United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9,
Pacific Southwest
vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Winter 2021 Issue
Inside this issue:
Program Updates 3
Tribal Program Success Story 4
Tribal Resources 6
Tribal Consultation Opportunities 7
RTOC and Conference Recap 8
Funding Opportunities 9
Training/Technical Assistance 11
Save the Date!
~
The Spring RTOC will
be held virtually from
April 27-29, 2021.
Please visit the RTOC
website for
updates: Spring RTOC
Information
Musings from the Director, Mission Support
I am so proud that the U.S. EPA Region 9 (R9) includes 148 sovereign tribal nations
and that the R9 Mission Support Division (MSD) plays a crucial role in assisting those
nations to protect the environment and public health. The R9 MSD provides
operational support to all the R9 environmental programs in the areas of budget
and financial accountability, grant administration, acquisition of goods and services,
facilities, information technology, and human resources. MSD staff are also
connected directly to the U.S. EPA's mission through tribal nations' environmental
projects such as water and wastewater infrastructure, air monitoring and
environmental program capacity building. As a support organization whose work is
mostly behind the scenes, we value this direct connection and are committed to
being a valued partner with tribal nations.
Our most direct connection with tribes is through the R9 Grants Branch. The branch
includes the Grants Management Officer (GMO), Carolyn Truong, who awards all R9
grants, and 13 grant specialists. Region 9 has over 100 project officers in the
environmental programs (Air, Water, Superfund, GAP, etc.) who work directly with
grant recipients on work plans, while grant specialists work with recipients to
ensure that all federal grant administrative requirements are adhered to. This
includes the entire span of the grant cycle from pre-award applications, to
monitoring and reporting during the project period, to grants closeout. Each year,
about $45M is awarded to over 125 tribal nations in Region 9 for a variety of
environmental projects spanning 21 U.S. EPA programs. To ensure the success of
these efforts, our grant specialists team up with the project officers to provide
compliance assistance and training materials to tribes; and regularly participate in
on-site compliance assistance visits (virtual during COVID), Regional Tribal
Operations Committee (RTOC) meetings, and the Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual
Conference. Thus, they are MSD's closest one-on-one connections with tribes. MSD
staff in the Financial Management Branch have a much less direct but important
role to play in grants in that they ensure that grant funding is available (Budget
Section), and that use of federal funds is audited and accounted for (Accounting
Section).
Historically, when there have been grant compliance issues (such as insufficient
documentation on how federal funds were spent), they have been caught at the end
(or after the end) of the project period. This has resulted in lengthy and resource
intensive (for tribes and the U.S. EPA) compliance actions that resulted in hundreds
of thousands of dollars being reimbursed to the government after it is too late to
apply them to environmental projects. To address this situation, the Grants Branch
worked with the R9 Tribal Program to develop an early detection and compliance
assistance program that can spot potential issues at the first sign of trouble (such as
a missed report deadline). This pilot has resulted in informal compliance procedures
that have most often resulted in immediate corrective actions where the funds
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Winter 2021 Issue
Musings from the Director Continued...
were able to be used properly by the original recipient for the environmental projects intended. Nonetheless,
EPA remains committed to ensuring that federal funds are used as intended, and the GMO has the authority to
initiate compliance actions against any grant recipient if informal actions fail.
The Contracts Branch in MSD has 12 contract officers that work with project officers in the environmental
programs (Water and Superfund) to acquire services for environmental projects on tribal lands using federal
funds or funds that were recovered from parties responsible for contamination. The most recent example is the
multiple-award contract of up to $220M that was recently awarded for cleanup of abandoned uranium mines on
the Navajo Nation using funds held in trust by the U.S. EPA from a settlement with a responsible party. Three
small businesses were the awardees in this case, two of which were Native American-owned. While the project
officers develop contract scopes of work, as with grants, the contracts officers in MSD are the ones who ensure
the Federal Acquisition Regulation is adhered to and have the authority to award contracts after a fair and open
competition.
