Building Tribal
Capacity through the
National Tribal Waste
Management Peer
Matching Program

~	Collaborative Knowledge Sharing

^ Why Reinvent the Wheel?

^ Capacity Building and Self-Sufficiency,
a Perfect Pair

~	Peer Matching Benefits:

The Mentor, Mentee, and the Environment

vvEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

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CONTENTS

EPA's National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program Enhances Tribal Capacity	3

Peer Matching Case Studies	5

Sharing Knowledge Benefits Everyone	5

Three Heads Are Better Than One	7

Planning for an Integrated Waste Management Plan	8

A Rewarding Endeavor for EPA and Tribal Representatives	10

Peer Mentors Look to Pay-it-Forward	11

Peer Matches Improve Waste Management and Save Money	12

Resources for Building Sustainable Tribal Waste Management Programs	13

Future Capacity Builders! Activities for Kids	14

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact name: Tonya Hawkins

EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Phone number: (703) 308-8278

Email: TribalPeerMatch@epa.gov

MAILING ADDRESS

National Tribal Waste Management
Peer Matching Program

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mail Code 5303P
Washington, DC 20460

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EPA Region 2

•	EPA - Lorraine Graves and Garrett Smith,

Solid Waste Circuit Rider

•	St. Regis Mohawk Tribe - Mentee Les Benedict

EPA Region 5

•	EPA - Dolly Tong

•	Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe -
Mentor Dave DAcquisto

•	Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa -
Mentor Shannon Judd

•	Keweenaw Bay Indian Community - Mentee Char
Spruce

EPA Region 10

•	Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network - Mentor
Kami Snowden

•	Makah Tribe - Mentee Steve Pendleton

EPA Headquarters - Tonya Hawkins, Kim Katonica, and
Charles Reddoor, EPA Office of Resource Conservation
and Recovery

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EPA's National Tribal Waste
Management Peer Matching
Program Enhances Tribal Capacity

About the Program

To strengthen tribal capacity and develop sustainable
waste management programs, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) facilitates the National
Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program.
Evolving from several successful regional efforts,
the Peer Matching Program assists in connecting
participating tribes (mentors) and successful tribal
waste management programs with tribes (mentees) that
need assistance.

Peer matches are voluntary opportunities for tribes,
tribal consortia, and Alaska Native Villages that
are working on similar waste management issues
to exchange experiences and practical knowledge
through a mentoring program. Tribes, tribal consortia,
and Alaska Native Villages can address a particular
challenge, such as designing and supervising
construction of a transfer station. Peer matching also
supports collaboration and builds relationships among
the tribes and with EPA.

"EPA can play an important
role in providing technical and
financial assistance for capacity
building activities by facilitating
information sharing between
tribes to more efficiently
protect human health and the
environment."

Lorraine Graves, EPA Region 2

NATIONAL

TRIBAL

WASTE MANAGEMENT

PEER MATCHING

PROGRAM

Shared Responsibility for
Waste Management

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
of 1976 provided a comprehensive national program to
encourage source reduction, recycling, and safe disposal
of municipal waste. In addition, RCRA mandated
requirements for treatment, storage, and disposal of
hazardous waste to minimize present and future risks.
Throughout the early 1980s and '90s, EPA developed
and refined hazardous waste regulations under RCRA.

EPA has a shared responsibility with tribal governments
to support the protection and restoration of tribal
lands and resources that are under tribal stewardship.
Today, EPA Headquarters and regional staff focus on
tribal waste activities under RCRA and provide both
financial and technical assistance to tribes to develop
and implement waste management programs through
the development of Integrated Waste Management Plans
(IWMPs).

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3

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National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program: How it Works

What is the process for participating in the Peer Matching Program?

1 [



]

2 EPA confirms receipt of the request and may ask a few questions to further assess the needs
of the tribe requesting assistance.

8

i

m EPA identifies a tribal match between the tribe seeking the technical assistance (mentee) and
O a tribe with the appropriate expertise (mentor). EPA confirms the mentor tribe's availability to
assist the tribe requesting assistance. EPA provides contact information to both tribes.

m The tribes work collaboratively to define and address the needs of the tribe requesting
^ assistance.

