United States Environmental Protection Winter 2023 ** Agency Region 9 Tribal Newsletter United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, Pacific Southwest Inside this issue: Regulatory News 2 Program Updates 3 Tribal Project Success Stories 5 Regional Tribal Operations Committee 6 Tribal Resources 7 Tribal Consultation Opportunities 9 Funding Opportunities 10 Training & Technical Assistance 15 REBRANDING ALERT! The R9 Tribal Newsletter email address has been changed to R9Communities(5)epa.gov! Now you will see Environmental Justice Program updates, their community office hours, and other important EJ news, along with the usual quarterly newsletter emails. Use this address to submit your ideas and feedback to the R9 Tribal Newsletter Coordinator. Be sure to keep a lookout for emails from R9communities in your inbox! Musings from U.S. EPA Staff Helios and Goodbyes, With great excitement, I returned to my position as the Director of Region 9's Tribal, Intergovernmental, and Policy Division this past July. I dearly missed daily engagement with Region 9 staff, dedicated to our partnerships with tribes, territories, and communities. I'm very lucky to be surrounded by kindred spirits who value this role and dedicate themselves to this work. The isolation of the past few years has me saying 'hello' with more excitement than usual to new colleagues, new community partners, the new partners, and children my workmates have added to their lives and families. As the end of the year approaches, I'm also sorely missing the folks who have passed on who will be missing from the celebrations I love. The circle of individuals connected to each of us is constantly growing and changing. Here at the U.S. EPA, we are also celebrating longtime colleagues who have dedicated their professional lives to this work. Our Deputy Regional Administrator and longtime Air Division Director, Deborah Jordan, will be retiring at the year's end. Deputy Regional Counsel Gretchen Busterud has also announced her retirement. Jeff Scott, Director of our Land, Chemicals, and Redevelopment Division, is leaving Region 9 to work at the U.S. EPA Headquarters where he will pass on some of the immense knowledge he accrued over the course of his career. I know that Deborah, Gretchen, and Jeff have individually and collectively worked to improve our support of tribal governments and tribal communities, and I'm wishing them the very best as they move forward into a new phase. As we approach the winter equinox and the year's end, I hope you are looking forward to some favorite traditions of your own. I hope your hellos this year have been warmer than ever, and your goodbyes as sweet as possible. ------- Page 2 Winter 2023 Issue I'm ready to reset and meet the coming year with all the energy it requires. I'll see you there! Sincerely, Laura Ebbert Director, Tribal, Intergovernmental, and Policy Division U.S. EPA, Region 9 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 | Tribal 2022 Performance Partnership Grants Best Practices Guide The U.S. EPA Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (OCIR) recently updated the Tribal Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) Best Practices Guide. This best practices guide is designed to help U.S. EPA and tribal officials understand and take full advantage of the features and benefits of PPGs, in which states and tribes may combine multiple environmental program grants into a single grant. PPG Best Practices Guide U.S. White House | Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies Today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) jointly released new government-wide guidance and an accompanying implementation memorandum for federal agencies on recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge in federal research, policy, and decision making. This announcement coincides with the Biden-Harris Administration's 2022 Tribal Nations Summit. It responds to a 2021 OSTP-CEQ memorandum that called for development of the guidance with tribal consultation and indigenous community engagement, as well as agency, expert, and public input. PPG Best Practices Guide Indigenous Knowledge is a body of observations, oral and written knowledge, innovations, practices, and beliefs developed by tribes and indigenous peoples through interaction and experience with the environment. The Biden-Harris Administration has formally recognized Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge that contributes to the scientific, technical, social, and economic advancements of the United States and our collective understanding of the natural world. White House Releases First-of-a-Kind Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies ------- Page 3 Winter 2023 Issue Program Updates U.S. EPA | Region 9 Environmental Youth and Teacher Awards Do you know any outstanding kindergarten through 12th grade teachers or youth working to promote environmental literacy and stewardship? if so, encourage them to apply to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's youth and teacher awards. Every year the U.S. EPA Region 9 recognizes remarkable kindergarten through 12th grade teachers and youth through the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA). The 2022-2023 PEYA and PIAEE competitions are open! Applications are due January 11, 2023. • The President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) has two parts, a