ฃ\ United States Environmental Protection Winter 2022 HI if-ป Agency Region 9 iribal Newsletter United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, Pacific Southwest Inside this issue: Regulatory News 2 Program Updates 2 Tribal Project Success Stories 5 RTOC and Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference 6 Tribal Resources 7 Tribal Consultation Opportunities 9 Funding Opportunities 10 Training & Technical Assistance 14 SAVE THE DATE! ~ The Winter RTOC wiil take place virtually from January 26-27. See page six for more details. Musings from U.S. EPA Staff Welcoming Danielle Angeles as the Acting Manager of the Tribal Clean Water Section! While Jason Brush is away on his detail with the Air Division, I am excited to serve as act- ing manager of a section I've been a team member of for over 16 years. In that role, I had the privilege of being the CWA Project Officer for various tribes throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada. In addition, I served as the Region 9 Coordinator for the Tribal CWA 106 program, Region 9 iead for Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State applications, as weli as the Water Division Liaison for the Regional Tribal Operations Committee. Under my mentor Wendell Smith's influence, my passion is to help tribes achieve their goals by highlighting available resources. When resources aren't available, I help them think outside of the box to get what they need. I look forward to working with you in this new temporary role. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything. Best, Danielle Angeles Pangilinan Acting Manager, Tribal Clean Water Section Water Division (415) 972-3441 angeles.danielle@epa.gov ------- Page 2 Winter 2022 Issue Regulatory News The U.S. EPA provides external links in this newsletter for informational purposes only. The 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. The U.S. EPA does not endorse any nongovernment websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein. U.S. EPA Administrator Reaffirms 1984 Indian Policy at National Tribal Operations Committee Meeting On September 30, 2021, the U.S. EPA hosted the annual National Tribal Operations Committee (NTOC) meeting. The U.S. EPA Administra- tor, Michael Regan, co-chaired the meeting with National Tribai Caucus (NTC) Chair, Gerald Wagner of the Blackfeet Nation. Members of the NTOC include the U.S. EPA Administrator, senior ieaders across the U.S. EPA, and tribal representatives from across Indian Country. The meeting was highlighted by Administrator Regan's reaffirmation of the U.S. EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations (1984 Indian Policy). Read more about the event in the press release. Program Updates Air and Radiation Division; Air Quality Flag Program The Air Quality Flag Program uses colored flags that correspond to the Air Quality Index (AQI) colors. Schools, community centers, libraries, tribes, parks, sports complexes, community centers, fire stations, health centers, and other organizations raise these colored flags each day based on forecasted air quality. Outreach for the U.S. EPA Air Quality Flag Program in Region 9 is a collaborative effort between the Children's Environmental Health Program, Environmental Education Program, and the Air and Radiation Division to help communities learn about air quality in their neighborhoods and potential health impacts from air pollution. During the 2021 Fall Challenge, which coincided with the obser- vance of Children's Health Month in October, we invited tribes to apply for sets of free air quality flags. Six tribes in Region 9 expressed interest in the program and received flags to display at tribal education, youth, cultural, and elder centers. Tribes men- tioned joining the flag program to help inform communities about wildfire smoke, as well as how air quality affects people's health and the environment. During the Air Quality Flag Program Fall Challenge, our Environmental Education Coordinator Eileen Shanahan presented at the Tribal/EPA Region 9 Annual Conference on air quality environmental education opportunities for tribes. This included sharing information about the flag program and related air quality lesson plans, out- reach materials, and school resources. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan with National Tribal Caucus Chair Gerald Wagner during the 2021 National Tribal Operations Committee Meeting. ------- Page 3 Winter 2022 Issue Is your organization interested in helping to keep communities safer by displaying air quality flags? There are still a few sets of flags available. Please contact Eileen Shanahan (shanahan.eileen@epa.gov) for more information. Tribal Branch: Cultural Activities and the U.S. EPA Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Indian Environmental General Assistance Program eligible activities may include culturally relevant environ- mental education, outreach, aspects of natural resource vulnerability assessments, and other potential activities. Some GAP allowable activities protect the environment, while helping preserve culture. The U.S. EPA Region 9 has finalized a GAP-Eligible Cultural Activities guidance sheet to provide information on cultural work in GAP workplans, including example workplan commitments, and information on how to draft a GAP eligible commitment. Air and Radiation Division: Reviewing State Implementation Plan Submittals The U.S. EPA Region 9 Air and Radiation Division (ARD) is currently reviewing the following State Implementa- tion