X2k NEWS The Tribal Newsletter is published free monthly. To receive a copy, call: AK; Ernest 907-271-1485 ID: Jim 208-378-5691 OR: Don 503-326-5015 WA: Alison 360-753-8185 LETTER Region 10 Tribal agyy Newsletter Alaska Edition http://yosemte.epa.gOT/R10/TOIBAL.NSF/Newsletter /Issues United States Environmental Protection Agency Vol. 19 No. 3 March 2010 Conferences and Workshops March, 2010 15-16 Mobile Meth Lab Identification on Tribal Lands, Snoqualmie, WA. Contact Kami Snowden at (509) 235-6007 or ksriowden@tswan.org 15-18 National Air Quality Conference, Raleigh, NC www.airnow.gov April 12-15 Biocycle Conference, San Diego, CA. www.BioCycleWestCoast.com 19-21 Biennial meeting of Tribal Air Staff in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, Debra Suzuki (EPA) at (206) 553-0985 22 Mining Impact Training, Spokane, WA. Jim Zokan at zokan.jim@epa.gov or (208) 378-5691 25-29 Seventh National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, "Monitoring from the Summit to the Sea" Denver, CO. http://go.usa.gov/ly5 27-29 Twelfth United States Army Corps of Engineers Consulting with Tribal Nations Training, Wild Horse Resort and Casino, Pendleton OR. Mary Handlin at (509) 527-7721 mary.c.handlin@usace.army.mil or Georgeie Reynolds (202) 761-5855 georgeanne.I reynolds@usace.arym.mil May 10-11 17-20 June 6-10 Oregon Tribal Environmental Forum (OTEF), Portland, OR. Kris Carre (EPA) at (503) 326-7024 or carre.kristine@epa.gov. Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) Mid-Year Conference, Grand Ronde, OR. www.atnitribes.org National Tribal Science Forum, Traverse City, Ml. Monica L. Rodia, (202) 564-8322 orwww.epa.gov/osp/tribes/natforum10.htm ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 T R A I N I N G For Landfill Operators & Administrators AK Forum, Inc. announces 2010 Solid Waste Administration and Rural Alaska Landfill Operator (RALO) Training Schedule RALO • March 16-18 2010 • Anchorage This RALO will hold 10 seats and scholarships for Aleutian Chain Landfill Operators as a priority, but open to a/I. Solid Waste Administration • March 30 - April 1, 2010 • Anchorage RALO • April 6-8, 2010 • Galena RALO • May 18 - 20, 2010 • Bethel RALO • Sept. 14 - 16, 2010 • Sitka RALO COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Rural Alaska Landfill Operator (RALO) course is for the designated landfill operator and administrator in a village with a Class III landfill or open dump, and focuses on the duties of the landfill operator, their personal safety, and the safety of the village. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the landfill operator's role to keep the vil- lage clean and the landfill free from harm- ful substances. Participants will learn about landfill regulations and requirements, house- hold hazardous waste, waste separation and screening, waste reduction and segregation, recycling, personal protection equipment, and much more. These courses are hosted by AK Forum, Inc with trainers and expertise provided in coop- eration with Solid Waste Administration of North America, (SWANA), Alaska Chapter. Total Reclaim will provide a training regard- ing electronic and other potentially hazard- ous wastes. The presentation will include general infor- mation on e - waste, as well as how to safely package, stage, and ship materials for recycle. With grant support from the USDA, the Alaska Forum is able to provide a limited number of $500 reimbursement scholarships for qualified attendee travel expenses. Appli- cations are available six months prior to each training. CONTACT: Karen Kroon, Training Man- ager, AK Forum, Inc. P.O. Box 212409, Anchorage, AK 99521 - 2409 Phone: (907) 344 - 0956, Toll Free Message& Fax Line: (888)301 - 0185 e-mail: kkroon@akforum.org www.akforum.org EPA seeks public input on dioxins The EPA is seeking public comment on draft interim preliminary remediation goals (PRGs) for dioxin cleanup in soil. Dioxins are con- taminants that are very widespread in the en- vironment that have been of concern to EPA and the public health community for decades. This action would strengthen EPA's prelimi- nary remediation goals at dioxin contaminated sites. EPA will be taking public comment on the draft interim PRGs for 50 days follow- ing publication in the Federal Register, and anticipates issuing the final interim PRGs in June 2010. After completing the dioxins re- assessment, currently expected by the end of 2010, EPA will consider the need to update the interim PRGs. TheEPA will begin accepting