regional award for grades K-5 and a regional award for grades 6-12. Each year the program honors environmental projects developed by young individuals, school classes, summer camps, and youth organizations. • The Presidential innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) recognizes accomplished K-12 teachers who use innovative approaches to engage their students in environmental education. Help the U.S. EPA Region 9 recognize and celebrate the amazing work of environmental educators and youth. Spread the word or apply today! The President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educator (PIAEE) Learn more about the challenge at epa.gov/ education Lr;vj-or;-r;e:rtal Youth and Teacher Awards informational Video U.S. EPA | Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students Tell a story about how a company that reports to Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) has taken steps to reduce pollution and win up to $5000! The U.S. EPA launched a challenge promoting innovation in pollution prevention at industrial and federal facilities. The challenge invites high school and college students to use the TRI Pollution Prevention (P2) Search Tool to identify a TRI facility that has reported implementing source reduction practices. This should include a compelling story about how those practices or techniques benefit the business and positively impact communities and the environment. EPA Region 9 £nvifon«n«u»l vouth ami Teadw Awards Check Out the Youth and Teacher Award information Video! Pollution Prevention Works Infographic. Calling all K-12 youth and teachers working to promote environmental education and protect the environment! g ppA Pollution Prevention Works: A STORYTELLING CHALLENGE FOR STUDENTS Due by February 17,2023 Submit a video, infographics, story, or other creative format to win up to $5000! Open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Tell a story about how a company that reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) has taken steps to reduce pollution. ------- Page 4 Winter 2023 Issue The challenge is open now and all entries must be submitted by Feb- ruary 17, 2023. Rl P2 Search Tool Pollution Prevention Works: A Storytelling Challenge for Students The U.S. EPA's VAMMS system. request. U.S. EPA | Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology Pilot The U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development has air monitoring technologies available for loan to state, local, and tribal air organizations to support supplemental air monitoring in areas affected by wildfire smoke and with observational data coverage gaps. Two stationary sampling systems - the PurpleAir sensor and Thingy AQ sensor system - and a portable system called the Vehicle Add-On Mobile Monitoring System (VAMMS) are available upon The Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology (WSMART) pilot is part of a federal government response to address the growing threat of wildfires and related smoke impacts that are a public health concern. Many areas affected by wildfire smoke may have limited or absent air monitoring data. Supplemental monitoring technologies can help air monitoring organizations gather timely data to assess smoke impacts and provide public health information. Grantees who use this equipment to collect information about their air quality would have to develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology (WSMART) Pilot U.S. EPA || January is Radon Awareness Month! Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States in nonsmokers and people who have never smoked. It is a naturally occurring gas produced by the breakdown of uranium and radium in soil, rock, and water. It's odorless and colorless too, so testing is the only way to find out if your home has radon. During Radon Awareness Month, some state radon programs offer test kits for free or at a reduced cost: • Arizona Department of Health Services - Bureau of Radiation Control • California Department of Public Health - Indoor Radon Program • Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. Division of Public and Behavioral Health - Radon Webpage Find a Radon Test Kit or Measurement and Mitigation Professional 28-Minute Webinar Recording State Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) for Tribal Communities Program website ------- Page 5 Winter 2023 Issue Tribal Project Success Stories Potter Valley Tribe: Annual Intertribal Environmental Youth Campout The 10th Annual Intertribal Environmental Youth Campout took place June 20-23, 2022 at Noyo-Bida Ranch, Fort Bragg on property owned by the Potter Valley Tribe. This year's theme was Sparking the Change. As part of the Potter Valley Tribe's (PVT) environmental education program under GAP, the PVT Environmental Office was the main organizer of this event, collaborating with the Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma Tribal Environmental Programs (MLSTEP) tribal personnel. Tide pool field trip during the lowest tide of the week. Seventeen local tribes and five outside organizations collaborated in planning and faciliting the event. As head facilitators, the PVT Environmental Office set a zero-waste goal for the event. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's gathering was one of the most successful campouts. Over 16 workshops covered environmental, cultural, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) themes, as well as sports, health, and wellness activities. Workshops included sessions on vermiculture, water resources, solar technology, geocaching, composting, salmon lifecycle, tribal dancers, and two organized water resource activities- visiting MacKerricher State Park's tide pools and Marine Protected Area, and the MLSTEP's Stream Team Bio-Assessment on 10 Mile River/Beach. We had 83 registered youth and 27 chaperones, staff, and organizers that stayed throughout the week. And we fed them all! It was a fun-filled educational experience for everyone. The youth learn to use tide pool life ID cards. Water quality testing demonstration back at the campsite. The Potter Valley Tribe co-hosts planning meetings throughout the year with up to 24 local tribes and tribal organizations from Mendocino, Lake, and Sonoma counties. Without all of the intertribal collaboration, donations from tribes, local businesses, and organizations, and support from the U.S. EPA, this great opportunity for the youth would not be possible. At no cost to the campers and with meals donated and prepared by local tribes, participants learned about the benefits of environmental stewardship and the wonders of the environment. This motivates the youth to explore their natural world and promotes interests in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, and local cultural activities from a Native American perspective. Photos courtesy of Gregg Young, Potter Valley Environmental Director. 2019 InterTribal Environmental Youth Campout Video Many of the 16 environmental workshops were held in the tent near the middle of the campground. ------- Page 6 Winter 2023 Issue 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. Tribal/U.S. EPA Annual Conference | From Pala Environmental Director, Shasta Gaughen The 2022 Region 9 Tribal/U.S. EPA Conference was held from October 25-27 at the Harrah's Lake Tahoe Resort on Washoe ancestral lands. This was the first in-person conference since 2019 and it was a great success. Over 600 people from tribes, the U.S. EPA, federal and state agencies, universities, and more attended either in person or virtually through the online conference platform. Over 400 people were on-site to take advantage of over 70 breakout sessions covering a range of topics relevant to tribal environmental professionals. The conference kicked off with a welcome reception on Monday night, and had its formal opening on Tuesday morning with remarks from Region 9 Regional Administrator Martha Guzman and Assistant Administrator for Research and Development Chris Frey at the U.S. EPA Headquarters. Chairman Serrell Smokey of the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada welcomed us to his homelands, and Washoe Tribe Bears spotted at Taylor Creek (Dawgasasiwa in the Washoe Environmental Director Rhiana Jones gave the land language) during a hike after a day of sessions at the 2022 acknowledgement. The morning was capped off with a Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference. <¦ ' , c , _ , , performance of poetry and music from Jessa Calderon Photo taken by Elk Valley Rancheria Environmental Services (Fongva arid Chumash). Director Cathie Buchanan. On Tuesday night, many conference attendees enjoyed a screening of the documentary film Inhabitants, followed by a Q&A with Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson (Hopi), who is featured in the film. Dr. Kotutwa Johnson also gave the keynote presentation at Wednesday night's Conner Byestewa Jr. Awards Banquet, where Camilo Perez (Quechan), John Flores (San Pasqual), and Mervin Wright (Pyramid Lake) were honored for their inspirational work and dedication to the tribes of Region 9. The conference closed out with a raffle on Thursday afternoon, and best wishes for all attendees as they traveled home. The 2023 conference will be organized by the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. This conference would not have been possible without the support of the Pala Band of Mission Indians Chairman Robert Smith and Executive Committee, and the hard work and dedication of the Pala Environmental Department staff, tribal consultant David Bernie (lhanktonwan Dakota), Jeanette Sasek, Ruben Mojica-Hernandez, and the U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Branch staff. ------- Page 7 Winter 2023 Issue Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference Website Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 YouTube Page Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) On October 24, Region 9 RTOC Co-Chair Mervin Wright Jr. (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) and Co-Chair Laura Ebbert (U.S. EPA) convened the hybrid Fall RTOC meeting. This hybrid RTOC meeting was well-attended with over 200 participants, including the U.S. EPA Region 9 Administrator. The meeting included a tribal caucus and full plenary with presentations from AIEO, Office of Water, and an array of topics including Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding opportunities. The Winter 2023 RTOC will take place at Morongo on February 14, 15, and 16th in Banning, CA & online. Region 9 RTOC Meeting: Fall 2022 Regional Tribal Operations Committee Website NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System | New Tribal Nations Map Feature Proactive drought planning and risk mitigation are essential for communities to prepare for and cope with