^ As requested, EPA provides facilitation (e.g., periodic conference calls and/or meetings) or
^ other support to work towards project goals.

£

I

All matched tribes are expected to maintain regular communication and
follow through on their commitments.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Mentor, Mentee, and EPA

Mentor

Mentee

EPA

•	Peer mentors, or the staff from the
mentor tribes, tribal consortia, or
Alaska Native Villages, provide
expertise and knowledge to the
tribe requesting assistance.

•	Mentors have knowledge of a waste
management process or project and
can leverage their own experience
to assist the tribe requesting
assistance.

•	Mentors are volunteers who
participate in the program. In some
cases, mentors are recruited by EPA
based on a particular need.

•	A mentor is not intended to take
the place of a general contractor,
consultant, or other position that is
traditionally paid.

•	Mentees have a specific waste
management program need.

•	Mentees have identified a specific
challenge, such as development of
an Integrated Waste Management
Plan or waste enforcement codes;
construction and operation of a
transfer station, recycling facility, or
landfill; or implementation of best
practices for pollution prevention or
recycling programs.

•	A mentee is approaching a key
decision point in the design

or implementation of a waste
management program solution.

•	Mentees may have limited funding
for travel or associated costs for
formal waste management program
training.

•	Mentees anticipate that waste
management projects will be
completed within a one-year
timeframe.

•	EPA Headquarters, in collaboration
with EPA regions, facilitates matches
and works with the matched tribes
throughout the mentoring process.

•	EPA facilitates communication and
provides support as agreed upon by
the two tribes.

•	EPA provides information on available
funding to support the program, such
as through the Indian Environmental
General Assistance Program (GAP).

4

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CASE STUDIES

Sharing Knowledge

Haudenosaunee Environmental Task
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

The Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force (HETF)
assisted the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) with
finding a solution to its solid waste management issues.
An EPA grant allowed the tribes of the Haudenosaunee
Nations, which includes SRMT, to travel to a series of
seminars to learn more about developing an Integrated
Waste Management Plan (IWMP).

Haudenosaunee Environmental Task
Force

The HETF was established in 1992 by the
Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as Iroquois
or Six Nations) to assist Haudenosaunee Nations
(Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and
Tuscarora) in exercising their rights and responsibilities
with regard to their environmental concerns. EPA,
under the Indian Environmental General Assistance
Program (GAP), provides funding to HETF to work
on a variety of environmental issues. HETF serves as a
vehicle for environmental information sharing with its
own members, and with others. HETF is composed of
delegates chosen by each Haudenosaunee Nation who
are committed to identifying environmental problems
in their communities.

The Haudenosaunee
Environmental Task Force
(HETF) helps tribal members
work together to promote
environmental agendas.
The HETF Consortium's
Communication Forums
provide tools for solving
environmental problems.

Benefits Everyone:

Force and the

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

The SRMT historically discarded its waste at a
community open dump operated by the town of
Bombay, which caused environmental impacts. After
the dump was closed, Franklin County took over the
responsibility for solid waste disposal, constructed a
sanitary landfill, and charged costly fees. The SRMT
did not have a solid waste management service, and
people in the community had to make arrangements
with several nontribal haulers to have their waste and
recyclables collected for fees. The cost plus the driving
distance of approximately 25 miles to the nearest
transfer station was not a reasonable solution, and some
open dumping continued. The SRMT wanted to change
this behavior, so it developed a solid waste program
that was spearheaded by previous SRMT Director
of Solid Waste Management, Laura Weber. The tribe
received a grant of $300,000 from EPA that enabled the
implementation of its solid waste program, including a
recycling/reuse center.

Voluntary Seminars and Knowledge
Sharing Build Confidence

During the development of the solid waste program,
the SRMT implemented a series of voluntary seminars
to educate tribes on specific programs. They developed
the seminars based on feedback EPA received via
questionnaires sent to the Six Nations asking what solid
waste topics they wanted to learn about. EPA provided
the Mohawk Tribe with solid waste expertise and travel
funding through a grant to assist other tribal nations in
attending the seminars. Lorraine Graves of EPA Region
2 office stated that one big benefit of disseminating
the information at the seminars was that the tribes are
more receptive to messages from other tribes and tribal
members.