Plan (SIP) submittals from state and local air agencies. These SIP submittals address requirements under the Clean Air Act related to plans to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), New Source Review (NSR) permitting programs or rules, and prohibitory rules to reduce air pollutant emissions. The plans and rules submitted by states and local air districts would not apply in any areas of Indian Country. If you would like information on any of these SIP submittals, please email the point of contact for the submittal type. Plan Submittals (Contact: Anita Lee, Manager of the Air Planning Office, lee.anita@epa.gov) California Base Year Emissions Inventories for nonattainment areas for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS San Joaquin Valley (California) Attainment Plan for the 1997 Annual Particulate Matter (PM)2.5 NAAQS San Joaquin Valley (California) Attainment Plan for the 1997 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS San Joaquin Valley (California) Serious Area Attainment Plan for the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS Bullhead City (Arizona) Limited Maintenance Plan for the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS Arizona Base Year Emissions Inventories for nonattainment areas for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS Nevada Infrastructure SIP for 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS Arizona Infrastructure and Interstate Transport SIP for 2015 Ozone NAAQS Indian Wells (California) 2nd 10-year Maintenance Plan for the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS Nogales (Arizona) Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS Determinations of whether Marginal nonattainment areas for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS and Serious nonattainment areas for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS attained by their attainment dates California Transport SIP for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS Nevada Transport SIP for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS Transportation Conformity Memorandum of Understanding between Bay Area Metropolitan Transporta- tion Commission and Sacramento Council of Governments San Joaquin Valley (California) Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget Adequacy for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS Permitting Rule Submittals (Contact: Laura Yannayon, Manager of the Air Permits Office, vannavon.laura@ epa.gov) Clark County (Nevada) NSR Rule revisions Maricopa (Arizona) NSR Rule revisions ------- Page 4 Winter 2022 Issue NSR Rule revisions for the following California Air Districts: Antelope Valley, Butte County, Mojave Desert, San Diego County, Placer County. New NSR rule submittals for the following California Air Districts: Amador, Tuolumne, Tehama County, San Luis Obispo County. 2015 Ozone Certifications for the following California Air Districts: South Coast, Feather River, Imperial County, Ventura County, Bay Area, Sacramento County, Yolo-Solano Prohibitory Rule Submittals (Contact: Doris Lo, Manager of the Air Rules Office, lo.doris@epa.gov) Maricopa (Arizona) Outdoor Fires and Residential Burning Rule Maricopa (Arizona) Rescind Rule Maricopa (Arizona) Emission Reduction Credits Rule Mojave and Placer (California) Metal Coatings Rule San Joaquin Valley (California) Agricultural Equipment Incentive Measure South Coast (California) Flare Emissions Rule Revision Class Exception for Performance Partnership Grants The U.S. EPA has approved a class exception to 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 35.536 which required cost share percentages based on each environmental program grant included in the Performance Partnership Grant (PPG). Cost share for PPGs are no longer required for new or supplemental awards made 10/1/2021 and after. More details on the class exception are available here: Class Exception to the Cost Share Requirements for Tribal and Intertribal Consortia PPGs at 40 CFR 35.536. EPA Office of Water Action Plan STRENGTHENING THE NATION-TO-NATION RELATIONSHIP WITH TRIBES TO SECURE A SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURE Action Plan to Address Tribal Water- Related Challenges In October 2021, the U.S. EPA released the Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationship with Tribes to Secure EPA-823 F-21-003 | October 2021 v>EPA United States Environmental Protection Afloncy a Sustainable Water Future action plan to strengthen the Agency's partnership with tribes and Alaska Native Villages on water issues. Actions taken under this plan will address critical challenges and provide vital water protections to support public health, environmental protection, cultural activities, and subsistence practices in Indian Country. "The U.S. EPA Office of Water plan encompasses many of the National Tribal Water Council's (NTWC) priorities," said NTWC Chairman Ken Norton. "Together, we recognize that providing tribal communities with safe water to drink, basic sanitation, and Clean Water Act protections make a differ- ence in the lives of our tribal peoples. The plan outlines specific actions that can be immediately initiated and con- tinue over the next three years to improve the health and well-being of tribal communities across the nation." Read more about the action plan in the press release. ------- Page 5 Winter 2022 Issue TribalJ Project Success Stories lone Band of Miwok Indians Receives $800,000 in Brownfields Grant Funding, Building on Success of Targeted