SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
FEDERAL RESOURCES
EPA
—Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse
Office (FFRRO)
Works with other federal entities to help them
develop creative, cost-effective solutions to
their environmental problems.
http://www.epa.gov/swerffrr/
703 603-0048
—American Indian Environmental Office
Coordinates the EPA-wide effort to strengthen
health and environmental protection in Indian
Country.
http://www.epa.gov/indian/
202 564-0303
-EPA Tribal Links
Useful links for EPA tribal Headquarters and
Regional contacts, grants, programs, and poli-
cies.
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/tribal.htm
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES
—Department of Defense
The Native American Environmental Tracking
System tracks and maintains information on
potential impacts to tribal lands from DoD
activities.
https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Native/
Mitigation/naets.html
703 604-1 747
—Department of Energy
The Office of Environmental Management is
committed to the cleanup of nuclear weapon
sites near tribes.
http://web.em.doe.gov/public/tribal/index.html
202 586-5944
—/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry
The Office of Tribal Affairs assists with tribal-
specific environmental health needs resulting
from exposure to hazardous waste sites and
pollution.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tribal/
8 8 8-42 ATS DR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about FFRRO's
tribal activities, please visit our Web
site at www.epa.gov/swerffrr/, or
contact FFRRO's tribal coordinator:
Trina Martynowicz
Martynowicz.Trina@epa.gov
U.S. EPA Federal Facilities
Restoration and Reuse Office
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
(5106G)
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 703 603-0048
Fax: 703 603-0043
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EPA FFRRO
Across the United States,
there are thousands of cur-
rently and formerly owned
federal facilities, including
abandoned mines, nuclear
weapons production plants,
fuel distribution areas, land-
fills, and other sites. Some
of these sites are contami-
nated with hazardous
waste, ordnance and explo-
sives, radioactive waste,
fuels, and other toxic con-
taminants, and may be
located on or near
American Indian or Alaskan
Native lands.
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To overcome the difficulties posed by
contamination at these facilities, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse
Office (FFRRO) works closely with the
Department of Defense (DoD), Department of
Energy (DOE), and other federal entities to
develop creative, cost-effective solutions to
environmental problems. FFRRO's mission is
to facilitate faster, more effective, and less cost-
ly cleanup and reuse of federal facilities. By
focusing on partnering and public involvement,
FFRRO and its counterpart offices in EPA
Headquarters and Regional Offices have made
great strides in improving federal facilities
cleanup.
Under various treaties with the U.S. govern-
ment, tribal governments have a distinct role in
the cleanup of federal facilities. Accordingly,
EPA works in partnership with tribal govern-
ments, both at the facility and national policy-
making levels. FFRRO's goals are to:
• Protect the human health and environment
of American Indians and Alaskan Native vil-
lagers at and near federal facilities;
• Enhance and involve tribes in the cleanup
process through meaningful dialogue that
respects the unique needs of each tribal
community; and
• Develop partnerships that will enhance par-
ticipation in the environmental decision-
making process at federal facilities.
The framework for FFRRO's tribal involvement
is designed to address the needs of and miti-
gate impacts to American Indians, including
Alaskan Natives, living on or near federal sites.
To better improve the working relationship and
involvement of tribes in the cleanup process at
federal facilities, FFRRO plans to:
• Partner with tribes on a government-to-gov-
ernment consultation basis consistent with
EPA's trust responsibility;
• Enhance tribal capacity-building through
grants, technical advice, and training pro-
grams;
• Work with other federal agencies to identi-
fy and address American Indian lands
affected by federal facilities;
• Promote interagency collaboration on trib-
al policy and resource issues; and
• Enhance communication and outreach to
tribes.
FEDERAL LAND TRANSFER TO
TRIBES
Under cleanup statutes or by congressional
mandate, DoD base closures often can lead to
land transfers to tribes, which would be held in
trust by the Department of the Interior's
Bureau of Indian Affairs. Affected tribes may
have opportunities for economic development
or land transfer, as well as access to archeolog-
ical sites or other cultural resources.
OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
FFRRO provides funding to the Technical
Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC)
program for tribal communities through the
Haskell Indian Nations University and the
Haskell Environmental Research Studies
Center. TOSC provides culturally appropriate
technical assistance to American Indian com-
munities on potential health effects, environ-
mental risks, available cleanup options, and
regulatory concerns. FFRRO also financially
supports several research grants to American
Indian non-profit organizations to assist in iden-
tifying and evaluating barriers to and opportu-
nities for tribal participation in federal facility
cleanup activities. Contact the Haskell
Environmental Research Studies Center at 785
749-8498 or visit the following Web site:
.
ORDNANCE AND EXPLOSIVES
FFRRO's commitment to tribal involvement is
further illustrated by its collaboration with
tribes on several ordnance, explosives, and
munitions-related projects. FFRRO continues to
develop the following:
• EPA Guidelines for Munitions Response, to
assist EPA Regional staff, tribes, and states;
• Handbook on the Management of
Ordnance, regarding the technical aspects
of munitions sites; and
• Training programs for personnel working
on munitions issues.
These efforts emphasize the importance of
ensuring that tribes are appropriately involved
and informed in munitions responses. Visit
FFRRO's munitions Web site at:
.
TRIBAL INVOLVEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
Advisory boards and community groups are
key elements in FFRRO's tribal community
involvement activities. FFRRO works with DoD
and DOE and their respective stakeholders at
the local level by providing technical and regu-
latory input at advisory board meetings and at
the national level by developing policies for
establishing and maintaining advisory boards.
FFRRO supports several types of advisory
boards, including:
DoD's RESTORATION ADVISORY BOARDS
(RABs): Provide a forum through which commu-
nity members can provide input to DoD's
Restoration program. RABs operate at func-
tional, closing, or realigning installations, and
Formerly Used Defense Sites where there is a
sufficient and sustained community
interest.
DOE'S SITE-SPECIFIC ADVISORY BOARDS:
Involve stakeholders more directly in DOE
cleanup decisions.
SUPERFUND COMMUNITY ADVISORY
CROUPS: Serve as the focal point for the
exchange of information among stakeholders
involved in the cleanup of a Superfund site.
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