Each fiscal year, the U.S. Small Business Administration negotiates a goal with the U.S. EPA for the percentage of
contracts to be awarded to small businesses, in general, and more specifically, to woman-owned, minority-
owned, disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and small businesses that are in Historically Underutilized
Business Zones (HubZones). Many tribal nations are considered HubZones, so it is important that tribal small
businesses work with the U.S. Small Business Administration to be certified as a HubZone small business so that
they can appropriately compete for federal contracts and provide the U.S. EPA with a viable pool of contractors
in order to set contracts aside for HubZone businesses. With regard to the Navajo Nation example above, R9
contract officers worked with their partners in the Superfund and Emergency Management Division to conduct
small business informational meetings for the Navajo Nation prior to opening the competition to ensure that the
contract solicitation was appropriately set aside for small businesses.
While these are the most direct examples of the interaction between R9 MSD and tribal nations, all of us in MSD
are honored to support the U.S. EPA's mission and honored to serve the 148 sovereign tribal nations as you
strive to protect public health and the environment.
Respectfully,
Kerry J. Drake
Director, Mission Support Division
Call for Region 9 Tribal Project Success Stories!
Do you have an environmental project that you are proud of and would like to
have highlighted in an upcoming Region 9 newsletter? Notify your U.S. EPA
Project Officer or send an email to: R9TribalNewsletter@epa.gov. While we
cannot guarantee your story will be used in a particular issue, we would like to
develop and highlight one success story for each quarterly issue. The project
should have an environmental focus and have been funded using federal grants
or programs.
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Winter 2021 Issue
PROGRAM UPDATES
2021 Native American Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA)
Following tribal consultation in 2019, the U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA Regions,
and IHS are partnering with tribes to conduct the 4th nationwide survey of the 20-year capital investment needs
for drinking water system infrastructure in Indian Country. As part of the survey, the U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal
Drinking Water Program will be collecting information from 55 tribal water systems throughout the Region. Tribal
drinking water systems were selected for inclusion in the survey based upon a statistically derived survey
method.
Although participation is voluntary, responses from tribal systems will help determine the total capital
investment needed for drinking water systems nationwide, and the amount of money Region 9 receives under
the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRFj. Annual DWSRF allocations fund the U.S. EPA's Drinking Water
Tribal Set-Aside (DWTSA) Program which provides financial assistance for infrastructure improvements and
operator training and certification In the coming weeks, U.S EPA Region 9 will be contacting selected water
systems to request assistance with completion of the survey. If you have questions or would like additional
information on the 2021 DWINSA, please contact Greg Gholson at (415) 947-4209 or via email at
gholson.greg(S)epa.gov.
Region 9 Tribal Branch Team Update
My name is Ruben Mojica Hernandez, and I am the Acting Tribal
Branch Manager while Jeremy Bauer is away on a detail. Before
moving into this new and exciting role, I was an Environmental
Justice Coordinator for Region 9. In that role I contributed to the
U.S. EPA's understanding of environmental justice (EJ) issues,
supported decision-making in communities with EJ concerns, and
worked to improve our relationships with EJ partners. Prior to
being in the EJ Program, I worked in the Tribal Branch from 2015
to 2020 as a General Assistance Program (GAP) Project Officer.
While I was in the Tribal Branch, I worked with 12 federally
recognized tribes as their Project Officer and was the RTOC and
Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference Coordinator. I'm very
excited to be back in the Tribal Branch and to see familiar faces
and meet new ones as well. I'm looking forward to supporting
tribes and the staff in the Tribal Branch. I'm ready to fully commit
myself to this role to ensure the success of all tribes.
Best,
Ruben Mojica Hernandez
Acting Manager, Tribal Branch
(415) 972-3268
moiica-hernandez.ruben@epa.gov
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Winter 2021 Issue
TRIBAL PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY Success Story contributed by Elk Valley
Raricheria
Elk Valley Raricheria
Iri July 2013, the Elk Valley Raricheria, California, applied for and received Targeted Brownfield Analyses (TBA) on
five tribal properties. As a result of the TBAs, the tribe applied for competitive Brownfields cleanup grants on
two of the larger properties, both former motel sites. In 2015, both competitive grants were awarded to the
tribe by the U.S. EPA; one for $182,400 and the other for $200,000. Though administering the grants proved
challenging, the tribe was able to complete both cleanup projects within the two-year project period.