Brownfields Assessment The lone Band of Miwok Indians is a federally recognized tribe in Amador County, in the town of Plymouth in Central California's beautiful foothills. The lone Band of Miwok Indians has a membership of over 750 tribal citizens and is comprised of Northern Sierra Miwok and Nisenan peoples. The tribe started the process of Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) in May 2020 and built upon the TBA findings by submitting two suc- cessful grant applications by the end of the year. This outstanding effort resulted in $800,000 of U.S. EPA fund- ing: both a Brownfields Assessment grant ($300,000) and a Brownfields Cleanup grant ($500,000), starting in October 2021. The lone Band's Brownfields site in the summertime before site assessments began. The lone Band will use U.S. EPA Brownfields grant funding to address blighted, vacant, and underutilized land. The focus will be on the former New London Mine site, a former gold mine and lumber mill that is now vacant and blighted land with remnants of the old mining tailings and foundations. These grants will help the tribe reduce human health risks to residents, tribal citizens, and workers in the community. The lone Band's reuse plans include developing a community center, park and recreational space, sen- ior housing, and low-income housing to meet the growing need for these services in the area. The future community center will serve as a permanent site for the tribe's monthly general council meet- ings and annual events. Revitalization of this Brownfields site will serve as an important step in achieving the tribe's long-term goals of restoring an ancestral land base to support its citizen population. It will also provide much needed housing to allow tribal citizens and others to relocate to the region. To learn more about the lone Band of Miwok Indians, please visit their website, https://ionemiwok.net. Through the Targeted Brownfields Assessment technical assistance, dozens of cabins are being assessed for building materials contain- ing asbestos. The tribe will use the results to clean up any contaminated cabins that are identified. ------- Page 6 Winter 2022 Issue The tribe's website tells about their history, mission, vision, and current work, noting that, "For thousands of years, our people have lived on the lands that today make up Amador County and the surrounding area. Following our restoration to federal recognition in 1994, the tribe has worked tirelessly to acquire, and restore to sovereign status, lands we once called our own. In March 2020, we successfully restored our first trust lands in northwestern Amador County. Restoration of our homelands has ush- ered in a new era for the lone Band, as we continue to flourish as a government and a people, and to build a community to support our many generations to come." Call for Region 9 Tribal Project Success Stories! Do you have an environmental project that you are proud of and would like to have high- lighted in an upcoming Region 9 newsletter? Notify your U.S. EPA Project Officer or send an email to: R9Communities@epa.gov. While we cannot guarantee your story will be used in a particular issue, we would like to develop and highlight a success story for each quarterly newsletter. The project should have an envi- ronmental focus and have been funded using federal grants or programs. Success Story Contributed by the the lone Band of Miwok Indians RTOC and Tribal & U.S. EPA 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. Fall RTOC Recap The virtual Fall RTOC was convened on Oct 18, 2021 and included information-sharing on the General Assis- tance Program (GAP) and Water Program updates. Approximately 120 participants were present at this meeting. RTOC meeting materials can be found here: Region 9 RTOC Meeting: Fall 2021 I US EPA. The Winter 2022 RTOC is scheduled for January 25-27, 2022 and will be virtual. More information will be shared on the RTOC website: Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) I US EPA. Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference Updates This year's conference theme was "Tribal Land, Tribal Knowledge, Tribal Sovereignty," and brought together participants from tribal nations located across Arizona, California, and Nevada, and representatives from feder- al, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, and academia. Here are some words from Pala Environmental Director, Shasta Gaughen: "The 2021 Region 9 Tribal EPA Conference was held virtually on October 19-21. This year's conference was organized by the Pala Band of Mission Indians in partnership with the U.S. EPA and the Region 9 Tribal Branch. Although the conference was originally scheduled to take place on Washoe territory in south Lake Tahoe, a resurgence of COVID-19 cases led the organizers to switch to a fully virtual format. ------- Page 7 Winter 2022 Issue Despite the challenges of having a fully online conference, the Pala team and partners were able to provide a rich and stim- ulating conference with 81 breakout sessions that were each attended, on average, by 50 participants. It's worth noting that this is more people than could typically squeeze into an in- person breakout room! Overall, a total of 526 people attended at least one session at the conference, with part one of the GAP Roundtable boasting the most participants 155. We also did something a little different by hosting state-specific "Think Tanks" where the tribes from each state could speak freely with one another during an open, 90-minute