This peer match was initiated because of the SRMT's
need to protect its land from continued environmental
impacts. SRMT then transmitted its knowledge to
other tribal nations. Ms. Graves stated that the peer
match changed participants' approach to a "can do"
spirit after the seminars. The Six Nations used EPA
grant money for the development of IWMPs and the
implementation of several clean-up days to include
cleaning up tires, TVs, electronics, and other items.

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5

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CASE STUDIES

The SRMT waste transfer and recycling/reuse center

"If one is willing to take
responsibility and willing
to learn (mentees), there
are many who are willing to
share their knowledge and
experience (mentors)."

Les Benedict of the St. Regis Mohawk
Tribe and the Haudenosaunee
Environmental Task Force

The seminars built confidence through increased
knowledge and accomplishment. Applicable resources
were shared among tribes, thereby reducing the time
and effort that went into creating IWMPs. Garrett
Smith, EPA Region 2, said this is a case where tribes
helped tribes.

SRMT Transfer Station Has Positive
impacts on the Community

The SRMT waste transfer station and recycling/reuse
center opened during the summer of 2001 as a result
of the capacity built during the peer match program.
The opening of the waste transfer station and recycling/
reuse center was critical to implementing the tribe's
solid waste management system, which is necessary in
promoting the long-term protection of Mohawk lands
while contributing to the economic and social progress
of the community.

The opening of the waste transfer station and recycling/
reuse center was the first step in implementing
a program that provides a long-term solution to
managing solid waste in a manner that is respectful of
the earth and people. The SRMT Environment Division
will continue to develop this program to ensure a
cleaner, safer community for this generation and future
generations of Mohawk people.

6

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CASE STUDIES

Three Heads Are Better Than One

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Bad River Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) is
situated along the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan.
Lacking local and economically feasible waste disposal
options, the KBIC needed technical assistance focused
on implementing an Integrated Waste Management
Plan (IWMP) and developing a transfer station. During
2010, with EPA Region 5's assistance, the KBIC was
matched with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa. These tribes had built transfer stations
that are equidistant from the KBIC. It was useful for
the KBIC to look at the different options because
both tribes handle waste management in a slightly
different way. Dolly Tong, EPA Region 5 Tribal Solid
Waste and Pollution Prevention Coordinator, stated
that the tribes in this close-knit region were happy to
help and share their knowledge. She said that through
a Indian Environmental General Assistance Program
(GAP) grant, the KBIC received travel funds to visit
each transfer station in person, which would not have
otherwise been possible.

Collective Knowledge, Experience,
Skills, and Insights Provide Solutions

The Bad River Band and the Fond du Lac Band used
their experiences with the implementation of IWMPs
and shared valuable tools and insight with the KBIC.
The Bad River Band had been paying a private vendor
to haul away recyclable materials. The vendor then sold
those recyclable materials, receiving a hefty profit. The
money that the tribe paid to haul away materials and the
lost revenue from the value of the recyclable materials
were eventually brought back to the community when
the transfer station was built, providing the Bad River
Band self-sufficiency and solid waste service jobs.

An initial challenge was that the KBIC was not sure
what items to budget for in its IWMP. Dave DAcquisto,
Solid Waste Program Manager for the Bad River Band
of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe, assisted the KBIC by
providing his budget plan and access to vendor prices
to Char Spruce, KBIC Environmental Specialist. Mr.
DAcquisto recommends buying your own equipment
such as compactors and not renting from private
vendors; "It makes more economic sense," he says.

Tribal Waste Journal

Mr. DAcquisto also recommends getting the tribal
council involved; have them specifically approve
development of IWMP and ordinances. It is very
important that the ordinances be enforced, thereby
assisting tribes in cleaning up and keeping their land
clean.

Mr. DAcquisto said that getting the tribal council
involved and on-board is a critical foundation.
Educating the council members will help them make
informed decisions. Likewise, increasing the tribes
awareness of solid waste issues and the financial benefits
of a self-sustaining waste management system (without
a private vendor involved) will help the council and
tribal members see the benefits more clearly.

