NEWS The Tribal Newsletter is published free monthly To receive a copy, call: AK: Barb 907-271-3419 ID: Jim 208-378-5691 OR: Don 503-326-501 WA: Alison 360-753-8185 LETTER Region 1 Tribal ewsletter x>EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Vol. 22 No. 2 February 2013 http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/TRIBAL.NSF/Newsletter/Issues & Conferences and Workshops February 4-8 15th Annual Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK. info@akforum.org, www.akforum.com or call toll free 888-301-0185 6-8 Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) quarterly meeting, Anchorage, AK. http://rtocregion10.org/events 7-10 2nd Annual American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) 2013 Leadership Summit, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM. www.aises.org/what/events/leadership 19-21 Climate Change Adaptation Planning, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM. Contact Susan.Wotkyns@nau.edu March 4-9 Hazardous Waste Specialist Training, First week, Pike's Waterfront Lodge, Fairbanks, AK. There is no cost for this training but applicants must attend both weeks of training. For more information or a registration form, please contact Stephen Price, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) at sprice@yritwc.org or H 907-317-3465. 12 - 15 Indoor Air Quality inTribal Communities Training (Level 1), Tucson, AZ. Visit www.nau.edu/itep Contact Lydia Sheer at Lydia.sheer@nau.edu or 928-523-6887. 13-15 Solid Waste Management - Safety and Recycling Strategies for Cleaning Up Illegal Dumps on Tribal Lands, Shelton,WA. Sponsored by the National Indian Justice Center. Visit www.nijc.org/training.html 26 - 28 Fundamentals of Risk Assessment in Superfund Training, Anchorage, AK Tuition is free for states and tribes. Sign up for the class is through Trainex at www. trainex.org/offeringslist. cfm?courseid=24&all=yes Or to register for this course by telephone, call 513-251-7669 or e-mail ertp-registrar@tetratech.com — Deadline to apply is March 11. 26 - 29 Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium 7 Generations Training, Anchorage, AK. Apply online at www.anthc.org/chs/ces/hve/7-generations.cfm Questions, please contact Oxcenia O'Domin, 907-729-3492, orodomin@anthc.org or Desirae Roehl, ® 907-729-3496, droehl@anthc.org continued & %= ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Conferences and Workshops April 15-19 Hazardous Waste Specialist Training, 2nd week, Pike's Waterfront Lodge, Fairbanks, AK. No cost but must have completed the first week of training held on March 4-9. Please contact Stephen Price, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) at sprice@yritwc.org or 907-317- 3465 for more information or a registration form. 29 - 5/1 2013 Rural Energy Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Anchorage, AK. To learn more about the variety of sessions offered, go to www.akruralenergy.org/2011/2011 REC_finalagenda.pdf For more information and registration questions, contact Amanda Byrd at agbyrd@alaska.edu or www.akruralenergy.org May 21 - 23 Orutsararmiut Regional Environmental Summit, Bethel, AK. Contact Rhea Maxie, rmaxie@nativecouncil.org or 907-543-2608. June 11-13 7 Generations Training, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Hoonah, AK. Applications available online at www.anthc.org/chs/ces/ hve/7-generations.cfm. For questions/information, please contact Oxcenia O'Domin, 907-729-3492, orodomin@anthc.org or Desirae Roehl, 907-729-3496, droehl@anthc.org August 19-22 2013Tribal Lands Resources, Pueblo of Santa Ana's Tamaya Resort, NM Visit http://www4.nau.edu/itep/conferences/confr_tlf.asp October 24 - 26 2013 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, Fairbanks, AK. http://bit.ly/T64wM8 For more information on EPA Tribal trainings, webinars, grants, and opportunities for Tribal consultation, visit www.epa.gov/indian/calendar/index.htm SAVE THE DATE Region 10 Tribal Environmental Leaders Summit Planning is underway for the next EPA The Summit will be hosted by the Kalispel Region 10 Tribal Environmental Leaders Tribe of Indians at the Northern Quest Summit to be held October 7-11,2013. Resort and Casino in Spokane, WA. Visit http://tels.kalispeltribe.com 2 - ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Climate~Cha®^Efews c L 50-state map tracks climate-related 2012 weather records Which states or counties in the U.S. were hit hardest last year by heat, snow or rain? An environmental group used government data to create an interactive map that reflects serious climate change, says the Natural Resources Defense Council, which created the map. Visit http://usat.ly/llXlK27 NASA Climate Clues in the Stratosphere NASA will send a remotely piloted research aircraft as high as 65,000 feet over the tropical Pacific Ocean to probe unexplored regions of the upper atmosphere for answers to how a warming climate is changing Earth. For more information, http://go.usa.gov/48wB Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Publishes Working Paper: Coastal States'Adaptation Initiatives: Sea Level Rise and Municipal Engagement Sea level rise is expected to become an increasingly prominent challenge for all levels of government as the climate