other governments, I try to explain how the
environment is changing. There is a fabric woven by the environment with all the species dependent on
it.
The trees, plants, and animals all live on the land and have life and are our brothers and sisters. There are
relationships between each. They all interact with each other. Deer waste becomes nutrients for the trees,
plants, and mushrooms. The trees drop fruit to help us sustain life. All the jobs are genetically imprinted
in each species at birth. But we're not paying enough attention to the natural laws.
Plant and animal species must fulfill their purpose. They have no choice. The beaver creates a pond
without going to school. It is born with an engineering degree. There were 400 million beavers in the
U.S. at one time. Now there are 10 million. This tells us we've degraded the environment so that tractors
can drive on it and plant corn and developers can build homes.
If there is too much degradation, it punches holes in the fabric of the environment. A climate model
shows the loss of up to 30 percent of the groundwater. In 25 years the loss could be 50 to 60 percent. We
won't be able to support human, plant and animal populations, or the ecosystem. The ecosystem is too
complex to repair. We must use science and traditional knowledge to address the problems.
We must look back at what types of species were here before the degradation. We must start putting
those species back and let those creatures do the work. They know what to do to heal the earth. We must
show respect for their jobs. Our people knew at treaty time that everything would change and be wasted.
We know something you don't. To establish an air quality baseline, we have to ask what it looked like
100 years ago.
What can we expect in the future? Species will move out of our boundaries due to temperature changes.
We have to figure out what to do soon. We need to put back native grasses and understand the tipping
point for the earth. NASA gives us 10 years before the point of no return. We must do things beyond our
imagination and be stronger than we are now. There is no more time for studies anymore. We just need to
take action and do the work and rely on each other.
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Haudenosaunee Environmental Protection Process (HEPP): Applying Traditional
Teachings to Protect the Natural World and Promote a Sustainable Society
Mary Arquette, Mohawk Tribe, Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment (AFTE) and the
Akwesasne Freedom School, Rooseveltown, NY
Ms. Arquette is a field and lab technician who has worked in projects to rehabilitate wildlife populations,
and is now working with children in pre-school through 9th grade to convey traditional tribal ways and to
protect the environment. Her Mohawk name means "the leaves are flying," so she uses her body in
physical movement while she speaks. There are six nations in her region, which work together to solve
environmental problems through HEPP and to interface with other states and countries.
With HEPP, the tribe's own research and knowledge of tribal ways has been used and integrated, not just
the research from EPA. An important limitation on the process and project work is in the area of finding
funds to hire individuals to help restore the traditional lifeways and teachings of the Tribe. There are very
few people left who have this knowledge to impart to the younger generation. It is also difficult to find
people who know the language of the people and are also good at the scientific technical skills needed.
Those with the most traditional knowledge are over age 50 and are in poor health.
In order to bring together the environmental health issues of all the Nations, including chemical
contamination, cumulative impacts, and different cultural ways of doing things, the ATFE Culturally-
Based Health Model is being used. Existing models weren't appropriate because health is not just the
absence of disease, but is an entire, holistic approach to life. First, project coordinators examined
traditional teachings, which produced three concepts for the model to relate the concept of human health
to the natural world: wholeness, good relationships, and survival.
Interviews were conducted with many tribal members about what makes people healthy. Both Mohawk
and English languages were used, and people were approached in their own oral tradition. They were
encouraged to say as much as they desired about the concepts and a holistic lifestyle. Interviews focused
on how the people face challenges and concerns about their resilience when they have to deal with so
many pollution factors simultaneously, and industry often won't admit to causing an environmental
problem.
People were asked what makes a healthy person, physically and spiritually. Responses focused on the
mind being where the spirit lives to provide the calmness and tranquility needed to function in a healthy
way. All agreed that we are dependent on the natural world, so habitat preservation is critical. Many
discussed the strength of working together, beginning with the individual and expanding to relationships
with the family, the clan, the nation, the United States, and other nations.
A great deal of time and effort was spent on the oral interviews. Working with children in the school is
seen as especially important ~ though one of the most difficult challenges due to current obesity
problems, children's lack of sleep and focus, or peace of mind. A great diversity of life activities such as
cutting wood, preparing food, raising animals, and trading were seen as very important cultural practices
that need to be restored. Project coordinators are working to develop a process with key cultural practices
integrated to give a comprehensive, holistic protection process that focuses on the "health of the natural
world." HEPP also allows the integration of western environmental monitoring techniques as required.
Training youth in traditional ways is difficult. Because fish advisories limit fish consumption, a large part
of the traditional diet and even spiritual practices of the people are lost or limited severely. In the school
lessons, children are being taught about the human relationship with the natural world and what sustains
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humanity. Initially, teachers had to be trained in these cultural ways so they could impart them to
children. Hands-on teaching methods are used because children are visual learners.
Teachers interact with children to show them how to fish, for example. There is a great amount of
traditional knowledge to impart. There is much to share and learn, and not a lot of time. The Mohawk
language is not easy to learn. Linguists tell us that indigenous languages are some of the most difficult to
learn. Lessons about food must impart different uses, both for consumption and for medicinal use. There
is a protocol for every activity, like the washing of corn with ash to keep it sacred and then preparing it to
eat.
There are legends of the plants that must be passed on. Some traditions have not been practiced in a long
time. It is important to EPA that we justify everything we are doing in a study or project. This is a
challenge for us. We can only do our work well if we know where we came from, where we are going
and why, and that we all carry burdens. Now our river is in trouble, and we must find a way to work
together to assure a future for the coming generations.
It's like a ship (EPA) and a canoe (the Tribe) are traveling together down the river, and each vessel has all
our knowledge in it. Our ancestors decided just to co-exist with the Dutch, but now we must work
together. Our canoe has taken a real beating from the ship, with much oppression along the way. We
must have time to rebuild our canoe and re-educate our children on lifeways. With limited time, we must
focus on where to put our effort - on the canoe with all the native species and on the language with our
children.
The Lifestream Principle
Preston Hardison, Tulalip Tribes, Natural Resources Program, Tulalip, WA
Mr. Hardison provided the following remarks.
The Lifestream Principle is an indigenous concept that explains how we are all tied together by mutual
obligations in the river of life. Indigenous people want to get across this concept, at the international and
national levels, that each of us has an obligation and responsibility as a result of the river's flow - of
animals, people, law, resources, and pollutants. Cooperation is necessary because every action affects
every planetary inhabitant.
The Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, approved just two weeks ago, now makes traditional
knowledge an object of international law under the United Nations (UN) environmental, cultural, human
rights, and economic systems. Indigenous peoples are using the UN system to reinforce the recognition
of their rights but there are some concerns about this approach, because although the United States
recognizes its indigenous people as sovereign, the UN does not.
The Tribal/ National relationship acknowledges that indigenous property includes traditional knowledge
and indigenous cosmology and that the use and expression of these properties is based on Tribal self-
determination within territories. Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) states that
traditional knowledge shall be respected and protected. Currently, the CBD is being interpreted so that
the traditional knowledge and cultures of Native Americans can be respected, preserved, and maintained.
Access and benefit-sharing are being debated at this time. Sharing has to occur, but in a very careful and
respectful manner. Under the Free Prior-Informed Consent rules, protection for tribal resources and
knowledge is being secured; tribes hope to be able to decide who gets access to tribal knowledge and on
what terms. Traditional knowledge should be protected, but not necessarily in the same manner as
scientific knowledge.
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The West tends to treat traditional knowledge as "folklore" which is considered to be in the public
domain. Indigenous peoples see knowledge as a gift of the creator. The knowledge is not kept secret, but
tribes understand that to have this knowledge is a responsibility and that they are obligated to be the
guardians of the knowledge. These guardians do not have control over this knowledge as intellectual
property in the Western sense. Under tribal law, however, this knowledge is not considered public
domain. When knowledge escapes the tribal boundaries it does not escape ownership of the tribe,
according to tribal law.
The need to find ways to use traditional knowledge is urgent. Traditional knowledge is necessary to heal
our earth; the scientific, spiritual, and tribal aspects must come together. Tribes should commit to work
with the government to use traditional knowledge to help solve environmental problems. The information
must be shared widely and efficiently but simultaneously be protected. The government must understand
that some knowledge is tribal sacred knowledge that cannot be shared. Indigenous people want to share
the knowledge they can, but they also do not want it to be misused. It must be shared in a sensible
manner. Governments must be educated to understand that according to tribal law, there is some
knowledge that it is forbidden to share.
The Tulalip Tribes Cultural Stories Project is an information management system with more than 250,000
materials related to traditional knowledge and biodiversity. Primary traditional knowledge is not shared
or available publicly on the system. Information that is shared is linked and searchable by categories and
includes stories gathered from elders, information about people, countries, some cultural practices,
projects, events, organizations, species, acronyms, resources, laws, and geographic areas.
This database is available at http://www.culturalstories .net, where there are additional links to literary
sources and resources, relevant organizations, and papers published by indigenous groups. A climate
change website also is being constructed at http://native.climatecommons.net, which will collect stories
about the effects of climate change on indigenous peoples. A library connection catalog software called
BookWhere is also a useful tool.
One of the goals of such systems is to make useful information and data simpler to find and work with.
This might make it possible to get more young people involved in some research projects, an important
issue throughout Indian Country. Good data exchange standards would help everyone to start sharing
information that can help people respond to some of the serious problems we all are facing - for example,
the impact of climate change.
Questions and Answers
Q ~ Dr. David Macarus, EPA Region 5, asked Mr. Williams what EPA and tribes could do together to
handle climate change and on which items focus should be placed to make a difference?
A ~ Williams responded that the water cycle is a good place to start. Technology has evolved so that
most people have forgotten natural processes. Remembering the natural processes and cycles would be
helpful. Examples include a project in which dairy farmers are taking cattle waste and using it to generate
electricity. There also is a new technique from Japan regarding the biofiltration of water. These new
technologies allow more biological alternatives that will decrease dependence on coal and oil. He also
said that it is time for the Indian voice to be heard regarding changes in the environment that other
Americans have not seen. EPA and tribes can educate together, sharing environmental and traditional
knowledge.
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TSC CLOSING REMARKS: Summary of Conference, Future Tribal Science Priorities
and Goals, and Final Comments
Roland Hemmett, TSC Agency Co-Chair, US EPA, Region 2, Edison, NJ
David Nelson, Tribal Science Council (TSC) Tribal Co-Chair, Director, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Eagle Butte, SD
Dr. Hemmett explained that the Tribal Science Council (TSC) was formed in response to a request in
1999 from the National Tribal Caucus that a council be formed to provide a cross-agency (i.e., ORD and
EPA Regions) forum to discuss national tribal priority science issues and identify the most appropriate
ways to address these issues. The TSC coordinates with the National Tribal Caucus to integrate science
priorities into the EPA's annual planning and budget process. The TSC is comprised of scientists
educated in Western science as well as those trained in the tribal traditional knowledge that is vital to
addressing environmental issues to protect the health of tribal communities.
Tribal representatives identify the science priorities of the TSC, which is comprised of EPA
representatives from each program and regional office and a tribal representative from each region. The
TSC is tribally driven, but a collaborative effort; EPA and tribes work together to develop solutions.
Tribal representatives in each region determine tribal priorities and the National Tribal Caucus endorses a
national set of tribal priorities. The TSC then directs the priorities to the appropriate EPA program or
region and develops collaborative approaches to addressing the scientific issues. EPA may provide
additional input based on its own advisory committees. The development of these priorities allows an
understanding of tribal issues and related EPA activities, the development of collaborative solutions, and
consideration of the Agency's planning process.
The most critical issue identified by the tribes is tribal traditional lifeways. Tribal traditional lifeways
encompass the unique cultural, spiritual, economic, and language practices pursued by tribal communities
and must be included in the risk assessment process. Additional priorities, each equally important,
include the following:
Endocrine disrupting chemicals
Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds
Persistent bioaccumulative toxins source reduction
Pharmaceuticals in wastewater
Habitat loss
Environmental triggers for respiratory distress with special emphasis on mold
Contaminated precipitation, and
Biological stressors.
For each priority, exposure and impact risk, education, research, environmental justice, and restoration are
considered. The next step is to work internally with program offices and ORD to address these issues by
involving the EPA program office TSC representative with the program office tribal coordinator.
In terms of tribal traditional lifeways, risk assessment, and health and well-being, workshops to gather
issues and ideas from tribal representatives and risk practitioners have been conducted, and a paper
summarizing the perspectives of tribal representatives and risk practitioners has been developed. Because
EPA's current decision making processes are more relevant to urban settings and not tribes, tribes have
requested that EPA integrate tribal traditional lifeways into its current risk assessment policies and
procedures and develop a new concept for environmental decision making that focuses on human and
ecological health and well-being.
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The short-term strategy includes increasing educational opportunities for tribes about EPA's risk
assessment process, educating EPA about tribal values and culture, and outreach to tribes to encourage
their involvement. Data collection will incorporate tribal traditional knowledge and qualitative data.
Data will be collected appropriately at tribal sites, and tribal data will be tested for quality assurance.
EPA will be sensitive to unique tribal features and exposures. The long-term strategy includes developing
a new paradigm that integrates culture, lifeways, well-being, and the environment with risk prevention.
The EPA Science and American Indians website http://www.epa.gov/osp/tribes.htm is a good
informational resource on this topic.
Mr. Nelson thanked the sponsors for their support and the approximately 310 attendees for their
participation in making this a successful conference. The TSC received many informative comments
throughout the meeting and will be able to gain perspective on the important issues and needs at hand.
A participant thanked the TSC for its efforts in conducting this workshop and commented that the
environmental challenges facing humans have been like a puzzle with a piece missing, the piece being
thousands of years of indigenous knowledge. Now that the indigenous voice is being heard, it is possible
that the ship and the canoe can come together and action can be taken.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
USGS Tribal Partnerships
Dr. Cindi Barton, Director, USGS Water Resources Science Center, Tacoma, WA
Dr. Barton is Director of the USGS Water Resources Science Center. Her presentation highlighted a
number of cases illustrating successful models for partnership between USGS and Tribes in the area.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a 127-year-old Bureau within the Department of Interior.
It is a non-regulatory agency whose mission is to collect, analyze, and share impartial, natural science
data and information. The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe
and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water,
biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
The USGS works in partnership with approximately 185 Indian governments. In Washington State,
USGS is working with 21 Tribes. What follows is a description of three model USGS/ Tribal Projects in
the Water Program:
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
o FDR Lake Roosevelt
Yakima Nation
o Groundwater in the Yakima River Basin and its relation to the surface water resources
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
o Tribal Assessment of Water Resources in Western Washington
Lake Roosevelt is a 135-mile-long reservoir in northwestern Washington formed behind Grand Coulee
Dam in 1941. The lower reach extends from the dam to the confluence of the Spokane River, and the
middle reach extends from the confluence to Marcus Island. Over time, fine-grained sediment has
accumulated at the bottom of the lake, forming a record of deposited layers. It is the largest reservoir
within Columbia Basin Project, over 9.5M acre-feet at full pool and about 151 miles long. The upper 15-
20 miles are often free-flowing.
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In 1999, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation petitioned EPA to list the lake as a
Superfund Site. Although EPA eventually conducted a Site Investigation (in 2002) that scored high
enough to list the Lake on the Superfund's National Priority List, this was not done. In 2002 USGS
scientists took cores of fine-grained sediment from six sites in the middle and lower reaches of Lake
Roosevelt. Scientists collected the cores to examine the sediment record to see how trace element
concentrations varied through time.
Microscopic and chemical analyses show that slag particles found in some sediments showed signs of
weathering and breaking down, demonstrating that slag is not inert. Elevated concentrations of arsenic,
cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc occurred throughout much of the accumulated sediments.
Concentrations varied greatly within the sediment core profiles, often covering a range of 5 to 10 fold.
Trace-element concentrations typically were largest below the surficial sediments in the lower one-half of
each profile, with generally decreasing concentrations from the 1964 horizon to the surface of the core.
The trace-element profiles reflect changes in historical discharges of trace elements to the Columbia River
by an upstream smelter.
All samples analyzed exceeded clean-up guidelines adopted by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation for cadmium, lead, and zinc and more than 70 percent of the samples exceeded cleanup
guidelines for mercury, arsenic, and copper. Although 100 percent of samples exceeded sediment
guidelines for cadmium, lead, and zinc, surficial concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead, and mercury in
some cores were less than the sediment-quality guidelines.
Trace elements observed in accumulated sediments in the middle and lower reaches of the reservoir are
more likely due to the input from liquid effluent discharges compared to slag discharges from the
upstream smelter. Selected samples were analyzed for the presence of metallurgical slag, a trace element-
rich byproduct of metals smelting processes, which was discharged into the Columbia River by a smelter
in Trail, British Columbia, upstream of the reservoir prior to 1995.
Slag, while common in the uppermost reaches of the reservoir above river mile 720, may be present only
in minor amounts in sediments of the lower and mid reaches of the reservoir. Trace elements in sediments
in the lower and mid reaches of the reservoir are thus largely due to the liquid effluent discharged to the
Columbia River, which can easily be transported the length of the reservoir. Relative concentrations of
trace elements in the cores from those reaches of the reservoir resemble relative loading of trace elements
from the liquid effluent, further supporting that conclusion.
Studies results indicated:
Elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in sediments
throughout the reservoir
Concentrations of most metals decrease down-reservoir
Slag is found in sediment, especially in the upper reservoir
The slag is not chemically stable as originally reported by Teck; it geochemically weathers,
releasing metals to the water column
Copper, manganese, mercury, selenium, and zinc were found in walleye, trout, and smallmouth
bass
Only mercury were found at concentrations of concern to human health, and
Cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were found in fish liver tissues but no physiological effects were
noted.
Decades of liquid effluent from the Teck-Cominco smelter is the primary contributor of the large
concentrations of pollutants found in sediment samples from the middle and lower reaches of Lake
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Roosevelt. Teck Cominco is a mining company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The company is
one of the largest producers in the world of zinc and metallurgical coal. It also produces copper, gold,
and other metals. The Tribes, State of Washington, Department of Interior, EPA, and Departments of
State and Justice negotiated with Teck Cominco to carrying out a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility
Study (RI/FS), with EPA oversight and technical review by the Colville and Spokane Tribes, the State,
and six DOI agencies.
The Yakima River flows 215 miles from the outlet of Keechelus Lake in the central Washington
Cascades southeasterly to the Columbia River, draining an area of 6,155 square miles. The Yakima River
Basin is one of the most intensively irrigated areas in the United States. Population in the Yakima River
Basin was about 238,000 in 1990.
The surface water in the Yakima River Basin is under adjudication and it is not known how much is
available for appropriation. There are increasing demands for water for municipal, fisheries, agricultural,
industrial, and recreational uses that must be met by ground-water withdrawals and/or by changes in the
way water resources are allocated and used. Ongoing activities in the basin to enhance fisheries and to
obtain additional water for agriculture may be affected by ground-water withdrawals and by rules
implemented under the Endangered Species Act for salmonid fish. An integrated understanding of the
ground-water flow system and its relation to the surface-water resources is needed to implement most
water-resources management strategies in the basin.
In cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the
Yakama Indian Nation, the USGS is studying the ground-water system in the Yakima River Basin and
how it interacts with rivers and streams in the basin. The study includes data collection, mapping of
hydrogeologic units and ground-water levels, and a computer numerical model to bring together all the
information.
Under Tri-Party Agreement, the objectives of the study are to describe the ground-water flow system and
its interaction with surface water, and to integrate this information into a water-resources management
toola numerical model. The improved understanding of the system can be used to describe concepts to
laypersons and to guide and support actions taken by natural-resources management agencies. The
numerical model will be an integrated tool for daily to long-term water-resources management and for
testing potential management strategies.
The study will be conducted in three phases. The first phase includes (1) project planning and
coordination; (2) gathering, compiling, documenting, and assessing available data; and (3) collecting
initial data. The second phase consists of data-collection activities to support (1) mapping of
hydrogeologic units; (2) estimating ground-water use; (3) developing estimates of ground-water recharge;
and (4) constructing maps of ground-water levels. Together, these four work elements provide the
information for an overall description of the ground-water flow system and the building blocks for the
hydrogeologic framework. In the third phase, a numerical model or models will be constructed of the
ground-water flow system to integrate the available information. The model will be used to gain an
understanding of the flow system and its relation to surface water, and to test management strategies. The
model will be available for public use.
Additional components of the study include the following:
Well information
Mapping hydrogeologic units
Estimating ground-water pumpage
Estimating ground-water recharge
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Analysis of GW/SW interchanges
Mapping/assessment GW levels
Estimating hydraulic characteristics of hydrogeologic units, and
GW flow modeling/assessment.
Project Funding is a one-third split among USER, Ecology & USGS. Direct Services are provided by the
following organizations:
Yakima Nation
BIA
Municipalities
Irrigation Districts
Conservation Districts, and
Washington State
USGS and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) developed a scientific framework for
a comprehensive assessment of tribal water resources in western Washington. Water resources are
essential to Native American Tribes in western Washington for instream and out-of-stream uses. As the
demand for water across the region increases, western Washington Tribes need critical information about
water availability, water use, and ecological needs for water to manage their resources. To assess tribal
water resources comprehensively in western Washington, the Tribes have joined USGS in a partnership
that will help improve tribal water-resources data collection, management, and analysis.
The objective of this project was to identify opportunities for improving tribal water-resources data
collection, management, and analysis, including development of information systems that support water-
resources management decisions. The project reviewed the current status of tribal water-resources
information, including information users and needs, hydrologic data-collection efforts, and data
management systems. Significant information gaps, such as streamflow in headwater streams or the water
requirements of aquatic ecosystems, were identified. The project also represented a significant effort by
the Washington Water Science Center to fulfill the Department of the Interior's trust responsibilities to
Native American Tribes.
The proposed project also initiated implementation of the plan to integrate available information on water
resources in western Washington, develop systems for accessing the information, and identify areas
where additional research and monitoring is needed for a comprehensive understanding of water
resources in the region.