Working toward self-sufficiency by getting the third-
party vendor off the reservation instead of letting that
firm take a cut of the money was Mr. DAcquisto's main
goal. Mr. DAcquisto says that if you can make a profit
from waste management, why wouldn't you? Not only
are you taking care of your own community's needs
and protecting the environment, you can also generate
income for the community.

Shannon Judd of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa Tribe mentored the KBIC by
conducting document reviews, participating in all calls,
providing input on the IWMP process, and assisting
with site tours. In addition, bringing the KBIC to see
the Carlton County transfer station helped to stimulate
ideas. Ms. Judd said the staff at the county transfer
station offered their expertise and special insights. Ms.
Judd highly recommends visiting existing sites and
meeting the people working on the sites. She says that
site visits help the mentor see the challenges of the
tribe. For the mentee, it is highly beneficial to see the
layouts of different transfer stations. The staff involved
are always happy to help, especially if they have been
through the same challenge themselves. "We don't want
[the KBIC] to have to reinvent the wheel," said Ms. Judd.
She said it felt like "an honor" to be contacted, help on
a project, and make it a little easier for someone else. "I
feel that mentoring is personally rewarding," she said.

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Planning for an Integrated Waste
Management Plan

Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network and the Makah Tribe

Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network

The Tribal Solid Waste Advisory Network (TSWAN)
was formed in 1997 in an effort to address solid waste
management and environmental issues in Indian
Country by transferring and sharing knowledge among
tribes. TSWAN is currently a nonprofit organization of
34 federally recognized Tribes and other tribal consortia
throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska.
TSWAN started because it seemed that tribes were
always "reinventing the wheel," says Ms. Kami Snowden,
Executive Director of TSWAN. She says that one area in
which tribes benefit from shared knowledge is developing
an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP).

Through an EPA grant, TSWAN built a template and
a checklist to help tribes draft their own IWMP. This
gave tribes a way to tailor their IWMP to their needs.
Another such template that TSWAN developed is for an
Environmental Sustainability Plan. This template helps
tribes sustain their IWMP after it is implemented. Both
of these templates help answer pertinent questions such
as, "How ready are you to implement and sustain an
IWMP?" Even though TSWAN was developed by Pacific
Northwest tribes it also helps tribes nationally, not just

in EPA Region 10. Ms. Snowden says the bottom line is
that the templates assist tribes in conducting the planning
process for the IWMP internally without having to spend
money on consultants.

A great example of peer matching is the collaboration
among the Makah, Colville, and Umatilla Tribes. The
Makah Tribe, located on the remote northwest tip
of the Olympic Peninsula at Neah Bay, Washington,
benefited from expertise provided by the Colville Tribe
and the Umatilla Tribe, both of which are in the Pacific
Northwest. The Colville Tribe had previously assisted
the Umatilla Tribe, and then joined forces to assist the
Makah Tribe. "It was like a waterfall effect," says Ms.
Snowden of TSWAN. When the Makah Tribe needed
a transfer station, the Colville and Umatilla Tribes
communicated this need to their respective councils and
asked for approval to share their resources. The Umatilla
Tribe offered the engineering plans for its transfer
station, and the Colville Tribe provided experienced
construction workers. The Makah Tribe retrofitted
the plans to conform to the specific conditions on
its site "and saved $20,000" says Steve Pendleton,
Environmental Program Manager with the Makah Tribe.

8

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CASE STUDIES

Makah Tribe Collaborated with Federal
and Local Governments on a New
Transfer Station

The Makah Tribe, the U.S. Air Force, Indian Health
Service (IHS), Cape Flattery's School District, the
U.S. Coast Guard, and residents from neighboring
communities all used the Warmhouse Beach open
dump, located approximately three miles northwest of
Neah Bay in Clallam County, WA to dispose of trash.
The dump received municipal solid and hazardous
wastes from the early 1970s until 2012 and was the
tribes only option for disposing of its waste. The dump
had to be closed, but a new solid waste transfer station
needed to be opened first. (The open dump is now a
Superfund site.) The Makah Reservation is small and
remote, and figuring out the location of the transfer
station within the reservation without impacting coastal
lands posed an environmental issue.