changes. Complicating matters is the multi-jurisdictional nature of coastal zone management in the U. S. Many of the potential measures to reduce the impacts of sea level rise are in the hands of municipalities, including changing building codes and land use regulations; maintaining critical infrastructure; and protecting communities from flooding and other risks. Despite their autonomy and responsibility, municipalities will typically rely on resources and guidance from higher levels of government, and will also be subject to the restrictions these higher levels impose. Given the increasing importance of addressing sea level rise across the U.S., this relationship between states and municipalities is worthy of consideration. This paper explores how states and mu- nicipalities interact to address sea level rise, providing an overview of the state of practice, some reasons for different levels of action, and some of the needs of municipalities. The paper concludes with a set of recommenda- tions for states as they attempt to support municipalities. To download the report, visit http://bit.ly/ 14j3Sx8 EPA Releases 2012 National Water Program Climate Change Strategy EPA has released the "National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change," which describes how EPA's water- related programs plan to address the impacts of climate change and provides long-term visions, goals and strategic actions for the management of sustainable water resources for future generations. http://go.usa.gov/4kE3 Links to websites outside of EPA are provided for additional information that may be useful or interesting to our readers. We cannot attest to the accuracy of these third-party sites, nor does EPA endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. -3 ------- ion 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Greenhouse Gas Reduction EPA's State and Local Climate and Energy Program has released a guide- book to aid local governments design and implement Greenhouse Gas Reduction programs. Covered topics include solid waste and materials management, energy efficiency, transportation, community plan and design, and renewable energy This easy-to-read guide provides action- able information as well as case studies highlighting strategies that communities have used to reduce GHG emissions and save money For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/4kPW Self-paced Module Now Available on Preparing Hydro-climate Inputs for Climate Change in Water Resource Planning This training module describes the process of selecting the best available climate projection information and using it to develop "climate-adjusted weather" inputs to be used for modeling climate change impacts. It's free during the 2012-2013 pilot period. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/4XeW Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the Internet Amid growing concern over the surprisingly large amount of greenhouse gas produced by the Internet and other telecommunications activities, researchers are reporting new models of emissions and energy consumption that could help reduce their carbon footprint. Go to http://bit.ly/WZ9kPQ_ EPA Releases Climate Change Indicators in the United States 2012 EPA has released its Climate Change Indicators in the United States 2012 report. This report updates the Agency's initial climate-indicators report, which was published in 2010. It contains information about 26 key indicators that together show what climate change looks like in the U. S. The report also highlights some of the public health and environmental impacts that are already happening today. To learn more and access the report, visit epa.gov/ climatechange/science/indicators EPA Launches New Voluntary Program to Help Reduce Harmful Soot EPA announced a new voluntary clean air program, 'PM Advance', to help communities continue to meet soot pollution standards, improve air quality and protect public health. PM Advance focuses on working with communities to develop strategies for reducing harmful fine particle emissions. Soot, also known as fine particle pollution (PM2.5), can penetrate deep into the lungs and has been linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including premature death, heart attacks, and strokes, as well as acute bronchitis and aggravated asthma among children. While federal rules are expected to ensure that most areas meet the new standards, areas can participate in PM Advance to help them remain in attainment. Find more information at http:/ / epa.gov/ ozonepmadvance ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 EPA Climate Ready Water Utilities Initiative Announces Bi-Monthly Webinar Series in 2013 EPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative is beginning a new series of webinars on its CRWU tools and resources for the water sector, which includes drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities. These 45- to 60- minute webinars will assist the water sector to better understand climate change, managing impacts, and creating adaptation strategies. Webinar topics include climate change readiness and an introduction to climate science for the water sector, followed by more in depth discussions of CRWU tools. The webinars will also feature case