session. Based on the feedback we received, the Think Tanks were a big hit. The opening and closing plenaries were also well-attended, with over 250 viewers present for the welcome and nearly 200 for the close. The opening plenary session featured remarks from Janet McCabe, EPA Deputy Administrator; Acting EPA Region 9 Administrator Deborah Jordan; and Pala Envi- ronmental Director Shasta Gaughen. The closing plenary featured the winners of the Conner Bvestewa Jr. Environmental Awards; Lillie Lane, Sr. Public Information Officer for the Navajo Nation; Tashina Jim, GAP Manager for the Walker River Paiute Tribe; and Paul Huette, Utility Operator for the Big Pine Tribe of the Owens Valley. All of the 2021 Region 9 Tribal EPA Conference breakout sessions are available for viewing on the Tribal EPA Region 9 Conference YouTube channel. The Pala team is already planning for 2022, and we are pleased to announce that we have already committed to the week of October 24, 2022 in Lake Tahoe. We hope to see you there." Another highlight included La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians and Resighini Rancheria receiving acknowledgement of their Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State (TAS) approvals. You can access the ses- sion materials and keep tabs on news related to the 2022 conference here in the quarterly Region 9 Tribal Newsletter and at the Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference Website. Tribal Resources Build Wildfire Resilience The emergency response for drinking water and wastewater utilities website recently updated its Build Wildfire Resilience page and includes information and resources on the following: Addressing Contamination of Drinking Water Distribution Systems from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) After Wildfires. Wildfire Incident Action Checklist. Effects of Wildfire on Drinking Water Utilities and Best Practices for Wildfire Risk Reduction and Mitigation. TRIBAL LAND TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE TRIBAL Shasta Gaughen giving opening remarks during the welcome session. More water related emergency response resources are available here: Emergency Response for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities. ------- Page 8 Winter 2022 Issue Wildfire Guide: Preparation and Recovery for Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Systems (EPA 510-B-21-001). September 2021. The U.S. EPA developed this guide as a resource for underground storage tank (UST) and oil aboveground stor- age tank (AST) owners and operators in the event of a wildfire. This guide may help UST and oil AST owners and operators prepare for and respond to the catastrophic effects and environmental harm that may occur as a result of partial or fully burned UST systems or oil ASTs and associated piping and appurtenances, information in this guide may help owners and operators return their facilities to service as soon as possible. State, local, and tribal UST and oil AST program implementers may also find this guide useful. More information and the complete guide could be accessed here. National Integrated Drought Information System The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) is a multi-agency partnership that coordinates drought monitoring, forecasting, planning, and information at national, tribal, state, and local levels. Featured funding opportunities support advancing drought early warning across a variety of sectors and are offered by NIDIS and partnering agencies and organizations. Bookmark this page for curated and updated funding opportunities with more resources available at www.drought.gov/. California Drought Handbook The Drought Planning Handbook: Emergency Drinking Water Supply for California Indian Tribes is a collabora- tive effort of the Indian Health Service (IHS), U.S. EPA, and 11 other California and federal agencies to enhance cross-agency coordination and readiness in responding to the emergency drinking water supply needs of tribes impacted by our prolonged drought. This handbook contains valuable information on the multitude of state and federal agency programs and resources that are available to address emergency drinking water supply issues, through either direct provision of drinking water or indirect means such as technical assistance and coordination. The handbook can be found here: Drought Planning Handbook for California Indian Tribes. Deep Creek Hot Springs (Maarrenga'yam/Yuhaaviat- am/Serrano Land): Photo by Jeremy Bauer ------- Page 9 Winter 2022 Issue 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@Hsts.epa.gov to receive email notifications on the latest U.S. EPA Tribal Consultations. Each month, the Region 9 RTOC Consultation Workgroup meets to share information and updates and to discuss consultation topics of interest. This 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)pechan- gansn.gov) or Jeremy (bauer.ieremv@epa.gov). The following list of new and upcoming Region 9 consultation opportunities provides early notification and transparency to tribal governments. Please note that timeframes and details for these consultation oppor- tunities may change. Active U.S. EPA consultation opportunities are available on the Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS) webpage. Region 9 Lead Topic EPA Point of Contact Air and Radiation Division Tribal Minor New Source Review Permit for Cave Bear Tire Recycling Plant: An air permit application to open the Cave Bear Tire Recycling Plant on the Torres