The smaller of the two grants went toward an old motel site, Ocean Way Motel, comprised of a large two-story
office and apartment complex, a separate building containing the motel units, and a maintenance shed. As is
common for buildings that were constructed in the 1940s, lead-based paint and asbestos-containing materials
were abundant in the structure.
WAGON WHEEL MOTEL SITE, BEFORE CLEANUP: PHOTO BY JOSE GARCIA
The larger grant also addressed a motel site, the Wagon Wheel, with 19 structures ranging from a main office
and apartment, several individual cabins, a cafe, and maintenance sheds. Similar to the other property, the
buildings were heavily covered with lead-based paint and asbestos-containing materials.
With the removal of the hazardous materials and unsafe structures, both properties have achieved their "green
space" intention and eliminated the blight that developed over the decades. Elk Valley Rancheria, California, is
extremely grateful for the assistance the U.S. EPA has provided to the tribe for these redevelopment projects.
For more information about Targeted Brownfields Assessments, please see Trainings and Technical Assistance
on page 12.
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Winter 2021 Issue
Tribal Program Success Story Continued...
WAGON WHEEL MOTEL SITE, DURING CLEANUP: PHOTO BY JOSE GARCIA
WAGON WHEEL MOTEL SITE, AFTER CLEANUP: PHOTO BY JOSE GARCIA
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Winter 2021 Issue
TRIBAL RESOURCES
The U.S. EPA provides external links in this newsletter for informational purposes only. U.S. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-U.S.
EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. U.S. EPA does not endorse any nongovernment websites,
companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.
Disinfection Fact Sheet
The U.S. EPA Region 9 Pesticide Office has developed a fact sheet that provides guidance and best practices for
properly disinfecting surfaces. As tribes begin to re-open facilities, this information will be helpful in efforts to
prevent and contain the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The fact sheet includes helpful links to
information about the coronavirus, U.S. EPA-registered products effective against the virus, disinfection guidance
from the CDC, and other useful tools and resources.
The fact sheet was developed in collaboration with the U.S. EPA Region 9 Public Affairs team, Enforcement Division
staff, as well as the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at U.S. EPA Headquarters. For more
information, please contact Peter Earley (earlev.peterffiepa.gov) or visit the Region 9 Pesticide Team Contact page.
Link to fact sheet: Reopening Tribal FacilitiesEffective Disinfection.
Performance Partnerships Grants
The EPA provides financial assistance to states and tribes to help them develop and implement environmental
programs. For many years, states and tribes wanted greater flexibility in how they use and manage the grant funds
they receive from the EPA. In 1996, Congress responded by authorizing the EPA to award Performance Partnership
Grants (PPGs). States, certain interstate agencies, and tribes can now choose to combine two or more
environmental program grants into a single PPG.
Grantees should consider their specific circumstances when considering whether to pursue a PPG. Examples of the
types of benefits that may be associated with PPGs include:
Reduce administrative costs through streamlined paperwork and accounting procedures. Tribes can assign a
single accounting code to PPGs instead of assigning codes for every program folded into them. Under that
option, a tribe that combines three environmental programs into a PPG (for example) would be required to
provide the EPA with one Federal Financial Report each year, instead of three separate reports. Tribes can
also gain efficiency by providing one consolidated PPG work plan and progress report.
Direct EPA grant funds to priority environmental problems or program needs. If a tribe completes
commitments for all programs in a PPG, and has unexpended funds at the end of a given year (closeout
years excepted), they may be able to request an amendment to their workplans to use those funds for any
activity that would be eligible under any of the environmental programs that contribute funds to their PPG.