studies from utilities that have used CRWU tools to become more climate ready. Participant space is limited. To view the webinar series calendar and to register, visit http:/ / go.usa.gov/ 4kVP Tribal Waste and Response Assistance Program The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), in collaboration with the EPA Environmental Response Team, will be offering a 40 Hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training course in Memphis, Tennessee, March 18-22,2013. This course is designed specifically for employees of federally-recognized tribes with environmental and emergency response programs, who require training in the investigation and remediation of uncontrolled hazardous waste sites and, to a lesser extent, response activities related to accidents involving hazardous materials. There is no tuition or fee for the course. ITEP will pay lodging expenses (room and taxes only) for up to 20 eligible participants. ITEP, however, cannot pay or reimburse per diem and transportation expenses for participants. Deadline to submit your paperwork is March 1,2013. If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact Roberta Tohannie at 928-523-2082 or roberta.tohannie@nau.edu Free Training: How to Comply with Water Requirements Want to learn: 4 how to find and fix illicit water discharges and connections? 4 how to develop an effective municipal stormwater program for construction sites? 4 what you need to know about the industrial stormwater general permit? Find self-paced training and archived webinars on these topics and a variety of other topics related to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Visit EPA's NPDES training site at http://go.usa.gov/4kvQ_ X - 5 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 SAVE THE DATE! 2013 National Tribal Forum on Air Quality April 30-May 2, 2013 The NTF will be held in Fountain Hills, Arizona, April 30 through May 2. It provides environmental professionals from tribes, EPA, and other organizations an opportunity to meet and discuss current policies, regulatory initiatives, funding, and technical topics in air quality Check http://www4.nau.edu/itep/ conferences/confr_ntf.asp for updates. IMPORTANT! Early Bird Registration (discounted registration fee): Through March 1 Pre-conference training sessions and site visits on Monday, April 29 Sponsorship opportunities available at many levels Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities Training (Level 1) An entry-level course designed to provide an Download the course application understanding of common indoor air quality materials at http://www4.nau.edu/itep/ (IAQ) problems in tribal homes and schools air/docs/PreReg-IAQ.pdf or see will be held March 12-15 in Tucson, AZ. Preference will be given to applicants who have an indoor air quality task in a grant work plan. www.nau.edu/itep For more information, contact Lydia Sheer at Lydia.sheer@nau.edu or 8 928-523-6887. HUD's Green Training Academy to be held February 11-15 in Bozeman, Montana This exciting pilot initiative from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development offers green building training to HUD grantees and other affordable housing organizations. Comprehensive support through training, technical assistance and accreditation is completely subsidized by HUD and free to all participants. Attendees will leave these courses with easy, practical and low-cost practices that can be implemented right away to save energy and money. You should attend HUD's Green Training Academy if you are interested in learning how to: • Make your affordable housing portfolio sustainable • Reduce operating expenses while preserving water and energy • Finance green and energy efficient improvements • Achieve healthier, safer and more efficient buildings To register, visit http://sustainable- performance.org/HUDGreenAcad Please note that space is limited. If you have questions or concerns, e-mail "fl Erik.Amundson@hud.gov 8 or call 406-447-1488. 6- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 EPA Request for Proposals on Increasing Community Awareness and Use of Environmental Information through Education and Outreach Funding is available for projects that will provide key audiences with an opportunity to attain a greater understanding of Toxics Release Inventory data and other related toxic chemical information. This announcement is consistent with the purpose of TRI, as stated in the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act §42 U.S.C. 11023, which is to provide the public and local governments with information concerning potential chemical hazards present in their communities. EPA believes that an important way to promote greater awareness, understanding and use of the TRI data and other related information is to provide financial assistance for a project to increase awareness of that information among new audiences and through new avenues. Tribes and Tribal Consortia are eligible to apply for funds. Proposals are due March 1. ^ www.epa.gov/tri/rfp/index.html Rebuilding Sustainable Fish Populations NOAA is soliciting coastal habitat restora- tion projects, or suites of projects, that will recover or sustain: • threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act and their prey • fish