USGS designated a hydrologist to serve as a liaison to NWIFC to coordinate assessment activities and
serve as the primary USGS contact for NWIFC and tribes. The assessment had three initial tasks in 2006.
The first was to identify tribal information resources and needs. The second was to review options for
tribal water-resources information systems. The third and final task was to develop approaches for
assessing the water requirements of aquatic ecosystems. USGS/ Tribal assessment activities in 2006
included the following:
Identifying Tribal information resources and needs
Reviewing options for tribal water-resources information systems, and
Developing approaches for assessing the water requirements of aquatic ecosystems.
Recently completed assessment of Tribal water-resources information identified significant information
gaps and training needs. In response to these needs, the partnership included development of a workshop
on streamflow data collection. Other technical workshops are being planned for the future.
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To summarize, USGS/ Tribal water-resources projects cover a broad range of water science activities as
are indicated below.
In the area of data collection:
Streamflow data
GW-level data
QW data
Stream-sediment transport data
Climate data
Data-Base capabilities include
Streamflow, reservoir, & lake data
GW data
Continuous or discrete QW data
Water-use data
Geographic Information System (GIS) data
Investigations are underway or in planning on many topics:
Water quantity and quality assessments
Toxic substances in natural waters and biota
Rural and urban nonpoint pollution
Seawater intrusion
SW/GW interactions
Sediment transport and chemistry
Effects of climate change
Wetland functions
Aquifer and Streamflow characteristics
Floods/droughts magnitudes and frequency
Analytical techniques
Watershed, SW and GW modeling
Flood/low-flow frequency analysis
Sediment & chemical load determination
Aquifer testing
Aquatic ecosystem health indexing
GIS
Acoustic Doppler velocity measurements
GW age dating
Surface and borehole geophysics
Evapotranspiration analysis
GW recharge and GW-flow modeling
Solute-transport modeling
Geochemical modeling
Water, sediment, tissue analysis
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LIST OF ACRONYMS
x-i
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ACAT-- Alaska Community Action on Toxics
ANTHC ~ Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
APHIS ~ Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
APIA ~ Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc
ARL ~ Air Resources Library
ATFE ~ Akwesasne Task Force Environment
B
BIA ~ Bureau of Indian Affairs
BLM ~ Bureau of Land Management
BMI ~ Bio Mass Index
BMPs ~ Best Management Practices
CAA-Clean Air Act
CAFOs ~ Concentrated Feeding Operations
CAPI ~ Computer Assisted Personal Interview
CBRNE ~ chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear and explosives
CDC - Centers for Disease Control
CERCLA ~ Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
CERT ~ Community Emergency Response Team
COOP ~ Continuity of Operations
CRA ~ Comparative Risk Assessment
CRITFC ~ Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission
CUNA - Native Cultures Institute
CWA -- Tribal Clean Water Act
D
DALY - Disability Adjusted Life Year
DDT ~ dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane
DEP ~ Department of Environmental Protection
DHS ~ Department of Homeland Security
DQOs -- Data Quality Objectives
E
ECMWF ~ European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
ECs ~ Emerging Contaminants
EDAS ~ Ecological Data Application System
EMAP ~ Emergency Management Accreditation Program
EOP ~ All-Hazard Emergency Operations Plans
EPA ~ Environmental Protection Agency
EPT ~ Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera
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EROS ~ Earth Resources Observation Systems
ESFs ~ Emergency Support Functions
FARR ~ Federal Air Rules for Reservations
FDA ~ Food and Drug Administration
FEMA ~ Federal Emergency Management Agency
FIFRA ~ Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
FLIR ~ Forward Looking Infrared technology
GEODE - GEO-Data Explorer
GEOSS ~ Global Earth Observing System of Systems
GFS ~ Global Forecast System
GIS ~ geographic information system
GLIFWC ~ Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
GLNPO ~ Great Lakes National Program Office
GOP ~ Continuity of government
GPRA ~ Government Performance and Results Act
GRIB ~ Gridded Binary data files
GUI ~ Graphical User Interface
GW ~ groundwater
H
HBCU's ~ Historically Black Colleges and Universities
HCB ~ hexachlorobenzene
HCCH ~ hexachlorocyclohexane
HEPP ~ Haudenosaunee Environmental Protection Process
HGM ~ hydrogeomorphic
HSPD-5 ~ Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5
HUD ~ Housing and Urban Development
HYSPLIT ~ Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory
I
IAQ ~ Indoor Air Quality
IBI ~ Index of Biological Integrity
ICS ~ Incident Command System
IGAP ~ EPA Indian General Assistance Program
IGAP-- Indian General Assistance Program
IHS ~ Indian Health Service
IKCE-SI ~ Indigenous Knowledge Center for Education and Science Impacts
INRP ~ Initial National Response Plan
IPM ~ Integrated Pest Management
IRIS ~ Integrated Risk Information System
ITEP ~ Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
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LANDFIRE ~ Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project
LPS ~ lipopolysaccharides
M
MALs ~ maximum allowable levels
MCT ~ The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
MOU ~ memorandum of understanding
N
NAM ~ North American Meso
NASA ~ National Aeronautics and Space Administration's
NAWQA ~ National Water Quality Assessment
NBII ~ National Biological Information Infrastructure
NCAR ~ National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCEP ~ National Centers for Environmental Prediction
NDVI ~ Normalized Difference Vegetation Index
NHANES ~ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
NHEERL ~ The National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
NIEHS ~ National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIMS ~ National Incident Management System
NLCD ~ National Land Cover Data
NOAA ~ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPDES ~ National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NRDAR ~ Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration
NRP ~ The National Response Plan
NSDI ~ National Spatial Data Infrastructure
NSF ~ National Science Foundation
NSSEs National Special Security Events
NTCS ~ National Transportation Consortium of States
NTN ~ Neighborhood Transportation Network
NWASC ~ Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
NWIC ~ Northwest Indian College
NWIFC ~ Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
NWIS ~ National Water Information System
NWS ~ National Weather Service
O
ODEQ ~ Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
OEM ~ Office of Emergency Management
OPA - Oil Pollution Act
OPPTS ~ Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances
ORD ~ Office of Research and Development
PAHs ~ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
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PART ~ Program Assessment Rating Tool
PBFRs ~ polybrominated flame retardants
PCBs ~ polychlorinated biphenyls
PDBEs ~ polybrominated diphenyl ethers
PFC ~ properly functioning condition
PFOS ~ perflourinated octane sulfonates
PHS -- Public Health Service
POCs ~ persistent organochlorinated compounds
POPs ~ persistent organic pollutants
PRP's ~ potentially responsible party
PWF ~ Preserved Wood Foundation
Q
QA ~ Quality Assurance
QAPP ~ Quality Assurance Project Plan
QC - Quality Control
QIN Quinault Indian Nation
R
RARE ~ Regional Applied Research Effort
RFA ~ Request for Application
RI/FS ~ Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study
RIVPACS ~ River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System
SDWA -- Safe Drinking Water Act
SGU ~ Sinte Gleska University
SKC - Salish Kootenai College
SRT ~ Self-Regulating Tidegate
STAR ~ Science To Achieve Results
SW ~ surface water
TAMS ~ Tribal Air Management Support Center
TCU's ~ Tribal Colleges and Universities
TEQs ~ toxic equivalents
THSR ~ Tribal Hazardous Sites Registry
TISC ~ Tribal Invasive Species Committee
TOPS ~ Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System
TSC ~ Tribal Science Council
U
UN ~ United Nations
UNESCO ~ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
USAF -- United States Air Force
USER ~ United State Bureau of Reclamation
X-5
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USDA ~ United States Department of Agriculture
USFS ~ United States Forest Service
USGS ~ United Sates Geological Service
UST ~ underground storage tanks
V
VOC ~ volatile organic compounds
W
WhAEM -- Wellhead Analytic Element Model
WHO - World Health Organization
WMD ~ weapons of mass destruction
WQS ~ water quality standards
YLD ~ years lived with disability
YLL ~ years of life lost
X-6
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APPENDIX A
Forum Agenda
A-l
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National Tribal Forum on Environmental Science
Agenda
Quinault Beach Resort and Casino
78 State Route 115
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
Sponsored by the National
EPA-Tribal Science Council
(TSC) and hosted by the
Quinault Indian Nation (QIN)
September 24-29, 2006
Day 1 - Sunday, September 24, 2006
Location: Grand Ballroom
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Conference Registration
Shuttle Bus Transportation will be offered free of charge from the Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport to the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. The transit departure times are: 10:00 a.m.
(1:00 p.m. arrival), 1:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. arrival) and 3:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. arrival).
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Quinault Indian Nation Welcome
A-2
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Day 2 - Monday, September 25, 2006
Location: Grand Ballroom
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Conference Registration/Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Formal Welcoming Session
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. Keynote Speaker
Oren Lyons
10:15-10:30 a.m. Morning Break
10:30-12:00 noon AK Global Climate Change
Lydia Olympic
American Indian Alaska Native Climate
Warming Working Group: A Red Paper
Daniel R. Wildcat, Margaret Hiza-Redsteer,
Don Aragon, and Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch (Sponsored by the Quinault Beach Resort)
1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Field Trip #1: Beach
Field Trip #2: Rain Forest
Take Shuttle Outside Lobby
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Reception and Poster Session/Tribal Success Stories
A-3
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Day 3 - Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Location: Ballrooms 1-4
7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Conference Registration/Continental Breakfast
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Air Pollution
Transport
Facilitators:
Christine Berini
and David
LaRoche
Identifying
Transport
Pathways Using
the HYSPLIT
Model
Glenn Gehring
Petroleum Coke
Dust Emissions
From Open
Boxcars Along the
Shoreline of North
Puget Sound,
Washington
Tony Basabe
Ballroom #2
Water
Facilitators: Robert
Hillger and Daniel
Kusnierz
Monitoring the Water
Quality at Boyden,
Lake After Repairing
the Fish Ladder
Steve Crawford
Potential Effects of
Suburbanization on
the Water Quality and
Quantity of Boiling
Springs, a Sacred
Area, to the Shakopee
Mdewakanton Dakota
Community, Scott
County, Minnesota
Lanya Ross
Ballroom #3
Training: Risk
Assessment and
EPA/Tribal Cases
Facilitators: Tony
David and Rita
Schoeny
Risk Assessment
Overview
Rita Schoeny
Ballroom #4
Training: Data
Management for
Water Monitoring
(All Day)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Wendt
Tribal Clean Water
Act(CWA) 106
Guidance Overview
Carol Russell, EPA
R8
Data Storage
Eric Wilson, EPA
R9
9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.Morning Break
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Indoor Air
Facilitators: Christine
Berini and David
LaRoche
Tribal Science in
Action Case Studies
from Bois Forte
Ballroom #2
Water
Facilitators: Robert
Hillger and Daniel
Kusnierz
Developing
Reference Water
Quality Conditions
Ballroom #3
Training: Risk
Assessment and
EPA/Tribal Cases
Facilitators: Tony
David and Rita
Schoeny
A Risk Analysis for
Ballroom #4
Training: Data
Management for
Water Monitoring
(All Day)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Wendt
Data Storage
A-4
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Environmental
Services IAQ Program
Kevin Koski
Mold: Mycotoxins,
Indoor Air Health
Crisis in Indian
Country
Curtis Munoz
for the Pueblo de
Taos, New Mexico
Robert Gomez and
Jeff Ogburn
The Development of
Water Quality
Standards on the
Pyramid Lake Paiute
Indian Reservation
Daniel Mosley
Contaminated
Sportfish
Tony David
Using GIS to measure
vulnerability and risk
associated with UST's
Frank Harjo
(continues)
Tribal Perspective:
Region VIII Tribal
Water Quality Data
Management Model
Christa Tyrell, Fort
Peck Assiniboine and
Sioux Tribes; and
Dave Wilcox, Gold
Systems
11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Lunch (on your own)
Tuesday 1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Earth
Facilitators:
Marshall Cheung
and Thomas Baugh
Groundwater
Heating in
Forested Wetlands:
A Pilot Study in
the Hoh River
Watershed
Jill Silver
An Investigation of
the Possibility of
Mixing of Waters
in After-Action
Monitoring Wells
in Ottawa County,
Oklahoma
Tim Kent
Ballroom #2
Water and
Community
Health
Facilitators: Troy
Pierce and Patti
Tyler
Source Water
Protection
Planning in a
Shallow Alluvial
Aquifer
Dale Becker and
Samuel Iwenofu
Potential
Contribution of the
Burden of Disease
and Injury To
Assess
Community
Health in Indian
Country
Catherine
Michaud
Ballroom #3
Training: Risk
Assessment and
EPA/Lifeline
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek
OPPTS Tribal
Lifeline Project:
Exposure and Risk
Assessment
Software for Tribal
Communities
and Other Unique
Subpopulations
Anne Marie
Chaisson and
Christine F.
Chaisson, The
LifeLine Group
Ballroom #4
Training: Data
Management for Water
Monitoring (Continues)
Facilitator: Elizabeth Wendt
Data
Assessment/ Analysis/Exercise
Gretchen Watkins, Lac Du
Flambeau Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa Indians
with Carol Russell, EPA R8
and Jennifer Ousley, EPA R7
2:45 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Afternoon Break
A-5
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Tuesday 3:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Earth
Facilitators: Marshall
Cheung and Thomas
Baugh
Invasive Species
Impacts in Indian
Country
Robin Powell and
Pyramid Lake Paiute
Tribe
Mercury
Contamination of
Cheyenne River
Sioux Land
Dave Nelson,
Cheyenne River
Sioux Tribe
Impacts of Climate
Change and Land Use
in the Southwestern
United States
Margaret Hiza-
Redsteer
Ballroom #2
Water and
Community Health
Facilitators: Troy
Pierce and Patti
Tyler
Relationship
Between In-Home
Water Service and
Acute Respiratory
Infections Among
Alaska Natives
Troy Ritter and Jeff
Smith
Improved Water
Quality and
Community Health
in the Border
Indigenous
Communities of Baja
California
Hiram Sarabia and
Paula Stigler
Ballroom #3
Training: Risk
Assessment and
EPA/Lifeline
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek
Ballroom #4
Training: Data
Management for
Water Monitoring
(Continues)
Facilitators: Elizabeth
Wendt
Data Reporting/Exercise
Eric Wilson, EPA R9
Closing Remarks
Carol Russell, EPA R8
4:45-5:45 p.m.
Northwest Indian College: An Introduction to the College and
Discussion.
Refreshments will be served!
A-6
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Day 4 - Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Location: Ballrooms 1-4
7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Conference Registration/Continental Breakfast
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Air
Facilitators: David
LaRoche and Michele
Dineyazhe
Where Does the Dust
Come From? An
Analysis of Days with
the Highest
Particulate
Concentrations on the
Bishop Paiute
Reservation, 2003-
2006
Toni Richards
Eastern Shawnee
Tribe of Oklahoma's
Method of Focusing
Permit Review
April Crouch
Ballroom #2
Water
Facilitators: Troy
Pierce and Marshall
Cheung
The Utility of
Indices of
Biological Integrity
for Depressional
Wetlands in Central
Oklahoma
Dena Hartzell,
Joseph R. Bidwell,
and Craig A. Davis
From Greens to
Blue-Greens: An
Investigation of
Algal Blooms in the
Penobscot River
Daniel Kusnierz,
PenobscotIndian
Nation
Ballroom #3
Overview of Science
Grants and Tips for
Successful Tribal
Proposals (Includes
PART)
Facilitators: Elizabeth
Resek and Christine Berini
Introduction to
GPRA/Measures/PART
Elizabeth Resek, U.S.
EPA
Grant Writing Overview:
What to Look For in an
RF A; How to Partner With
Academics and Other
Institutions
KathyHill, J.D., LL.M.;
and Joseph Dupris, Ph.D.,
J.D., Quail Plume
Enterprises
Ballroom #4
Training:
Overview of Water
Quality Standards
From a Tribal
Perspective (All
Day)
Facilitator: Nancy
Schuldt
Treatment as a State
Nancy Schuldt,
Fond du Lac Band
of Lake Superior
Chippewa; Dan
Mosely, Pyramid
Lake Paiute; and
Tracey Ledder, Bad
River Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa
Use Classification
System and
Beneficial Uses
Nancy Schuldt,
Fond du Lac Band
of Lake Superior
Chippewa; Margaret
Watkins, Grand
Portage Band of
Lake Superior
Chippewa; and
Robert Gomez, Taos
Pueblo
A-7
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9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.Morning Break
Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Panel and Dialogue
Session:
How can Tribal
Colleges and Tribal
Government
Environmental
Programs Work
Together for the
Benefit of their
Communities?
Facilitator: Dan
Burns
Panel Presentations:
Charlotte Clausing,
Northwest Indian
College; TEA,
Lummi Nation;
Dawn Thomas and
Bill Swaney, Salish
Kootenai College;
Richard Jans sen,
Salish Kootenai
Tribe; and
Gary Halverson,
Sitting Bull College
Ballroom #2
Water
Facilitators: Michael Bolt
and Dana Davoli
Activities of the Grand
Portage Reservation
(Minnesota) To Protect
and Restore the Aquatic
Habitat and Reduce
Biological Stressors in
Lake Superior
Bradley Frazier
Development of a
Physical/Bioassessment
Program on the Pyramid
Lake Paiute Indian
Reservation, Nevada
Daniel Mosley
Ballroom #3
Overview of
Science Grants and
Tips for Successful
Tribal Proposals
(Includes PART)
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Resek and
Christine Berini
Grant Writing
Overview: What to
look for in an RFA;
How to Partner with
Academics and
other Institutions
(Continues)
Regional Overview:
Grant Workplans
and Accountability
Elizabeth Wendt,
U.S. EPA R7
Navajo Nation
National Science
Foundation Grant
Dr. Willard Gilbert,
Northern Arizona
University
Ballroom #4
Training: Overview
of Water Quality
Standards From a
Tribal Perspective
(All Day)
Facilitator: Nancy
Schuldt
Anti degradation
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa
and Char Nay lor,
Puyallup Tribe
Outstanding
Reservation Resource
Waters
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa
and Gretchen
Watkins, Lac du
Flambeau Band of
Lake Superior
Chippewa
11:45 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Lunch (Sponsored by Best Western)
A-8
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Wednesday 1:00 p.m. -2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Earth
Facilitators: Marshall
Cheung and David
Macarus
U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS)
Projects Supporting
Environmental
Science on Tribal
Lands
David Meyer
EPA Indian General
Assistance Program
(IGAP) Success
Stories: Nikolski
Drum Cleanup and
Paul off Harbor
Quality Assurance
Project Plans (QAPP),
Battery Cleanup, and
Sampling, Aleutian
Islands, Alaska
Chris Riggio
Ballroom #2
Culture and
Community Health
Facilitators: Michael
Callahan and Richard
Janssen
Quinault Indian
Nation Development
of Tribal Seafood
Consumption Survey
Software
Anna Towksjhea,
Samuel Iwenofu, and
Lon Kissinger
Cultural Science and
the Twenty-Nine
Palms Tribe: A
Native Paradigm
Clifford Trafzer,
Willard Gilbert, and
Anthony Madrigal
Ballroom #3
Overview: Quality
Assurance Tools -
Quality Assurance
Project Plan
(QAPP)
Development Tool
Facilitators:
Elizabeth Jackson
Quality Assurance
Project Plan (QAPP)
Development Tool
David Taylor, U.S.
EPAR9
Ballroom #4
Training: Overview
of Water Quality
Standards From a
Tribal Perspective
(Continues)
Facilitators: Nancy
Schuldt
Criteria Development
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa;
Dan Mosely, Pyramid
Lake Paiute; and
Margaret Watkins,
Grand Portage Band of
Lake Superior
Chippewa
Implementation
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa;
Rick Gitar, Fond du
Lac Band; and Paula
Webster, Confederated
Salish and Kootenai
1:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Tribal Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Grantees Progress
Review Grand Suite
2:45 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Afternoon Break
A-9
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Wednesday 3:00 p.m. -4:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Earth
Facilitators: Rollie
Hemmett and Dave
Nelson
Training: Tribal
Emergency
Management
Overview of National
Incident and
Management System
(NIMS)
AnJanette Fisher and
Stacy Eich
Ballroom #2
Tribal Diet and
Community Health
Facilitators: Michael
Callahan and Richard
Janssen
Tribal Food Safety
Initiative
John Persell
A Tribal Monitoring
Program To Assess
the Human Tissue
Accumulation and
Health Effects of
Persistent Organic
Compounds and
Heavy Metals
Consumed in the
Traditional Diet in
Rural Alaska Native
Mothers and Infants
James E. Berner and
Martina Lauterbach,
R.N.
Ballroom #3
Overview: Quality
Assurance Tools -
Turbo QAPP
Facilitators: Elizabeth
Jackson
Turbo QAPP
Melinda Ronca-
Battista, Institute for
Tribal Environmental
Professionals
Ballroom #4
Training: Overview
of Water Quality
Standards From a
Tribal Perspective
(Continues)
Facilitator: Nancy
Schuldt
Monitoring
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa
Assessment:
Attainment or
Impairment
Nancy Schuldt, Fond
du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa;
and Jeff Ogburn,
Taos Pueblo
Questions and
Discussion
4:45-6:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Free Time
Movie Night
Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action
Alaska Native Diet: Monitoring For Contaminants In Rural Alaska
A-10
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Day 5 - Thursday, September 28, 2006
Location: Ballrooms 1-4 & Grand Ballroom
7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Conference Registration/Continental Breakfast
Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Air Deposition
Facilitators:
Christine Berini and
David LaRoche
Fond Du Lac
Reservation
Comprehensive
Mercury Monitoring
Program
Nancy Schuldt and
Nick Axtell
Fond Du Lac Band of
Lake Superior
Chippewa
Alaska Native
Science
Larry Merculieff
Ballroom #2
Water and
Community Health
Facilitators: Curtis
Munoz and Dana
Davoli
Emerging Issues,
Contaminants in Our
Environment,
Endocrine Disrupters,
Pharmaceuticals, and
Personal Care
Products
Dr. Kim Winton
Assessing Overall
Concerns from
Hazardous Waste Sites
on Tribal Lands
Dr. Lynn Zender
Ballroom #3
Training:
Methamphetamine
Lab Hazard
Assessment Overview
Facilitator: Marshall
Cheung and Michele
Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation
Methamphetamine
Brad Asbill
Ballroom #4
Training:
Introduction to
Natural Resources
Damage
Assessment and
Restoration
(NRDAR)
Facilitator: David
Charters
An Introduction to
Natural Resource
Damage Assessment
and Restoration
Dolores Savignano,
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
Trusteeship and
Tribal Opportunities
Al Sedik, Bureau of
Indian Affairs
9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.Morning Break
A-ll
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Thursday 10:00 am. - 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions and Training
Ballroom #1
Earth
Facilitators: Michael
Bolt and Patti Tyler
Training:
Emergency
Management
Federal Response
and Recovery for
Tribes
Andrew
Hendrickson, FEMA
and Jason Jackson,
Quinault Tribe
Ballroom #2
Tribal Diet and
Community Health
Facilitators: Curtis
Munoz and Dana
Davoli
Results From the
Swinomish Tribal
Human Health Risk
Assessment of
Contaminated Seafood
Jamie Donatuto and
Barbara Harper
Polychlorinated
Biphenyls in Serum of
the Siberian Yupik
People From St.