Reduce matching costs and increase match flexibility. Match requirements for most programs can be
reduced to 5% when the programs are added to PPGs.
Regulations governing state and tribal environmental program grants including PPGs are published in 40 CFR Part 35,
Subpart B. There are currently 19 environmental program grants eligible for inclusion in a PPG. Those grants can be
found at the following link: https://www.epa.gov/ocir/national-environmental-performance-partnership-svstem-
nepps.
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Winter 2021 Issue
Tribal Resources Continued...
Tribes and Intertribal Consortia are eligible for PPGs if they are eligible to receive two or more grants that can be
combined in a PPG. To find out more, please review the following document that highlights key regulations,
policies, and procedures for developing and managing PPGs: Best Practices Guide for PPGs with Tribes.
While there can be some benefit to entering a PPG, it may not be the best fit for every tribe. If you would like to
explore whether a PPG is a good option for your tribe, please contact one of your EPA project officers or grant
specialists. They will coordinate with other EPA project officers and grants specialists who would be involved in a
potential PPG, and that group will collectively assist with evaluating whether entering a PPG would be beneficial
in your case.
TRIBAL CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES
A full list of active U.S. EPA Tribal Consultation opportunities are available on the U.S. EPA's Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking
System (TCOTS) webpage: TCOTS Weboaae. If interested, join the TCOTS Listserv by sending a message to, Join-epa_tcots@lists.epa.gov to
receive email notifications on the latest U.S. EPA Tribal Consultations.
Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation
Relationships
The U.S. EPA is committed to honoring tribal sovereignty and advancing the tribal partnership in policy
deliberations as called for in President Biden's January 26, 2021 memorandum on Tribal Consultation and
Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships with American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations. President
Biden identified tribal consultation as a responsibility of all federal agencies. The U.S. EPA has a robust tribal
engagement policy, which will continue to be the cornerstone of the U.S. EPA consultation actions and will ensure
that the Agency's actions protect human health and the environment in Indian Country.
To see the full memorandum, please follow this link: Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening
Nation-to-Nation Partnerships.
The U.S. EPA Consultation Policy continues to implement clear standards for the Agency's tribal consultation
efforts. The policy defines when and how consultation takes place, and how tribes are made aware of consultation
opportunities and establishes management oversight and reporting to ensure accountability and transparency.
Per the Presidential Memorandum, the U.S. EPA is conducting tribal consultation on its current efforts to adjust
and improve U.S. EPA tribal consultation and submit a new detailed plan.
To see the U.S. EPA Consultation Policy, please visit: U.S. EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian
Tribes.
To see the Consultation Opportunity tracking system, please visit: U.S. EPA Tribal Consultation Opportunities
Tracking System (TCOTS).
Each month, the Region 9 RTOC Consultation Workgroup meets to share information and updates and to discuss
consultation topics of interest. The workgroup is jointly chaired by Kelcey Strieker, Environmental Director of the
Pechanga Environmental Department, and Jeremy Bauer, Acting Deputy Director of the U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal,
Intergovernmental, and Policy Division.
For more information or to become involved in the workgroup, please contact Kelcey (kstricker(5)pechanga-
nsn.gov) or Jeremy (bauer.ieremvffiepa.gov).
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Winter 2021 Issue
RTOC AND TRIBAL/U.S. EPA REGION 9 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) is a working committee of the U.S. EPA and tribal personnel co-chaired by a U.S. EPA
representative and a tribal representative. The U.S. EPA designates its RTOC representatives through internal mechanisms. All tribes within
Region 9 are considered members of the RTOC. Tribal representatives to the RTOC are selected through government-to-government
communication, by tribal leaders in various geographical areas within Region 9.
Winter RTOC Recap
On February 2-4, the Region 9 RTOC co-chairs, Mervin Wright Jr. (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) and Laura Ebbert (U.S.