stocks managed under the Magnu- son-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and their prey Projects will primarily be funded through cooperative agreements. Roughly $20 million could potentially be available over the next three years to maintain selected projects, dependent upon the level of funding made available by Congress. Typical awards will range from $500,000 to $5 million over three years; one, two, or three year proposals will be accepted. Applications are due by February 19. For more information: ^ www.habitat.noaa.gov/funding/ coastalrestoration.html HUD's Healthy Homes Technical Studies Notice of Funding Availability - Applications Due March 19 The purpose is to fund technical studies to: • improve existing methods for detecting and controlling key housing-related health and safety hazards • develop new methods to detect and control these hazards; and • improve knowledge of key housing- related health and safety hazards The overall goal of the Healthy Homes Technical Studies program is to improve the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of methods to evaluate and control housing- related health and safety hazards. Academic, not-for-profit and for-profit institutions located in the U.S., state and units of local government, and federally recognized Native American tribes are eligible to apply. For-profit firms are not allowed to earn a fee (i.e., make a profit from the project). For more information, please see http://go.usa.gov/4kAe - 7 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 N E W S AISES 2013 Google Scholarship - Deadline: March 31 The American Indian Science and Engineering Society Google Scholarship will fund scholarships awards to American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Canadian AISES First Nations members pursuing degrees in the computer science, computer engineering and related programming fields. Awards: $10,000 USD total award for those studying in the US and $5,000 CAD for those studying in Canada and an all-expenses paid invitation to the 2013 Google Scholars' Retreat held in June 2013 in Mountain View, CA. The retreat will feature opportunities to network with Googlers and other student scholarship recipients to build a community of peers with similar interests and backgrounds. There will also be workshops and panels to enhance your career development and skill sets. For more information regarding AISES scholarship programs, email ^ collegerelations@aises.org This address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Or call Deleana Otherbull at 8 505-765-1052, ext. 103. Tribal Councilor Appointed to Local Government Advisory Committee Cara Cowan Watts, Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, has been selected to serve on EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee. Her term on the LGAC began on Nov. 15, 2012 and will run until Nov. 30,2014. The LGAC provides advice and recommendations that assist EPA in developing stronger partnerships with local governments through building state and local capacity to deliver environmental services and programs. Its ultimate goal is to provide the citizens with more efficient and effective environ- mental protection at the community, state and federal level. For more information, see www.epa.gov/ ocir/scas_lgac/lgac_index.htm Cara is serving her 3rd term on the Council of the Cherokee Nation for District 5 which includes parts of Rogers and Tulsa County. Cara is married to Doug Watts, Wyandotte Nation citizen and descendant of Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Tool Focuses on Reducing To facilitate state and local efforts to reduce nutrient pollution, EPA is releasing a Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool. The goal of the tool is to support states in their nitrogen and phosphorus analyses by providing the most current data available Nitrogen and Phosphorus on the extent and magnitude of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution; water quality problems related to this pollution; and potential pollution sources in a format that is readily-accessible and easy-to-use. For more information, visit ^ http://epa.gov/nandppohcy/index.html 8- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Indigenous Resource Management On March 20-21, the International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management will be conducting a workshop on the strategic application of the National Environmental Policy Act at the Doubletree Hotel Denver at 3203 Quebec Street. The workshop agenda and registration information are available at http://bit.ly/Yt3eOn J Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) NEMO was created in the early 1990s to provide information, education and assistance to local land use boards and commissions on how they can accommodate growth while protecting their natural resources and community character. The program was built upon the basic belief that the future of our communities and environment depend on land use, and, since land use is decided primarily at the local level, education of local land use officials is the most effective, and most cost-effective, way to bring about positive change. http://nemo.uconn.edu Consumer Confidence Report Rule EPA has completed its review