the impacts of drought. Tribal nations often face unique challenges in the drought planning process, including limited funding and a shortage of reservation-specific data and monitoring stations. The U.S. Drought Monitor is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of droughts across the country. This map shows current U.S. drought designations, alongside tribal nation boundaries, based on U.S. Census Bureau legal boundary data as of January 1, 2021. Tribal Resources Drought Conditions for Tribal Nations USDA | Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative promotes traditional food ways, Indian Country food and agriculture markets, and Indigenous health through foods tailored to American Indian/Alaska Native (Al/ AN) dietary needs. USDA is partnering with tribal-serving organizations on projects to reimagine federal food and agriculture programs from an indigenous perspective and inform future USDA programs and policies. USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative National Integrated Drought Information Systems U.S. EPA | 2022 Burn Wise Health and Safety Awareness Toolkit The U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation recently developed the Burn Wise Health and Safety Awareness ------- Page 8 Winter 2023 Issue Toolkit. The purpose of this toolkit is to encourage safe and efficient wood burning practices during the heating season through use of toolkit materials in media and education campaigns. The toolkit includes videos, flyers, graphics, photos, logos, social media resources, facts and figures, health and safety tips, and more. 2022 Burn Wise Health and Safety Awareness Toolkit U.S EPA | Model Recycling Program Toolkit The U.S. EPA recently released an interactive collection of materials to help states, territories, local governments, tribes, schools, nonprofit organizations, companies, and public-private partnerships create effective recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, reuse, repair, and waste reduction programs. Toolkit materials can help communities increase participation in recycling programs and reduce contamination in the recycling stream. Materials Featured in the Toolkit: • Case studies from communities who have created effective recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, reuse, and repair programs. • Training materials on how to create educational messages and campaigns that drive behavior change. • Examples of consumer education materials that states, tribes, and local government entities can adapt and use in recycling programs. • Standardized terms with examples that may be used to describe materials that are accepted by residential recycling programs. Model Recycling Program Toolkit U.S EPA | Getting Started with GAP: New Staff Toolkit The U.S. EPA Region 10 Tribal Programs' New Staff Toolkit is now live. The toolkit is designed to help new tribal environmental staff understand the typical activities of the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) in their first year and throughout their GAP career. It outlines administrative activities, environmental activities, roles and responsibilities, and forms and reports. Getting Started with GAP: New Staff Toolkit U.S EPA | The Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook (2022) The U.S. EPA recently published The Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook (2022), which was an update to the 2014 guidebook and includes updated content and new topics that incorporate best practices, current knowledge, and recommendations on sensors. The Enhanced Guidebook supports users in planning and collecting air quality measurements using air sensors. The guidebook can help sensor users: • Learn the basics of air quality, air pollution monitoring, and air sensors • Plan and conduct an air quality monitoring study • Select, setup, and use air sensors • Analyze, interpret, communicate, and act on results • Understand the basics of air sensor performance How to Use Air Sensors: Air Sensor Guidebook ------- Page 9 Winter 2023 Issue U.S EPA | Sources of Indoor Particulate Matter The U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation recently released a new resource page on particulate matter (PM or particle pollution), which is a complex mixture of solid and/or liquid particles suspended in air. These particles can vary in size, shape, and composition. The U.S. EPA is especially concerned about tiny particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller - that's at least five times smaller than the width of a human hair. These particles can be inhaled deeper into the lungs than larger particles, where they can cause serious health effects. Some of the health effects of PM include decreased lung function and aggravated asthma. PM is found outdoors and in all indoor environments. There are many sources of PM indoors and actions you can take to reduce or control them. Health Effects of Indoor Particulate Matter Sources of Indoor Particulate Matter U.S EPA | Tribal Waste Journal: Managing Disaster Debris on Tribal Lands The U.S EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) is excited to announce that Issue 13 of the Tribal Waste Journal (TWJ) is now available. The issue, Managing Disaster Debris on Tribal Lands, provides information and features success stories that will assist tribes in preparing for a disaster; how to identify, properly manage, and dispose of