NEWS The Tribal Newsletter is published free monthly To receive a copy, call: AK: Santina 907-271-3413 ID: Jim 208-378-5691 OR: Don 503-326-5015 WA: Alison 360-753-8185 LETTER Region 10 Tribal ewsletter h http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/TRIBAL.NSF/Newsletter/lssues SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Vol. 24 No. 9 September 2015 f Conferences and Workshops \ September 1-2 ANTHC Introduction to Effective GAP Management Training, Anchorage, AK http://www.anthc.org/chs/ces/hve/igap-resources.cfm 1-3 ITEP Treatment As a State, Las Vegas, NV http://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/Training/training_aq_tas 2-4 Brownfields 2015 Conference, Chicago, IL http://www.brownfieldsconference.org/en/home/conference_overview 9-11 Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee Meeting, Seattle, WA Contact JR Herbst at 206-553-2116 or herbst.john@epa.gov 14-16 25th National Tanks Conference & Expo, Phoenix, AZ http://www.neiwpcc.org/tanksconference 15-17 2015 CAFO Workgroup Meeting (Addressing Current Challenges in Nutrient Management and Animal Agriculture), USGS State Office, Boise, ID. Contact Ralph Fisher at fisher.ralph@epa.gov or 208-378-5761 22-23 Fluvial Sediment Data Collection and Turbidity Monitoring Workshop, Tacoma, WA. Contact Chris Curran, Washington Water Science Center, ccurran@usgs.gov 22-24 Air Pollution Modeling, Denver, CO http://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/Training/training_air/training_aq_apm October 13-14 Tribal Wetland Working Group Fall Workshop (TWIG), hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, ID. For info, contact Amy Anderson at aanderson@cdatribe-nsn.gov or Scott O'Daniel at scottodaniel@ctuir.org 13-14 2015 NAFWS Pacific Region Conference, Poison, MT http://www.nafws.org/events/regional-events 26-30 Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, Anchorage, AK http://www.atcemak.com ^ Continued V J ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 ( \ Conferences an & Continued November 8-12 Coastal arid Estuarine Research Federation 23rd Biennial Conference, Portland, OR. http://www.erf.org/cerf2015 17 - 19 Pollinator Protection Training for Tribes, Northern Quest Casino, Spokane, WA. http://prep.cw.wsu.edu 19 Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Science to Policy Summit (Successes and Obstacles in Toxic Reduction), Vancouver, WA http://www.estuarypartnership.org/ event/2015/science-policy-summit-toxics-reduction-successes-and-obstacles December 8-10 Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee Meeting, Seattle, WA Contact JR Herbst at 206-553-2116 or herbst.john@epa.gov For more information on EPA Tribal trainings, webinars, grants and opportunities for Tribal consultation, visit http://www.epa.gov/indian/calendar/index.htm Climate Change Webinars, Conferences and Trainings For a calendar of climate change and water-related trainings, conferences, and webinars, visit http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/Calendar-of-Events.cfm EPA Office of Water, Clean Water Act Tribal Training For a consolidated, centralized listing of training courses offered by EPA that will help Indian tribes develop and implement water quality programs consistent with the Clean Water Act, go to http://water.epa.gov/learn/training/tribaltraining EPA National Enforcement Training Institute or NETI Go to EPA's online training resource site for access to NETI course registration, training products, online classrooms, and e-mail updates. Several recorded webinars are available. http://www2.epa.gov/compliance/national-enforcement-training-institute-neti-elearning-center Tribal Energy Calendar of Events This calendar lists upcoming events in Indian Country sponsored by DOE and a variety of government agencies, associations, and organizations. http://appsl.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/events.cfm 2 - ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 EPA's Tribal Consultation Opportunities The following tribal consultation opportunities may be of interest to Region 10 Tribes. A full list of consultation opportunities is available at http://tcots.epa.gov/oita/tconsultation.nsf/TC7QpenView Portland Harbor Superfund Site Conceptual Cleanup Plan (Region 10) END DATE; To be determined LINK: http://go.usa.gov/3F3Dj CONTACT: Deborah Robinson at robinson.deborah@epa.gov, 206-553-4961 or Joanne Moore at moore.joanne@epa.gov, 206-553-0310 Considering a Baseline Water Quality Standards Proposed Rule END DATE: November 6 LINK: http://go.usa.gov/3F38z CONTACT: Danielle Anderson at anderson.danielle@epa.gov, 202-564-1631 or Fred Leutner at leutner.fred@epa.gov, 202-566-0378 Proposed CWATAS Interpretive Rule for Regulatory Programs (consultation continued) END DATE: October 6 LINK: http://go.usa.gov/36B2Q CONTACT: Fred Leutner at leutner.fred@epa.gov, 202-566-0378 Tribal Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes: DRAFT Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights END DATE: October 16 LINK: http://go.usa.gov/36B95 CONTACT: Jeff Besougloff at besougloff.jeff@epa.gov, 202-564-0292 or Dona Harris at harris.donna@epa.gov, 202-564-6633 Proposed Renewal of the EPA Stormwater Construction General Permit END DATE: October 13 LINK: http://go.usa.gov/36BBP CONTACT: Erika Farris at farris.erika@epa.gov, 202-564-7548 or Gary Hudiburgh at hudiburgh.gary@epa.gov, 202-564-0626 -3 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 ^l0TRIMtc% -*r" ¦ % jj- 'O/>'<0 ORtGOM RTOC UPDATE Submitted by Christy Finn, RTOC Communications Specialist RTOC Region 10 Meetings and Conference Calls The Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee currently meets in-person once per quarter and monthly in-between via conference calls. All tribes are encouraged to contact any RTOC representative to suggest items for inclusion for the monthly meeting agendas. Typically any requests for agenda topics should be made four to six weeks before an in-person meeting and one to three weeks before conference calls. For RTOC Region 10 representative contact information, please see our website at: http://rtocregionlO.org/contact-us If you wish to join the RTOC monthly conference call, please contact the Communication Specialist, Christy Finn at cs@rtocregionlO.org for more information. RTOC Region 10: Elections Update Regional Tribal Operations Committee, Region 10 will have six RTOC/ NTOC positions opening for 2015. EPA is scheduling announcements for August and will be sending out nomination forms to all the tribes. Please see our website at http://rtocregionlO.org/news/rtoc-rlO-nomination for latest information and updates. Requesting Comments on Priority Document Update The RTOC continues to seek comments for our update of the Tribal Priorities Document. Please review our current Priorities Document at http://rtocregionlO.org/tribal-priorities and let us know what we are missing or what needs to be changed. Send comments to the RTOC Policy Analyst at ricke@cforjustice.org See you at ATCEM! The RTOC RIO is pleased to be attending the Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, to be held October 26 - 30 in Anchorage, Alaska. The web page is at http://www.atcemak.com Please visit our booth at the Anchorage Hilton for information and latest updates from RTOC Region 10. Contact Christy Finn at cs@rtocregionlO.org or 253-328-4026 with any questions or for additional information. Thank you. 4- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 Commission for Environmental Cooperation Issues Five-Year Climate Plan EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, along with counterparts from Canada and Mexico, recently announced a 2015-2020 Strategic Plan that focuses on climate change mitigation and adaptation, green growth, and sustainable communities and ecosystems. The Strategic Plan represents a renewed commitment on the part of the three nations to conserve, protect, and enhance the North American environment by providing resources, expertise, and direction through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The CEC is an international organization that the U.S., Canada, and Mexico established in 1994 under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation. For information: http://go.usa.gov/36B69 or http://bit.ly/llpr2e6 State of the Climate in 2014 Report Released The American Meteorological Society has released the State of the Climate Report for 2014. The report, compiled by NOAA's Center for Weather and Climate at the National Centers for Environmental Information, is based on contributions from 413 scientists from 58 countries around the world. The report provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice, and in space. In 2014, the most essential indicators of Earth's changing climate continued to reflect trends of a warming planet, with several markers such as rising land and ocean temperature, sea levels and greenhouse gases setting new records. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36krT Coastal Alaska Natives Face Some of Highest Shoreline Erosion in the World Alaska's remote northern coast where several native communities live "has some of the highest shoreline erosion rates in the world," a USGS study released. Results varied along the shore, but more than a yard is being washed off most of the coast each year. In extreme cases, the study said, nearly 30 yards of coast disappeared from some beaches. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36k8R NASA Releases Detailed Global Climate Change Projections NASA has released data showing how temperature and rainfall patterns worldwide may change through the year 2100 because of growing concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere. The new dataset shows projected changes worldwide on a regional level. http://go.usa.gov/36kYQ -5 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 Administration's Priority Agenda for Enhancing Climate Resilience As called for in the Obama Administration's Priority Agenda for Enhancing the Climate Resilience of America's Natural Resources, Federal agencies worked closely with state, local, and tribal partners over the past six months. They have selected a suite of geographic areas that will demonstrate the feasibility, practice, and benefits of landscape-scale management approaches toward building climate resilience. This effort will be accomplishted through the use of existing, cooperative, inter-agency institutions and partnerships. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36k93 Forest Fire Season Lengthens Over a 35-year period, the length of forest fire seasons worldwide increased by 18.7 percent due to more rain-free days and hotter temperatures, according to research conducted by the US Forest Service and others. All continents, with the exception of Australia, and most vegetation types except boreal forests, showed significant increases in the fire weather season length. Some areas, including the Western United States and Alaska, show a steady lengthening of the fire season from 1979-2013. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/36kEW NOAA Map Viewer Shows Sea Level Rise A map viewer from NOAA's Office of Coastal Management illustrates the scale of potential coastal flooding for various amounts of sea level rise. Water levels are shown as they would appear during the highest high tides. http://go.usa.gov/36kQY Climate Research Global Sea Levels on the Rise A new review analyzing 30 years of research on the historic effects of melting polar ice sheets found that global sea levels have risen at least six meters, or about 20 feet, above present levels. Oregon State University says this happened on multiple occasions over the past three million years. What is most concerning is that amount of melting was caused by an increase of only 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in global mean temperatures. http://bit.ly/lEJ4Aov Glaciers Melting Faster than Ever The World Glacier Monitoring Service has compiled worldwide data on glacier changes for more than 120 years. Together with its national correspondents in more than 30 countries, the international service just published a new comprehensive analysis of global glacier changes. In this study published by the University of Zurich, observations of the first decade of the 21st century (2001-2010) were compared to all available earlier data. http://bit.ly/lfwvYze This newsletter contains information from multiple sources including tribes, newspapers, and other sources. Any information or opinions in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the United States or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 6- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 Funding EPA Solicits Proposals on Economics of Integrated Pest Management in Schools Due Date: September 9 EPA is soliciting proposals for a project to research and analyze the economics behind integrated pest management (IPM) in K-12 public and tribal schools. Proposals should highlight costs and savings of transitioning to an IPM program, the economic impacts of reduced pesticide applications and asthma related absenteeism from school, and energy savings resulting from pest exclusion activities. The agency expects to fund this two-year cooperative agreement for up to $300,000. EPA must receive proposals through Grants.gov by September 9. Additional information on this solicitation is available under the Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-OPP-2015-007 on grants.gov at http://go.usa.gov/37MRP FY 2016 Tribal Wildlife Grants Due Date: October 30 The US Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting proposals from tribes under the Tribal Wildlife Grants Program. These grants provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes for developing and implementatiing programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitat. ELIGIBILITY: Federally recognized tribal governments. http://www.fws.gov/nativeamerican/grants.html Training Northwest Environmental Training Center NWETC delivers tailored courses on current policy, standards, technology and regulations for environmental professionals. They provide opportunities for continued education in a wide variety of topics. Custom on-site training is offered by request both regionally and nationally. Discounts are available for government employees and members of other groups. Visit http://bit.ly/lvx735a Nielsen Environmental Field School Offers Courses Online The Nielsen Environmental Field School has developed an E-School of environmental courses. Currently available courses include: The Complete Ground Water Monitoring E-Course The Ground-Water Monitoring Well Design Construction & Development E-Course The Complete Ground-Water Sampling E-Course The Low-Flow Purging and Sampling and No-Purge Sampling E-Course The E-School Course and Module Catalog is available at http://bit.ly/lCqMvgY -7 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 News N E W S ThiS BEACH CLOSED TO RAZOR cum digging NOAA Awards $88,000 in Grant Funding to Respond to West Coast Harmful Algal Bloom Outbreak NOAA has announced that it is committing $88,000 in grant and event response funding for Washington state to monitor and analyze an unusually large bloom of toxic algae off its coast. Blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia have been occurring along the entire West Coast from southern California to Alaska since May 2015, prompting public health concerns. Some species of Pseudo-nitzschio create a strong neurotoxin, domoic acid, which accumulates in filter-feeding fish, such as anchovies and shellfish, and can affect marine mammals such as sea lions. Also, seafood contaminated with domoic acid can cause Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, a severe illness that can cause permanent short-term memory loss, brain damage, or death, in severe cases. When domoic acid Razor Clam digging area closure sign along the exceeds regulatory limits, State Officials Close Washington coast Washington State Department of Health shellfish beds and certain fishing areas. A $75,000 grant will be awarded to the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems for monitoring and analysis of the bloom in Washington state. An additional $13,000 to support data collection efforts will be distributed among multiple EPA Releases Progress Report on Innovations in Water Sector For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/36fCT partners. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36fd9 Clam diggers along the Washington state coast. NOAA officials emphasize that state and tribal agencies rigorously monitor toxin levels in shellfish so that com- mercially available seafood is safe to eat. Residents and visitors to the region should check the Washington Depart- ment of Health website for current closures. You can reach the website at http ://g o.usa.gov/36AGe Photo by NOAA 8- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 EPA Publishes Tribal The Tribal Green Building Toolkit was developed with input and priorities shared by tribes and includes information that may be of interest to other communities as well. Visit http://go.usa.gov/3ATSw It includes sections on Land Use, Materials and Resources, Green Manufactured Housing, Human Health (Radon, Mold and Other Pollutants), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Water and Resilience and Adaptability. The EPA would like to thank the following tribes that worked with the agency while they explored reen Building Toolkit different approaches to green building code development. Their processes and insights informed this Toolkit: Kayenta Township, Navajo Nation - http://go.usa.gov/3AbKe Pinoleville Pomo Nation Spokane Tribe Big Sandy Rancheria Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Thanks also to the Tribal Green Building Codes Workgroup and to all of the Toolkit contributors and reviewers. ( \ Native American Student Video Covers Climate Change Issues Native American students from all over the US have produced a video to help educate people about problems in their area caused by climate change. The students made the video participating in the 2015 Inter-Tribal Youth Congress. Watch at http://bit.ly/lKKgxMK v J Beavers Restore Streams, Wetlands, and Floodplains The North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, Portland State University, and the U.S. Forest Service to develop a comprehensive guide on using beavers for Stream restoration and management Rangeland improvement Wetland management and mitigation Transportation system planning and maintenance Water management More information: http://go.usa.gov/36fre EPA National Water Program The EPA's National Water Program has developed a handout summarizing the tools developed by the agency for state, tribal, and local governments and others to adapt their clean water and drinking water programs to a changing climate. Tools include, among others, a Storm Surge Inundation and Hurricane Strike Frequency Map; a Workbook for Developing Risk-Based Adaptation Plans; a Flood Resilience Guide for Water and Wastewater Utilities; and a National Stormwater Calculator with Climate Scenarios. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36fad ( \ Underground Storage Tank Resources Available EPA has posted two new resources on the web page to assist us all in implementing the 2015 revised Underground Storage Tank regulations. Both are tri-folds. One is a summary of the federal implementation timeframes at http://go.usa.gov/36FTR The second addresses the compatibility requirements in the regulations. Visit http://go.usa.gov/36FTd v J N E W s -9 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 N E W s EPA's Report on the Environment Updates Environmental and Public Health Indicators The EPA recently released updated environmental and public health indicators in the agency's Report on the Environment, it's an online resource that makes information about the current and histori- cal condition of the nation's environment and hu- man health more accessible to the public. In this update, users can explore 85 individual indicators for air, water, land, human exposure, health and ecological conditions. Easy to use interactive graphs, tables, and maps are available, and users can download the data for each indicator. The Report on the Environment indicators are peer-reviewed to meet high standards for accuracy, representativeness, and reliability. To access the Report on the Environment, go to http://www.epa.gov/roe s \ Rate of temperature change <- Cooler Warmer -> Tribal Wetland Working Group to Hold Fall Workshop Region 10's Tribal Wetland Working Group (TWIG) will be holding its Fall Workshop October 13 - 14, hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. TWIG's mission is to share knowledge in support of the restoration and protection of wetlands and other aquatic resources from a tribal perspective. TWIG holds bi-annual workshops and trainings which are open to all Region 10 Tribes. Travel assistance is available for participation in TWIG events. Please contact Amy Anderson, Envi- ronmental Programs, Coeur d'Alene Tribe, aanderson@cdatribe-nsn.gov, or Scott O'Daniel, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, scottodaniel@ctuir.org for more information about the upcoming TWIG Fall Workshop. 10- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter September 2015 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Alaska Operations Office ALASKA NEWS President Obama Visits Alaska The White House said President Barack Obama planned to visit Anchorage, Alaska, on Monday, August 31, to address the State Department's GLACIER conference. GLACIER convened ministers from Arctic nations and key non-Arctic states with scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders from Alaska and the Arctic region to discuss how climate change is reshaping the Arctic, increase global awareness of how Arctic climate change is affecting the rest of the world, and identify individual and collective actions to address these challenges. President Obama also planned to travel throughout the state and "engage directly with Alaskans," according to a White House official. He will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit Alaska's Arctic. The President planned to use his late August trip to Alaska as the backdrop of a message to the world about climate change, he announced in a video message, available at http://go.usa.gov/36feV "In Alaska, glaciers are melting. The hunting and fishing upon which generations have depended for their way of life, and for their jobs are threatened," President Obama stated in the video message. "Storm surges once held at bay now endanger entire villages. As Alaskan permafrost melts, some homes are even sinking into the ground." "When I'm there, I'll meet with Americans who are dealing with climate change every day, and I'll talk with other nations about how we can tackle this challenge together," he said. The trip is part of the President's ongoing effort to craft a legacy on climate change issues. In December, President Obama hopes to reach an international agreement on climate change with other United Nations countries. Alaska: Faces of Climate Change Video The EPA is making a series of short video clips on the impacts of climate change in communities. Hear how the rising ocean level affected one coastal village on a barrier island in Northwest Alaska. Anthony Fernandez shows us the former location of Shishmaref, Alaska, the native village where he was raised, which is now under water due to rising ocean levels from climate change. Watch the video on EPA Region 10's Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/eparegionlO or EPA's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoHQP3mNHks&feature=share Learn more about coastal impacts of climate change at: http://go.usa.gov/36Vf4 Anthony Fernandez points to the place underwater where his home used to be -11 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter Vol. 24 No. 9 - September 2015 SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency REGION 10 TRIBAL PROGRAM 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, ETPA-085 Seattle, WA 98101-3140 Toil-Free: 800-424-4372 Phone: 206-553-0542 Fax: 206-553-0151 Got News? The Region 10 Tribal Newsletter invites you, our readers, to submit ideas and articles for consideration and to share your successes and challenges. Photographs are also welcome as separate files in jpeg or other graphic format. Please submit articles and pictures to: IDAHO, OREGON, WASHINGTON Don Creek fiD EPA, 805 SW Broadway, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97205 ^0 email creek.don@epa.gov ALASKA Santina Gay uC EPA, 222 W. 7th Avenue #19 Anchorage, Alaska 99513 ^0 email gay.santina@epa.gov EPA Region 10 Tribal Trust and Assistance Unit Staff Sally Thomas, Unit Manager 206-553-2102 ALASKA Todd Bender, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-0344 Katherine Brown, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-7263 Michelle Davis, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-3434 Kristy Fry, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-1085 Santina Gay, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-3413 JR Herbst, Tribal Consultation Specialist 206-553-2116 Sherry Kimmons, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-6322 Nica Klaber, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-2570 Mahri Lowinger, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-6334 Michael Ortiz, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-6234 Cathy Villa, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-1270 IDAHO, EASTERN & CENTRAL WASHINGTON, AND EASTERN OREGON Jim Zokan, Tribal Coordinator 208-378-5691 WESTERN & CENTRAL OREGON, SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON Kris Carre, Tribal Coordinator 503-326-7024 Don Creek, Tribal Liaison 503-326-5015 NORTHWEST WASHINGTON Westley Foster, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-1604 Alan Moomaw, Tribal Coordinator 360-753-8071 Report Spills and Accidents Note these emergency numbers to call in the event of HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS OR ACCIDENTS. Alaska 800-478-9300 WASHINGTON 800-258-5990 Idaho 800-632-8000 NATIONAL (EPA) 800-424-8802 Oregon 800-452-0311 ------- |