of the Consumer Confidence Report Rule and has concluded that drinking water utilities can provide reports about drinking water quality to customers via email or on the internet instead of mailing a copy of the report. http://go.usa.gov/4lcMB EPA 2012 Enforcement Results The EPA released its fiscal year 2012 enforcement results. The results highlight EPA's civil and criminal enforcement efforts to address pollution problems that have the greatest impact on communities and public health. This includes a reduction of 1.7 billion pounds of pollution to the nation's air, water and land, 191,645 pounds of hazardous waste, and $34,876,733 in civil/judicial and criminal penalties to deter violations of the law. Visit http://go.usa.gov/4kH4 Drainage Ditches Can Help Clean up Field Runoff Vegetated drainage ditches can help capture pesticide and nutrient loads in field runoff, scientists report. These ditches - as common in the country as the fields they drain - give farmers a low- cost alternative for managing agricultural pollutants and protecting natural resources. Visit http://go.usa.gov/4k6W x New Toxic Release Inventory Pollution Prevention Tool This data is searchable by NAICS code or general industry classification as well as by state and year of the reports. The search results enable users to: identify the P2 measures that were most effective for a given industry or chemical; compare waste management practices of facilities within a sector; and view trends in waste management practices for any given facility over several years. http://go.usa.gov/4kMw -9 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 N E W S Tool Provides Information About Water Pollution EPA has announced the release of a new tool that provides the public with important infor- mation about pollutants that are released into local waterways. Developed under President Obama's transpar- ency initiative, the Discharge Monitoring Report Pollutant Loading Tool brings mil- lions of records together and allows for easy searching and mapping of water pollution by local area, watershed, company, industry sec- tor, and pollutant. Americans can use this new tool to protect their health and the health of their communities, http://cfpub.epa.gov/dmr Infrastructure Task Force to Improve Access to Safe Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation in Indian Country A multi-agency Infrastructure Task Force has been formed to improve access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Indian country. Partners include USDA - Rural Development, EPA, Indian Health Service, and HUD. To see Task Force accomplishments, current activities, and proposed strategies for access to water and sanitation services on AI/AN lands, visit http://go.usa.gov/49SA The lack of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Indian Country continues to threaten the public health of American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Approximately 12 percent of AI/AN homes do not have safe water and/or basic sanitation facilities. This is high compared with the 0.6 percent of non-native homes in the United States that lack such infrastructure. Landfill Gas Energy Project Development Handbook EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) has released a new LFG Energy Project Development Handbook. The handbook provides LFG energy project development guidance and is available online for viewing and printing. The handbook covers: the basics of LFG energy, gas modeling, technology options, economic analysis and financing, contract and permitting considerations, and selection of project partners. Local governments and other stakeholders can use this handbook as a resource to work to develop successful LFG energy projects. Visit http://go.usa.gov/4kFA Offshore Energy Development A new Department of Energy research facility could help bring the U.S. closer to generating power from the winds and waters along America's coasts and help alleviate a major hurdle for offshore wind and ocean power development. For more information, visit www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=962 Stress Affects Atlantic Salmon's Immunity Stress affects the congenital immune defense system. New doctoral research has revealed how stress can lower the immunity of salmon and increase its susceptibility to viral infection. Furthermore, stress can increase the propagation of viruses in the fish's internal organs and can cause "benign" viruses to turn "pernicious". For more info, visit http://bit.ly/Yt3eOn 10- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 ERA Finalizes Revisions to Clean Air Standards On January 15, 2013, in compliance with settlement agreements, EPA finalized revisions to standards to reduce air pollution from stationary engines that generate electricity and power equipment at industrial, agricultural, oil and gas production, power generation and other facilities. The final revised rule will reduce the capital and annual costs of the original 2010 rules by $287 million and $139 million, respectively, while reducing harmful pollutants, including 2,800 tons per year of hazardous air pollutants; 36,000 tpy of carbon monoxide; 2,800 tpy of particulate matter; 9,600 tpy of nitrogen oxides, and 36,000 tpy of volatile organic