EPA, Region 9), convened virtually the Winter 2021 Region 9 RTOC. This virtual meeting brought together over 170
participants and provided a space for dialogue on tribal environmental issues and priorities. There was discussion on
the U.S. EPA's new administration, COVID impacts, and a presentation on the U.S. EPA's new Office of Mountains,
Deserts, and Plains. Additionally, there were technical sessions on an array of topics including the Diesel Emission
Reduction Act Grant Program, Clean Water Act rules, indoor air quality, interagency agreements, consultation, and
quality assurance. The Region 9 Acting Regional Administrator, Deborah Jordan, also hosted a discussion for elected
tribal leaders on Feb 3. Presentations and materials from the meeting can be found here: Region 9 Winter 2021
RTOC.
Save the Date! Our next RTOC will take place virtually on April 27-29! Please visit the RTOC web site for updates.
BIG PINE RESERVATION: PHOTO BY ALAN BACOCK
Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference Updates
The Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference co-sponsors, the
Pala Band of Mission Indians and the U.S. EPA, are pleased to
announce that this year's conference theme will be "Tribal Land,
Tribal Knowledge, Tribal Sovereignty." The Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9
Annual Conference brings together more than 300 participants
from tribal nations located across Arizona, California, and Nevada;
and representatives from federal, state, and local agencies;
nonprofits and academia.
Plans are in place to hold this year's conference at Harrah's Lake
Tahoe Conference Center in Stateline, Nevada, on October
18 through 22, 2021. Conference organizers are planning a hybrid
event where people can participate in-person or virtually; however,
they will continue to assess the situation around COVID-19,
including the vaccine rollout and the status of the state's policy on
large gatherings. Conference organizers will make a final decision by
June 1, 2021, on whether the conference will include a face-to-face
component or whether it will be fully virtual.
The health and safety of conference participants and their
communities is our top priority and the policies and guidelines of
both Harrah's Lake Tahoe and the state of Nevada will be
followed. Please note that the conference co-sponsors do not have
the authority to enforce mandatory vaccinations of the
participants.
Please check the website for important updates: Tribal/U.S. EPA
Region 9 Annual Conference Website.
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Winter 2021 Issue
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Stay up-to-date on federal grant opportunities by using the Grants.aov search page.
U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Funding Opportunities
The U.S. EPA announced the availability of funds for two environmental justice funding programs. The closing
date for both programs is May 7, 2021:
The EJ Small Grants Program is a one-year grant designed to help communities understand and address
exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks.
The EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Program is a two-year Cooperative Agreement that assists
recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and
public health concerns in their communities.
These Environmental Justice programs provide funding to work on solutions for developing partnerships and
projects to overcome local environmental and public health issues through supporting and empowering
communities. The U.S. EPA will be giving special consideration to the following focus areas:
Addressing COVID-19 concerns faced by low-income communities and communities of color
Climate Change and Natural Disaster Resiliency outreach and planning
New applicants to either opportunity
Ports Initiative to assist people living and working near ports across the country
Small non-profits
To find out more information about these funding opportunities, please visit: Environmental Justice Grants.
If you have further questions, please contact Alan Bacock, Region 9 Environmental Justice Coordinator at
Bacock.alanffiepa.gov.
To stay up to date on information about Environmental Justice funding opportunities, events, and webinars,
subscribe to the U.S. EPA Environmental Justice listserv by sending a blank email to: U.S.EPA Environmental Justice
Listserv.
U.S. EPA Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for Tribes
This grant program provides financial assistance to tribal governments and intertribal consortia for developing
and implementing hazardous waste programs, building capacity to improve and maintain regulatory
compliance, and developing solutions to address the improper management of hazardous waste on tribal lands.
Eligible entities are tribal governments and intertribal consortia and the deadline for submitting applications is
March 30, 2021.
For more details on the program and a link to the funding opportunity, please visit: Hazardous Waste
Management Grant Program.
Contact the U.S. EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Tribal Program Co-leads for more
information and to join our email list:
Denise Roy, rov.deniseffiepa.gov
Tonya Barnett, barnett.tonvaffiepa.gov
Deirdre Nurre, nurre.deirdreffiepa.gov
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Winter 2021 Issue
Funding Opportunities Continued...
Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Climate Resilience Program
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is pleased to announce the availability of funding through the Tribal Climate
Resilience Program. The program wiil provide funding for tribal activities that support tribal adaptation and
resilience planning, ocean and coastal management planning, and relocation, managed retreat, or protect-in-place
planning and design activities for coastal and river communities. The program aims to support tribal nations that
are working toward climate adaptation planning and need information for management decisions that affect tribal
treaty and trust resources, economies, infrastructure, and human health and welfare.
The solicitation is for federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations (as defined by 25 U.S.C. Section 5304(1))
Other entities may participate as sub-grantees. While both federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations are
eligible for funding through this solicitation, tribal organization proposals will be reviewed and ranked separately
from tribal proposals.
There are nine award categories and proposals are due Friday, April 23, 2021, 6:00pm PT. The proposal must be
submitted and is available on grants.gov, named TEMP-11663. Please see the BIA Tribal Resilience Program site
for more information: BIA Tribal Climate Resilience Program.
BIG PINE RESERVATION: PHOTO BY ALAN BACOCK
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Winter 2021 Issue
TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Training opportunities in this newsletter are either hosted, funded, or sponsored in coilaboration with the U.S. EPA. Any links to websites
outside of U.S. EPA are provided for additional information that may be useful or interesting to our readers. The U.S. EPA can neither attest
to the accuracy of these third-party sites nor endorse any nongovernment websites, companies or applications.
Managing Harmful Algal Blooms in Tribal Waters Webinar Series
March 10, 16, and 18, 2021:10:00 am-12:30 pm PT
In collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Sitka Tribe of Alaska,
the U.S. EPA is hosting a three-part webinar series on the impacts of marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms
(HABs) and their toxins. Registration is free.
Attendees will have the opportunity to:
Listen to and talk with tribes from across the country about their experiences addressing the impacts of
HABs and their toxins in fresh and marine waters.
Learn about strategies to build tribal capacity for effectively collecting baseline data on HABs.
Ask national experts about data collection, funding, outreach, and other HABs management needs.
For questions or more information, please send an email to: EPACvanoHABs(5)epa.gov.
For registration information, please visit: Managing HABs in Tribal Waters Webinar Series.
U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Drinking Water Conference
May 3, 2021, 8:00am PT through May 7, 2021, 1:00pm PT
Save the date! The next U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Drinking Water Conference will be virtual and held May 3
through 7, 2021. The sessions will be held primarily in the morning and cover a range of interesting topics.
For more information, please see the event flyer: Tribal Drinking Water Conference Flyer
To register for this event, please visit: Registration for Tribal Drinking Water Conference 2021
BiG PINE RESERVATION, PHOTO BY ALAN BACOCK
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Winter 2021 Issue
Training and Technical Assistance Continued...
Region 9 Tribal Water Quality Standards Virtual Workshop
March 23, 2021, 9:00am PST to March 25, 2021, 5:00pm PT
This workshop is being held for tribal government Clean Water Act (CWA) program staff to receive, provide, and
share technical information and strategies to support establishing a Water Quality Standards program. This
authorization process supports tribal water quality goals for a specific water body and serves as a regulatory basis
for establishment of water quality-based pollution controls.
The following is the preliminary agenda:
Day 1: The Regulatory Framework
Day 2: Developing Tribal Water Quality Standards
Day 3: Implementing a Tribal Water Quality Standards Program
For more information, please contact Shawn Muir (smuir(a)29palmsbomi-nsn.gov). Danielle Angeles
(angeles.danielleffiepa.gov). Kate Pinkerton (pinkerton.kateffiepa.gov) or your CWA Project Officer.
Please check the following link to stay up-to-date on registration information: R9 Tribal Water Quality Standards
Virtual Workshop.
