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Sponsored by the National EPATribal Science Council and hosted by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

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cience Forum

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Traverse C\Vf, Michigan

THEME: Mother Earth: Indigenous Knowledge
and Science to Promote Positive Change

Title of Priority: Contaminated Precipitation—Mercury
Summary of the Priority and Tribal Request:

Power plants, mining operations and incinerators release heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, lead, copper,
mercury and zinc) and other contaminants (e.g., NOx and SOx), into the atmosphere. These pollutants
combine with water to form contaminated precipitation, which can enter terrestrial systems and impact
human health and the environment. For tribes that have traditionally depended on subsistence fishing and
hunting practices, fish and game advisories encouraging tribes to reduce or discontinue consumption rates
due to elevated mercury levels can result in severe impacts to tribal income and/or cultural practices.

Objective/Purpose of the Request:

This document responds to the request to identify and obtain additional education and outreach
opportunities to train and develop tribal capacity for air monitoring and testing of airborne mercury
deposition.

Summary of EPA Response to Tribal Request:

The primary way people in the United States are exposed to mercury is through eating fish contaminated
with methylmercury. EPA hosts a web-based compilation of fish advisories issued by states, tribes,
territories and local governments at http://www.eDa.gov/mercury/advisories.htm.

EPA provides web links to the Mercury Action Plan, the EPA Office of Research and Development
(ORD) multi-year plan, and the mercury portal link at the following web sites:

•	Mercury Action Plan: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/roadmap.htm

•	ORD multi- year plan: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplav.cfm?deid=20853

•	Mercury portal: http://www.epa.gov/mercurv/index.htm

The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) operates a national network to monitor wet
deposition of mercury (see http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/mdn/). The network consists of 90 sites, including
two tribes—the Yurok and the Forest County Potawatomi. Tribes interested in exploring the possibility of
participating in this monitoring network should consult with their EPA air tribal coordinator, the tribes
already involved in the network or NADP directly to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of
operating a site.

Suggested Next Steps:

Mercury exposure is strongly influenced by activities and geography. The Tribal Science Council should
further discuss this issue to determine specific activities, subpopulations and geographic areas that are at
risk and use this information to determine where mercury monitoring is most needed.

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