Lawrence Island
Vi Waghiyi and
Pamela K. Miller
Ballroom #3
Training:
Methamphetamine
Lab Hazard
Assessment Overview
Facilitator: Marshall
Cheung and Michele
Dineyazhe
Cherokee Nation
Methamphetamine
Robert Keck
Ballroom #4
Training: Natural
Resources Damage
Assessments
(Continued)
Facilitator: David
Charters
Differences Between
CERCLA
Remediation and
NRDAR Restoration
Mark Huston, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife
Service
Restoration
Dolores Savignano,
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
Coordination of
Trustees and
Response Agencies:
Case Studies
Robyn Blackburn,
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
1:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
Lunch (on your own)
Plenary Session
Grand Ballroom
Facilitator: Claudia Walters
Cultural Sustainability Models: Using Our "Ways of Knowing" in
Management and Group Discussion
Terry Williams, Preston Hardison, Mary Arquette,
James Ransom, and Claudia Walters
Afternoon Break
A-12
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3:15 p.m. -4:00p.m. Plenary Session
Grand Ballroom
TSC Session: Summary of Conference,
Future Tribal Science Priorities and Goals, and Closing Comments
Roland Hemmett and David Nelson
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Free Time
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Reception sponsored by Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission
Indians
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Closing Ceremony
Emcees: Roland Hemmett and David Nelson
Keynote Speakers: Dr. Cindi Barton, Director of the U.S.
Geological Survey's Water resources Science Center and Quinault
Tribal Elder
Closing Ceremony: Quinault Indian Nation
Friday, September 29, 2006
Travel Day
Transportation will be offered free of charge from the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino to the
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on a full-sized bus operated by Gray's Harbor Transit. The
transit departure times are at 8:00 a.m. (11:00 a.m. arrival), 10:00 a.m. (1:00 p.m. arrival), and
1:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. arrival).
The shuttle will be located outside of the hotel lobby.
A-13
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APPENDIX B
List of Participants
-------
Eveli Abeyta
Santa Fe Indian School
Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico
E-mail: sporty 13_2007@yahoo.com
Barry Adams
Black Feet Tribe
Water Pollution Prevention
P.O. Box 2029
Browning, MT 59417
(406)338-7421
badams@3rivers.net
Iris Aguilera
Washington State Department of Ecology
Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia,WA 98504
Telephone: (360) 407-6734
E-mail: iagu461@ecy.wa.gov
Jacqueline Alstrom
Native Village of Alakanuk
P.O. Box 149
Alakanuk, AK 99554-0149
Telephone: (907)238-3419
E-mail: aaqarlria@yahoo.com
Mary Arquette
Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment
Akwesasne Freedom School
P.O. Box 992
613 Cook Road
Hogansburg, NY 13655
Telephone: (518)358-2073
E-mail: mfadden@westelcom.com
Laura Armagost
Red Cliff Tribe
Red Cliff Environmental Program
Water Resource Department
88385 Pike Road, Highway 13
Bayfield,WI 54814
Telephone: (715) 779-3650
E-mail: larmagost@redcliff-nsn.gov
Nick Axtell
Fond du Lac Reservation
Environmental Department
1720 Big Lake Road
Cloquet, MN 55720
Telephone: (218) 878-8012
E-mail: nickaxtell(3>fdlrez.com
Rhonda Azure
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Environmental Director
P.O. Box 730
Belcourt,ND 58316
(701)477-2668
r_azuretmepa@yahoo .com
Theresa Bahryck
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
8P-P3T
999 18th Street, Suite 3 00
Denver, CO 80202-2466
Telephone: (303)312-6788
E-mail: bahrych.teri@epa.gov
Gary Bangs
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Assessment
Ariel Rios Building (860ID)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-6667
E-mail: bangs.gary@epa.gov
Marie Barry
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California
Washoe Environmental Protection Department
919 US Highway 395, South
Gardnerville, NV 89410
Telephone: (775) 265-8680
E-mail: marie.barry@washoetribe.us
Cindi Barton
U.S. Geological Survey
934 Broadway Suite 300
Tacoma,WA 98402
Telephone: (253)552-1602
E-mail: cbarton@usgs.gov
Paul Barton
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe
Environmental Department
PO Box 1283
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 542-6609
E-mail: pbarton@sctribe.com
B-2
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Shelba Barton
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe
Environmental Department
17461 S 663 Road
Wyandotte, OK 74370
Telephone: (918) 678-3573
E-mail: wahtrot@hotmail.com
Tony Basabe
Swinomish Tribal Community
Swinomish Air Quality Program
P.O. Box 817
LaConner,WA 98257
Telephone: (360)466-2512
E-mail: tbasabe@swinomish.nsn.us
Mary Basballe
Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Environmental Air Program
3009 E Portland Avenue
Tacoma,WA 98404
Telephone: (253) 841-0378
E-mail: maryba@puyalluptribe.com
Johnny Bastian
Quinault River Fish and Game
P.O. Box 189
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360) 590-0400
Thomas Baugh
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Regional Administrator
Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Telephone: (404) 562-8275
E-mail: baugh.thomasl@epa.gov
Dale Becker
Evergreen Rural Water of Washington
The Trading Structure Workgroup
P.O. Box 2300
Shelton,WA 98584
Telephone: (509) 899-1500
E-mail: dbecker@erwow.org
Jerry Begay
Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency
Superfund Program
P.O. Box 2946
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Telephone: (928)871-7819
E-mail: nnepansp@frontiernet.net
David Behler
US Department of the Interior
Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
MIB MS-2340
1849 C Street, NW
Washington DC 20240
Telephone: (202) 208-4305
E-mail: David_Behler@ios.doi.gov
Christine Berini
Fond du Lac Reservation
Division of Resource Management
1720 Big Lake Road
Cloquet, MN 55720
Telephone: (218) 878-8006
E-mail: chrisberini@fdlrez.com
Virginia Bill
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
2725 Montlake Boulevard, East
Seattle, WA 98112
Telephone: (206) 860-3200
E-mail: virginia.bill@noaa.gov
Carmen Bland
Lummi Nation
Northwest Indian College
3504 N Red River Road
FerndaleWA 98248
Telephone: (360) 383-0462
E-mail: carmenbland@hotmail.com
Teri Bahrych
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 300, 8P-P3T
Denver, CO 80202-2466
(303)312-6788
Bahrych.teri@epa.gov
Diana Boquist
US Environmental Protection Agency
Tribal Program
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 553-1586
E-mail: boquist.diana@epa.gov
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Aron Borok
Environment International
2734 NE 64th Avenue
Portland, OR 97213
Telephone: (503)484-5711
E-mail: aron.borok@eiltd.net
Andrew Boyscout
Chevak Native Village
Land Protection Plan Mapping Project
P.O. Box 140
Chevak, AK 99563
Telephone: (907) 858-7947
E-mail: andrewboyscout@yahoo.com
Bernadette Boyscout
Chevak Native Village
P.O. Box 189
Chevak, AK 99563
Telephone: (907) 858-7947
Kevin Brackney
Nez Perce Tribe
Water Resources Division
P.O. Box 365
114 Veterans Drive
Lapwai, ID 83540
Telephone: (208) 843-7368
E-mail: kevinb@nezperce.org
Karl Braden
Quinault Indian Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 534
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360)276-8211
E-mail: kbraden@quinault.org
Roxanne Braine
Northern Cheyenne Tribe
Office of Environmental Health
P.O. Box 67
Lame Deer, MT 59043
Telephone: (406)477-4516
E-mail: Roxanne.braine@ihs.gov
Lavern Broncho, Sr.
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
Mining Oversite Program
P.O. Box 306
Fort Hall, ID 83203
Telephone: (208) 239-4569
E-mail: iosborne(S),shoshonebannocktribes.com
Tyron Bronco
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
Mining Oversite Program
P.O. Box 306
Fort Hall, ID 83203
Telephone: (208) 239-4569
E-mail: iosborne@shoshonebannocktribes.com
Dan Burns
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
Program
121 Oronoco Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Telephone: (360)319-2010
E-mail: dburns@aihec.org
Kirsten Cahow-Scholtes
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Indians
P.O. Box 39
1 Maple Street
Odanah,WI 54861
Telephone: (715) 682-7123, ext. 1549
E-mail: water@badriver.com
Michael Callahan
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202
Telephone: (214) 665-2787
E-mail: callahan.michael@epa.gov
David Carrillo
National Center for Cultural Healing
1308 Pellow Circle Trail
Herndon,VA 20170
Telephone: (703) 626-1619
E-mail: quietman_l99@mac.com
Elmer "Guy" Capoeman
Quinault River Fish and Game
P.O. Box 53
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360)276-4140
E-mail: gcapoeman@quinault.org
Annie Chaisson
The LifeLine Group
2504 Yorkdale Court
Durham, NC 27707
Telephone: (919) 360-0716
B-4
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Christine Chaisson
The LifeLine Group
4610 Quarter Charge Drive
Annandale,VA 22003
Telephone: (703) 978-6496
E-mail: cfchaisson@thelifelinegroup.org
David Charters
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 2
Raritan Depot
2890 Woodbridge Avenue (101MS101)
Edison, NJ 08837-3679
Telephone: (732) 906-6825
E-mail: charters.davidw@epa.gov
Dino Chavarria
Santa Clara Pueblo
Office of Environmental Affairs
PO Box 580
Espanola, NM 87532
Telephone: (505) 753-7326
E-mail: dinoc@santaclarapueblo.org
Stephanie Cheaney
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5
Air and Radiation Division
77 W Jackson Boulevard (AR-18J)
Chicago, IL 60604
Telephone: (312)886-3509
E-mail: cheaney.stephanie@epa.gov
Anne Cheung
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
47250 Dillon Road
Coachella, CA 92236
Telephone: (760) 398-6767
E-mail: tribalepa2@att.net
Marshall Cheung
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
47250 Dillon Road
Coachella, CA 92236
Telephone: (760) 398-6767
E-mail: tribal-epa@att.net
Brandy Christensen
Petersburg Indian Association
E-mail: piatrd@gci.net
Charlotte Clausing
Northwest Indian College
Division of Science and Mathematics
2522 Kwina Road
Bellingham, WA 98226-9217
Telephone: (360) 676-2772
E-mail: cclausing@nwic.edu
John Clemens
U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water
Science Center
Dept. of Public Affairs and Media Relations
934 Broadway, Suite 300
Tacoma,WA 98402
Telephone: (253) 552-1635
E-mail: jclemens@usgs.gov
Michael Cochrane
Northwest Indian College
Division of Science and Mathematics
2522 Kwina Road
Bellingham, WA 98226-9217
Telephone: (360) 392-4299
E-mail: mcochrane@nwic.edu
Robert Columbro
Band of Miwok Indians
Shingle Springs Rancheria
Environmental Department
PO Box 1340
Shingle Springs, CA 95682
Telephone: (530) 676-8010
E-mail: rcolumbro@ssband.org
Glen Connelly
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Natural Resources Department
P.O. Box 536
Oakville,WA 98568
Telephone: (360)273-5911
E-mail: gconnelly@chehalistribe.org
John Cox
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Department of Science and Engineering
P.O. Box 638
Pendleton, OR 97801-0638
Telephone: (541) 966-2801
E-mail: johncox@ctuir.com
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Steve Crawford
Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 343
Perry, ME 04667
Telephone: (207) 853-2600
E-mail: stevecrawford@wabanaki.com
April Crouch
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
127 W Oneida
Seneca, MO 64865
Telephone: (918)666-5151
E-mail: acrouch_estoepa@hotmail.com
Mimi Dannel
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science Policy
Ariel Rios Building (8104R)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-9944
E-mail: dannel.mimi@epa.gov
Tony David
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
Environmental Division
Water Resources Management
412 State Route 37
Akwesasne, NY 13655
Telephone: (518)358-5937
E-mail: tony_david@srmtenv.org
Dana Davoli
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 10
Risk Evaluation Unit
1200 Sixth Avenue (OEA095)
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 553-2135
E-mail: davoli.dana@epa.gov
Adam DeWeese
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission
Biological Services Division
PO Box 9
100 Maple Street
Odanah,WI 54861
Telephone: (715) 682-6619
E-mail: adeweese@glifwc.org
Michele Dineyazhe
US Environmental Protection Agency
Superfund Program
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 972-3786
E-mail: dineyazhe.michele@epa.gov
Katrina Dodyk
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Water Quality Laboratory
35008 Pala Temecula Road, PMB #50
Pala, CA 92059
Telephone: (760) 742-3378
E-mail: kdodyk@palatribe.com
Chris Dominguez
Pueblo of Tesuque
Route 42, Box 360-T
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 955-7733
E-mail: jmontoya@pueblooftesuque.org
Jamie Donatuto
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Office of Planning & Community Development
P.O. Box 817
11430 Moorage Way
La Conner, WA 98257
Telephone: (360)466-1532
E-mail: jdonatuto@swinomish.nsn.us
Linda Drew
Pueblo of Nambe
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
Route l,Box 117-BB
Nambe, NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 455-2036
E-mail: ldrew_denr_nambe@yahoo .com
Joseph Dupris
Quail Plume Enterprises
P.O. Box 702
Chiloquin, OR 97624
Telephone: (541)281-8177
E-mail: josephdupris@hotmail.com
Allen Duran
Pueblo of Tesuque
Route 42, Box 360-T
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 955-7742
E-mail: agduran@pueblooftesuque.org
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Steve Duryea
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
15434 K Road
Mayetta, KS 66509
Telephone: (785) 966-2946
E-mail: sduryea@pbpnation.org
Sandra White Eagle
Fort Peck Assiniboine-Sioux Tribes
Office of Environmental Protection
Water Quality Division
P.O. Box 1027
603 Court Avenue
Poplar, MT 59255
Telephone: (406)768-5155
E-mail: 2paints@nemontel.net
Stacy Eich
DSD Laboratories
Security Systems Division
500 Interstate Park Drive, Suite 534
Montgomery, AL 36109
Telephone: (334) 271-0170
E-mail: seich@dsdlabs.com
Cara Ellis
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
88 Bell Road
Littleton, ME 04730
Telephone: (207) 532-4273, ext. 212
E-mail: water@maliseets.com
Eugene Esplain
Navajo Nation Environmental Protection
Agency
Waste Regulatory Compliance
P.O. Box 2946
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Telephone: (928) 871-6859
E-mail: e.esplain@yahoo.com
Anna Fallon-Pierce
Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Environmental Department
309 S Main Street
Atmore, AL 36502
Telephone: (251)368-9136
E-mail: tpierce@poarchcreekindians-nsn.gov
Chris Faulkner
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Ariel Rios Building (4502T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 566-1349
E-mail: faulkner.chris@epa.gov
Roman Ferdinand
Sokaogon Chippewa Community
3051 Sand Lake Road
Crandon,WI 54520
Telephone: (715)478-7611
E-mail: romanscced@yahoo.com
Nigel Fields
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Center for Environmental Research
Ariel Rios Building (8723F)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 343-9767
E-mail: fields.nigel@epa.gov
A.J. Fisher
DSD Laboratories-Louisiana
610 Pine Cone Drive
Haughton, LA 71037
Telephone: (318)390-7980
E-mail: afisher@dsdlabs.com
Jeffery Foran
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission
Midwest Center for Environmental Science and
Public Policy
1845 N Farwell Avenue, Suite 100
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone: (414)271-7280
E-mail: jforan@mcespp.org
Benjamin Foss
Pedro Bay Village Council
Environmental Department
PO Box 47020
2516 Mount Circle
Pedro Bay, AK 99647
Telephone: (907) 850-2342
E-mail: bsfoss@gmail.com
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Chris Franks
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 1283
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 542-6609
E-mail: cfranks@sctribe.com
George Frantz
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 1, Indian Program
1 Congress Street (CSP)
Boston, MA 02114
Telephone: (617) 918-1883
E-mail: frantz.george@epa.gov
Brad Frazier
Grand Portage Reservation
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 428
Grand Portage, MN 55605
Telephone: (218)475-2415
E-mail: gpenviro@boreal.org
Marion Frye
Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and
Nebraska
Environmental Department
305 N Main
Reserve, KS 66434
Telephone: (785) 742-4707
Ean Garvin
Tribal Environmental Management Services
P.O. Box 335
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 542-0360
E-mail: ean-garvin@utulsa.edu
Meredith Garvin
Tribal Environmental Management Services
P.O. Box 335
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918)533-1883
E-mail: m-garvin@earthlink.net
Glenn Gehring
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation
Office of Air Quality
P.O. Box 638
Pendleton, OR 97801
Telephone: (541)276-3165
E-mail: glenngehring@ctuir.com
Christine Gilbert
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
4652 E Northwood Way
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Telephone: (928) 714-0082
E-mail: gilbert614@msn.com
Willard Gilbert
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
4652 E Northwood Way
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Telephone: (928) 714-0082
E-mail: gilbertsareus@msn.com
Richard Gitar
Fond du Lac Reservation
Office of Water Protection
1720 Big Lake Road
Cloquet, MN 55720
Telephone: (218) 878-8022
E-mail: richardgitar@fdlrez.com
Veronica Givens
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 1603
Seminole, OK 74818
Telephone: (405)382-5112
E-mail: givens_veronica@sbcglobal.net
Robert Gomez
Taos Pueblo
Environment Department
P.O. Box 1846
Taos,NM 87571
Telephone: (505)751-4601
E-mail: rgomez@taospueblo.com
Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza
Lummi Nation
Northwest Indian College
Department of Science
2522 Kwina
Bellingham, WA 98226
Telephone: (360) 392-4307
E-mail: rgonzalez@nwic.edu
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Gabriel Corbet
Greenville Rancheria
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 279
410 Main Street
Greenville, CA 95947-0279
Telephone: (530) 284-7990
E-mail: ggorbet@greenvillerancheria.com
Jeanne Gortz
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
Environmental Department
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway
Indio, CA 92240
Telephone: (760) 910-3325
E-mail: jgortz@cabazonindians-nsn.gov
Oliver Gourd
Spirit Lake Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 99
Fort Totten, ND 58335
Telephone: (701) 766-1259
Sean Gourd
Spirit Lake Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 99
Fort Totten, ND 58335
Telephone: (701) 766-1259
Jessica Granderson
University of California at Berkeley
Department of Mechanical Engineering
2201 Virginia Street, #9
Berkeley, CA 94709
Telephone: (510)229-8316
E-mail: jgrander@me.berkeley.edu
Jennifer Green
Skokomish Tribe
Department of Natural Resources
533 N Tribal Center Road
Shelton,WA 98584
Telephone: (360)877-2110
E-mail: jgreen@skokomish.org
Brenda Groskinsky
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Regional Administrator, Reg. 7
90 IN Fifth Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
Telephone: (913)551-7188
E-mail: groskinsky.brenda@epa.gov
Gilbert Gutierrez
Santa Clara Pueblo
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 580
Espanola,NM 87532
Telephone: (505) 753-7326
E-mail: ggutierrez@santaclarapueblo.org
Gary Halvorson
Sitting Bull College
Department of Agribusiness
1341 92nd Street
FortYates,ND 58538
Telephone: (701) 854-3861
E-mail: garyh@sbci.edu
Anna Harding
Oregon State University
Department of Public Health
309 Waldo Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-6406
Telephone: (541) 737-3830
E-mail: anna.harding@oregonstate.edu
Preston Hardison
Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources
7515 Totem Beach Road
Tulalip, WA 98271
Telephone:
E-mail: prestonhcomcast.net
Frank Harjo
Cherokee Nation Inter-Tribal Environmental
Council
Underground Storage Tank Program
P.O. Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Telephone: (918)453-5005
Email: fharjo@cherokee.org
Barbara Harper
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation
Department of Science and Engineering
P.O. Box 638
Pendleton, OR 97801
Telephone: (541) 966-2804
E-mail: barbaraharper@ctuir.com
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Dena Hartzell
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Office of Environmental Services
RR#l,Box721
Perkins, OK 74074
Telephone: (405) 547-2402
E-mail: dhartzell@iowanation.org
Millie Hawley
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 50051
Kivalina,AK 99750
Telephone: (907) 645-2256
millie .hawley @kivaliniq. org
Roland Hemmett
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
Telephone: (732) 321-6754
E-mail: hemmett.roland@epa.gov
Sam Hena
Pueblo of Tesuque
Environmental Department
Route 42, Box 360-T
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 660-4701
E-mail: sahena@pueblooftesuque.org
Andrew Hendrickson
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Regional Center
130 228th Street, SW
Bothell,WA 98021-9796
Telephone: (425) 487-4784
E-Mail: andrew.hendrickson@dhs.gov
Judy Caribou Hervig
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Tribal Assistance Program, Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 3 00
Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: (303)312-6290
E-mail: hervig.judith@epa.gov
James Hileman
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office for Environmental Management and
Information, Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206)553-1640
E-mail: hileman.james@epa.gov
Kathleen Hill
Quail Plume Enterprises
P.O. Box 702
Chiloquin, OR 97624
Telephone: (541)281-1474
E-mail: kathleenshaye@hotmail.