Martinez Reservation in Eastern Coachella Valley. Tingzhi Su (su.tinszhi(S)eDa.gov) Air and Radiation Division General Air Quality Permit for Hot Mix Asphalt Plants for Fann Contracting, Inc.: A request for coverage under the U.S. EPA Clean Air Act general permit for a plant located in Kayenta, Arizona in Navajo Nation. Lisa Beckham (beckham.lisa(S)eDa.gov) Air and Radiation Division Tribal Minor New Source Review Permit Application for the Twenty- Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians Tribal Utility Authority: An NSR permit to install one new diesel-powered emergency generator at the Spotlight 29 Casino owned and operated by the 29 Palms Band of Mission Indians. Shaheerah Kelly (kellv.shaheerah(S)eDa.gov) Air and Radiation Division Fort Mojave Indian Tribe - Invitation to Consult - Permit South Point Energy Center: A Title V/Prevention of Significant Deterioration Per- mit for performance upgrades and operational changes to the South Point Energy Center located on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation. Catherine Valladolid (vallodolid.Catherineฎ eDa.sov) Air and Radiation Division Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation for New Source Review Permit at the Nache Creek Casino Resort: A NSR permit application to install two new natural gas generators at the Nache Creek Casino Resort owned and operated by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Laura Yannayon (vannavon.laura (S)eDa.gov) Water Division Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians New Water Quality Standards: The U.S. EPA has offered eight tribal governments an opportunity to consult on the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians water quality standards package that includes designated uses, water quality criteria to pro- tect those uses, and an antidegradation policy. Kate Pinkerton (Dinkerton.kate(S)eDa.gov) ------- Page 10 Winter 2022 Issue Funding Opportunities Stay up-to-date on federal grant opportunities by using the Grants.gov search page. U.S. EPA Region 9: General Assistance Program Funding U.S. EPA Region 9 invites Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) grant proposals from federal- ly recognized tribal governments and eligible intertribal consortia for FY 2023 workplan program development activities. The goal of the GAP is to assist tribes in developing the capacity to plan and establish environmental protection programs and to develop and implement solid and hazardous waste programs in accordance with their individual needs. Applicant Type Submit GAP workplan and budget to your EPA Project Officer by: Submit complete application to grants.gov by: Individual tribe applying for a stand- alone GAP cooperative agreement Thursday, January 13, 2022 Thursday, January 13, 2022 Individual tribe applying for funding through a Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) Thursday, January 13, 2022 Date specified by EPA Project Officer in "please apply" letter, likely in spring or early summer 2022 Intertribal consortium applying for GAP funding Thursday, January 27, 2022 Thursday, January 27, 2022 Read more about the application process in the FY 2023 General Assistance Program (GAP) Notification. More resources are available at the U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Environmental GAP Funding website. U.S. Department of Agriculture: Community Forest Program The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service offers a unique opportunity for communities to acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstra- tion sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products. Please view the Community Forest Program Website to see the Request for more information. Applications are due by January 10, 2022. Additional information is available on Grants.gov. under Funding Opportunity Announcement USDA-FS-SPF-CFP-2022-001. USDA: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Energy Audit & Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants This program assists rural small businesses and agricultural producers by conducting and promoting energy audits and providing Renewable Energy Development Assistance. This program strengthens American energy independence by increasing the private sector supply of renewable energy and decreasing the demand for energy through energy efficiency improvements. Over time, these investments can also help lower energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers. Applications are due by January 31, 2022. ------- Page 11 Winter 2022 Issue For more detailed information, please visit: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Energy Audit & Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program 2022 The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), in cooperation with the U.S. EPA, U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), FedEx, and Southern Company are pleased to solicit applications for the 2022 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program. This program will award approximately $2.6 million in grants nationwide. Funding priorities for this program include: On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream and/or coastal habitat restoration. Meaningful education and training activities, either through community outreach, participation and/or integration with K-12 environmental curriculum. Measurable ecological, educational, and community benefits. Partnerships: Five Star projects should engage a diverse group of community partners