U.S. EPA Region 9 Freedom of Information Act Webinar for Tribes
April 13, 2021, from 2:00 to 3:30pm PT
EPA Region 9 is convening a virtual discussion on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for tribes in Region 9,
designed to cover the following topics:
Overview of FOIA online
How a FOIA request is initiated
How EPA responds to a FOIA request
Overview of FOIA Exemptions
Explanation of the process EPA takes to apply the FOIA Exemptions
Questions and Discussion
For more information, including registration information, please visit the Region 9 RTOC website: Region 9 RTQC
Website.
Targeted Brownfields Assessments
The U.S. EPA's Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) program provides contractor assistance to research
historic property uses, conduct environmental sampling, identify cleanup options, and estimate cleanup costs at
properties under consideration for redevelopment. Applicants can access up to $100,000 worth of technical
assistance by submitting an easy online application.
For more information on Targeted Brownfields Assessments, follow this link: Brownfields and Land Revitalization
in the Pacific Southwest.
If you are interested in applying, follow this link: Targeted Brownfield Assessment Application.
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Winter 2021 Issue
Training and Technical Assistance Continued...
Emergency Planning, Preparedness & Response for Tribal Nations
May 20, 2021 from 9:00 -11:30 PT (AM Session) and 1:00 - 3:30 PT (PM Session)
The U.S. EPA Region 9 will be hosting a free virtual workshop that will provide emergency planning, preparedness
and response training for tribal nations, including information on:
Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Planning, and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Clean Air
Act (CAA) accident prevention provisions;
Examples of institutional structures to support emergency efforts (e.g., Tribal Emergency Response
Commissions, mutual aid agreements);
Importance of community emergency plans;
Case studies of chemical incidents and natural disaster responses;
Federal resources to support emergency planning, preparedness, and response.
To attend, please follow this link to register: Registration Emergency Planning. Preparedness, and Response
Workshop.
Please contact Bill Jones (iones.bill(5)epa.gov) with any questions.
U.S. EPA Tools and Resources Webinar: Air Sensor Performance Testing Protocols, Metrics,
and Target Values for PM2.5 and Ozone
March 24, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
Lower cost air sensor technologies have flooded the marketplace and are being rapidly adopted by state, tribal and
local agencies, community scientists, researchers, health professionals, schools, and many others to measure air
quality conditions. Common applications for air sensors include understanding air quality trends, supplemental
monitoring, monitor siting, identifying hot spots, monitoring in remote locations, personal monitoring, and
educational and environmental awareness. While air sensors have become more widespread, it is commonly
known that the data quality from these technologies is highly variable. Consistent testing protocols and target
values have not been available to uniformly evaluate and compare different air sensor technologies to better
understand their performance in real-world conditions. As a result, there is a lack of confidence in data quality and
in selecting sensors that best suit an application of interest.
This webinar will highlight two reports developed by EPA's Office of Research and Development that outline
recommended performance testing protocols, metrics, and target values for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and
ozone (03) air sensors. The reports apply to the use of PM2.5 and 03 air sensors in non-regulatory supplemental
and informational monitoring applications in ambient, outdoor, and fixed site environments.
For more information and to register for this event, please visit: Air Sensor Webinar.
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Winter 2021 Issue
Environmental Protection Agency
Region 9 Tribal Branch
Tribal, Intergovernmental, and
Policy Division
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, CA. 94105
Protecting
Human Health
and the
Environment
Acknowledgement:
Thank you to Elk Valley
Rancheria, California
for working with their
Project Officer to
develop a Success Story
for this newsletter
issue. If you would like
to have a success story
highlighted in a future
issue, please contact
your Project Officer or
email the Tribal
Newsletter
Coordinator, at:
R9TribalNewsletter@
epa.gov
&B>A
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Get in Touch!
Do you have an idea for inclusion in
an upcoming newsletter? Do you
have a question or comment about
an article in this issue?
Please submit ideas, questions, tribal
success stories, original photos, or
other feedback to the R9 Tribal
Newsletter Coordinator, Jeanette
Sasek, at:
R9TribalNewsletter
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