Robert Hillger
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Regional Administrator
Region 1
1 Congress Street
Boston, MA 01826
Telephone: (617) 918-1071
E-mail: hillger.robert@epa.gov
Sadie Hoskie
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Partnerships and Regulatory
Assistance
Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 3 00
Denver, CO 80202-2466
Telephone: (303)312-6390
E-mail: hoskie.sadie@epa.gov
William Houle
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Water Quality Technician
P.O. Box 730
Belcourt,ND 58316
(701)477-2669
Michael Hoyles
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington Operations Office
Region 10
300 Desmond Drive, SE
Lacey,WA 98503
Telephone: (360)753-9081
Email: hoyles.mike@epa.gov
Mark Huston
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Environmental Quality
4401 N Fairfax Drive, Room 322
Arlington, VA 22203
Telephone: (703) 358-2163
E-mail: mark_huston@fws.gov
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Syed Huq
Mni Wiconi Rosebud Rural Water System
Box 910
Rosebud, SD 57570
Telephone: (605) 747-2559
E-mail: shuq@sicangu.com
Ray Ives
Suquamish Indian Tribe
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 498
15838 Sandy Hook Road
Suquamish, WA 98392
Telephone: (360) 394-8508
E-mail: rives@suquamish.nsn.us
Samuel Iwenofu
Quinault Indian Nation
Department of Environmental Protection
1214 Aalis Street
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360)276-8215
E-mail: siwenofu@quinault.org
Theresa Jack
Stebbins Community Association
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 71002
Stebbins, AK 99671
Telephone: (907) 934-2440
E-mail: canislupiszoid@yahoo.com
Beth Jackson
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Information
Ariel Rios Building (2842T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 566-0626
E-mail: jackson.elizabeth@epa.gov
Mark Jamison
Seneca Nation of Indians
Division of Environmental Protection
84 Iroquois Drive
Irving, NY 14081
Telephone: (716) 532-2546
E-mail: mark.jamison@sni.org
Adib Jamshedi
Northwest Indian College
Department of Science
1705 Carolina Street
Bellingham, WA 98229
Telephone: (360) 739-0323
E-mail: ajamshedi@nwic.edu
Rich Janssen
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Division of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 278
Pablo, MT 59864
Telephone: (406) 675-2700
E-mail: richj@cskt.org
Mark Johanntoberns
Kiowa Tribe
WPC 106
P.O. Box 30
Carnegie, OK 73015
Telephone: (580) 654-1975
E-mail: markjo_l@hotmail.com
Alice Johnson
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
878 Coronado Road
Corrales, NM 87048
Telephone: (505) 897-1654
E-mail: alicejohnson9@hotmail.com
Mary Jones
Olympic College
7600 Chester Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98337
Telephone: (360)475-7164
E-mail: mjones@oc.ctc.edu
Carol Jorgensen
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
American Indian Environmental Office
Ariel Rios Building (4104M)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-5887
E-mail: Jorgensen.carol@epa.gov
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Rodney Josie
Muscogee Creek Nation
Department of Environmental Services
295 IN Wood Drive
Okmulgee, OK 74447
Telephone: (918) 756-8626
E-mail: rljosie@yahoo.com
Ian Kanair
Snoqualmie Tribe
Dept. of Environmental and Natural
Resources
P.O. Box 969
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
Telephone: (425)888-6551
E-mail: ian@snoqualmienation.com
Richard Keck
Cherokee Nation
Environmental Programs Group
208 E Allen Road
Tahlequah, OK 74464
Telephone: (918) 45 3 -5105
E-mail: rkeck@cherokee.org
Tim Kent
Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 765
Quapaw, OK 74363
Telephone: (918) 542-1853
E-mail: tkent@quapawtribe.com
Mehrdad Khatibi
Northern Arizona University
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
P.O. Box 15004
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Telephone: (928)523-0673
E-mail: naomi.yazzie@nau.edu
Adriann Killsnight
Northern Cheyenne Tribe
Air Quality Division
P.O. Box 1232
100 Littlecoyote Drive
Lame Deer, MT 59043
Telephone: (406) 477-6508
E-mail: blackbirdwoman@hotmail.com
Lon Kissinger
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Assessment
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206)553-2115
E-mail: kissinger.lon@epa.gov
Susie Kitto
Santee Sioux Nation
EPA General Assistance Program
52948 Hwy 12
Niobrara,NE 68760
Telephone: (402) 857-3338
E-mail: general@gpcom.net
Jenna Kittson-Loring
Blackfeet Environmental Office
P.O. Box 2029
Browning, MO 59417
Telephone: (406) 338-7421
E-mail: jenna_k_02@hotmail.com
Neil Kmiecik
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission
Biological Services Division
1104ECloverlandDrive
Odanah,WI 54861
Telephone: (715) 682-6619
E-mail: nkmiecik@glifwc.org
Edward Kolodziejski
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Indians
P.O. Box 39
1 Maple Street
Odanah,WI 54861
Telephone: (715) 682-7123, ext. 1565
E-mail: wrtech@badriver.com
Kevin Koski
Bois Forte Tribal Government
Department of Environmental Services
P.O. Box 16
5344 Lakeshore Drive
NettLake, MN 55772
Telephone: (218) 757-3543
E-mail: kkoski@boisforte-nsn.gov
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Eric Kruger
Squaxin Island
P.O. Box 321
7328 NE 288th Street
Kingston, WA 98346
Telephone: (360) 621-0105
Vickie Kujawa
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe
Department of Water Quality
Box 283
Flandreau, SD 57028
Telephone: (605)997-5123
E-mail: fsstwqs@mchsi.com
Daniel Kusnierz
Penobscot Indian Nation
Department of Natural Resources
12 Wabanaki Way
Indian Island, ME 04468
Telephone: (207)817-7361
E-mail: pinwater@penobscotnation.org
Sandra Landon
Quinault Indian Nation
P.O. Box 159
Copalis Beach, WA 98535
Telephone: (360) 590-0443
E-mail: sllandon@bigfoot.com
Lillie Lane
Navajo Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
General Assistance Program
P.O. Box 339
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Telephone: (928) 871-6092
E-mail: Iane_lillie50@hotmail.com
David LaRoche
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Ariel Rios Building (6102A)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-3926
E-mail: laroche.david@epa.gov
Sue Laue
Media Masters, Inc.
9341 Springfield Avenue
Evanston, IL 60203
Telephone: (847) 673-3804
E-mail: slaue92553(3>aol.com
Karl Lauterbach
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Division of Environmental Health
1901 Bragaw Street
Anchorage, AK 99508
Telephone: (907) 729-3558
E-mail: klauterb@anthc.org
Martina Lauterbach
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Division of Community Health Services
4000 Ambassador Drive, Room 444
Anchorage, AK 99508
Telephone: (907) 729-3680
E-mail: mlauterb@anmc.org
Tracey Ledder
Bad River Tribe
Water Resources Office
100 Maple Lane
Odanah,WI 54861
Telephone: (715) 682-7103
E-mail: wqs@badriver.com
Clarita Lefthand
University of Washington
Department of Environmental Health
1521 Fifteenth Avenue, Apartment 9
Seattle, WA 98122
Telephone: (617)233-8150
E-mail: clarita@u.washington.edu
Phillip Lekanof
St. George Traditional Council
Kayumixtax ELO Office
P.O. Box 940
St. George, AK 99591
Telephone: (907) 859-2447, ext. 27
E-mail: phill_lekanof@msn.com
Aquilina Lestenkof
Aleut Community of St. Paul Island
Ecosystem Conservation Office
2050 Venia Minor Road
St. Paul Island, AK 99660
Telephone: (907) 546-3229
E-mail: adlestenkof(2>tribaleco .com
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Becky Lindgren
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 10
Standards and Planning Unit
1200 Sixth Avenue, OWW-131
Seattle, WA 98106
Telephone: (206)553-1774
E-mail: lindgren.becky@epa.gov
Doreen Lockwood
Native Village of St. Michael
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
Indian Environmental General Assistance
Program
P.O. Box 59050
St. Michael, AK 99659
Telephone: (907) 923-2304
E-mail: smkepa@hotmail.com
Lyle Logan
Seneca Nation of Indians
Department of Environmental Protection
84 Iroquois Drive
Irving, NY 14081
Telephone: (716) 532-2546
E-mail: lyle.logan@sni.org
Dennis Longknife
Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
Environmental Department
Wetlands and Nonpoint Source Program
RR#l,Box66
Harlem, MT 59526
Telephone: (406)353-8431
E-mail: dlongknife@hotmail.com
Frank Loretto
Pueblo of Nambe
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
Route l,Boxl!7-BB
Nambe, NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 455-2036
E-mail: floretto_denr_nambe@yahoo.com
Sandy Ludgate
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 487
Binger, OK 73009
Telephone: (405) 656-2388
E-mail: epa@caddonation-nsn.gov
Oren Lyons
University at Buffalo
Department of American Studies
1010 Clemens Hall, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Telephone: (716) 645-2546, ext. 1215
E-mail: ononcomm@verizon.net
David Macarus
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Science, Ecosystems, and
Communities
Region 5
77 W Jackson Boulevard (B19J)
Chicago, IL 60604
Telephone: (312)353-5814
E-mail: macarus.david@epa.gov
Anthony Madrigal
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
47-250 Dillon Road
Coachella, CA 92236
Telephone: (951)310-5856
E-mail: tribalepa8@worldnet.att.net
Dennis Martin
Quinault Indian Nation
Veterans' Club
PO Box 283
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360) 276-8330
E-mail: kwinall@hotmail.com
Evelyn Martinez
Taos Pueblo
Environment Department
P.O. Box 1846
Taos,NM 87571
Telephone: (505)751-4601
E-mail: emartinez@taospueblo.com
Raymond Martinez
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Department of Environmental and Cultural
Preservation
Route5, Box 315-A
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 455-2273
E-mail: rmartinez@sanipueblo.org
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Tanya Martinez
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Department of Sanitation and Facilities
RouteS, Box 315-A
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 455-2273
E-mail: tmartinez@sanipueblo.org
Nancy Maryboy
Indigenous Education Institute
Department of Science
P.O. Box 58
Bluff, UT 84512
Telephone: (435) 672-2482
E-mail: dilyehe@gmail.com
Duane Masters, Sr.
Yerington Paiute Tribe
Environmental Department
171 Campbell Lane
Yerington, NV 89447
Telephone: (775) 463-7866
E-mail: earth3@hughes.net
Marlene McDanal
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Natural Resources Department
Environmental Protection Division
P.O. Box 278
Pablo, MT 59855
Telephone: (406) 883-2888
E-mail: mmcdanal@cskt.org
Genevieve McGeisey
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Programs
P.O. Box 70
McLoud, OK 74851
Telephone: (405) 964-5967
E-mail:
gmcgeisey@kickapootribeofoklahoma.com
Jean Mclnnis
Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection
5 Crow Hill Road
Uncasville, CT 06382
Telephone: (860)862-6112
E-mail: jmcinnis@moheganmail.com
Katherine McLaughlin
The Native Village of Chenega
Chenega Bay Environmental Program
P.O. Box 8043
325 Main Street
Chenega Bay, AK 99574
Telephone: (907) 573-5476
E-mail: chenegaenviro@hotmail.com
Connally Mears
US Environmental Protection Agency
Tribal Assistance Program
Region 8 (8P-TA)
999 18th Street, #300
Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: (303)312-6343
E-mail: mears.connally@epa.gov
Larry Merculieff
Seven Generations Consulting
1610 Woo Boulevard
Anchorage, AK 99515
Telephone: (907) 258-2672 or (907) 336-0678
E-mail: lmerculieff@netscape.net
David Meyer
Science Applications International Corporation
US Geological Survey Center for Earth
Resources Observation Systems
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone: (605) 594-6046
E-mail: dmeyer@usgs.gov
Catherine Michaud
Harvard University
Harvard Initiative for Global Health
104 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Telephone: (781)413-1244
E-mail: cmichaud@hsph.harvard.edu
Pam Miller
Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Department of Research
505 W Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 205
Anchorage, AK 99503
Telephone: (907)222-7714
E-mail: pkmiller@akaction.net
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Rachel Misra
Navajo Nation Environmental Protection
Agency
Air Quality Control/Operating Permit Program
P.O. Box 529
Window Rock, AZ 86504
Telephone: (928) 729-4094
E-mail: rachelgmisra@navajo.org
Claudia Mitchell
Pueblo of Acoma
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 370
Acoma, NM 87034
Telephone: (505)552-5186
E-mail: cmitchell@puebloofacoma.org
Alan Moomaw
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington Operations Office
Region 10
Tribal Trust and Assistance Unit
300 Desmond Drive, SE, Suite 102
Lacey,WA 98503
Telephone: (360) 753-8071
E-mail: moomaw.alan@epa.gov
Eric Morris
Native Village of White Mountain
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 169
White Mountain, AK 99784
Telephone: (907)638-3051
E-mail: emorris@ak.net
Daniel Mosley
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 256
Nixon, NV 89408
Telephone: (775) 574-0101
E-mail: dmosley@plpt.nsn.us
Ella Mulford
Native American Management Services, Inc.
6858 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 302
McLean, VA 22101
Telephone: (703) 226-2061
E-mail: emulford@namsinc.org
Curtis Munoz
Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 30
Carnegie, OK 73015
Telephone: (580) 654-1975
E-mail: nethkuplega@yahoo.com
Char Naylor
Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Environmental Department
3009 E Portland Avenue
Tacoma,WA 98404
Telephone: (253) 841-0382
E-mail: charna@puyalluptribe.com
Lisa Neel
Native American Management Services, Inc.
6858 Old Dominion Drive, Suite 302
McLean, VA 22101
Telephone: (703)226-2061
E-mail: lneel@namsinc.org
David Nelson
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
P.O. Box 590
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Telephone: (605) 964-6559
E-mail: dnelson@crstepd.org
William Nichols
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Emergency Management
Regulation and Policy Division
Ariel Rios Building (5104A)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-1970
E-mail: nichols.nick@epa.gov
Jeff Ogburn
Taos Pueblo
Environmental Office
P.O. Box 1846
Taos,NM 87571
Telephone: (505)751-4601
E-mail: jogburn@taospueblo.com
Lydia Olympic
Igiugig Village Council
P.O. Box 4008
Igiugig, AK 99613
Telephone: (907) 533-3260
E-mail: lolympic@aol.com
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Tyson Oreiro
Northwest Indian College
2210 Lummi View Drive
Bellingham, WA 98226
Telephone: (360) 927-4199
E-mail: thawk_80@hotmail.com
Roman Orona
Northern Cheyenne Tribe
Ak-Chin Indian Community - EPA
42507 W Peters and Nail Road
Maricopa, AZ 85239
Telephone: (520)568-1158
E-mail: Rorona@ak-chin.nsn.us
Iralene Osborne
Shoshone-Bannock Tribe
Mine Oversight Program
Land Use Department
P.O. Box 306
Fort Hall, ID 83203
Telephone: (208) 239-4569
E-mail: iosborne@shoshonebannocktribes.com
Ron Osburn
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Office of Environmental Services
RR#l,Box721
Perkins, OK 74059
Telephone: (405) 547-2402
E-mail: rosburn@iowanation.org
Jennifer Ousley
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region 7
901 Fifth Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
Telephone: (913)551-7498
E-mail: ousley.jennifer@epa.gov
Henry Oyoumick
Native Village of Unalakleet
Watershed Program
P.O. Box 270
Unalakleet, AK 99684
Telephone: (907) 624-3622
E-mail: nvuh2o@netscape.net
Arvind Patel
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
Solid/Hazardous Waste Program
P.O. Box 370
Acoma,NM 87034
Telephone: (505)552-5186
E-mail: apatel@puebloofacoma.org
Lori Payne
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 110
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 540-1536
E-mail: payne.lori@sbcglobal.net
John Persell
Leech Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
Division of Resources Management
115 Sixth Street, Suite E
CassLake, MN 56633
Telephone: (218) 335-7412
E-mail: jpersell@lldrm.org
Gladys Pete
Stebbins Community Association
P.O. Box 71002
Stebbins, AK 99671
Telephone: (907) 934-3561
E-mail: wbbjps@yahoo.com
Beth Petersen
Kialegee Tribal Town
P.O. Box 332
Wetumka, OK 74883
Telephone: (405) 452-3262
elizabethpetersen@yahoo. com
Cyless Peterson
Madison School District title 7 Indian Education
Teaching and Learning Department
545 W Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703
Telephone: (608) 663-5234
E-mail: cylessnicole@yahoo.com
Troy Pierce
Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Environmental Department
5811 Jack Springs Road
Atmore, AL 36502
Telephone: (251)368-9136
E-mail: t.pierce@poarchcreekindians-nsn.gov
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Tom Pietila
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa
Department of Water Resources
Box 249
Watersmeet, MI 49969
Telephone: (906) 358-4577
E-mail: thomas .pietila@lvdtribal. com
Lloyd Pinkham
Union Gap School
Department of Science
P.O. Box 131
Wapato,WA 98958
Telephone: (509) 848-2720
E-mail: joycep@yakama.com
Robin Powell
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 256
Nixon, NV 89424
Telephone: (775) 574-0101
E-mail: rpowell@plpt.nsn.us
James Ransom
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
Tribal Council
412 State Route 37
Akwesasne, NY 13655
Telephone: (518)358-2272
E-mail: jransom@srmt-nsn.gov
Karla Ransom
Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
Department of Finance
P.O. Box 489
Akwesasne, NY 13655
Telephone: (613)575-2348
E-mail: kransom@akwesasne.ca
Barbara Reasons
Suquamish Tribe
2585 NE Ortis Road
Poulsbo,WA 98370
Telephone: (360) 692-2921
E-mail: reasonsb@comcast.net
Darlene Redeagle-Salyers
Tacoma Elders
2248 E Sherman
Tacoma, WA 98404
Telephone: (253) 272-9391
Margaret Hiza Redsteer
U.S. Geological Survey
Earth Surface Processes
2255 N Gemini Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Telephone: (928) 556-7366
E-mail: mhiza@usgs.gov
Elizabeth Resek
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Science Coordination and Policy
Ariel Rios Building (7201M)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-8459
E-mail: resek.elizabeth@epa.gov
Maria Reyes
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma
2002A Guadalupe Street, PMB 194
Austin, TX 78705
Telephone: (512)673-7159
E-mail: cheyennebabe@gmail.com
John Reynolds
Mote Marine Laboratory
Manatee Research Program
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34236
Telephone: (941) 388-4441
E-mail: reynolds@mote.org
Jean Rice
US Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Telephone: (202) 208-6260
Toni Richards
Bishop Paiute Tribe
Environmental Management Office
50 Tu Su Lane
Bishop, CA 93514
Telephone: (760) 873-7845
E-mail: trichards@bishoptribeemo.com
Lisa Riener
Quinault Indian Nation
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 189
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360) 276-8211, ext. 484
E-mail: criener@quinault.org
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Christopher Riggio
Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc.