to achieve ecological and educational outcomes. Kitchen Creek (Kumeyaay Land): Photo by Jeremy Bauer Applications are due January 25, 2022. For more information, please visit: Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program 2022 Request for Proposals. Federal Emergency Management Agency: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grants Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides federal funds for the Building Resilient Infrastruc- tures and Communities (BRIC) grant program to states, local communities, tribes, and territories for mitigation activities. BRIC is a FEMA annual hazard mitigation program. The priorities are to: Incentivize natural hazard risk reduction activities that mitigate risk to public infrastructure. Prioritize benefits to disadvantaged communities. Mitigate risk to one or more community lifelines. Incorporate nature-based solutions. Enhance climate resilience and adaptation. Increase funding to applicants that facilitate the adoption and enforcement of the latest published editions of building codes. ------- Page 12 Winter 2022 Issue The deadline for applications is Jan. 28, 2022. Find more information about this opportunity, please visit: Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY 2021 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grants. FEMA: Flood Mitigation Assistance The FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program funds states, local communities, tribes, and territories to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program. This grant program strengthens national preparedness and resilience and supports the mitigation mission area through FEMA's 2018-2022 strategic goal of building a culture of preparedness. The application deadline is January 28, 2022. For more information, please visit: Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant. USDA: Rural eConnectivity Program The USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department has begun accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet. The Reconnect Program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term rural economic development and opportunities in rural America. Applications are due by February 22, 2022. For more information, please visit: Rural eConnectivity Program. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities Pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), U.S. EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards (OAQPS) is announcing the availability of funds and soliciting applications from eligible entities to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants of greatest concern in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities stemming from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. EPA will award funds to support community and local efforts to monitor their own air quality and to promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities and tribal, state, and local governments. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $20,000,000. Approximately $2 million dollars of this amount will be awarded to tribal governments under a tribal government set-aside, and approximately $2 million will be awarded to eligible community-based organizations under a communi- ty-based organization set-aside. The application period closes February 25, 2022, and the U.S. EPA will be offering an informational webinar on January 11, 2022 from 10:00-11:00AM Pacific Standard Time. For more information on the opportunity and webinar, please visit: Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring Funding under the ARP and Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities. ------- Page 13 Winter 2022 Issue Department of the Interior; Eastern Nevada Conservation, Recreation and Development This program provides support and guidance for carrying out the expenditure of appropriated funds generated from the sale of public lands in Lincoln and White Pine Counties in eastern Nevada, A primary goal of this program is to carry out the inventory, evaluation, protection, and management of unique archeological resources and it also encompasses recreation improvements and wildlife habitat. The program will focus funded partnerships on key activities in support of the Department of the Interior's priorities. These include addressing the climate crisis, restoring balance on public lands and waters, advancing environmental justice, strength- ening the government-to-government relationship with sovereign tribal nations, and investing in a clean energy future where there is clear alignment of bureau priorities. Applications are due by January 7, 2022. Additional information is available on Grants.gov. under Funding Opportunity Announcement L22AS00070, California Tribal Nation Grant Fund: Emergency Response Grant The Emergency Response Grant is made available to eligible tribes to respond to and provide relief for the immediate impacts of unexpected situations that threaten the health and safety of tribal communities and require emergency action. Emergency Response Grant funds may be used to fund programs, procurement of supplies, and actions taken to respond to or provide relief for the immediate impacts of unexpected situations that threaten the health and safety of tribal communities and require emergency action, so long as those programs, supplies, and actions are not otherwise funded or provided by sources outside of the Tribal Nation Grant Fund. Who is Eligible: Non-Gaming Tribes and Limited-Gaming Tribes There