compounds. EPA estimates annual health benefits of the updated standards to be worth $830 million to $2.1 billion. The amendments also specify how the standards apply to emergency engines used for emergency demand response. Visit www. epa.gov/ ttn/ atw/ rice/ricepg.html A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency IDAHO, OREGON, WASHINGTON NEWS Kudos to Puyallup Tribe for Earning LEED Award Congratulations to the Puyallup Tribal Housing Authority. The Longhouse (Place of Hidden Waters) in Tacoma, Washington, was named Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Homes (LEED) 2012 Project of the Year by the U.S. Green Building Council, and was among six projects worldwide honored with a Social Economic Environmental Design SEED Award for Excellence in Public Interest Design for 2013. Earlier in the year, the 10-unit project achieved LEED Platinum rating, the highest building certification for leadership in energy and environmental design. Construction is now underway for an additional 10 units. Learn more at: http://new.usgbc.org/ projects/puyallup-longhouse Environmental Works'design for Puyallup Tribe Longhouse Project achieves two national honors for social and environmental sustainability and Platinum Level LEED certification Photo courtesy of the Puyallup Tribe -11 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Alaska Operations Office ALASKA NEWS Alaska Forum on the Environment GAP Training Agenda February 4-8 The Alaska Forum on the Environment will be held February 4-8,2013. The EPA GAP Track is comprised of 32 sessions, including high level discussion on the Working Draft of the EPA Policy on EnvironmentalJustice for Tribes and Indigenous People. This session will include EPA HQ_and RIO participation, as well as a high level participant from HQ_DOJ. Other notable sessions include: Fish Toxicology of Pike in Western Alaska, Bristol Bay Assessment, Climate Change Planning under GAP, two GAP Guidance sessions (Part 2 is Tribal Consultation on the Proposed New Guidance on Award and Management of GAP Assistance Agreements for Tribes & Inter-Tribal Consortia), and a Plenary GAP Closing session on Friday Typically more than 200 GAP Tribes attend the Plenary Closing session to discuss their observations about the weeks' events, and make connections before going home. For Tribal representatives wanting to meet with their EPA Project Officers, feel free to contact them directly at 81-800-781-4372. Congratulations to Billy Maines from Curyung Tribal Council and Billy Jean Stewart from the Native Village of Kalskag! William "Billy" Maines has been elected as the new National Tribal Operations Committee member. As an NTOC member, Billy will work with tribes in Alaska and statewide on important issues with EPA. His alternate will be Billy Jean Stewart from the Native Village of Kalskag. Billy can be reached at 8 907-842-1751 or ^ billy@curungtribe.com. Billy Jean maybe reached at 8 907-471-2322 or kalskagenvironmental@yahoo.com A Practical Guide to Improving Indoor Air Quality in Alaska Homes - Recommendations for Addressing Wood-Burning Stoves and Other Common Indoor Air Quality Issues If you have "air" work in your GAP program EPA Alaska Operations Tribal Air or are considering it for 2014 this is an Liaison Mary Ann Porter can assist with excellent guide. you questions or concerns and can be ^ Visit http://bit.ly/TSM3UN reached at 907-271-1481 or email her at porter.maryann@epa.gov 12 - ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Fun and Educational I GAP School Activities Native Village off Tununak Alma Kanrilak, IGAP Environmental Coordinator and Cecelia James, Environmental Assistant for the Native Village of Tununak IGAP program recently wrote a Resolution for two local stores to use tote bags instead of plastic bags. The Resolution was presented to the l.R.A. Council and approved. The l.R.A. Council supports the IGAP program in its goals to provide more information of environmental issues and to increase knowledge and resource sharing in the community. With the l.R.A. Council's approval, the IGAP Program ordered reusable tote bags for the school children to decorate and then take to the Tununrmiut Rinit Corporation Store and the Tununak Native Store for use as shopping bags instead of plastic bags. The Native Village of Tununak is donating door prizes and tickets towards a drawing at the end of each month. Future door prizes will be provided by the two local stores. Gary Stillwell, Principal of the Paul T, Albert Memorial High School, provided the school schedules to Cecelia for the presentations and activities with students. Cecelia presented an overview on Cecelia James Photo environmental risks, collection programs and recyclable wastes in each of the seven classrooms. One hundred and fourteen students from, kindergarten through high school had fun drawing environmental pictures and coloring the tote bags. The totes will be used as grocery bags by folks in the community. Students had a great time drawing and learning more about the environment we are all a part of and thinking about how to leave less of a footprint for future generations. To learn more about Tununak's successful IGAP program contact Alma Kanrilak at tnkigap@yahoo.com, 907-652-6537 or Cecelia