Financial assistance for the planning phase came
from EPA and IHS. The Makah Tribe also secured
funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rural Development to complete the design, prepare
construction drawings and specifications, and Construct
the facility. In 2012, the Makah Tribe, after much
determination and problem solving, opened a solid
waste transfer station. Mr. Pendleton indicated that the
Makah Tribe needed a closed system to protect ground
and surface water, and thanks to the experience and
assistance from the Umatilla tribe, "we tweaked their
plans to fit our needs."

With the assistance of TSWAN's Pacific Northwest
tribal alliance and with the Colville and Umatilla
Tribes stepping up to help, the Makah Tribe was able to
conquer a tough issue and is continuing today with its
quest to protect the local Puget Sound environment. In
addition, the IWMP templates and checklists developed
by TSWAN give the tribes the resources needed to
save time and money. Mr. Pendleton says that this peer
match assisted them, and "Now that we are where we
are, we are the mentor! Now tribes are calling us, and
we are helping them. When we meet at TSWAN folks
are asking us for help ,and others that are not TSWAN
members are coming and wanting to join."

"There was definitely a
willingness to share, and
when the tribes get together
the value of the face-to-face
interactions is priceless."

Kami Snowden of TSWAN

The Makah Tribe's Commitment to
Going Green

The Makah Tribe took it a step further and committed
to green practices and sustainable construction and
operation by avoiding wetlands, choosing a previously
disturbed site, and reusing portions of an old shop
building for the new waste facility. Other sustainable
practices include rainwater harvesting; use of natural
stormwater controls; and energy conservation; as well
as diversion of household hazardous waste, reusable
materials, recyclable materials, appliances, and junk
vehicles. Mr. Pendleton says, "This is not just about the
development of a transfer station; it is bigger than that.
Outreach and education in communities is a huge part
of any solid waste program. We are reaching out to the
community schools to give the kids an understanding
of how environmental stewardship works in the
community."

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A Rewarding Endeavor for EPA and
Tribal Representatives

All parties involved in the peer matching activities have
experienced the rewarding feeling that comes from
helping others and seeing them succeed.

Within EPA Region 2 Tribal Waste Program, Lorraine
Graves and Garrett Smith have been supporting tribal
peer matching for years. Ms. Graves stated, "when you
witness the true spirit of wanting to help - that's the
reward. It is a spirit of cooperation and competitiveness.
If they can do it, so can we!" She also stated that EPA is
charged with increasing capacity building among tribes.
"If you can assist by promoting self-determination,
through increased knowledge, the tribes in turn have a

better understanding and are very interested in solving
their own waste problems." Mr. Smith indicated that
the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) was committed
to develop a solid waste program and EPA assisted the
SRMT to determine the components of their program.
This helped the tribe to obtain a grant from EPA to
develop a solid waste program, and construct a waste
transfer station. "They are very ambitious, enterprising
people, always looking at new materials that have
the ability to be recycled and always looking for new
frontiers," he said.

The Value of Givin

"Peer matching is something that we
as native people have been doing for
centuries. This is not a new thing. We
have been sharing and trading ideas
along with other natural resources
for a very long time.This comes
naturally for us. It's been a way of life
for us since time inmemorial."

Steve Pendleton
(Makah Tribe)

"To find a tribe who is experiencing
success and is able to share it with
another tribe, culturally—this is highly
beneficial. Tribal entities have a
cultural commonality."

Les Benedict
(SRMT)

"Peer matching can be a
productive, cost-effective,
culturally relevant method of
providing technical assistance
on a wide range of waste-related
topics."

Char Spruce
(Keweenaw Bay Indian Community)

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Peer Mentors Look to Pay-It-Forward

A common theme throughout the peer matching case
studies is the sharing of knowledge and the positive
experience of both the mentors and the mentees, during
and after the peer match. The relationship between the
mentor and mentee is focused on doing something
solely to benefit others, like the pay-it-forward concept.
As an extension of this concept, mentees have found that
if you gain solid waste management knowledge from
someone, it makes sharing this knowledge a lot easier.

There is a cultural commonality among native cultures
in that they highly value their role as stewards of
natural resources. Fulfillment of this role, however, is
often constrained by a lack of resources and technical
capability. Capacity building and collaboration
through peer matching strengthens tribes' ability to
define problems and identify and implement waste
management solutions, and is an important ingredient
for supporting environmental stewardship.

