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RCRA Tribal Sub-Region
FY2007 Region 10 RCRA Tribal Waste Team Report
Regions 8 and 10 share a unique role as joint RCRA Tribal Sub-lead Regions.
Under their leadership, OSW and RCRA Regional Offices have developed new
management tools which are essential to a modern OSW Tribal Program:
These management tools are:
• Two GPRA Strategic Targets for tribes which measure the number of open dumps
which have been cleaned, closed or upgraded and the number of tribes which are
covered by integrated waste management plans.
• The OSW and Regional Tribal Strategy.
• Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plan tutorials and models.
• A field survey form and data dictionary for characterizing open dumps.
2008 and Beyond:
• Continue to build Region 10 RCRA Tribal Waste Team capabilities
• Meet or exceed National EPA Solid Waste Performance Measure targets
• Seek to develop creative funding efforts to support tribal waste projects
• Build inter-agency efforts to address solid waste problems
• Provide technical assistance and training to tribes on grant writing and solid waste
planning
• Manage Solid Waste Assistance Project Grants
• Collaborate on global climate change efforts in Alaska
Contact Information:
Fran Stefan
RCRA Tribal Waste Team Leader
Phone: (206)553-6639
Email: Stefan.Fran@epa.gov
Description of the problem:
Tribes in Region 10 have worked hard to tackle the problems of waste dumping,
burning, and blight to the land. Despite these efforts, approximately 200 active open
dumps continue to impact tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Dumping
from off-reservation sources continues to be a problem for many tribes throughout
the region.
Tire Pile at Yakama Reservation
Active Dump at Makah Reservation
Tribal members are concerned about the harm wastes pose to the health of
community members and the environment they rely on for subsistence food and
drinking water. Hazards in many of these open dumps include household cleaners,
paints and solvents, toxic metals from batteries, electronics and appliances, waste
oils, medical waste, and sewage. Contaminants from waste can pose a threat to
subsistence fish, game, and plants. Burning wastes can impact clean air and
leaching waste can threaten drinking water.
Burning Waste at Eek, Alaska
Waste in Tundra Pond at Nunapitchuk,
Alaska
Tribes in Region 10 are organizing and voicing concerns about the impacts of waste
on the health of their community members. They are placing waste management as
a higher and higher environmental priority. At the same time, resources for solid
waste work are often extremely limited, leaving tribes to struggle from year to year to
maintain the staff and infrastructure needed to manage waste safely. Even more
daunting are the costs of building transfer stations and landfills, and purchasing vital
equipment.
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SWMAP Funds
$1.6M
Need Outweighs Available Funds
The need for solid waste resources far
outweighs the available federal funding.
For example in 2007, the Inter-Agency
Tribal Solid Waste Management
Assistance Project (SWMAP) received
approximately $10 million in grant
requests from tribes. Available funding
from the five participating federal
agencies totaled only $1.6 million, just
16% of the need.
Strategy to address the problem:
In FY2007, the EPA Region 10 RCRA Tribal Waste Team continued to play a pivotal
national role as a RCRA Tribal Sub-lead Region to raise awareness of the serious
health and environmental threats that open dumps and solid waste play in Indian
country. On the home front, the team built and leveraged an ever-growing capacity
to provide technical, financial, and coordinating assistance to tribes to solve solid
waste problems.
The work we do helps further the Region 10 Tribal Environmental Health Priority and
is guided by the Office of Solid Waste and Regional Tribal Integrated Waste
Management Strategy. The outputs and outcomes of our efforts are measured
through the National EPA Tribal Solid Waste Strategic Targets.
Moving Waste at Kwigillingok, Alaska
Incinerating Waste at Sand Point, Alaska
The assistance we provide comes in many forms. For example, it can be providing
grant funding to develop a much needed planning tool for sustainable waste
management or to close unsafe open dumps. At other times, our assistance can
take the form of facilitating partnerships among federal, tribal, state and local
governments to solve specific environmental issues. Routinely, we offer Pacific
Northwest and Alaska Tribes ongoing, direct on-site solid waste technical
assistance.
The St. Mary's Summit of 2007 marked several YRITWC 10-year achievements.
Today, the YRITWC:
• Represents 66 Tribes and First Nations in Alaska and Canada
• Commands an environmentally sophisticated scientific, technical and political
workforce
• Manages a $1.5 million budget and multiple environmental programs
• Works to increase water quality and environmental integrity in a massive
ecosystem
• Monitors 2300 miles of River and millions of acres of land
• Runs a backhaul program which has removed 3+ million pounds of wastes from
tribal communities since 2005
• Offers a remarkable model of partnership among diverse peoples determined to
preserve their lands and way of life
• Offers a superb example of what native peoples armed with a vision and capacity
to work together can accomplish, not only for them but for us all
Many EPA Region 10 programs, notably the EPA Solid and Hazardous Waste
Program, Brownfield's Program, and Indian General Assistance Program have been
partners and supporters of this ground-breaking organization. At the July 2007
Summit, the Yukon River Inter-tribal Watershed Council awarded EPA Region 10
and Fran Stefan plaques in recognition of their support.