Department of Community Services
20 IE Third Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
Telephone: (907)222-4219
E-mail: chrisr@apiai.org
Troy Ritter
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Division of Environmental Health and
Engineering
190 IBragaw, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99508
Telephone: (907) 729-4290
E-mail: tlritter@anthc.org
Monica Rodia
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science Policy
Ariel Rios Building (8104R)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-8322
E-mail: rodia.monica@epa.gov
Steve Romero
Pueblo of Nambe
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
Route l,Boxl!7-BB
Nambe, NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 455-2036
E-mail: sromero_denr_nambe@yahoo.com
Melinda Ronca-Battista
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center
16206 S 26th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85048
Telephone: (480) 759-1544
E-mail: melinda.ronca-battista@nau.edu
Rob Rosenfeld
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council
Department of Administration
815 Second Avenue, Suite 201
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Telephone: (907)451-2530
E-mail: rrosenfeld@yritwc.com
Becky Ross
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
Environmental Department
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway
Indio, CA 92203
Telephone: (760) 342-2593
E-mail: bross@cabazonindians-nsn.gov
Lanya Ross
Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community
Department of Land Management
2330 Sioux Trail Northwest
Prior Lake, MN 55372
Telephone: (952) 233-4238
E-mail: lanya_ross@yahoo.com
Shirley Rouillard
Mni Sose Intertribal Water Rights Coalition
Finance Office
629 Quincy Street, Suite 205
Rapid City, SD 57701
Telephone: (605) 343-6054
E-mail: rouillardshirley@hotmail .com
Mark Runningwolf
Blackfeet Environmental Office
P.O. Box 2029
Browning, MO 59417
(406)338-7421
Carol Russell
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region
Tribal Water Quality Team
999 18th Street, Suite 3 00
Denver, CO 80202
Telephone: (303)312-6310
E-mail: russell.carol@epa.gov
Julia Sage
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 288, 252-1 Spruce
Niobrara,NE 68760
Telephone: (402) 857-3391
E-mail: julias@poncatribe-ne.org
Hiram Sarabia
University of California at San Diego
Superfund Basic Research Program
Research Translation Core
95 00 Oilman Drive, #0517
La Jolla, CA 92093
Telephone: (858) 534-3691
E-mail: hsarabia@uscd.edu
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Eugene Saul
Santee Sioux Nation
Office of Environmental Protection
52948 Highway 12
Niobrara,NE 68760
Telephone: (402) 857-3347
E-mail: makesred@yahoo.com
Dolores Savignano
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Environmental Quality
4401 N Fairfax Drive, Room 322
Arlington, VA 22203
Telephone: (703) 358-2148
E-mail: dolores_savignano@fws.gov
Art Schick
Suquamish Tribe
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 498
Suquamish, WA 98392
Telephone: (360) 394-8507
E-mail: aschick@suquamish.nsn.us
Rita Schoeny
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Ariel Rios Building (430IT)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202)566-1127
E-mail: schoeny.rita@epa.gov
Nancy Schuldt
Fond du Lac Reservation
Environmental Program
1720 Big Lake Road
Cloquet, MN 55720
Telephone: (218) 878-8010
E-mail: nancyschuldt@fdlrez.com
Jennifer Scott
Evergreen State College
NW Indian Applied Research Institute
SEM3122
2700 Evergreen Parkway, NW
Olympia,WA 98505
Telephone: (360) 867-6614
E-mail: scottj@evergreen.edu
Allen Sedik
US Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
1849 C Street, NW, MS-4513
Washington DC 20240
Telephone: (202) 208-5474
Jo Ann Sedillo
White Mountain Apache Tribe
Water Resources-Watershed Department
P.O. Box 2109
20 IE Walnut Street
Whiteriver, AZ 85941
Telephone: (928) 338-2478
E-mail: jsedillo@wmat.us
Wyatt Sewell
Northwest Indian College
2522 Kwina Road
Bellingham, WA 98229
Telephone: (360) 676-2772
E-mail: wyattschool4@hotmail.com
Rosanna Sheppard
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 110
13 South 69A
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 540-1536
E-mail: rosanna.sheppard@sbcglobal.net
Darren Shields
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Programs
P.O. Box 70
McLoud, OK 74851
Telephone: (405) 964-5967
E-mail:
dshields@kickapootribeofoklahoma.com
Jill Silver
Ten Thousand Years Institute
Watershed Programs
211 Taylor Street, Suite 6
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Telephone: (360) 385-0715
E-mail: j silver@ 10000yearsinstitute.org
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L. Kasey Sirkin
Blue Lake Rancheria
Environmental Programs
P.O. Box 428
Blue Lake, CA 95525
Telephone: (707)668-5101
E-mail: ksirkin@bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov
Rebecca Skinner
Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak
Department of Natural Resources
312 W Marine Way
Kodiak, AK 99615
Telephone: (907) 486-4449
E-mail: rskinner@ak.net
Robin Slate
US Environmental Protection Agency
Tribal Program
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue (TTAU 08)
Seattle, WA 98101
Telephone: (206) 553-8545
E-mail: slate.robin@epa.gov
Syndi Smallwood
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 1477
Temecula, CA 92593
Telephone: (951)676-2768
E-mail: ssmallwood@pechanga-nsn.gov
Jeffrey Smith
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Department of Environmental Health
Division of Environmental Health and
Engineering
1901 S Bragaw Street, Suite 200
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Telephone: (800) 560-8637, ext. 3502
E-mail: jj smith@anthc. org
Kermit Snow, Jr.
Fort Belknap Indian Community
Environmental Department
RR#l,Box66
Harlem, MT 59526
Telephone: (406) 353-8368
E-mail: ksnow@fortbelknapnations-nsn.gov
Cheryl Stafford
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 110
Miami, OK 74355
Telephone: (918) 540-1536
E-mail: cherylstafford@sbcglobal .net
Darin Steen
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Department of Environmental Services
P.O. Box 16
5344 Lakeshore Drive
NettLake, MN 55772
Telephone: (218) 757-3543
E-mail: dsteen@rangenet.com
William Stein
University of Washington
Department of Mathematics
1521 15th Avenue, #9
Seattle, WA 98122
Telephone: (858) 220-6876
E-mail: wstein@gmail.com
Patricia Stender
Kickapoo Environmental Office
1107 Goldfinch Road
Horton, KS 66439
Telephone: (785) 486-2601, ext. 3
Jolene Steve
Stebbins Community Association
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 71002
Stebbins, AK 99671
Telephone: (907) 934-2440
E-mail: wbb_scaepa@yahoo.com
Paula Stigler
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Tribal EPA Region 9
Pesticide Program
12196 Pala Mission Road
Pala, CA 92059
Telephone: (760)891-3511
E-mail: pstigler@palatribe.com
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Jamey Stoddard
Western Washington University
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
965 N Garden Street, #104
Bellingham, WA 98225
Telephone: (360) 920-3768
E-mail: jstoddard@aihec.org
Stephanie St. Pierre
St. Pierre Group of New York, Inc.
44 Tompkins Place
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Telephone: (718) 694-0428
E-mail: ssp62@columbia.edu
Linda Moon Stumpff
The Evergreen State College
2700 Evergreen Parkway Lab One
Olympia,WA 98505
Telephone: (360) 867-6845
E-mail: stumpffl@evergreen.edu
Scott Sufficool
Quinault Indian Nation
National Tribal Caucus
5414 152nd Street, SW
Edmonds, WA 98026
Telephone: (206) 992-4373
E-mail: ssufficool@msn.com
Debra Suzuki
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Innovation Partnership and Comm. Office
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Telephone: (202) 566-0213
E-mail: Suzuki.ebra@epamail.epa.gov
William Swaney
Salish Kootenai College
Department of Environmental Science
P.O. Box 70
Pablo, MT 59855
Telephone: (406) 275-4896
E-mail: william_swaney@skc.edu
Patrick Swazo-Hinds
Pueblo of Tesuque
Environment Department
Route 42, Box 360-T
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 955-7744
E-mail: rswazohinds@pueblooftesuque.org
Kevin Tafoya
Santa Clara Pueblo
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 580
Espanola, NM 87532
Telephone: (505) 753-7326
E-mail: ktafoya@santaclarapueblo.org
Dorla Tartsah
Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 30
Highway 9, Fourth and Carol Street
Carnegie, OK 73015
Telephone: (580) 654-1975
E-mail: dsgoombi@yahoo.com
Richard Tartsah, Jr.
Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Environmental Program
P.O. Box 30
Carnegie, OK 73015
Telephone: (580) 654-2300
David Taylor
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
Quality Assurance Office
75 Hawthorne Street (MTS-3)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 972-3803
E-mail: taylor.david@epa.gov
Charles "Gus" Theobald
Lac Courts Oreilles Ojibwe Community College
P.O. Box 854
2793 Miskwaadesi
Lac Du Flambeau, WI 54538
Telephone: (715) 588-7603
Joni Theobald
Madison School District Title 7 Indian Education
Teaching and Learning Department
545 W Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53703
Telephone: (608) 663-5234
E-mail: jtheobald@madison.kl2.wi.us
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Darlene Thomas
Santee Sioux Nation
Tribal EPA
52948 Highway 12
Niobrara,NE 68760
Telephone: (402) 857-3338
E-mail: santeeradon@yahoo.com
Dawn Thomas
Salish Kootenai College
Native Plant Nursery
P.O. Box 70
Pablo, MT 59855
Telephone: (406) 275-4795
E-mail: dawn_thomas@skc.edu
Chris Thompson
Environment International, Ltd.
Department of Research
5505 34th Avenue, NE
Seattle, WA 98105
Telephone: (206) 525-3362
E-mail: staff@eiltd.net
Myrna Thompson
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (Sioux Tribe) of the
Lake Traverse Reservation
Office of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 509
Agency Village, SD 57262
Telephone: (605) 698-4998
E-mail: mcgerman@sbtc.net
Anna Towksjhea
Quinault Indian Nation
P.O. Box 189
1214 Aalis Drive
Taholah,WA 98587
Telephone: (360) 276-8215, ext. 581
Clifford Trafzer
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
34815 Olive Tree Lane
Yucaipa, CA 92399
Telephone: (909)229-9128
E-mail: cetrafzer(3>aol.com
Randy Trosper
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Department of Water Quality
P.O. Box 278
Pablo, MT 59855
Telephone: (406) 883-2888
E-mail: randyt@cskt.org
Kendra Tso
Ak-Chin Indian Community-EPA
42507 W Peters and Nail Road
Maricopa,AZ 85239
Telephone: (520)568-1159
E-mail: ktso@ak-chin.nsn.us
Richard Tuluk
Village Council-Chevak Traditional Council
P.O. Box 140
Chevak, AK 99563
Phone 907-858-7428
E-mail: chevaktc@unicom-alaska. com
Patti Tyler
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Regional Administrator
Region 8
999 18th Street, Suite 3 00
Denver, CO 80220
Telephone: (303)312-6081
E-mail: tyler.patti@epa.gov
Christa Tyrrell
Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
Office of Environmental Protection
Division of Water Quality
P.O. Box 1027
603 Court Avenue
Poplar, MT 59255
Telephone: (406)768-5155
E-mail: tyrrell@nemont.net
Maillian Uphaus
Washington State Military Department
Emergency Management Division
Building 20
Camp Murray, WA 98430-5122
Telephone: (253)512-7062
E-mail: m.uphaus@emd.wa.gov
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Joel Valburg
Santee Sioux Nation
Office of Environmental Protection
52948 Highway 12
Niobrara,NE 68760
Telephone: (402) 857-3338
E-mail: jjvalburg@yahoo.com
Erica McCall Valentine
Native Village of Eyak
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
P.O. Box 1388
Cordova, AK 99574
Telephone: (907)230-1169
E-mail: erica@nveyak.org
Phoenix Vigil
8 Northern Indian Pueblos Council, Inc.
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 969
San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566
Telephone: (505) 692-8777
E-mail: phoenixvigil@yahoo.com
Travis Vigil
Pueblo of Tesuque
Environment Department
Route 42, Box 360-T
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505)231-1274
E-mail: travdvigil@yahoo.com
Vi Waghiyi
Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Environmental Health and Justice for Norton
Sound
505 W Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 205
Anchorage, AK 99503
Telephone: (907)222-7714
E-mail: vi(a),akaction.net
Claudia Walters
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Sustainability Programs
Ariel Rios Building (8101R)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Telephone: (202) 564-6762
E-mail: walters.claudia@epa.gov
Gretchen Watkins
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians
Water Program
Tribal Natural Resource Department
P.O. Box 67
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538
Telephone: (715) 588-3303
E-mail: waterldf@newnorth.net
Margaret Watkins
Grand Portage Reservation
Environmental Department
P.O. Box 428
Grand Portage, MN 55605
Telephone: (218)475-2415
E-mail: watkins@boreal.org
Gary Watson
Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak
Tribal Council
312 W Marine Way
Kodiak, AK 99615
Telephone: (907) 486-4449
E-mail: stbl@alaska.com
Joseph Weatherwax
Black Feet Tribe
Water Pollution Prevention
P.O. Box 2029
Browning, MT 5 9417
(406)338-7421
jweatherwax@3rivers.net
Elizabeth Hilary Wendt
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 7
Tribal Program and Tribal Science Council
Alternate
90 IN Fifth Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
Telephone: (913)551-7186
E-mail: wendt.elizabeth@epa.gov
Elsie Wescott
Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Department of Water Quality
3009 E Portland Avenue
Tacoma,WA 98404
Telephone: (253)841-0381
E-mail: elsiew@puyalluptribe.com
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Dana Wetzel
Mote Marine Laboratory
Aquatic Toxicology Program
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34236
Telephone: (941) 388-4441
E-mail: dana@mote.org
Freida White
Navajo Nation Environmental Protection
Agency
Superfund Program
P.O. Box 2946
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Telephone: (928) 871-7325
E-mail: freidasw@juno.com
Sadie Whitener
State Emergency Response Commission
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47659
Olympia,WA 98504-7659
Telephone: (360) 407-6729
E-mail: swhi461@ecy.wa.gov
Dave Wilcox
Gold Systems, Inc.
3330 S 700, East, Suite F
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Telephone: (801) 485-7445, ext. 104
E-mail: dwilcox@goldsystems.com
Daniel Wildcat
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Environmental Research Center
155 Indian Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66046
Telephone: (785)865-8428
E-mail: dwildcat@haskell.edu
Yvette Wiley
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Department of Environmental Services
P.O. Box 297
295 IN Wood Drive
Okmulgee, OK 74447
Telephone: (918) 756-8626
E-mail: ywiley@mcnoes.org
Ken Wilhelm
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Department of Environmental and Cultural
Preservation
Route5, PO Box 315-A
Santa Fe,NM 87506
Telephone: (505) 795-4176
E-mail: ken_wilhelm@hotmail.com
Alan Williams
Northwest Indian College
2522 Kwina Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
Telephone: (360) 676-2522
E-mail: statggxcludsd@yahoo.com
Scott Williams
Northern Cheyenne Tribe
Department of Air Quality
P.O. Box 128
Lame Deer, MT 59043
Telephone: (406) 477-8290
E-mail: airtsw@hotmail.com
Terry Williams
Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources
7515 Totem Beach Road
Tulalip, WA 98271
Telephone: (360)651-4471
E-mail: terrywilliamstulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Eric Wilson
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water, Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 972-3454
E-mail: wilson.eric@epa.gov
Kim Winton
U.S. Geological Survey
Oklahoma Water Science Center
202 NW 66th Street, Building 7
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Telephone: (405)810-4417
E-mail: kwinton@usgs.gov
Phillip Zavadil
Aleut Community of St. Paul Island
Ecosystem Conservation Office
2050 Venia Minor Road
St. Paul Island, AK 99660
Telephone: (907) 546-3230
E-mail: pazavadil@tribaleco.com
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Lynn Zender
Zender Environmental Science and Planning
Services
308 G Street, Suite 312
Anchorage, AK 99501
Telephone: (907)277-2111
E-mail: lzender@zender-engr.net
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APPENDIX C
Speaker Biographies
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Speaker Biographies
Sarah Akin is a Water Quality Technician II in the Swinomish Office of Planning and Development. She
is a graduate of Western Washington University (B.S. in Environmental Science). Her research at
Swinomish has focused on stream bio-indicators as well as monitoring, data management, and analysis of
the Tribe's water resources.
Mary Frances Arquette (lotenerahtatenion) is Wolf Clan from the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. She
works for the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment, in partnership with the Akwesasne Freedom
School and HETF on an EPA-funded STAR Tribal Grants program. Dr. Arquette received her Ph.D. in
Environmental Toxicology from Cornell University in 1994 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from
the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. She has worked as a graduate assistant in
American Indian Studies and as an assistant professor of environmental studies. Dr. Arquette has
published several articles on Native American environmental issues as well as immunotoxicology. She is
married to David Arquette (Bear Clan from Akwesasne) and is the mother of three small children.
Nick Axtell has been employed by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa since March 2003
as the Air Program Coordinator. He received his Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from the
University of Minnesota, Duluth. During his tenure as a student, he researched the biosorption ability of
aquatic plants to remove aqueous metallic ions from the water and was an intern with the American
Indian Environmental Office in Washington, DC. In addition to his duties at Fond du Lac, he serves on
the Executive Committee as a representative for Region V in the National Tribal Air Association.
Dr. Cynthia Barton is Director of the USGS Washington Water Science Center, based in Tacoma. Dr.
Barton also serves as the USGS State Representative for geology, hydrology, biology and geography. She
is a descendent of the Delaware Nation, and was raised in Philadelphia. She received her doctorate in
geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her master's degree in geology from Bryn Mawr, and
her bachelor's degree in geology from Susquehanna University. She is a licensed geologist and
hydrogeologist in the State of Washington. Author of many water quality and water supply studies, Dr.
Barton has developed water resources programs throughout the Great Lakes region as well as in the
Pacific Northwest, both in the U.S. and Canada.
James E. Berner is the Senior Director for Science in the Division of Community Health of the Alaska
Native Tribal Health Consortium and has served as a part-time clinician since 1984. He directs the Alaska
Native Traditional Food Safety Monitoring Program which assesses contaminant and micronutrient levels
in pregnant Alaska Native women and evaluates health effects in mothers and newborn infants. He has
been the key national expert for the United States on the Human Health Advisory Group of the Arctic
Monitoring and As-assessment Program (AMAP), a Program of the Arctic Council, since 1999. Dr.
Berner was co-lead author of the chapter on the impact of climate change in the health of Arctic residents
in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessments. In April 2005, he was appointed to the National Academy of
Sciences Polar Research Board. Dr. Berner graduated from Oklahoma University Medical School in
1968. He spent 3 years in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, completed residency training, and is board
certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He has practiced medicine in the Alaska Native health care
system since 1974.
Anne Marie Chaisson is a Nutritionist for The LifeLine Group where she is working on the Dietary
Record Generator that will be used in the Tribal LifeLine Model. Ms. Chaisson has an undergraduate
degree in Kinesiology and Psychology from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public
Health in human nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health.
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Following a clinical internship, Ms. Chaisson obtained her registration as a clinical dietician (R.D.). Ms.
Chaisson has experience working with mothers and children served by the Women, Infants, and Children
Program (WIC) in both North Carolina and Virginia. She has worked as a laboratory assistant and worked
on a nutrition and pregnancy study administering multiple 24-hour recalls. Prior to joining The Lifeline
Group, Ms. Chaisson worked as a clinical dietician at the University of Virginia Medical Center where
her practice included nutrition needs before and after solid organ transplant surgery, nutrition needs in
adults living with cystic fibrosis, high-risk pregnancy nutrition counseling, and nutrition counseling for
families and children affected by genetic disorders and/or congenital defects.
Christine F. Chaisson is a recognized expert in risk assessment and regulatory strategies for pesticides,
food additives, and other chemicals in the human environment. She is one of the architects of the first
exposure assessment software models, the most recent being used in the United States. Dr. Chaisson
began her career in risk assessment when she was recruited to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
in the Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances. Before becoming the Acting Chief of Toxicology, she
served as the Chief Project Officer for research, overseeing projects at several EPA research facilities as
well as the lead toxicologist for risk assessments on many pesticides.
In 1985, Dr. Chaisson co-founded Technical Assessment Systems (TAS), which became the premier
exposure/risk assessment consulting firm internationally. Through TAS, she introduced concepts such as
population subgroup specificity, better definition of residues in forms of foods and sources of drinking
water, use of human activity patterns, and actual chemical usage patterns for more accuracy and relevance
in risk assessment models. Her regulatory strategies have been important advances for both industry and
government. Dr. Chaisson's skills in communication and visualization of the risk assessment process and
its consequences to society have attracted many speaking opportunities and positions on policy boards.
Dr. Chaisson also serves on the National Council for Arts and Sciences of the George Washington
University (GWU) and the Dean's Advisory Board for the GWU Graduate School of Political
Management.
Charlotte Clausing is a graduate of Western Washington University with a B.S. degree in
Biology/Botany (2000). She received an A.A.S. degree from Northwest Indian College in 1996. From
2003 to 2006 she worked at the Northwest Indian College as a Water Quality Field and Lab Technician II
and prior to her employment there she worked on freshwater and marine re-circulation aquaculture
systems and as a Salmon Hatchery Technician for the Lummi Tribal Fisheries. Ms Clausing has also
taught, as a student a Teaching Assistant in 1999 and as laboratory instructor for TENRM student science
classes during fall and winter quarters of 1998-1999. She was and ecology subcontractor on N. Rapin's
1998, Master Thesis on Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Habitat Variables in Hutchinson Creek for
Lummi Natural Resources Department and also worked as a Field Ecologist on the Anderson Creek
project for the Nooksack Tribe Department of Water Resources in 1997 and a NASA/AMES Hydroponics
research/assistant from 1995 to 1996. Her Tribal affiliation is the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota.
Steve Crawford has been the Environmental Director of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point,
Perry, Maine since February 2003. He received an M.Sc in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma in
1976, and an M.Sc. in Psychology from Walden University in February 2006. Mr. Crawford has spent
more than 25 years in the aquaculture industry, designing and operating the largest catfish farm and
processing plant in Oklahoma and becoming the first to design and operate a nori (seaweed) commercial
farm in the Western North Atlantic in Cobscook Bay, Maine. One of his proudest achievements was
bringing suit against the three largest salmon farms in Maine for violation of the Clean Water Act NPDES
and winning which resulted in major permitting changes and piscicultural techniques that greatly reduce
environmental impacts of salmon farms. He has won numerous environmental awards and serves on
several National Tribal Environmental committees.
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April Crouch received her B.S. in Environmental Health with a minor in Biology from Missouri
Southern State University in 2004 and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA. She is a certified
environmental health specialist in the State of Missouri and is also HAZWOPER certified. She was
previously employed by Hampshire Pet Products in Joplin, Missouri where she worked as a quality
assurance technician. She is currently the Air Quality Officer for the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
in Seneca, Missouri. She uses Geographic Information Systems to perform modeling of the tribal air shed
for the purpose of focusing Title V permit reviews, and conducts education and outreach activities to
educate the public.
Tony David is Program Manager of Water Resources with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Environment
Division on the US / Canada border (northern New York State). He has a Master of Professional Studies
in Environmental Management from Cornell University and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from SUNY
Buffalo. He completed coursework in risk analysis and focused specifically on developing a
comprehensive risk framework as a scoping tool to capture and describe risks and costs faced by
indigenous peoples. He recently presented at the National River Rally (River Network) in NH and at the
National Forum on Fish Contaminants (USEPA) in MD.
Adam DeWeese has been an environmental biologist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission (GLIFWC) since 2004. He currently works through an EPA Science To Achieve Results
(STAR) grant which focuses on producing GIS-based fish consumption advisory maps that protect tribal
members from the health risks of consuming walleye contaminated with methylmercury. These culturally
sensitive advisory maps are created using data from an extensive walleye tissue sampling program in the
treaty ceded territories of Northern Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. They provide specific meal
frequency recommendations for harvested lakes and were produced with input from tribal member focus
groups.
Mr. DeWeese has given numerous presentations to tribal fish harvesters, elders, health care providers,
and youth about mercury and GLIFWC's walleye consumption advisory program. He holds a B.S. in
Biology from East Tennessee State University, an M.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the
University of Tennessee, and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Water Resources Science through the
University of Minnesota.