comments once the Federal Register notice announcing the opening of the comment period is published. To offer comments visit: www.regulations.gov. Refer to Docket ID # EPA-HQ-SFUND-2009-00907 2 - ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 Uecent Alaska Forum on the Environment Hosts 400 Tribal Representatives in Anchorage The Alaska Forum on the Environment was held February 7-12 in Anchorage, and there were more than 1,150 participants. Four hundred Tribal representatives from all over the state participated in the con- ference. Sessions included water quality, marine debris, climate change, Elder's perspectives, climate change, environmental education, clean audits, consultation policies, financial management systems, and many more. We would like to thank everyone who trav- eled in for this conference for your participa- tion in our GAP Training. IIinstitute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) offers air quality trainings Management of Tribal Air Quality in Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, May 4-7 Adapting to Climate Change, Location TBD, May 18-21 The Institute for Tribal Environmental Pro- fessionals will offer air quality trainings this year. ITEP was established in 1992 with a vision to assist Tribes in the management of their environmental resources through effec- tive training and education programs. The ITEP resource center is located at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. ITEP has a number of air quality training oppor- tunities coming up in 2010 including: • Air Quality in Alaska Native Villages, Dillingham, AK, March 9-12 • Tribal Data Toolbox, Las Vegas, NV, April 6-9 • Indoor Air Quality in Alaska, Bethel, AK, April 13-16 • Air Quality System, Las Vegas, NV, May 25-27 • New Source Review, Location TBD, June 15-17 • Emissions Inventory/TEISS, Chicago, IL, August 3-6 Additionally, a National Tribal Forum on Air Quality Management and Policy will be held in Albuquerque, NM, on July 13-15,2010. More information on these events is available at www4.nau.edu/itep/ trainings -3 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 Praxis Project Calls for grant proposals The Praxis Project has a Call for Proposals for Communities Creating Healthy Environ- ments (CCHE),. This is a grant initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support com- munity organizing and policy advocacy to increase access to healthy food and safe places to play in communities of color. CCHE will provide funding and technical assistance for up to ten local community or- ganizing groups and indigenous nations with grants of up to $250,000 over three years. For more information, visit www.ccheonline.org where you can down- load the Call for Proposals, sign up for infor- mation sessions, and learn about CCHE communities! National Science Foundation announces funding opportunity for Water Sustainability and Climate The goal of the National Science Founda- tion's Water Sustainability and Climate (WSC) solicitation is to understand and predict the interactions between water systems, climate change, land use, the built environment, and ecosystem functions and services through location-based research and integrative models. NSF encourages studies of water systems using observations at specific sites in com- bination with models that allow for spa- tial and temporal extrapolation to other regions, as well as integration across the different processes in that system — espe- cially to the extent that they advance the development of theoretical frameworks and predictive understanding. Letters of intent are due on March 15, and applications are due on April 15, To learn more about this funding opportu- nity, visit: http://go.usa.gov/lEb U.S. Department of Commerce announces Trade Adjustment Assistance grants U. S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration has announced that nearly $37 million in grants is available to help communities suffering from the adverse effects of import competition to develop ways to more effectively compete in the global economy. The funding is available under EDA's Com- munity Trade Adjustment Assistance (Com- munity TAA) Program, which was created in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more information, contact John Atwood (202) 482-4085 or visit http://go.usa.gov/lEa $10 million in Children's Health Grants available for Indian health providers The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) set aside $100 million for fiscal years 2009- 