disaster debris, and how to minimize or prevent environmental impacts. The tribes featured in this TWJ worked with ORCR to share their stories and were involved in the writing, review, and final approval process. The TWJ is one of the ways ORCR supports tribes by helping them share their success stories, providing other tribes a model program and expert contact. Issue 13 of the Tribal Waste Journal. Tribal Consultation For a full list of tribal consultation opportunities, please visit the U.S. EPA's Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS) webpage, TCQTS Weboaae. To find out about the latest U.S. EPA tribal consultations, email Join-eoa tcots(S)lists.eDa.aov. President Biden Memorandum on Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation On November 30, 2022, President Biden signed a new Memorandum establishing uniform standards to be implemented across all federal agencies on how tribal consultations are conducted. These standards are based on input received from Tribal Nations regarding tribal consultation. They ensure more consistency in how agencies initiate, provide notice for, conduct, record, and report on tribal consultations. The presidential memorandum also requires that federal employees, who work with tribal nations or on policies that affect tribes, take annual training on tribal consultation. Memorandum on Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation U.S. EPA Region 9 Water Division | Tribal Engagement Opportunities for National and Regional Water Actions Visual Calendar In response to requests from Region 9 tribes for more outreach on current tribal consultations, we have ------- Page 10 Winter 2023 Issue Iribal Consultation in U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Visual Calendars U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Operations Committee Consultation Workgroup Each month, the Region 9 Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) Consultation Workgroup meets to share information and discuss consultation topics of interest. This workgroup is jointly chaired by Kelcey Strieker, Environmental Director of the Pechanga Environmental Department, and Ruben Mojica Hernandez, U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Branch Manager. For more information or to become involved in this interactive workgroup, please contact Kelcey (kstricker@pechanga-nsn.gov) or Ruben (Mojica-Hernandez.Ruben@epa.gov). GAP Project Officer Edem Yevoo, Natural Resources Coordinator Jonathan Lopez from Cabazon's Band ofCahuitla Indians' Environmental Office, Environmental Education Coordinator Eileen Shanahan, and GAP Project Officer Abigail 'PJ' Jones enjoy a hike along Lake Tahoe after a day of sessions at the 2022 Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference. Funding Opportunities Stay up-to-date on federal grant opportunities by using the Grants.gov search page. U.S. EPA | FY24 Indian General Assistance Program Funding The U.S. EPA Region 9 invites Indian Environmental Genera! Assistance Program (GAP) grant proposals from federally recognized tribal governments and eligible intertribal consortia for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (FY24) workplan program development activities. The GAP's goal is to assist tribes in building their environmental protection programs' capacity and developing and implementing solid and hazardous waste programs. Applications are due by January 20, 2023. U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal Environmental GAP National Notice of Funding Availability. Region-Specific Information. Webinar Slides, and More NOAA | National Competitive Harmful Algal Bloom Programs The National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and Competitive Research Program (CRP) are soliciting proposals for the Prevention Control and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Bloom (PCMHAB) and Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB) programs. It is also anticipated compiled a schedule of upcoming consultation engagement opportunities for various U.S. EPA proposed water actions. This document provides both a visual calendar to track important consultation dates and includes a narrative that summarizes all current actions with more specific resources. ------- Page 11 Winter 2023 Issue that approximately $500,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2023 for the first year for all PCMHAB projects. It is anticipated that approximately $2,300,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2023 for the first year for all MERHAB projects. Applications are due by January 31, 2023. More information is available on Grants.gov. Funding Opportunity Announcement NOAA-NOS-NCCQS-2023-2007530 USDA | Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages applicants to consider projects that will help the economic recovery of rural communities through more and better market opportunities. Through improved infrastructure, these projects ensure rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefit from RD funded projects. These projects can also reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to climate change impacts by providing economic support to rural communities. Applications are due by February 1, 2023. More information is available on Grants.gov. Funding Opportunity Announcement RDBCP-REAP-EA-REDA-2023 U.S. EPA | FY23 Tribal Clean Water Act Section 106 The U.S. EPA Region 9 is