Jamie Donatuto has been working for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community as an Environmental
Specialist since 2000. She writes, enacts, and manages several environmental health-based investigations,
including the EPA-funded Bioaccumulative Toxics In Native American Shellfish Project which
hypothesizes that Swinomish people are exposed to low-level chronic bioaccumulative toxics when
gathering and consuming local shellfish. She launched the Swinomish Environmental Education Program
and works extensively with community education and outreach projects. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the
University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Her dissertation research is titled "There is No
Word for 'Risk' in the Lushootseed LanguageRedefining Human Health Risk Assessments for Native
Americans by Incorporating Socio-Cultural Factors: A Case Study."
Joseph C. Dupris is currently a partner in Quail Plume Enterprises. His work includes consulting with
tribes with regard to planning and management for environmental compliance, drafting various
ordinances and processes, and other efforts. He has almost 40 years of experience as an educator. Most
recently, Dr. Dupris was an Associate Professor (tenured) at Humboldt State University and was the
former Department Chair of Native American Studies. He has provided free civil (non-criminal) legal
services to people who cannot afford a lawyer with respect to health care, education, trust property,
public, and other related benefits.
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Stacy Eich is the Senior Tribal Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for DSD Laboratories. She assists
Native American Tribes in developing emergency management and homeland security programs. She
provides homeland security and emergency management planning services to Tribal governments,
assisting in the effective design, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive Tribal homeland
security and emergency management program consistent with applicable Federal rules and regulations,
specific to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) compliance measures. She excels in Federal and/or
State grant preparation, specifically grants that support specific Tribal homeland security and emergency
management needs and requirements. She aids in the facilitation of meetings between the Tribal officials
and the Federal and/or State government. She also facilitates planning meetings with Tribal officials
regarding internal matters of emergency management and homeland security. She is heavily involved in
the planning aspects of the various programs and is writing Tribal Emergency Operations Plans,
Pandemic Influenza Plans, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plans, and All Hazards Mitigation Plans. She also
provides all of the exercise support for these Tribal programs.
Ms. Eich received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Wyoming, and
pursued a Masters Degree in International Terrorism working with Professor Stephen Sloan, an expert,
not only in international terrorism but also on the OKC bombing. She learned and gained valuable insight
into terrorism that led to a position with the National Homeland Security Training Center at Camp
Gruber, Oklahoma, which she provided initial homeland security analytical support to the National
Homeland Security Training Center.
A.J. Fisher is the Director of Tribal Homeland Security and Emergency Management Programs. Ms.
Fisher has more than 10 years of experience working within all facets of the government. Her career
began with working, in collaboration, with the Department of Defense (DoD), North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO), and Coalition Forces on the development of an conceptual intelligent, policy
enabling technology that provided a solution to global interoperability, information sharing, situational
awareness, and multi-level security issues.
She is responsible for compiling and cross-referencing applicable Federal, Tribal, state, and local statutes,
directives, policies, and guidelines that outline the requirements and actions necessary to achieve and
maintain full Homeland Security-policy compliance.
Ms. Fisher has taken a strong interest in working with Tribal nations. Her clear understanding of the
challenges that Tribal nations are facing pertaining to the implementation of their homeland security and
emergency management programs has allowed her to develop a unique Tribal homeland security strategy
that links state and Federal homeland security grant programs for which Tribal Nations are eligible, either
directly or indirectly, for implementing all applicable homeland security program elements. The Tribal
homeland security strategy quantifies Tribal needs, mitigates deficiencies, and reinforces capabilities to
prevent and respond to acts of terrorism and natural disasters.
Harmony Fleming is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Public Health at Oregon State
University, and is pursuing an M.S. degree in Environmental Health and Occupational Safety
Management. She has a B.A. degree from Western Washington University in Human Geography and
Environmental Studies, with additional coursework in GIS, community planning, statistics, and natural
resource management. She has experience working as an environmental health technician in the West
Nile Virus program, in the Whatcom County Health Department, where she was responsible for
conducting public outreach to affected populations as well as being engaged in field work. She serves on
the Benton County Food Safety Commission Board. Her current research focuses on groundwater arsenic
concentrations and cancer incidence in regional areas in Oregon.
Bradley E. Frazier has an M.S. degree in Biology, Aquatic Toxicology and Contaminants (1994) and a
B.S. degree in Biology, Aquatic Science, with a minor in Chemistry (1991) from the University of
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Wisconsin, La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is the Environmental Department Director for the Grand Portage
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage, Minnesota. Mr. Frazier manages the Environmental
Department activities and serves as the primary Tribal staff contact on all environmental matters between
Grand Port-age and U.S. EPA and other agencies. Previously he worked as Fish and Wildlife Biologist
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Spokane, Washington where he designed, coordinated, and
managed studies to investigate contaminants in aquatic ecosystems and assess the ecological impact of
contaminants on fish and wildlife populations at Superfund sites. In addition, he has been an Associate
Researcher at the River Studies Center, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin (1994
to 1999) and coordinated studies concerning the biogeochemistry and the bioavailability of mercury, trace
metals, and other contaminants in freshwater ecosystems. He conducted field sampling and researched the
chemistry and biological implications of ammonia nitrogen in sediment pore water and surface water as a
Physical Science Technician for the U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences
Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin from 1992 to 1994 and from 1989 to 1992 he was a student research
assistant at the River Studies Center, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin where he
conducted trace metal analysis offish and sediments.
Glenn Gehring is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is currently employed as the Manager of the
Office of Air Quality at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Prior to his
work at CTUIR, he worked at the Tribal Air Monitoring Support (TAMS) Center in Las Vegas as the
Technology Specialist. He also worked as an Environmental Specialist at the Inter-Tribal Environmental
Council (housed at Cherokee Nation), as an Air Quality Specialist with the Suquamish Tribe, and as both
an Engineer Technician and Environmental Health Specialist with the Indian Health Service. He has two
Associate degrees, one in Laboratory Science and the other in Aviation Maintenance Technology. He also
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University
Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert (Hopi) is a Professor of Education in the College of Education at Northern
Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. Dr. Gilbert was the Principal Investigator of the Native Science
Connections Research Project (NSCRP) funded by the National Science Foundation. This scientifically
research-based instruction and curriculum model (Native Science Supplemental Curriculum) integrated
Navajo, Hopi, San Carlos Apache, and Zuni tribal cultural knowledge into the existing science
curriculum.
Robert Gomez is the Director of the Taos Pueblo Environmental Office (TPEO). He has more than 11
years of experience in the environmental field, the last 5 years as Director of TPEO. He attended New
Mexico State University, and was hired at Taos Pueblo as a student intern under an EPA/University
Community Partnership grant. He has a broad background in water quality assessment. He developed the
water quality monitoring pro-grams and quality assurance documents for Clean Water Act Section 106
grants for the Pueblo of Taos and for the Pueblo of Picuris in New Mexico.
In 2005, Mr. Gomez joined the Board of Trustees of River Network, a national non-profit river
conservation organization, based in Portland Oregon. He is an active participant in the national River
Rally (www.rivernetwork.org/rally), and has reviewed the "Listening to Watersheds'" publication, aimed
specifically at tribes developing water quality assessment programs. He is also on the steering committee
of the Indigenous Waters Network, a national Native grassroots water resources advocacy group. In 2006,
he organized a "Clean Water Act training for Tribal Leaders" held in Taos, New Mexico, in which 13
tribes sent leaders or environmental staff. Other trainings he has sponsored for New Mexico tribes include
the River Watch Network adaptation of EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol II, and geomorphic
characterization techniques. He is an enrolled tribal member of the Pueblo of Taos, and enjoys the
unspoiled natural resources of the Taos Indian reservation, particularly the cold, clear waters of the Rio
Lucero, its abundant wild trout and their willingness to chase an Elk Hair Caddis.
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Roberto Gonzalez-Plaza has been a faculty member at Northwest Indian College since 1998. He was a
core member of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Tribal Environmental Management
Program (TENRM) and is a member of the NSF-funded Tribal College and University Program (TCUP).
Dr Gonzalez-Plaza has collaborated in the development of place-based science courses and has
established multiple educational and research alliances with federal agencies, tribal colleges, and other
institutions. He has organized symposia at the Ecological Society of America and the annual meeting of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest science group in the
United States including the upcoming symposium "The Archaeology of the Mind: From Petalias to
Societies" related to Robertas' research regarding the basis of human cognition. Mr. Gonzalez-Plaza has
been a member of the inner circle of the Language of the Spirit held at Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is
also a member of the American Society of Cell Biology and the Ecological Society of America.
Cyd Hanns currently works as a wildlife research assistant with the North Slope Department of Wildlife
Management. She holds a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and earned an
A.A. degree in Fire Science from the local Ilisagvik College during her 10 years of volunteering with the
Barrow Volunteer Fire Department. Prior to working for the NSB Department of Wildlife Management,
she worked as assistant public health office/veterinary technician for 17 years with the North Slope
Borough Public Health Office/Veterinary Program. Her current research activities include project
coordination and fieldwork related to health assessment related studies of North Slope subsistence
wildlife species. She feels privileged to have co-authored a number of published papers with experts in
the field. She is married to Craig George, a wildlife biologist; they enjoy many different community
activities with their two sons, Luke and Sam.
Anna K. Harding is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health with research expertise in
environmental contamination and population-based risk, and a registered sanitarian. Other areas of
expertise include water quality, community involvement, and risk communication. Her current projects
include working with Dr. Harper on an EPA STAR grant to develop regional exposure scenarios for tribal
communities engaged in subsistence lifestyles and serving as co-Pi on grant to conduct a Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance Survey with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Ms. Harding is also
investigating tribal exposures during basket-weaving; and assessing marine exposures to surfers. She has
been affiliated for 12 years with the Western Region Hazardous Substances Research Center and worked
as a visiting scientist of the Environmental Policy and Risk Management Group at the Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory. She serves on the National Academies/National Research Council Committee on
Water System Security Research, as a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors, the executive
advisory board for EPA's Office of Research and Development, and is a member of the Oregon
Environmental Public Health Tracking Advisory Board. Dr. Harding received her Ph.D. degree in Public
Health from Oregon State University.
Preston D. Hardison is an environmental policy analyst and biocultural landscape restoration specialist
with the Tulalip Tribes of Washington with training in evolutionary biology and conservation biology.
With the Tulalip Tribes, he is involved in the development of the "Cultural Stories Project," specifically
the design of software and methodologies for recording tribal environmental history and traditional
ecological knowledge to develop environmental baselines for biocultural landscape restoration. He also is
developing tribal protocols for accessing this information. Mr. Hardison represents the Tulalip Tribes in
meetings of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on the protection and use of traditional
knowledge.
Since 1995, he has participated in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and serves on a
global panel of the CBD to review the status of and trends in the preservation and promotion of traditional
knowledge. He has been working closely with representatives of indigenous communities on issues
relating to the implementation of Article 8(j) and other articles of the Convention that refer to nation-
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states' obligations to "preserve, promote, and respect" traditional knowledge related to the conservation
of biodiversity. He is interested in developing new relationships between academics, governments,
citizens, and tribes that promote respect for tribal traditions, the equal standing of native science with
Western science, and the use of traditional knowledge for environ-mental management and restoration.
He publishes on policy issues related to the protection and use of traditional knowledge.
Barbara Harper is a risk assessor and board-certified toxicologist. She received her Ph.D. degree from
the University of Texas at Austin. While on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston, she lectured in toxicology, environmental health, and related topics. She then worked for the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, and taught risk assessment at Penn State
Harrisburg. She joined Battelle's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a program manager in risk
assessment (at the Hanford Site), where she started working on tribal risk issues with Stuart Harris. She is
now the Environmental Health Program Manager for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation (CTUIR) Department of Science and Engineering and is a Research Associate Professor at
Oregon State University in the Department of Public Health. Dr. Harper is principal investigator on an
EPA grant to develop regional exposure scenarios for several Tribes. She just finished a 6-year term on
EPA's Science Advisory Board and has published more than 25 peer-reviewed papers and many other
reports on tribal health risks from toxics in fish and other resources and tribal exposure pathways.
Stuart G. Harris is the Director of the Department of Science and Engineering at the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Mr. Harris is a geologist and tribal risk assessor and
is enrolled in the CTUIR. He received a B.S. degree in General Sciences from Eastern Oregon University
in 1982 and a B.S. degree in Geology from Oregon State University in 1992. He has worked as a
chemical spill team leader at Hewlett Packard and as a natural resource specialist for the Nez Perce Tribe.
He served as a Natural/Cultural Resources Coordinator in the CTUIR Environmental Sciences and
Technology Program and became manager of that program in 2003. When the program was elevated to
departmental status in 2004, he was named department director. Mr. Harris has been working in tribal risk
assessment since 1995 and has published several papers and many reports. He has given many lectures
and training presentations on Tribal exposure pathways, environ-mental justice, cultural risk, fish toxics,
and Tribal science.
Dena Hartzell received her bachelor's degree from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in
Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology in 2001. She worked as a fisheries observer for
the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska and as a solid waste inspector for the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection in Reading, Pennsylvania, before attending Oklahoma State
University's graduate program in 2003. She completed her Master's degree in Zoology by completing a
thesis entitled "An Evaluation of an Index of Biological Integrity for Depressional Wetlands in Central
Oklahoma". She has been working for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma as their wetland and environmental
scientist for one year. The program is funded by EPA CWA 106 grants and deals with water quality of
creeks and wetlands as well as the development of water quality standards. Her professional interests
include wetland assessments, macroinvertebrates, birds, water quality as-assessments, and regulatory
inspections.
Andrew Hendrickson is the Tribal Liaison for FEMA Region 10, assigned to support preparedness and
response efforts for federally recognized Tribes in Oregon and Washington states. He is a Seattle native
and has worked for the Regional office in Bothell, Washington, since 1988. He has responded to
Hurricane's Hugo (1989), Inik (1992), Katrina, the Nisqually earthquake, 9/11, and numerous other
disasters.
Kathleen Shaye Hill is currently the primary partner for Quail Plume Enterprises. Her work includes
consulting with Tribes with regard to planning and management for environmental compliance and
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drafting various ordinances and processes, among other efforts. She was an Assistant Professor for the
Native American Studies Department at Humboldt State University where she taught courses on issues
pertaining to Native American and other indigenous peoples. In addition, Ms. Hill served as the EPA
Regional Tribal Office Director in Region 10. She has worked as a grants writer and was elected to serve
as the Tribal Secretary for the Klamath Tribe Executive Committee, Klamath Tribes, in Chiloquin, OR.
Margaret Hiza-Redsteer is currently a research scientist in the geologic discipline of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), Earth Surface Processes Team, where she has been employed since October
1999. She is project chief of the "Navajo Land Use Planning Project," at the Flagstaff Science Center in
Arizona. She works on the Navajo Nation conducting geologic mapping, climate and land use history, and
assessing drought impacts, wind erosion, and water quality. Outside of her USGS work, she has been a
reviewer for the 2007 IPCC as-assessment on Global Climate Change, a consultant on several National
Science Foundation (NSF) Grants to aid Native Americans in assessing and coping with climate change
on Native Lands, and a consultant for Little Bighorn Tribal College/AIHEC to develop science
curriculum and culturally relevant research projects at tribal colleges. Her education includes a B.S.
degree in Geology with extended hydrogeology emphasis from NAU, where she graduated Cum Laude
(1989), an M.S. degree from Montana State University (1993), on Sedimentary Processes in Volcanic
Systems, funded by an NSF fellowship, and a Ph.D. degree from Oregon State University, on the history
of the Absaroka Province, Greater Yellowstone, Wyoming and Montana, (1999). She is of Crow Indian
descent, mother to three Crow/Navajo children, and lived in the Joint Use Area of the Navajo Nation for
10 years in what are now Hopi Partitioned Lands.
Mark Huston received a B.S. in Biology from East Stroudsburg University and an M.S. in Biology from
the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. He currently works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the
Division of Environmental Quality. Previously, he worked as aNational Technical Liaison with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, stationed at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental
Response Team Center in Edison, New Jersey. Prior to joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he was
a Biologist with Roy F. Weston, Inc. Mr. Huston's responsibilities include reviewing and assisting with
Natural Resource Damage As-assessment and restoration cases as well as being the Service's
representative on the Department of Interior's Restoration workgroup. In addition, he has been previously
involved with developing, conducting, and assisting with ecological risk assessments of hazardous waste
sites located on and off service lands, and assists with the development of clean-up goals for these sites.
Richard Keck has been working with the Cherokee Nation and the Inter Tribal Environmental Council
(ITEC) for 4 years. Currently heading up the Clean Water department, he has also worked with solid
waste issues, including open dumpsite assessment, and landfill compliance issues. With a degree in
Chemistry, Richard is also a Registered Sanitarian, and Environmental Specialist, and is a certified
Trimble GPS Instructor.
Tim Kent received a B.S. in Geology and Geophysics from Texas Tech University in 1981 and has
completed postgraduate work at Oklahoma State University and at the University of Texas in
Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering. Mr. Kent has held positions as a geophysicist and
hydrogeologist at Petroleum Exploration companies and consulting firms for more than 20 years. He took
his present position as the Environmental Director of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma in 2002. Special
interests include groundwater and surface water contaminant transport and environmental geophysics.
Lon Kissinger has an M.S. degree in Environmental Toxicology from Cornell University in Ithaca NY.
After working in the biotechnology industry for 5 years, he joined the Washington State Department of
Ecology in 1990. At Ecology, his initial project was implementation of Washington State's Superfund
regulation, the Model Toxics Control Act. Following this, Lon worked on air toxics issues and
development of a relational database to support Ecology's Air Quality Program. From 1998 to 2001, Lon
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worked on revising Washington State's sediment management standards as well as human health risk
assessment issues related to the cleanup of contaminated sediment sites. Lon joined EPA Region 10 in
late 2001, working in the Risk Evaluation Unit of the Office of Environmental Assessment. At EPA, Lon
deals with contaminated sediment Superfund sites and risks posed by contaminants in seafood. Lon is
particularly concerned with seafood contaminant risks for groups with high seafood consumption rates,
such as Tribes and ethnic communities.
Kevin Koski is employed by Bois Forte Environmental Services, a division of the Bois Forte Band's
Department of Natural Resources. Their Indoor Air Quality Program, funded since 2001 by EPA Region
5 under Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, provides indoor air quality inspection services to band members
and assistance to homeowners and the Bois Forte Housing Department. Deemed a "Center of Excellence"
by EPA Region 5, the program also provides inspection services, technical assistance, and training
opportunities to other tribes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan. Since the program began, two
QAPP's have been created and approved, investigations have been completed in more than 300 homes
and public buildings, and several community meetings and training sessions regarding indoor air quality
issues have been organized on the Bois Forte Reservation.
Daniel H. Kusnierz is the Water Resources Program Manager for the Penobscot Indian Nation on Indian
Island, Maine. He received his Western scientific training from the University of Vermont, Burlington
(B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology) and the University of Maine, Orono (M.S. degree in Wildlife
Management). He has been the Manager of the Penobscot Indian Nation's Water Resources Program
since January 1993. In this capacity, he oversees many water resource-related projects conducted by the
tribe, including a watershed-wide water quality monitoring program: studies of contaminant levels in fish,
aquatic wildlife, and sediments; assessments of water quality using aquatic invertebrates; and studies of
cumulative impacts. The program also participates in many permitting, licensing, and regulatory
proceedings that affect the Penobscot Reservation and its aquatic resources.
Mr. Kusnierz serves as the tribal coordinator for the model water quality monitoring cooperative
agreement between Penobscot Nation and ME DEP. He also has served on numerous committees,
including the Technical Advisory Committee for Maine's Surface Waters Ambient Toxics Program and
the Maine Dioxin Monitoring Program, the Maine Council on Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment, and participates on EPA's Regional Tribal Operations Committee. He is a District
Supervisor for the Penobscot County Soil and Water Conservation District and is the Region I tribal
representative to EPA's National Tribal Science Council.
Martina R. Lauterbach received her B.S. degree in 1976. She was a Pediatric Nurse Program Manager
for the Alaska Native Medical Center from 1978 to!988 and she was a research nurse from 1988 to 1990
for the Arctic Investigations Program in Anchorage, Alaska. She attended Alaska Pacific University
(Alaska Methodist University). From 1990 to 1992, she was the Pediatric Hepatitis B Program
Coordinator for the Arctic Investigations Program and worked as a community health nurse for the
Alaska Native Medical Center from 1992 to 1996 in Anchorage, Alaska. In addition, she worked as a
pediatric nurse field health specialist for the South Central Foundation for Primary Care from 1996 to
2003. Since 2003 she has worked as the Pediatric Nurse Program Manager for the Alaska Native Tribal
Health Consortium. She received honors from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a
Group Performance Citation (1994), Anchorage Federal Executive Association Outstanding Performance,
Achievement and contribution as a federal employee (1996), and received a Head-start Certificate of
Appreciation.
Rachel Lovell Ford is a Water Resources Specialist in the Swinomish Office of Planning and
Development. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in Environmental Education
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from Western Washington University. Her research at Swinomish has focused on tideland natural
resources as well as monitoring, data management, and analysis of the Tribe's water resources.
Oren Lyons is the Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Council of Chiefs of the Haudenosaunee of
the Onondaga Nation. Born in 1930, he was raised in the traditional lifeways on the Seneca and
Onondaga reservations. In 1982 he helped establish the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous
Populations where he has participated in the Indigenous Peoples Conference in Geneva, an international
forum supported by the United Nations' Human Rights Commission. He is a principal figure in the
Traditional Circle of Indian Elders, a council of traditional grassroots leadership of North American
Indian Nations. In 1992 he was invited to address the General Assembly of the United Nations and open
the International Year of the World's Indigenous People at the United Nations Plaza in New York. During
that year he organized a delegation of the Haudenosaunee to the UN Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro and was invited by UNCED Secretary General Maurice Strong,
to address the national delegations.
Chief Lyons is also co-editor with John Mohawk of Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian
Nations, and the U.S. Constitution (Clear Light: 1992). He is Professor of American Studies at the State
University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo where he directs the Native American Studies Program and
teaches undergraduate courses in Surveys of Native American History and a Native American Studies
Colloquium.