2013 expressly to help find and enroll eligible uninsured children, including $10 million specifically for Indian health providers. • For more information about the outreach and enrollment grants, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/CHIPRA. • Questions about the grants may be e-mailed to the HIPRA grants mailbox at AIANCHIPRAOUTREACHGRANTS @cms.hhs.gov • General information about CHIP can be found at www.insurekidsnow.gov 4- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 Region 10 Invites IGAP grantees to submit success stories for new booklet Region 10 is pleased to announce it will be producing a booklet of IGAP (Indian General Assistance Program) success stories again this year, showcasing tribal environmental accomplishments in 2009. These stories will also be featured on EPA's Tribal Program Web site. We are seeking descriptive, first-person stories:your own words, your own voice. Priority will be given to tribes not previ- ously featured. The EPA must receive sub- missions by April 30,2010. To view a copy of our 2008 Tribal Success Stories, go to http://yosemite.epa.gov/rlO/tribal.NSF/ and look for the box marked "IGAP Grant Spotlight," and click Read More If you would like to submit an article on how an Indian General Assistance Pro- gram grant has benefited your tribe, please ^follow these guidelines: Save the date for 2010 The Central Council of Tlingit 8c Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Central Council) is honored to host the 2010 Region 10 Tribal Leaders Summit (TLS) in partnership with the EPA Region 10 Office. Tribal Leaders, EPA and Tribal environmental staff from Alaska, Oregon, Idaho and Washington are invited. The TLS will take place in Juneau, Alaska, August 30 - September 3, 2010. Hun- dreds of participants will attend, bringing traditional knowledge and western science together. A Web site will soon be available with regis- tration links, conference updates and infor- mation on cultural tour opportunities. For more information regarding the 2010 R10 TLS, please contact Central Council's Native Lands and Resources Department: • Stories should be approximately 300 to 400 words in length. Include specifics where applicable, such as number of pounds, truckloads, etc. • Artwork and photos (jpegs preferred) are encouraged. Before and after photos are great! • Include photo captions and credits Include tribal logo, if available • Deadline: April 30,2010 We are also looking for stories from circuit riders and inspiring quotes from Tribal Elders. If you have any questions about what might be appropriate to submit, please don't hesitate to contact your Tribal Coordinator or Jeanie Sedgely at the Tribal Trust 8c Assistance Unit in Seattle: (800) 424-4EPA, (206) 553-6113, or e-mail sedgely.jeanie@epa.gov Leilani Knight, Environmental Specialist, (907) 463-7713,Toll free: (800) 344-1432, ext. 7713, e-mail: lknight@ccthita.org or Desiree Duncan, NLR Manager Direct: (907) 463-7183, Toll free: (800) 344-1432, ext. 7183 Mining Impact Training coming April 22 (Spokane, WA) : EPA Region 10 has developed a mining impact training course targeted toward tribes. The course de- scribes the mining process, environmental impacts from mining, and regulations and permitting process for mining operations. No Registration Cost. If you are interested in attending, please contact Jim Zokan by March 15 at zokan.jim@epa.gov or call (208)378-5691 Tribal Leaders Summit u p c 0 M 1 N G E V E N T S -5 ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 EPA Opens Tip Line The EPA has set up a tip line to report non- emergency suspicious activity related to oil and natural gas development. Citizens can call the Eyes on Drilling tip line at (877) 919-4372 if they observe what appears to be illegal disposal of wastes or other suspi- cious activity They can also send reports to eyesondrilling@epa.gov. Citizens may provide information anonymously, EPA said in a news release. EPA is asking people to report the location, time, and date of suspicious activity as well as the materials, equipment, and vehicles involved and any observable environmental problems. In the event of an emergency, such as a spill or release of hazardous material to the environment, citizens are advised to call the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802. Drinking Water o raining for Tribes and Tribal Operators The following web site presents a list of train- ing opportunities that may be of interest to tribes and tribal operators: www.epa.gov/ safewater/tribal/ training.html. Click on your region to learn about training opportunities that are available in the upcom- ing months. For more information e-mail betanzo.elin@epa.gov Air, Waste and Toxics publ ishes Tribal climate change report The Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics, in EPA Region 10, has published a report entitled Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Options: A Review of the Scientific Literature. The purpose of this report is to summarize information in published scientific literature that identify physical changes in the climate; to identify vulnerabilities of tribal resources to climate change; and to identify adaptation options that tribes in EPA Region 10 could implement to minimize the possible adverse impacts to their life style and well being. This report is intended to be a "living" document and will be updated and revised in response to the needs of the tribes, and to incorporate the most recent information on climate change adaptation in the scientific literature. The report is available at: http://go.usa.gov/lED WEP serves rural water and waste disposal needs The Water and Environmental Program (WEP) provides a combination of loans, grants, and loan guarantees for drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste, and storm drainage facilities in rural areas and cities and towns of 10,000 or less. For more information, 4 Visit: www.indiancountryworks.org/ RuralWaterWasteDisposal.cfm 4 Call Tedd Buelow, (202) 690-1681, or E-mail tedd.buelow@wdc.usda.gov 4 Sandi Boughton at (202) 720-1681, or e-email Sandi at sandi.boughton@wdc.usda.gov 6- ------- Region 10 Tribal Newsletter - Alaska Edition March 2010 Government Regulations easier to access As part of President Obama's commitment to more effective and open government, the public can more quickly access federal regulations at Regulations.gov, thanks to comments received during the Regulations, gov Exchange online forum held last year. Regulations.gov provides one-stop public access to information related to current and forthcoming regulations issued by the federal government. The e-Rulemaking Program made the following specific-site improvements to Regulations. In addition, the e-Rulemaking Program has re-launched its Regulations.gov Exchange online forum to allow the public to explore proposed new designs and features, provide comments, and engage with other site visitors and the e-Rulemaking Program staff. The public can also link to the Regulations, gov Twitter page to further support visitors' participation in Regulations.gov and their government. For more information, visit www.regulations .gov Community Renewable Energy Project Guide The Commission for Environmental Coop- eration has completed the Guide to De- veloping a Community Renewable Energy Project in North America. This guide is meant to assist community and indigenous communities groups in the development of their own small-scale renewable energy proj- ects. The Guide covers Canada, Mexico and the United States. The Guide is available on the CEC Web site at: http://tiny.cc/wpIOM Got E-mail? Make the choice to receive this news- letter electronically. Send your e-mail address to Maria Smith at smith. marlaj@epa. gov Tribal Staff United States Environmental Protection Agency Alaska Operations Office 222 West 7th Avenue, #19 Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7588 Toil-Free: (800) 781-0983 Phone: (907)271-5083 Fax (907) 271-3424 Jennifer Brown, Tribal Coordinator 271-6323 Katherine Brown, Tribal Coordinator (206) 553-7263 Michelle Davis, Tribal Coordinator 271-3434 Tami Fordham, Tribal Coordinator 271-1484 Westley Foster, Tribal Coordinator (206) 553-1604 Santina Gay, Tribal Coordinator 271-3413 Sherry Kimmons, Tribal Coordinator 271-6322 Mahri Lowinger, Tribal Coordinator 271-6334 (Vacant) Tribal Coordinator Cathy Villa, Tribal Coordinator 271-1270 ErnestYoung, Tribal Coordinator 271-1485 *>EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Tribal Newsletter Alaska Edition March 2010 -7 ------- oEPA U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Alaska Operations Office 222 West 7th Avenue, #19 Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7588 Region 10 Alaska Tribal Newsletter March 2010 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: Maria Smith, 222 West 7th Avenue, #19, An- chorage, AK 99513-7588 or e-mail smith.marlaj@epa.gov. 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 ® Printed on 100% recycled paper ------- |