Grant Management:
In FY2007, the RCRA Tribal Waste Team managed 18 grants and Inter-Agency
Agreements totaling $1.4 million. The team participated in national grant
competitions and reviews for both the Inter-Agency Tribal Solid Waste Management
Assistance Project and the EPA Tribal Hazardous Waste Grant Program. Members
of the team reviewed 32 grant proposals from Region 10 tribes comprising
approximately 30% of the total proposals received nationally. Tribes in Region 10
continue to demonstrate increasing need for solid and hazardous waste
project funding that far outweighs the current available funding through EPA.
These grants are critical for safe tribal waste systems and meeting solid waste
strategic targets.
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reservation. After planning and design funding and technical assistance from EPA,
USDA-RD has now stepped in to fund the final construction and equipment
installation at the transfer stations.
RCRA Tribal Team Sponsors 12th Annual
Alaska Tribal Environmental Management Conference:
In FY2007, the team continued to fund the Alaska Native
Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) through an on-going
Inter-Agency Agreement with Indian Health Service. The
partnership project leverages the expertise of ANTHC
personnel to provide technical assistance and mini-grants
to tribes in Alaska for solid waste planning. Importantly,
the project sponsored the 12th year of the Alaska Tribal
Environmental Management Conference, a major
gathering of tribes, federal, state, and local agencies,
private sector, and community groups convening to share
information on environmental and solid waste issues
impacting Alaska.
Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network Celebrates 10 Years of Success:
Founded in 1997, the Tribal Solid Waste Advisory
Network (TSWAN) is a non-profit alliance of 20 federally-
recognized tribes from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
EPA Region 10 played an instrumental role in funding the
fledgling organization and working collaboratively with
member tribes to build TSWAN's capacity. In 2007,
TSWAN celebrated its 10th year of successful, ground-
breaking work to strategize and implement solid waste
solutions in Indian country. Successes include creating
and implementing the TSWAN Integrated Solid Waste
Planning Template - a unique tutorial to help tribes write
integrated solid waste management plans which are suited to their localities,
cultures and needs. The TSWAN template and technical support on using the
template is in high demand throughout the region and the nation. This is just one of
many TSWAN successes culminating in FY2007. TSWAN awarded plaques to Al
LaTourette and Fran Stefan in recognition of their support of this tribal partnership
for solid waste.
The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council 2007 Summit:
The Healing Journey
August 9 -13, 2007 the Yukon River Inter-Tribal
Watershed Council (YRITWC) celebrated its 10th
anniversary with a 2300 mile paddle the length of the
Yukon River, culminating in a 5-day Summit in St. Mary's,
Alaska. The YRITWC began in 1997 when chiefs and
elders from peoples living along the Yukon River gathered in Galena, Alaska. They
came together to talk about growing health problems in their communities,
inadequate environmental monitoring and loss of their ways of life. Out of this first
talking circle they evolved a new alliance—the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed
Council—whose goal is to "once again drink clean water directly from the River as
our ancestors before us."
Key FY2007 accomplishments:
Open Dumps and Integrated Waste Management Plans:
Region 10 Meets and Exceeds Tribal Solid Waste Strategic Targets:
In FY2007, EPA Region 10 partnered with tribes to close and clean up 2 significant
open dumps impacting tribal lands, meeting our strategic target for the year. In
addition, Region 10 worked with tribes to log 10 tribal integrated waste management
plans, far exceeding our commitment of 4 for the year.
Nikolski Completes Drum Cleanup/Creates Solid Waste Plan:
The Native Village of Nikolski completed a drum consolidation and soil remediation
project that may well serve as a model for other villages in remote parts of Alaska.
Nikolski is a small, traditional Aleut community located in the central Aleutian
Islands, 900 air miles from Anchorage, Alaska. Archeologists have recovered
evidence from the Chaluka Mound, located within the Native Village of Nikolski,
leading them to believe Nikolski may be the oldest continuously occupied
community site in the western hemisphere (8,500 years).
The Nikolski drum removal effort
moved over 200 drums, junk
vehicles, and scraps metal off-
site for proper disposal and
cleaned up contaminated soils.
Through the efforts of Nikolski,
EPA Region 10 Indian General
Assistance Program, the Alaska
Department of Environmental
Conservation, the Chaluka Native
Corporation, and the Aleutian
Pribilof Islands Association, the
project serves to protect the
villagers from potential health
impacts from the waste. This is
especially important because the
Nikolski Drum Project in Process:
village economy is almost entirely subsistence-based. This effort is monumental
considering the remote location and harsh weather in Nikolski. Frequent terrible
storms and dense fog visit the island, making it inaccessible during many parts of
the year.