Anthony Madrigal (Cahuilla) received his Ph.D. in History, writing in the field of historic preservation
and Native American History. He is an attorney and has worked for the Twenty-Nine Palms Band as
environmental counsel and as a cultural resource specialist. He also works with his own tribe, the Cahuilla
Band of Indians, and several other tribes in the area of natural and cultural resource preservation. He has
written on traditional tribal sovereignty and its relationship with the natural world.
Larry Merculieff has almost four decades of experience serving his people, the Aleuts of the Pribilof
Islands and other Alaska Native peoples in a number of capacities. His reach has been broad and varied; a
few of the positions he has held include: City Manager of St. Paul Island, Commissioner of the Alaska
Department of Commerce & Economic Development (a cabinet post), President and CEO of Tanadgusix
(A.K.A. TDX) Corporation, and Deputy Director of the Alaska Native Science Commission. He served as
the Director of the Department of Public Policy and Advocacy in the Rural Alaska Community Action
Program.
Related to the Bering Sea issues, Mr. Merculieff served on the National Research Council Committee
on the Bering Sea Ecosystem, and was one of four Native Americans to present at the White House
Conference on the Oceans during the Clinton administration. He was selected by Aleut leaders to be part
of a 1-hour Discovery Channel documentary about the history and spiritual aspects of Aleuts that was
seen by an estimated 60 million people worldwide. In 2004, he received the Alaska Native Writers on the
Environment Award from the Alaska Conservation Foundation and, in 2006, he received the Rasmuson
Foundation Award for Creative Nonfiction and was one of four who received recognition in the Buffett
Award for Indigenous Leadership.
As the Coordinator for the Bering Sea Council of Elders, he works with some of the most revered
Elders from seven regions throughout Alaska, focused on the health of the Bering Sea ecosystem and the
viability and health of the coastal and river cultures dependent on it. He has shared Elder wisdom locally,
nationally and internationally, and his writings and interviews have appeared in such publications as the
Winds of Change, YES, Red Ink, Alaska Geographic, Smithsonian, National Geographic, and Kindred
Spirits. He was featured in the National Wildlife Federation Magazine as an "American Hero," having
called national and international attention to major adverse changes in the Bering Sea ecosystem.
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Phil Mercurio received a B.Sc. degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Biology from
Northern Arizona University in 1998. He received his B.Sc. Honors in Marine Chemistry in 1999 and an
M.S. in Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology in 2002 from James Cook University in Townsville,
Queensland, Australia. His Master's thesis focused on the determination of relative biodegradability and
toxicity of vegetable-based lubricating oils and comparable petroleum lubricants. In 2003, he began
working at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, where he serves as a Laboratory Assistant to
Dr. DanaWetzel.
Catherine Michaud is a Senior Research Scientist at the Harvard Initiative for Global Health. Dr.
Michaud has a medical degree from the University of Geneva, Switzerland and received her M.P.H. at
Harvard School of Public Health in 1988. She has worked as a Pediatrician in Switzerland and became
involved in the Global Burden of Disease and Injury Studies when it began in 1990. She is the lead
author of the report "U.S. Burden of Disease and Injury Study 1996." Other areas of work include the
analysis of international resource flows for health and health research.
Pamela K. Miller is the founder and director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT). ACAT is
an organization that focuses on environmental health and justice issues. As a biologist, she brings 25
years of research, education, and advocacy experience to her present work. From 1990 to!997 she was
researcher/campaign coordinator for Greenpeace, Alaska, working on ocean ecology, oil and gas, toxics,
and climate change issues. Prior to coming to Alaska, she served as Ocean Issues Technical Coordinator
for the Washington Department of Ecology and Director of a marine science education center at
Nisqually Reach in southern Puget Sound. She received the 1991 Governor's Award for Environmental
Excellence in Washington State. She received the Alaska Conservation Foundation's Olaus Murie Award
in recognition of her "long-term outstanding professional contributions to the conservation movement in
Alaska." She holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Wittenberg University and a Master's degree in
Environmental Science from Miami University. She serves as Principal Investigator for research projects
funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Karen Mitchell is a geologist in the Swinomish Tribe's Planning Office. She received her B.A., in
Geology from the University of Minnesota, Morris and an M.S. in Geology from Washington State
University. Her research at Swinomish has been focused on the Tribe's near-shore processes and
groundwater resources, including developing a numerical groundwater model.
Todd Mitchell, a Swinomish Tribal member, is the Water Resources Program Manager in the Swinomish
Office of Planning and Development. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.S. in Geology. He
continued his studies at Washington State University and graduated with an M.S. in Geology specializing
in hydro-geology, igneous petrology, and geochemistry. His research while employed by Swinomish has
been focused on the Tribe's water resources, including tidelands, surface water, groundwater, wetlands,
and habitat restoration research.
Daniel Mosley (Paiute/ Sioux), Environmental Specialist, has worked with the Pyramid Lake Paiute
Tribe in this position since 1998. Prior to this, Dan has worked as a Tribal Game Warden, Fish
Culturalist, and Resource Technician for the Tribe. Dan has represented the Tribe on many issues relating
to Water Quality, Fish recovery, bioassessments, water flow management, and bioassessment program
since 1989. Dan has been married for over 28 years to Rhonda (Shoshone/Sioux) who teaches 3rd grade.
Together they have five children and three grandchildren.
Curtis Munoz is a full blooded Indian of Kiowa and Muscogee Creek heritage. He is a graduate of
Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma where he received a degree in chemistry/biology emphasizing
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biochemistry and molecular biology. He also is an alumnus of the Four Directions Summer Research
Program at Harvard Medical School. His research field was bacterial genetics in the Department of
Molecular Genetics and Microbiology with Dr. Roberto Coulter as his PI. Currently he serves as the
Environmental Director of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and is the EPA National Tribal Science Council
Region 6 representative.
William Nichols is the Tribal Coordinator for the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in the OEM
Regulatory and Policy Development Division, Washington, DC., whose main mission is to prevent
prepare and respond to oil and chemical spills. He has been with the U.S. EPA in the Oil Program for
nearlylO years and specializes in oil spill mitigation and response policy. He has an M.S. degree in
Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. degree in Economics from Salisbury
State University, both in Maryland.
Jeff Ogburn is the Water Quality Specialist for the Taos Pueblo Environmental Office. He graduated
from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, in 1994 and has worked in the environmental
field ever since. He has a diverse background of professional experience spanning wildlife biology, air
quality, water quality, environmental compliance, consulting, and education. His career has placed him on
various environmental monitoring projects throughout the Americas, often in remote and challenging
conditions. With roots as a "mercenary biologist" he has worked for various agencies, nonprofits, and
within the private sector as a technician, scientist, and project manager. In 2004, he was hired by the Taos
Pueblo Environmental Office to maintain the Water Quality Standards Program and help forward Taos
Pueblo's goals in Natural Resource Management.
Patricia Olson is a co-founder and was the Principal Scientist for the Pacific Watershed Institute, a 501
(3)(c) non-profit organization dedicated to integrating ecosystem science and research into natural
resource management and education. Currently, she works for the Washington Department of Ecology
where she is the hydro-geologist for the Shoreline and Environmental Assistance Program. Her position
provides technical and scientific assistance on hydrologic and geomorphic issues related to shoreline,
floodplain, and wetland management. She has a Ph.D. degree in Forest Hydrology with a minor in
Ecosystem Analyses from the University of Washington. She received a Master's degree in Fluvial
Geomorphology from the University of Calgary. Her professional accreditations include registration in
Washington as a Licensed Hydrogeologist (LHG). Her current research focuses on interactions between
surface and subsurface water, heat transport to streams, and plant-water interactions in hyporheic, forested
riparian and associated upland ecosystems under different forest management prescriptions. Previous
research has included nutrient and carbon cycling between stream, riparian, and upland areas. Other
research interests include riparian ecohydrology (plant-groundwater interactions) and the connections
between hydrology and geomorphology in creating landscape features at varying scales (e.g.,
groundwater geomorphology) and their influence on vegetation patterns.
Lydia Olympic is the past President of the Igiugig Village Tribal Council and currently serves as a
council member. She was the executive health board member for the Bristol Bay Area Health
Corporation, has been a board member of the Native American Rights Fund, and is on the steering
committee for Western Mining Action Network. She is serving as an elected tribal leader on EPA's
National Tribal Operations Committee and Regional Operations Committee for Region 10. She is an avid
college basketball fan and berry picker.
Jennifer Ousley has a B.S. degree in Environmental Biology from Eastern Illinois University. She
worked for the Illinois State Geological Survey for nine years and is currently EPA Region 7's Section
106 Tribal Grants Coordinator.
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John Persell has been employed by Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Government since 1978. He began as a
Water Quality Planner with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe shortly after graduating from Bemidji State
University (Bemidji, Minnesota) with a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry. He founded the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe Research Laboratory in 1979, achieving EPA certification for the laboratory in 1987.
Laboratory activities focus on drinking water, surface water, soil, sediment and tissue analyses for Tribal
environmental quality management and policy assessment.
As part of the Tribe's assessment and communication of risks associated with food contaminants, he
has devoted considerable time to understanding the potential health impacts of these contaminants. He has
served on the Executive Board of the National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC) and as a member of
the NTEC Superfund Technical Working Group and the EPA Tribal Science Council. He is a recipient of
EPA's Superior Program Award for the EPA Environmental Justice Grant: "Assessing and
Communicating Risk: A Partnership To Evaluate a Superfund Site on Leech Lake Tribal Lands, 1997-
2003."
In June 2006, he began employment with the Leech Lake Band Government of the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a father and grandfather, and particularly enjoys
family and outdoor activities.
Troy Pierce has served in an Intergovernmental Personnel Act position negotiated between the Poarch
Band of Creek Indians and the US EPA since March 2005. Troy works as a scientist in the Tribe's
Environmental Department. Born in Wichita, Kansas, Troy was raised in both Kansas and Oklahoma.
Troy has a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University with most of his career focused on agricultural water
quality and pesticides issues.
Robin Powell is an environmental specialist. She is the Environmental Manager for the Pyramid Lake
Paiute Tribe. Her work covers a broad number of programs including: General Environmental Program,
Solid Waste Program, Pesticide and Integrated Pest Management Program, Integrated Weed Management
Program, Environmental Education Program cross media, Lead Awareness and Outreach Program,
Species Conservation (Sage Grouse and Big Horn Sheep), and West Nile Virus Monitoring Program.
James W. Ransom is serving his second term as Chief of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council. He has
worked for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe and community of Akwesasne for the past 28 years in various
capacities. Chief Ransom has extensive experience on environmental issues. In 1978, he helped start the
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe's Environment Program and served as its Director through 1990. More recently,
Chief Ransom served as the first director of the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force. In that
capacity, he helped develop environmental programs for Cayuga, Onondaga, Tonawanda Seneca, and
Tuscarora Nations. In the 1990s, Chief Ransom served on the New York State Superfund Management
Board, originally appointed to the Board by Governor Mario Cuomo and later reappointed by Governor
George Pataki. He also has served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tribal Science
Council.
Chief Ransom served as one of the lead negotiators in the Tribe's land claim settlement with the State
of New York. He also helped raise Mohawk environmental and cultural concerns during the re-licensing
of the St. Lawrence-FDR hydroelectric project on the St. Lawrence River.
Chief Ransom holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University as well as an
Associates Degree from Canton Agricultural and Technical College in Civil Technology.
Elizabeth Resek is currently the Deputy Director for the Office of Science Coordination and Policy
within the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). Her office deals primarily with pesticides/toxics, endocrine disrupters and
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biotechnology. She is responsible for the Tribal LifeLine Project, which involves developing exposure
and risk assessment tools for Tribal communities and other unique subpopulations. She also represents
OPPTS on the Tribal Science Council. She worked previously in EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP) for almost 12 years as a chemist, special assistant, and where she created the OPP Tribal Program.
She left EPA in 2000 and worked as a private consultant in public-private partnering, specifically on
economic development and sustainability issues. Most recently, she was employed by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency before returning to EPA in 2003. She has a Bachelor's degree in
Chemistry from the College of Wooster and a Master's in Chemistry from the University of Maryland.
John E. Reynolds, III, graduated Cum Laude with Departmental Honors in Biology from Western
Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1974. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in
Biological Oceanography from University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences in 1977 and 1980, respectively. His thesis and dissertation dealt with behavioral ecology and
functional morphology of manatees. Following graduation, he was employed at Eckerd College, St.
Petersburg, Florida, from 1980-2001, where he served as Professor of Marine Science and Biology and
Chairman of the Natural Sciences Collegium; he was integral in establishing the college's renowned
marine science major.
In 1989, Dr. Reynolds became a member of the Marine Mammal Commission's Committee of
Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals; in 1990, he became Chair of the Committee. In 1991, he was
appointed by President Bush to serve as Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission, a position for
which Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush retained him. In 2001, Dr. Reynolds began working
for the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, where he serves as Senior Scientist and Manatee
Research Program Manager. That same year, he became Co-Chair of the IUCN Sirenian Specialist
Group., Dr. Reynolds was elected to serve as President of the international Society for Marine
Mammalogy, for the period 2006-2008. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, has received awards for his
teaching, leadership, and scholarship, and has published nearly 200 papers, abstracts, and books.
Toni Richards is the Air Quality Specialist in the Bishop Tribe's Environmental Management Office.
She has been working with the Bishop Tribe for nearly eight years and has been with the Air Program
since its inception in 2001. Prior to that, she was the Interim Tribal Administrator and Assistant Tribal
Administrator. Before coming to the Tribe, she worked in health policy research. She has a doctorate in
Sociology from the University of Michigan.
As the Air Quality Specialist, Dr. Richards is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Tribe's
meteorological and PM10 and PM2.5 air quality monitoring for program. The Bishop Tribe's Air
Program works collaboratively with other tribes in the region and with the Great Basin Unified Air
Pollution Control District. Tribal data are available in real time through the Tribal Environmental
Exchange (TrEx) Network (http://wxweb. meteostar.com/tribal/) and on the Bishop Tribe's own Web site
(http://www.bishoptribeemo.com/.)
In 2006, she developed tribal air quality standards for the Reservation for PM10, PM2.5, ozone, and
carbon monoxide. These standards parallel those for the State of California and have been adopted by the
Bishop Tribal Council. In addition to ambient monitoring, she also provides indoor air quality
assessments on an as-needed basis for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, radon and
common aerosols (such as mold and pollen). She also is responsible for issuing burn permits to tribal
members.
Chris Riggio grew up in Southern California and graduated in 1988 with a B.S. degree in Civil
Engineering from the University of California at Davis. He was subsequently commissioned as an officer
into the U.S. Air Force (USAF) under a USAF ROTC college scholarship program. During his 4-year
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military tour of duty, his focus was on cleanup and restoration of contaminated sites on Kirtland Air Force
Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also is a veteran of the first Persian Gulf War.
Mr. Riggio has worked for various different engineering and environmental consulting firms since
moving to Alaska in 1993. Currently, the Federal Sites Restoration Coordinator and staff Civil/
Environmental Engineer, Mr. Riggio has been with the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. (APIA)
since 1999. APIA is an Alaska Native non-profit consortium that works under the direction of the 13
Aleut Tribes. Mr. Riggio's undertakings at APIA include providing technical environmental and civil
engineering assistance to Aleut Tribes on a variety of issues, including wastewater, solid waste, safe
drinking water, petroleum storage, and related issues, striving towards creating safe, healthy, and
sustainable communities.
Mr. Riggio's outside interests include activism in social and environmental justice issues. He also is
co-founder of the Alaska Earth Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of
the impacts of Western lifestyles on the planet. Mr. Riggio is an amateur mycologist and teaches classes
on Alaska's wild mushrooms at the University of Alaska Anchorage and through other venues. His
outdoor interests include mountaineering, backpacking, rock climbing, sea kayaking, and collecting and
preserving healthy wild foods such as fish, berries, and mushrooms.
LT Troy L. Ritter is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and is a graduate of the University of
Massachusetts' Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice program, a Diplomate of the American
Academy of Sanitarians, and a Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Public Health Service. He has seven
years of environmental health practice and management experience, and has spent the majority of his
career working to improve the health of the Alaska Native people.
In his current position, LT Ritter provides advanced environmental health technical consultation and
solutions for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). As the largest tribally managed
health organization in the United States, ANTHC works with its partners to provide comprehensive public
health and health care services for approximately 120,000 Alaska Natives. Previously, LT Ritter served as
Chief Environmental Health Officer for the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, where he was
responsible for ensuring comprehensive environmental health services for 64 federally recognized Tribes
within a geographic region approximately the size of Ohio.
LT Ritter has specialized knowledge of the relationship between water-washed disease (disease
brought about by inadequate hand and body hygiene) and availability of modern water service, small
utility operation and management, environmental health program planning and evaluation, control of
community-based methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and health implications and issues of
fluorides.
Melinda Ronca-Battista somehow managed to attain two degrees in physics from the University of
Michigan without ever understanding football. Following college, she worked for about 20 years in the
radiation protection field (which explains her odd behavior). She held positions with USEPA in
Washington D.C and as a private contractor; whenever she was not with EPA; Melinda conducted audits
of radiation handling programs at military sites, laboratories, radiopharmaceutical manufacturers, and
nuclear power plants. About five years ago, Melinda began working for Northern Arizona University's
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals as the sole technical person in the Tribal Air Monitoring
Support Center (she hopes her lonely days will soon be over, there are two open positions!). She teaches
three classroom course every year as well as two online courses in data management and quality
assurance. She is looking forward to starting two more online courses this year and to continue helping
tribes on an individual basis with data management, QC, and the creation of Quality Assurance Project
Plans.
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Lanya Ross was born and raised in southwestern Minnesota. She has a B.A. degree in Geology from
Macalister College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and a M.S. degree in Geology from Northern Arizona
University in Flagstaff, Arizona. She has worked with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community
(SMDC) since 2001, where her focus is source water protection. Current projects include: updating the
SMDC Wellhead Protection Plan to reflect changes in local and regional water use; mapping glacial sand
deposits to determine if there is a reservoir capable of storing and transmitting injected effluent from a
newly constructed wastewater treatment facility; coordinating with adjacent municipal, county, and state
organizations to conduct aquifer tests; and overseeing the SMDC well abandonment program.
Hiram Sarabia of the University of California-San Diego SBRP Research Translation Core is a scientist
who investigates applications of emerging biomolecular technologies in environmental monitoring, risk
assessment, and restoration. He also is a founding member of the JA JAN Coalition and has ten years of
research and professional experience in the field of environmental monitoring and assessment. He is
defending a Master of Science in Marine Science degree, with an emphasis on coastal pollution, from the
University of San Diego.
Dolores Savignano received a B.S. degree in Biology from Yale University and a Ph.D. degree in
Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) in the Division of Environmental Quality, is the Restoration Coordinator for the
Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Program, and serves as the alternate
representative on the DOI Restoration Work Group.
Previous USFWS positions include Northeast Regional NRDAR, Superfund and Oil Spill Coordinator,
and Supervisor of the Las Vegas, Nevada SubOffice. She has worked in the NRDAR program for ten
years. Prior to joining the USFWS, she worked for a consulting firm on Superfund risk assessments,
review of remedial investigations, and a variety of policy studies related to pesticides.
Rita Schoeny is a Senior Science Advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office
of Water. She received her B.S. degree in Biology at the University of Dayton and a Ph.D. degree in
Microbiology from the School of Medicine of the University of Cincinnati. After completing a
postdoctoral fellowship at the Kettering Laboratory, Department of Environmental Health, she was
appointed as an Assistant Professor in that department of the U.C. Medical School. Dr. Schoeny has held
several adjunct appointments and regularly lectures at colleges and universities on risk assessment and
has been published on a wide variety of topics.
Dr. Schoeny joined the U.S. EPA in 1986. Prior to her current position, she was an Associate Director
of the Health and Ecological Criteria Division of the Office of Science and Technology. In that position,
she was responsible for managing major assessments and programs in support of the Safe Drinking Water
Act, including scientific support for rules on disinfectant by-products, arsenic, microbial contaminants,
and the first set of regulatory determinations from the Contaminant Candidate List. She has held various
positions in the Office of Research and Development, including Chief of the Methods Evaluation and
Development Staff; Environ-mental Criteria and Assessment Office, Cincinnati; Associate Director
NCEA-Cincinnati; and Chair of the Agency-wide workgroup on cancer risk assessment.
Nancy Schuldt is the Water Projects Coordinator for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa,
and has been working for the Band since September 1997. She has a B.S. degree in Biology from the
University of Dayton, and a Master's degree in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Kansas. She has
been involved in developing Fond du Lac's water quality standards program which includes a
comprehensive water quality monitoring program, assessment and reporting, data management and
analysis, and criteria development. She is also responsible for the Band's Nonpoint Source Management
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Program, and numerous water resource investigations related to protecting and restoring Reservation
waters.
Allen Sedik received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit,
Michigan. He currently serves as the NRDAR Program Manager for the Department of Interior's Bureau
of Indian Affairs. He served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 to 1971, and his career included
working: for the Michigan State Department of Highways as a Construction Engineer; for the Michigan
Air National Guard as a Base Civil Engineer; for the Presque Isle Corporation as a Project Engineer; as a
Project Engineer; as a Private Contractor; as a Consultant; and for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as
an Environmental Scientist. He has 27 years of Government service, of which 16 have been with the BIA,
the last six years of which have been in the BIA Central Office located in Washington, DC.
Jill Silver is the Executive Director and Watershed Program Manager for the non-profit 10,000 Years
Institute. She is an environmental scientist with project experience in watershed assessment, development
of watershed-scale conservation programs, and fish habitat restoration. She developed natural resource
management programs for the Hoh Indian Tribe that included geomorphic, biological, and hydrological
research specific to improving regulatory protection of tribal and public resources. Ms. Silver has
designed and implemented restoration of stream, wetland, and riparian habitats at sites impacted by
timber harvest, road construction, and invasive plant species. Ms. Silver's academic training is in stream
and wetland ecology, geomorphology, and community planning. She has worked extensively on the
Olympic Peninsula of Washington State in the Hoh River watershed, where she coordinates
multidisciplinary teams to address the complex needs of sustainable resource management. Ms. Silver has
been an effective advocate in regulatory and educational forums addressing fish and wildlife habitat
protection, successfully interacting with a diverse group of resource and regulatory professionals to
understand and address effects of resource management and development on riparian and aquatic
ecosystems.