is currently no deadline for this grant. To apply to the Emergency Response Grant, please visit: Tribal Nation Grant Fund: Emergency Response Grant. California Department of Water Resources: Small Community Drought Relief Program The purpose of the Small Community Drought Relief Program is to provide immediate and near-term financial and technical support to help small communities survive this and future droughts. The Trailer Bill authorized specified state agencies, defined as implementing agencies, to, subject to an appropriation for these purposes, make grants and direct expenditures for interim or immediate relief in response to conditions arising from a drought scenario to address immediate impacts on human health and safety and on fish and wildlife resources and to provide water to persons or communities that lose or are threatened with the loss or contamination of water supplies. Jacumha Wilderness (Kumeyaay Land): Photo by Jeremy Bauer ------- Page 14 Winter 2022 Issue Small communities impacted by the drought are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications will be processed as they are received until funds are exhausted or until December 29, 2023. To apply, please visit: Small Community Drought Relief Program. Training & Technical Assistance Training opportunities in this newsletter are either hosted, funded, or sponsored in collaboration with the U.S. EPA. Any links to websites outside of the 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. U.S. EPA Region 9 FY 2023 GAP Notification Webinar On November 30, 2021, the U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Branch hosted an informational webinar, reviewing important aspects of the FY2023 GAP Funding Notification document. The funding notification can be found on the Region 9 Tribal Environmental GAP Funding webpage: FY 2023 GAP Funding Notification. The updated GAP Notification reflects feedback the Tribal Branch received from grantees. In the notification, you will find important information for all eligible applicants, details on the application review process, information on stand-along GAP applicants, information for applicants currently in or wish to have GAP awards in PPGs, and information for inter- tribal consortia applicants. The notification has been designed to convey information clearly by reordering content and providing additional attachments. The notification is organized to provide targeted information for tribal stand-alone GAP grantees, PPG grantees with GAP, and intertribal consortia grantees, respectively. During the webinar, important sections of the notification were reviewed, questions from prospective GAP grantees were addressed, and clarifications were provided on some key points. If you were unable to attend, or want to see the presen- tation again, follow this to the webinar recording: FY23 GAP Notification Webinar. U.S. EPA Grants Management Training for Applicants and Recipients For those new to the U.S. EPA grants process or those who would like a refresher, this online training course is designed to introduce U.S. EPA grant applicants and recipients to key aspects of the entire grant life cycle, from preparation of an application through grant closeout. Throughout this training, the term grant is used as a general term to refer to both grants and cooperative agreements. The course is divided into separate modules that can be completed individually. Each module includes knowledge checks to verify your understanding of key concepts. If you need to leave a module, the last slide to be completed will be saved, and you will be able to return to that location later. Upon completion, you will be prompted to generate a downloadable certificate of completion. To access these training modules, follow this link: U.S. EPA Grants Management Training for Applicants and Recipients. U.S. EPA, Targeted Brownfields Assessments: The Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) Program provides U.S. EPA contractor support for conducting site assess- ments and developing cleanup options and cost estimates. This assistance provides a springboard for recipients to apply for competitive Brownfields Cleanup Grants and redevelop underutilized and abandoned properties. ------- Page 15 Winter 2022 Issue The Region 9 Brownfields Program is presently helping the tribes listed below with investigation of sites in- volving a range of former operations, including logging and lumber processing, and facility maintenance and copper mining, that are slated for various reuses, such as hiking and open-range cattle grazing, recreation, commercial redevelopment, and a cultural center and museum: Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe Hoopa Valley Tribe Navajo Nation Tohono O'odham Nation White Mountain Apache Tribe To learn more about the TBA program, please visit: U.S. EPA Region 9 Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) Application. For more information, contact Lisa Hanusiak (hanusiak.lisa@epa.gov) or Jose Garcia (garcia.jose@epa.gov). New Superfund Redevelopment Mapper Tool and Training Webinar Wednesday, January 26, 2022, 10:00 AM -12:00 PM PT The U.S. EPA is excited to announce the launch of the Superfund Redevelopment Mapper, a new Geographic Information System (GlS)-based tool to help local, state, and tribal governments, community development organizations, developers, and community members explore reusing and redeveloping land on or near Superfund sites. Follow this link to register: Site Redevelopment? There's an App for