Les Benedict of the St.
Regis Mohawk Tribe
and the Haudenosaunee
Environmental Task
Force said that the
Mohawk Tribe has a
willingness to learn, take
responsibility, and share
information. He also
stated that information
exchange seems to flow
more easily in a less
formal atmosphere. This
is common in native
communities where
people come together
in a room and let the
information exchange
develop on its own
through sharing dialog
and food.

Dave D'Acquisto, Solid
Waste Program Manager
for the Bad River
Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Tribe, said—it
is better to give than
to receive; that is what
our people do. How can
we help each other to
rise above, go with the
change, and conduct a
solid waste management
program like a business?

Shannon Judd of the
Fond du Lac Band of
Lake Superior Chippewa
Tribe said that it is a great
opportunity to share
in different situations
- it's nice to work with
someone who has gone
through it, when the
situation is relevant to
what you are trying to do.

Kami Snowden,
Executive Director of
TSWAN, an alliance
whose primary goal
is to share technical
expertise, information,
and opportunities with
one another, stated that
in her experiences in
assisting the Umatilla
Tribe there was definitely
a willingness to share.

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Peer Matches Improve
Waste Management
and Save Money

"Let us put our minds together and see
what life we can make for our children."

Sitting Bull

Self-Sufficiency

Being involved in a peer match can assist a tribe in becoming self-sufficient.
Self-sufficiency involves more than cleaning up tribal lands, protecting
Mother Earth, and managing waste. It also involves harnessing the potential
to generate income by implementing different waste programs. Once Dave
D'Acquisto, Solid Waste Program Manager for the Bad River Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa Tribe, was able to eliminate the third-party vendor
that was hauling away and selling the tribes recyclable materials, a $60,000
value, the Bad River Tribe
was able to receive this
profit. Now the tribe has its
own sustainable solid waste
and recycling program in
place and has expanded
the program to include
household hazardous waste
and dumpster services.

The Saint Regis Mohawk
Tribe (SRMT) previously
had a contract hauler that was charging a flat fee per container, whether full
or not. However, if the container exceeded the waste limit, the cost of this
was significant. This factor, along with other environmental considerations
mentioned earlier, were reason enough for the SRMT to become self-
sufficient. The SRMT recycling program has expanded in the last three
years to include electronic waste. Today, the solid waste program includes
recycling and reusing auto tires, scrap metal, and wood chips generated
by community projects, and the SRMT is working on a textile recycling
program and composting. In addition, there is an exchange program for
reuse of household products. The SRMT program is very successful and is
proud to have a high profile within the community.

Building Competence and Confidence

Finally, what is evident in all of the experiences shared by the various
organizations and tribal members, both mentors and mentees, is the concept
that with knowledge and accomplishment comes competence. With that
competence also comes confidence to take on additional challenges. There is
an abundance of resources readily available to help spread knowledge, both
online and in the minds of those willing and eager to share.

12

Working Together
for the Common
Good

When people, collectively, work toward
a common goal, such as developing
a sustainable waste management
program, the strength of the groups
resources, knowledge, and efforts
combined are more powerful than one
lone person trying to take on the task
by himself or herself.

Another common goal is investing
in the preservation of tribal lands for
generations to come. By increasing
tribal capacity and establishing a
waste management system, tribes gain
control over their waste management,
empowering them to protect human
health and the environment. By
taking this goal a step further and
incorporating financial self-sufficiency,
the outcome can be a successful,
sustainable waste management
program.

The types of knowledge and resources
shared among tribes and presented
in this Tribal Waste Journal are very
diverse, from tangible plans to moral
support. Each case study discusses
the waste management issues faced
by mentees and the various ways in
which the mentors helped. In the case
studies, one group brought labor from
experienced construction workers
while another shared its financial
experience. Other resources offered
were a feasibility study; engineering
drawings; checklists; educational
outreach; and proven techniques for
making presentations. Mentors also
helped with the development of an
IWMP; development of solid waste
enforcement codes; development
of recycling programs; and other
waste management efforts. With this
collective knowledge and experience,
tribes can overcome environmental
challenges by working collaboratively
to build tribal capacity and sustainable
waste management programs through
the National Tribal Waste Management
Peer Matching Program.