James at nvt_igap@yahoo.com Hot off the Press! A Resource for Sustainable Energy Opportunities: Best Practices for Alaska Tribes Remember Aiden Irish, EPA's Greater Research Opportunity (GRO) Intern who spent the summer 2012 working in the Alaska Operations office? Aiden compiled and prioritized the information for the Sustainable Energy Opportunities: Best Practices for Alaska Tribes Guide and developed case studies and resources for sustainable energy project planning in Alaska Native communities. This resource is now available online at http://go.usa.gov/4kt4 - 13 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 Summer Internship Opportunity First Alaskans Institute is currently recruiting both student interns and partner/ host organizations for its tenth annual statewide Summer Internship Program. Both intern and partner application forms must be received by 5 p.m. on March 1. The ten-week program (June 3 - August 9) is a full-time paid internship open to Alaska Native/American Indian/Rural Alaskan college students in good academic standing, or recent college graduates. Interns will spend two weeks in Anchorage participating in leadership training, and will be placed with statewide employer partners for eight weeks. For more information about the program please visit www.firstalaskans.org and click on 2013 Summer Internship Program. Questions can also be directed to Lena Jacobs at ^ lenajacobs@firstalaskans.org or 8 907-677-1712 Indoor Environments: One-Day Home Health and Safety Course Friday, February 8 9:00 am - 3:30 pm During the Alaska Forum on the Environment Attend this full-day workshop to learn how to identify and respond to the most common and high-risk hazards present in Alaskan homes. Spend the day working with trainers in a small-group format, rotating through three different tracks: 1. moisture and ventilation 2. chemicals, VOCs and gases 3. woodsmoke and home heating fuels You will learn: 1. how to identify the sources of these hazards 2. how to recognize health impacts 3. how to communicate and explain risk to your community members 4. how to promote behavioral changes that reduce risk 5. how to develop practical and fundable work plan activities This training is open to anyone. Home environmental assessment tools will be provided, and you will leave with a certificate of completion to share with your community partners. To register for the Home Health and Safety Course, visit http://bit.ly/VnJ5Il Note that you also need to register for AFE. If you are not yet registered for the Alaska Forum on the Environment conference and would like to participate in this session, please register now at ^ http://akforum.com If you have questions, please contact Gillian Mittelstaedt, Program Director, Tribal Healthy Homes Northwest at 8 206-512-3293 ^ email gmittelstaedt@thhnw.org ^0 or visit www.thhnw.org S" X Environmental Scientist Position Zender Environmental Health and Research Group are currently accepting applications to have on file for an Environmental Scientist position. See www.zendergroup.org/docs/job_desc_ dec_2012.pdf for details. Inquiries from interested applicants should be directed to hr@zendergroup. org 14 - ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter February 2013 WET WOOD ISA WASTE BURN DRY FIREWOOD 4 Steps for Drying Firewood STEP 1 SPLIT STEP 2 STACK STEP 3 COVER 6' STEP 4 STORE Use firewood that has been split and dried for 6 to 12 months. Burning dry firewood provides more heat, reduces the amount of fuel needed and releases less smoke into your home and your neighborhood. Dry firewood has less than 20% moisture content. - 15 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter % Vol. 22 No. 2 - February 2013 &EPA 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. Please submit articles to IDAHO, OREGON, WASHINGTON Don Creek - f EPA, 805 SW Broadway, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97205 ^0 email creek.don@epa.gov ALASKA Barbara Fleek - r EPA, 222 W. 7th Avenue #19 Anchorage, Alaska 99513 ^0 email fleek.barbara@epa.gov V_ EPA Tribal ALASKA Todd Bender, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-0344 Katherine Brown, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-7263 Michelle Davis, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-3434 Adrienne Fleek, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-6558 Barbara Fleek, Tribal Communications 907-271-3419 Kristy Fry, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-1085 Tami Fordham, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-1484 Santina Gay, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-3413 J.R. Herbst, Tribal Consultation Specialist.... 206-553-2116 Sherry Kimmons, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-6322 Mahri Lowinger, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-6334 Cathy Villa, Tribal Coordinator 907-271-1270 IDAHO, EASTERN WASHINGTON, EASTERN OREGON Jim Zokan, Tribal Coordinator 208-378-5691 WESTERN AND CENTRAL OREGON Kris Carre, Tribal Coordinator 503-326-7024 WASHINGTON Diana Boquist, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-1586 Westley Foster, Tribal Coordinator 206-553-1604 Alan Moomaw, Tribal Coordinator 360-753-8071 To 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 ------- |