In addition to the drum cleanup project, Nikolski worked with an EPA Solid Waste
Management Assistance grant to draft a new solid waste management plan and
ordinance for their community. The community rallied together to undertake the
difficult task of siting a new landfill. The village coordinated with the team, EPA
Region 10 Alaska Operations Office, and the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation on permitting issues and partnered with the Aleutian Pribilof Islands
Association to access key technical assistance.
Yakama Nation Closes Medicine Valley Dump:
In FY2007, Yakama Nation tribal solid waste managers successfully leveraged tribal
and EPA Indian General Assistance Program funds to close a significant dump site.
The Yakama Indian Nation reservation is 1.2 million acres - twice as large as the
state of Rhode Island. There are approximately 8500 tribal members living on the
reservation, however, they make up only 20% of the population within the
reservation boundaries. Non-members, as a result of the Dawes Act, live within the
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reservation boundaries on fee land creating a checkerboard pattern of land
ownership. The Nation has revitalized its solid waste management program, in part
due to serious problems with illegal dumping by non-tribal members.
The Medicine Valley Dump contained municipal solid waste, electronics waste, and
potential hazardous waste. The waste was primarily located on the surface with no
cover. The site had become inactive and the tribe took action to control site access,
remove the waste, dispose of the waste at an appropriate solid waste landfill, and
actively monitor the site to ensure it remains clean.
Circuit Rider Partners with Tribes to Inventory Dump Sites:
In FY2007, Circuit Rider Al LaTourette continued to
partner with and train tribal solid waste staff to
systematically locate and record the unique attributes of
illegal open dump sites of concern to tribes. In the
process, Al programmed and field-tested a new piece of
equipment, the hand-held Trimble Got Global Positioning
System Receiver with built-in data logging capability.
This technology allows the user to log location and
descriptive information in the field and transfer it
electronically to a dump inventory database and mapping
software. This work is important because it allows tribes
and EPA to produce electronic inventories and maps of
open dumps to support efforts to garner resources to
clean up and close illegal dump sites.
Pacific Northwest and Alaska Tribal Waste Inventory Reveals Insights:
Region 10 has compiled an inventory of waste management conditions in 229
Alaskan Native Villages and 42 tribes in the Pacific Northwest. In FY2007, the
inventory was used to report and track strategic targets, develop a baseline of waste
burning activities in Alaska, and track dozens of village site visits and technical
assistance to tribes. In FY2007 the inventory shows:
• 10 tribes have solid waste management plans and 18 more are nearing
completion -all plans address EPA-recommended elements
• 80 additional tribes have plans that are tailored for their communities or are under
development
• 391 sites, including 261 open dumps, 95 landfills and 35 transfer stations are
cataloged
• Tribes/communities are actively working to clean up/close at least 22 problem
dump sites
• At least 98 tribes have voiced concern over health and environmental impacts
from waste
• Approximately 114 Alaska communities are burning waste through open burning,
backyard burn barrels, burn boxes, and/or incinerators
• Information on access road conditions for 73 dump and landfill sites in Alaska are
logged
Collaboration:
Circuit Riders Visit 22 Tribes and Villages:
In FY2007, the Region 10 RCRATribal
Waste Team circuit riders provided in-
person technical assistance to 22
villages and tribes throughout the
region. Al LaTourette and Ted Jacobson,
circled at right, traveled over 2700 miles,
visited 16 dump sites and landfills,
assessed and inventoried solid waste
site conditions, and met with tribal and
village contacts. The circuit riders act as
solid waste liasons meeting face to face,
fielding phone calls and providing
technical support to tribal staff and
leaders. The extensive on-the-ground
experience and knowledge of Al and Ted
is a key factor in their success and
ability to build lasting relationships with
tribes.
EPA and Indian Health Service Launch Joint Open Dump Tracking System:
In FY2007, the Region 10 RCRA Tribal Waste Team collaborated with Regions 8
and 9 and the Indian Health Service (IMS) to re-design the wSTARS Operations and
Maintenance Data System to store and track tribal open dump information. The
results of the cross-agency work include building a joint data system accessible to
IMS and EPA personnel, creating a field form for engineers and site assessors to
use when logging open dump assessments, and writing a field guide that defines a
common understanding of the key terms and conditions needed to track the clean
up of open dumps across the country.
Sanitation Tracking and Reporting System (STARS)
Welcome to STARS, a system of the Indian Health Service (MS).
Overview of the Web Sanitation Tracking and Reporting System (wSTARS)
EPA Region 10 Builds Partnership with
US Department of Agriculture-Rural Development:
In FY2007, the RCRA Tribal Waste Team hosted two meetings with the US
Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD). State directors and staff
from Idaho, Oregon and Washington met with the team to launch an effort to work
more strategically together to support tribal efforts to build safe waste systems. An
example of the benefits of working together is the staged funding provided by EPA,
IHS and USDA-RD to the Spokane Tribe to plan for, design, build and implement a
new transfer station system to replace two large, unmanaged open dumps on the
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