Tribal Waste Journal

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Resources for Building Sustainable
Tribal Waste Management Programs

National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program

https://www.epa.gov/tribal-lands/forms/national-tribal-waste-manaaement-peer-matchina-proaram

This website provides additional information on the National Tribal Waste Management Peer Matching Program,

including information on funding, a participation request form, a factsheet, and other program information.

Cleaning Up, Protecting and Preserving Tribal Lands

https://www.epa.gov/tribal-lands

This website will provide you with the resources to assist in the prevention and cleanup of waste on tribal lands. This
includes information on waste management codes and ordinances; developing an Integrated Waste Management
Plan; tribal partnership groups that assist in building stronger partnerships between resource agencies and tribes; and
grants on various environmental protection topics.

EPA Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP)

https://www.epa.aov/tribal/indian-environmental-aeneral-assistance-proaram-gap

GAP grants assist federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia in planning, developing, and establishing solid and
hazardous waste management programs on tribal lands.

Tribal Pollution Prevention Network

http://tribalp2.org/

The major objective of the national Tribal Pollution Prevention Network (Tribal P2) is to share information
and identify solutions to address environmental issues affecting the tribal nations using pollution prevention
methodologies. Tribal P2 consists of environmental professionals from tribal entities; local, state and federal agencies;
academia; and non-profit organizations around the nation. Their mission is to work collaboratively with tribes
throughout the United States in reducing the environmental and health risks associated with the generation of waste
on tribal lands. Membership in the Network now stands at more than 300 individual participants, with more than
100 tribes participating.

Tribal Partnership Groups

https://www.epa.gov/tribal/tribal-partnership-groups

Tribal partnership groups allow tribes to exchange information through regional and national working groups, tribal
consortia, and focused committees. There are numerous partnership groups, including ones that focus on particular
environmental topics or broader issues such as communication or partnership strengthening.

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP)

http://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/Home/

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) at Northern Arizona University has fiduciary
responsibility for several partnerships between EPA and tribes. ITEP's mission is to strengthen tribal capacity
through education, research, partnerships and policy-based services. ITEP accomplishes its mission through several
programs, including the Tribal Solid Waste Education and Assistance Program.

Tribal Waste Journal	13

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uture Capacity Builders!

Activities for Kids

The 3Rs. Have you heard of
them?

The 3Rs refer to the terms often used when talking
about waste: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reducing is
cutting back on the amount of trash we make, reusing
is finding a new way to use items so that we don't throw
them out, and recycling is using trash to make new
goods.

After we throw trash away, we don't have to worry about
it, right? Wrong! If you think about how much trash you
throw out each day and then multiply that times seven
billion people on the planet... that's a lot of trash! Using
the 3Rs will help reduce the amount of trash we throw
away and help our communities. By Reducing, Reusing,
and Recycling we can preserve our environment and
save energy.

Learn more at www.epa.

Composting!

Reducing wasted food by composting, from uneaten
leftovers to spoiled produce, can help reduce the
amount of waste that winds up in our landfills. Compost
is a mixture of decomposing organic matter (e.g., food
waste, leaves, and lawn clippings) used to improve
the physical properties of the soil, such as texture and
aeration. Composting at home is easy!

Composting requires three basic ingredients:

Browns - This includes materials such as dead leaves, ¦
branches, and twigs.

Greens - This includes materials such as grass clippings,¦
vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds.

Water - Having the right amount of water, greens, and
browns is important for compost development.

Learn more at www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home.

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Donate it!

Recycle it!

Compost it!

:sj0msuv

Try the matching game below to see how
well you know your 3Rs and composting!

Waste Management Matching Game

When you can, it's best to avoid having waste in the first place. But, when
you do have something to get rid of, be sure to make the best choice for
the planet. Draw a line (or lines) from the items pictured below to the
best ways to dispose of them.

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&EPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

US EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
EPA 530-F-18-003
https://www.epa.gov/tribai-lands
March 2018

Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with a minimum 50% post-consumer waste
using vegetable-based inks.

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