That - Superfund Redevelopment Mapper Training. Developing and Implementing Tribal Solid Waste Codes Virtual Training Applications are due January 14, 2022 Course dates are February 7-10, March 9, and April 18-21, 2022 The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the U.S. EPA are pleased to offer Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances training virtual course. This virtual course with online assignments and follow-up workshop will focus on the writing and implementation of effective tribal solid waste codes. It has been developed for tribal environmental professionals without law experience, yet all levels of experience, other tribal staff, and council members are welcome. Each tribe that completes the training will receive legal and technical staff support via phone, email and/or web-based meeting communication and shall include one-on-one assistance in developing their codes and ordinances through April 23, 2022. Complete attendance is required to receive legal and technical staff support and a certificate. This tuition-free course is specifically designed for tribes who intend to create solid waste codes, or to improve existing solid waste codes, and are able to enforce the completed codes. Course participants must be employees of federally recognized tribes who currently have completed integrated solid waste management plans but lack operable solid waste codes/ordinances. ECONOMIC GROWTH When brownfield sites are cleaned up, nearby residential property values within a 1.29 mile radius can increase 5-15.2% $11 tk PROPERTYVALUES INCREASE BY 5-15.2% oEPA www.epa.gov/brownfields Source: U.S. EPA Twitter ------- Page 16 Winter 2022 Issue Highlights of this course include: Importance of developing community-specific codes and navigating the jurisdictional labyrinth. Drafting codes: Conducting research and deciphering code language and identifying solid waste issues Outreach methods and strategies for cultivating public, legal, and governmental support. Enforcement issues, options, and alternatives. Conducting and managing legal review and administrative processes. Participants applying for the Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinance training course are required to complete the following steps before the January 14 deadline: Create a student profile through the IHS Environmental Health Support Center web portal at www.ihs.gov/ehsc/. If you do not already have one (select Registration Instructions on the left-side toolbar or call Shari Windt at 505-256-6805 for assistance creating your profile). Register for the course through the IHS Environmental Health Support Center web portal (login to your account at www.ihs.gov/ehsc/. select Classes on the left-side toolbar, type Codes into the Search function under the Course Name field, select Development and Implementation of Tribal SW Codes, scroll to the bottom of the page and select Register in the lower left corner). Complete ITEP's online application form available at: https://bit.lv/SolidWasteCodesApplication22. Environmental Justice Webinar Series for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples The U.S. EPA and other federal agencies have been expanding outreach, engage- ment, and collaboration with various stakeholders to advance Environmental Justice (EJ). The EJ webinar series for tribes and indigenous peoples seeks to enhance EJ integration, build capacity, and raise awareness of the U.S. EPA, other federal programs, and resources. The series also provides technical assistance to tribes and indigenous peoples on pressing environmental, public health, and other EJ concerns. The U.S. EPA received input from tribes requesting that the Agency "increase training and technical assistance," as well as from indigenous peoples requesting information and training, which will be provided, in part, through these webinars. Recent topics include Justice 40 Initiative - A Whole-of-Government Approach to Advance Environmental Justice, Traditional Knowledge - Tribal Governments' and Indigenous Peoples' Experiences with Federal Agencies, and Traditional Knowledge - Federal Agencies' Considerations. REBRANDING ALERT! The R9 Tribal Newsletter email address has been changed to R9Communities@epa.gov! This rebranding will allow for enhanced communications to R9 tribes. You will now see not only the quarter- ly newsletter email notifications arrive to your inbox via (^commu- nities, but also updates on the Environmental Justice Program, their community office hours, and other important EJ updates. Use this address to submit your ideas and feedback to the R9 Tribal Newsletter Coordinator. Access upcoming webinars and past webinars here: Environmental Justice for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples Webinars. Be sure to keep a lookout for emails from R9communities in your inbox! ------- Page 17 Winter 2022 Issue 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, Mark Rayos, at: R9Communities@epa.gov Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 Tribal Branch Tribal, Intergovernmental, and Policy Division 75 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, CA. 94105 R9 Tribal Programs: www.epa.gov/tribal/epaspacificsouthwest-tribal-proeramregion-9 Follow Region 9 EPA on Facebook! www.facebook.com/EPAregion9 Follow us @EPAregion9 on Twitter! twitter.com/EPAregion9 Please see and subscribe to our EPA in the Pacific Southwest Newsletter for more general news about the U.S. EPA in Region 9. Protecting Human Health and the Environment ------- |