CAPT Jeff Smith is a Registered Sanitarian. He received his graduate degree from the University of
Minnesota and is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Sanitarians and a Commissioned Officer with
the U.S Public Health Service. He has seven years of environmental health practice and management
experience, and has spent the majority of his career working to improve the health of the Alaska Native
people.
CAPT Smith directs the statewide environmental health program for the Alaska Native Tribal Health
Consortium (ANTHC). Programs under the direction of CAPT Smith include Environmental Health
Coordination, Injury Prevention, Institutional Environmental Health, Construction Safety, Water
Fluoridation and Risk Management. As the largest Tribally managed health organization in the United
States, ANTHC works with its partners to provide comprehensive public health and health care services
for approximately 120,000 Alaska Natives.
Previously, CAPT Smith served as Deputy Director of the Indian Health Service Environmental
Health program in Alaska as well as the Director of the Bristol Bay Health Corporation Office of
Environmental Health and Safety. CAPT Smith has more than 20 years of experience in working with and
providing environmental health services to Alaska Natives and American Indians.
Paula Stigler is an environmental health scientist currently working with the Pala Band of Mission
Indians Environmental Department as an Air Quality Specialist and border infrastructure program
coordinator. She has been working with the indigenous communities of Baja California-Mexico for
almost 5 years and also is a member of the JA JAN Coalition. She is defending a Master of Science in
Public Health degree at San Diego State University, with an emphasis on Water Quality and Nutrient
Modeling.
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William Swaney is director of the Environmental Science Department at Salish Kootenai College (SKC).
He worked for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for 15 years before coming to SKC. His
experience includes wildlife biology and environmental protection program management.
David Taylor has been a Senior Document Reviewer in EPA's Pacific Southwest Region (Region 9) for
the last 11 years, where his responsibilities include providing technical and Quality Assurance (QA)
support for tribes, states, and other grantees, reviewing QA documents such as QA Plans and Sampling
Plans, and con-ducting training. Prior to joining EPA, he worked for a several different environmental
consulting firms and environmental laboratories, primarily supporting QA activities at various EPA
Research Laboratories and with EPA's headquarters Quality Staff. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in
Chemistry from the University of Michigan, Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Inorganic Chemistry from the
University of Wisconsin in Madison, and is an American Society for Quality Certified Quality Engineer.
Dawn Thomas received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Salish Kootenai
College in 2001. In the summer of 1998 as an internship student, she was hired to start a native plant
nursery and environmental restoration program under the supervision of Virgil Dupuis. Dawn now grows
native plants for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' restoration projects. She is also writing a
native plant growing manual for the Tribal Forestry Department.
Chris Thompson is a Senior Associate with Environment International, Ltd., based in Seattle,
Washington. He currently works primarily on ecological risk assessment of superfund sites in the
Columbia Basin (Portland Harbor and upper Columbia River). He received his B.S. degree in Biology
from Princeton University (1980), M.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin (1985),
and Ph.D. degree in Zoology from Arizona State University (1990). He held positions as postdoctoral
Fellow at the University of Washington (1991-1995), and Research Scientist for the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (1995-2003), and University of Washington (2003-2005), where he
conducted research on seabird ecology, especially regarding sea-bird-fisheries interactions.
Clifford E. Trafzer is Professor of American Indian History at the University of California, Riverside,
where he is also Director of the California Center for Native Nations. He has worked with the Twenty-
Nine Palms Tribe since 1997, and he has published Chemehuevi People of the Coachella Valley with the
tribe. He has also written Native Universe: Voices of Indian America with the National Museum of the
American Indian. He paper with Willard Gilbert and Anthony Madrigal has been accepted for publication
in a forthcoming special issue on Native Americans edited by James Fenelon in the American Behavioral
Scientist.
Christa Tyrell manages the Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program for the Fort Peck Tribes Office
of Environmental Protection (OEP). She has worked for the Tribes as a hydrologist for the last five years,
after receiving her M.S. degree in Geology from the University of Montana. Over the course of the last
eight years, she has had experience in computer modeling of groundwater and surface water systems and
interactions, as well as regional and local flow systems, capture zones, groundwater recharge, and surface
water issues, including sediment and nutrient load quantification and reduction, and point and non-point
sources of contamination. Her environmental software program experience and database management
work for the Tribes lends itself to her role as a member of the Region VIII Peer Training Network.
Vi Waghiyi is a St. Lawrence Island Yupik who was born and raised in the Village of Savoonga on St.
Lawrence Island, Alaska. St. Lawrence Island is located in the Bering Sea in Northwestern Alaska. Her
people live a subsistence lifestyle off the land and ocean. She and her husband have four boys and live in
Anchorage, Alaska. She was hired by ACAT in October 2002 to work as an Assistant Coordinator on the
Environmental Health and Justice Project for St. Lawrence Island and became the Coordinator for the
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project in 2004. The ongoing research for the St. Lawrence Island Project includes a Traditional Food
Study and a Human Health Survey. Ms. Waghiyi is now coordinating the Environmental Health and
Justice for Norton Sound, Alaska. The project will continue our work on St. Lawrence Island and include
the 15 communities in Norton Sound, Alaska. Be-fore coming to ACAT, she held a variety of positions in
Nome, Seattle, and Anchorage in multicultural settings in positions of accounting, management, and
customer relations.
Claudia Walters works in the Sustainability Program for the U.S. EPA Office of Research and
Development. She collaborates across EPA and with state, local, and tribal governments, and universities
to identify Sustainability priorities, develop partnerships, and implement projects.
While at EPA, she has worked in several program offices and a region, including the Chesapeake Bay
Program Office. She has worked on several of the EPA's Sustainability programs, including the
Sustainable Development Challenge Grants, Brownfields, Community Based Environmental Programs,
Community Assessment, and Smart Growth.
Currently she is leading an agency effort to initiate a dialogue across the Agency on developing a
common agency vision on Sustainability. Her main Sustainability interests are social science issues,
including cultural dimensions, systems thinking, comprehensive, multi-level planning, and K-12
educational school curricula. She has conducted both human and ecological research at the Department of
Agriculture and Interior.
Ms. Walters was instrumental in the formation of the National EPA-Tribal Science Council and served
as its Executive Secretary until the spring of 2006. Her academic background includes an M.S. degree in
Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences and a B.S. degree in Agricultural and Analytical
Chemistry.
Therese Waterhouse is an Instructor/Research Scientist in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise
Sciences at Oregon State University (OSU). She has been a registered dietician for more than 15 years,
has evaluated dietary adequacy for various age groups, and teaches human metabolism at OSU. She
serves as a clinical dietician for the regional education service district and has been a nutritional
consultant for Head-Start for more than five years. Her research interests are in the area of adaptations of
diet to variations in environmental situations, subsistence diets, and dietary adequacy in less-than-optimal
situations. This includes the evaluation of dietary contributors of toxics exposure. She has completed a
fellowship in pediatric nutrition and is involved in development of community-based nutrition
interventions. Dr. Waterhouse has a Ph.D. degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in
Nutrition Biochemistry.
Gretchen Watkins is the water resource specialist/hydrologist for the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake
Superior Indians. She received her B.S. degree in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and her
M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University. Ms. Watkins
oversees the Lac du Flambeau water resource program that develops and executes sound scientific
investigation to support management decisions. These decisions attempt to protect and restore Lac du
Flambeau water resources for the next seven generations.
Hilary Elizabeth Wendt is currently a Tribal Program Specialist in the Program Operations and
Integration branch of the Office of Policy and Management at the U.S. EPA Region 7. She graduated with
a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, with an emphasis in Geosciences, and a minor in
Geology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC). She has worked for UMKC as the
Geosciences Museum Coordinator/Environmental Science Lab class instructor, a land use planning firm
called Planning Works, and joined the EPA R7 Tribal Program Office in 2001. She graduated from the
EPA Intern Program in 2003 after performing several details/rotations throughout the Agency and then
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continued working with federally recognized Tribal Governments. She is currently a Project Officer for
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program grants, R7 Tribal Science Council Alternate, the
Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability representative for R7's EMS Program and, among many
other projects, is the coordinator for R7's Working Effectively with Tribal Governments training.
Dana L. Wetzel graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Biochemistry in 1979. She
received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Oceanography from the University of South Florida in
1995 and 2000, respectively. Her research during graduate school and since has focused on assessing
chemical contaminants in the marine environment, determining lethal and sublethal effects of such
exposure, and developing methods that use lipids as biochemical markers of health. Dr. Wetzel has
worked for the Mote Marine Laboratory since obtaining her doctoral degree; she is currently a Senior
Scientist and the Program Manager for Aquatic Toxicology. In addition to her work in Florida, she has
developed research programs in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Arctic. Dr. Wetzel has
published in a variety of journals and is an award-winning educator.
Dave Wilcox is a senior vice president for Gold Systems Inc. For more than ten years, he has provided
environmental data management consulting for private industry, federal agencies, states, tribes, and
volunteer monitoring programs. He is currently working on data management solutions for tribal
programs in EPA regions 5, 6, and 8.
Daniel R. Wildcat is a Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma. He is the Director of the
Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Center and a American Indian Studies faculty member
at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Dr. Wildcat received his B.A. and M.A.
degrees in Sociology from the University of Kansas and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree from the
University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has taught at Haskell for 20 years.
Dr. Wildcat has been an invited speaker on North American Indian worldviews at Harvard Medical
School, Creighton University, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas State University, University
of California (Riverside), and many other institutions of higher education. He is frequently asked to speak
to community groups and organizations on the issue of cultural diversity. In 1992, Dr. Wildcat was
honored with the Heart Peace Award by the Kansas City organization The Future Is Now for his efforts to
promote world peace and cultural diversity.
Dr. Wildcat also helped plan and design a four-part video series entitled "All Things Are Connected:
The Circle of Life" (1997), which dealt with land, air, water, and biological issues related to
environmental science and policy issues facing Native nations. He is the author and editor of several
books: Power and Place: Indian Education In America, with Vine Deloria, Jr.; Destroying Dogma: Vine
Deloria 's Legacy on Intellectual America, with Steve Pavlik; and a new book, Red Alert: Saving the
Earth with Indigenous Knowledge, available spring 2007.
Terry Williams has been employed with Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources for 25 years as the Director of
Fisheries and the Fisheries and Natural Resources Commissioner. He was appointed for two years by Ms.
Carol Browner, Administrator of EPA to establish a new office with EPA to specifically address
environmental issues of Indian Tribes nationwide. He also was appointed to the Northwest Indian
Fisheries Commission since 1985, Vice-Chairman from 1992 to 95, and Pacific Salmon Commission,
Southern Panel from 1985 to present. He has chaired the panel for six of these years. He was selected by
Washington and Oregon Treaty Tribes and appointed by the U.S. Department of the Interior to represent
Tribal interest in the U.S.- Canada Salmon Interception Treaty annual salmon harvest management and
allocation deliberation at negotiations. He is a representative since 1986 to present on the Pacific
Management Council for the Tulalip Tribes United Nations Conference on Biodiversity-U.S. Delegate
since 1997. He was appointed by the Secretary for Policy and International Affairs Office Department of
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the Interior to represent Indigenous Peoples of the United States delegation to the United Nations
Conference on Biodiversity, and to the International Association of Impact Assessment Indigenous
Peoples Committee where he is Co-Chair since 1997.
Mr. Williams received his A.A. degree in 1977 from Everett Community College in Criminal and Law
Enforcement. He graduated with a B.A. degree in 1979 from Central Washington University in Law and
Justice.
Kimberly Winton was born in Oklahoma, and has a B.S. degree in Zoology and an M.S. degree in
Agronomy from Oklahoma State University. Her Ph.D. degree is from the University of Arkansas
(Agronomy). Most of her professional career (15 years) was spent in the agrichemical industry, where she
gained experience in biological research, agricultural practices, and environmental fate and effects of
pesticides. She spent five years conducting field biological research in Greenville, Mississippi, then ten
years in Greensboro, North Carolina, contracting environmental field, laboratory, and analytical research.
She also worked for an environmental consulting company for two years and worked on a contract for the
EPA National Groundwater Risk Management Laboratory in Ada, Oklahoma.
For the past 4 years, she has been the Director for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Oklahoma
Water Science Center. She has a staff of approximately 45 and a program of approximately $5 million.
Last year, the Oklahoma Water Science Center provided classroom instruction in water quality sampling
for 30 tribes. Her personal interests involve anything outdoors. She and her husband have 45 acres in
Shawnee, Oklahoma, where they have four horses, twelve miniature donkeys, four dogs, a huge garden,
lots of fruit and nut trees, and they are developing a small vineyard. Ms. Winton is of Cherokee and
Chickasaw heritage (and Irish and French).
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APPENDIX D
Summary of Written Feedback Received from Conference Participants
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National Tribal Forum on Environmental Science
September 24-28, 2006
Ocean Shores, Washington
Summary of Written Feedback Received from Conference Participants
This appendix summarizes the written feedback received from participants who attended the National
Tribal Forum on Environmental Science held on September 24-28, 2006 at Quinault Beach Resort and
Casino in Ocean Shores, WA. Trends within responses to evaluations gauging the success of the overall
conference and specific trainings sessions are encapsulated below.
A conference evaluation form was designed and distributed to capture participant feedback on various
aspects of the conference including overall impressions, suitability, utility, and practicality (from a tribal
perspective) of the technical sessions; quality of speakers and trainings; forum design and execution; and
interest in and suggestions for similar events in the future. The Forum received excellent feedback on its
overall structure with over 90% of respondents stating that it met their expectations and provided good
networking opportunities. The vast majority of respondents thought that it struck an appropriate balance
between scientific research methods and practical application at the tribal/community level. Additionally,
82% of those who submitted responses also indicated that the Forum presented new ideas for improving
environmental and human health standards in their communities. Several individuals provided supportive
comments regarding the Forum and expressed satisfaction that it was not dominated by EPA
representatives. Most respondents seemed to view this as the first of many Forums. Some helpful
suggestions to improve future conferences included recommendations to conduct further outreach to tribal
communities and encourage tribal staff to make presentations, staggering concurrent sessions to avoid
conflicts, striking a balance between natural resource issues/health issues, and assistance in the
development of regional data coordination and analysis. The Forum also received top marks on design
and delivery with 100% of respondents approving it on concept and 83% on agenda. Likewise, the
content at the Forum proved to be very popular with the poster session, breakouts, and field trips
receiving overwhelming approval from all respondents. Additionally, keynote addresses from both Lydia
Olympic and Oren Lyons received very high scores while all respondents found the Forum presenters and
trainers to be effective and the key Forum messages well-communicated. Of the tangible items presented
at the Forum, 100% of respondents found the meeting materials and associated products to be well-
presented. Finally, in response to the question on their degree of interest in participating in similar
conferences in the future, the 15 participants who answered this question all responded enthusiastically.
Although the sample size is small, if the responses reported here are assumed to be representative of the
majority of Forum participants, it is likely that the majority of participants would be very interested in and
highly motivated to attend another Forum.
The following sections describe the response to the four major themes of the Forum: air, water, earth, and
water and community health.
Air
The four air sessions combined received a very high approval rating from the 32 participants who
provided written feedback. Over 90% of respondents stated that the sessions had met their expectations
and needs as tribal representatives, and that it was a worthwhile use of their time and organizational
resources. Likewise, the sessions scored 90% and upwards on course content and course materials.
Course trainers received 95% approval ratings on their knowledge and responsiveness to questions and
100% approval on presentation style and the overall course message and expectations. The Air Pollution
Transport session was reviewed by three participants and received an overwhelmingly positive response
on course content, materials, presenter knowledge, and style as well as message. Glen Gehring, the
speaker on 'Identifying Transport Pathways Using the FIYSPLIT Model,' was mentioned as being
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particularly effective. Respondents stated that the session demonstrated new tools and allowed tribal
programs to share information. Seven participants submitted evaluations for the Indoor Air session which
was rated in the 'good-superior' range on content, presenter knowledge, and delivery, as well as course
message. All respondents stated that the course met their expectations with supportive comments
indicating that the session offered practical solutions to tackling problems like mold and providing factual
data to bring back to communities. In particular, the 'Mold: Mycotoxins, Indoor Air Health Crisis in
Indian Country' presentation by Curtis Munoz was rated very highly. The Air Deposition session was
graded by 14 individuals and received 100% approval on design concept and 83% approval on course
content and presentation materials. The presenters, and Larry Merculieff in particular, the speaker on
'Alaska Native Science,' received very high marks. Respondents stated that the presentations gave them
a good understanding of mercury issues and how to communicate these to tribal members but added that
they would like to receive basic introductory training on this topic and suggested adding
monitoring/instrumentation to the curriculum. Respondents failed to provide feedback on two additional
presentations.
Water
Eleven participants reviewed the water session. Over 89% of these individuals stated that the sessions
met their expectations and needs as tribal representatives and was a worthwhile use of their time and
resources. The sessions received 100% approval on course design and presentation materials, while
presenter knowledge and presentation style scored 83% and 67% respectively. Additionally, presenters
scored 100% on responsiveness to questions. The presentation on 'Potential Effects of Suburbanization
on the Water Quality and Quantity of Boiling Springs, a Sacred Area to the Shakopee Mdewakanton
Dakota Community, Scott County, Minnesota,' was scored by one individual and received top marks
across the board on course design, content, and execution. The respondent stated that he would consider
the list of parameters for short/long term goals for monitoring and added that more statistical graphs could
have been included to highlight trends. 'The Development of Water Quality Standards on the Pyramid
Lake Paiute Indian Reservation' presented by Daniel Mosley was also mentioned as being particularly
memorable. The Data Management for Water Monitoring training was evaluated by 16 participants and
received over 75% approval on course expectations and utility. The training scored 92% on concept,
100% on course materials, presenter knowledge, and presentation style while the course message received
83% approval. Respondents commented that they found the experience sharing by field technicians and
data collection spreadsheet to be beneficial and requested a user guide on this topic. Unfortunately, many
of the other presentations were not reviewed individually, however, respondents stated that they
especially enjoyed the water sessions because they showcased tribal projects that could be used to
promote similar projects in their communities. Other comments indicated that the presentations could
have made a better connection between data and cultural needs/goals/perspective.
Earth
The earth session did not rate as highly as anticipated among the ten participants who responded to the
evaluation. Only 60% stated that the session met their expectations, 50% stated that the session met their
needs as a tribal representative, and 70% said it was a worthwhile use of their time and resources. Course
concept received a perfect score while course materials, presenter knowledge, and style all received an
89% approval rating. However, the session was not rated strongly, at 67% in course content, clarity, and
relevance as well as course message and expectations. Four participants evaluated the 'Invasive Species
Impacts in Indian Country' presentation, which garnered top marks for content, course visuals, trainer
knowledge, and presentation style as well as course message. One additional comment regarding this
presentation was a request for the addition of case studies. The "Mercury Contamination of Cheyenne
River Sioux Land' presentation was reviewed by two respondents who felt that it lived up to expectations
in all categories. Although the 'Tribal Emergency Management' training also had feedback from two
participants, it was difficult to draw any conclusive opinions regarding the success of the training due to
conflicting responses. The only area where there as agreement was on the high score for course concept.
A suggestion was also made to limit the scope of the presentations. The 'Risk Assessment and
EPA/Lifeline' training was reviewed by four individuals who stated that the training met their
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expectations. Two said that the session met their needs as a tribal representative and all four agreed that it
was a worthwhile use of their time and resources. The training received a 75% approval rating on course
concept and visuals, while the trainers and course message received 100% approval. Respondents added
that it was beneficial to see how different aspects tied into risk assessment and that they would use the
training to develop tribal risk assessment programs, enhance fish studies in their communities, and
recommend the UST program for setting priorities within their organizations. The 'Introduction to
Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR)' training was evaluated by one
participant who gave it an overall 'good' score on content, presentation, and message. Supportive
comments included the training's focus on population growth and sustainability but warned against
lengthy presentations that strayed from the topic. The remaining presentations in the earth track were not
specifically evaluated.
Water and Community Health
The water and community health session was evaluated by 15 participants and like the earth session did
not rate as well as expected. The session was rated favorably by 71% of participants on course
expectations, 69% on meeting tribal representative needs, 57% on utility, and 62% on being a worthwhile
use of organizational resources. The session ranked highly with respect to course concept, visuals, and
presentation but fell short in course content and relevance. The 'Source Water Protection Planning in a
Shallow Alluvial Aquifer' presentation was reviewed by three participants with high marks across the
board for design and delivery. Dale Becker and Samuel Iwenofu were identified as excellent speakers.
Four participants scored the 'Potential Contribution of the Burden of Disease and Injury to Assess
Community Health in Indian Country' presentation which received an overall good score on concept,
presentation, and message, though one respondent said that it could include more tribal data. The
'Emerging Issues, Contaminants in our Environment, Endocrine Disrupters, Pharmaceuticals, and
Personal Care Products' presentation was also reviewed favorably by four respondents. The 'Overview
of Water Quality Standards from a Tribal Perspective' training was evaluated by seven participants and
received over 80% approval on utility, course concept, and presentation. Comments indicated that
respondents really benefited from the tribal perspective and the TAS process and implementation. The
'Overview of Science Grants and Tips for Successful Tribal Proposals (Includes PART)' training
received 10 evaluations. Based on the evaluations, 90% of respondents stated that the session met their
expectations. Course concept and presenter style received similar high marks. In addition, respondents
commented on the logical format of the training and the use of 'first-person' experiences to illustrate
lessons. As with other sessions not all presentations in the water and community health session were
independently evaluated.
D-3
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