now accepting Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 106 Water Pollution Control Program funding requests for the FY 2024 project cycle. The U.S. EPA Region 9 Tribal CWA 106 Grant Program solicitation notice provides an overview of the CWA Section 106 grant program and instructions on how to request and apply for Tribal CWA Section 106 grant funding. Applications are due by February 1, 2023. CWA Section §106: Water Pollution Control Grants U.S. EPA | FY23 Tribal Clean Water Act Section 319 The U.S. EPA Region 9 is now accepting Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program funding requests for the FY 2024 project cycle. The U.S. EPA Request for Applications solicitation notice provides an overview of the CWA Section 319 grant program and instructions on how to request and apply for Tribal CWA Section 319 grant funding. Applications are due by February 14, 2023. CWA Section §319: Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program Grants U.S. EPA | Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities The U.S. EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) is soliciting applications from eligible entities to provide technical assistance to assist communities facing brownfields challenges. Cooperative agreements awarded under this announcement will help communities tackle the challenge of assessing, cleaning up and preparing brownfield sites for redevelopment, especially underserved/rural/small and ------- Page 12 Winter 2023 Issue distressed communities. These agreements provide assistance that will cover technical support on various brownfields subject areas. The U.S. EPA anticipates this solicitation will be $5 million over a five-year period for each geographical region that corresponds to EPA's 10 Region and $3 million for Nationwide Technical Assistance. Applications are due February 14, 2023. FY2023 Application Resources for Brownfields Technical Assistance U.S. EPA | Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants The U.S. EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) has funding opportunities for training, research and technical assistance for brownfields sites. This funding helps with inventories, site assessments, remediation work, community involvement and site preparation. Grants awarded under this solicitation will help communities, organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, and individuals clean up and revitalize brownfield properties. For this solicitation, OBLR anticipates awarding five new Nationwide Brownfields Technical Assistance cooperative agreements, which will focus on five different areas of technical assistance and research. Award amounts will range from $500,000 to $1 million over a four-year or five-year period of performance, depending on the area of focus. Applications are due February 14, 2023. CFY2023 Application Resources for Brownfields Technical Assistance U.S. EPA | Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grants provide funds for tribes and intertribal consortia to develop or update plans that encourage sustainable post-consumer materials management. These grants will help establish, increase or expand materials management infrastructure, and identify, establish or improve end markets for reusing recycled materials. This grant program includes municipal solid waste such as plastics, organics, paper, metal, glass, and construction and demolition debris. This also includes the management pathways of source reduction, reuse, sending materials to material recovery facilities, composting, and industrial uses (e.g., rendering, anaerobic digestion), and feeding animals. The total estimated fundingamount is approximately $40 million. The minimum individual award floor is $500,000, and the maximum individual award ceiling is $4 million for the grant period. Applications are due by April 4, 2023. Grants for Political Subdivisions U.S. EPA | Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program Materials within the scope of this grant program include commonly recycled materials, such as aluminum and steel containers, glass, cardboard paper, and plastics, as well as food, organics (yard and tree trimmings, wood, etc.), textiles, batteries, and electronics. This grant program includes education and outreach activities, such as reducing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, rec^ posting, or using anaerobic digestor ------- Page 13 Winter 2023 Issue systems to treat materials or reduce relarca contamination. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $30 million. The minimum individual award floor is $250,000, and the maximum individual award ceiling is $2 million for the grant period. Applications are due by February 15, 2023. Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation | Scholarships for Native American Students The Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation expects to award twelve scholarships in 2023 based upon academic merit, accomplishments in the field, and demonstrated interest. Two of the scholarships give preference to Native American or Alaskan Native students and are not restricted to Oregon or Washington. Each scholarship is a cash award of $2,500 with no strings attached. Applications are due February 15, 2023. Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation 2023 Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission | Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership The Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership (PMEP) requests proposals for projects that will advance fish habitat conservation and restoration along the West Coast. PMEP is seeking project proposals that restore, enhance, or protect habitats for PMEP focal species within nearshore marine and estuarine systems (with an emphasis on habitat connectivity) or proposals that increase our understanding of fish habitats in estuarine and nearshore marine waters. Project sponsors should assume that funding will be received in summer of 2024. Strong project proposals that request less than $100,000 will be given precedence in an effort to fund a diverse portfolio of projects. However, proposals of particular merit may be funded at a higher level at the discretion of the review panel. Applications are due February 17, 2023. Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership U.S. DOE | Clean Energy Deployment and Powering Unelectrified Buildings on Tribal Lands The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy announced $35 million in new funding to promote tribal energy and economic development. Under two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) aimed at unlocking the benefits of clean energy for Native communities, we will award a total of $35 million to tribes to: 1. Deploy clean energy technology— applications are due February 9, 2023. 2. Power unelectrified tribal buildings — applications are due February 23, 2023. Clean Energy Funding Opportunity DE-FQA-0002774 ------- Page 14 Winter 2023 Issue Power Unelectrified Tribal Buildings Funding Opportunity DE-FQA-0002771 Full DOE Press Release U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Environmental Regulatory Enhancement The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and Administration for Native Americans announces the availability of Fiscal Year 2023 funds for community- based projects for the Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) program. The ERE program provides funding for planning, developing, and implementing programs that help tribal governments protect the environment under federal and tribal laws. Applications are due by March 31, 2023. More information is available on Grants.gov. Funding Opportunity HHS-2021-ACF-ANA-NR-1907 U.S. EPA | Funding Opportunities to Address Environmental Justice The U.S. EPA received $3 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act and $100 million in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to support Environmental Justice (EJ) activities in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. The U.S. EPA is implementing three programs as part of this effort: 1. The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program (TCTACs) will fund 10 regional and one national center to provide technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to communities and their partners with EJ concerns. 2. The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program expands on the U.S. EPA's traditional community grant program with larger awards to pilot implementation activities through community-centered collaborative partnerships. 3. The Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program expands on the U.S. EPA's traditional EJ government grant program with larger awards to government agencies partnering with communities to develop plans, projects, and pilot implementation activities. The U.S. EPA will post these funding opportunities in early January 2023. Check out the websites below to learn more: The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program Website The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Website The Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program Website The U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Grants. Funding and Technical Assistance Website California Office of Brownfields | Equitable Community Revitalization Grant The California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Brownfields' Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) is providing approximately $270 million to speed up the cleanup and reuse of idled and contaminated land, with preference given to historically vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. ECRG Round 2 is coming soon and will issue grants ranging from $80,000 to $7 million for environmentally-impacted sites that will fund preliminary environmental assessments, cleanup activities and more.. ------- Page 15 Winter 2023 Issue The program gives California communities an unprecedented opportunity to address historic environmental injustices and set a new path for land use that will have immediate and lasting benefits, such as recreational uses (parks and other green spaces), commercial enterprises and housing. ECRG funding is available to help California public entities, nonprofit organizations and tribes to conduct: 1. Community-wide Assessment Grant ($350,000) 2. Site-specific Investigation Grant (up to $3 million) 3. Site-specific Cleanup Grant (up to $7 million) ECRG Round 2: Equitable Community Revitalization Grant U.S. DOE | Tribal Relevant Energy Programs in the Inflation Reduction Act The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) invests a historic $369 billion in addressing climate change, with several new or expanded tribal specific programs created at the Department of the Interior (U.S. DOI) and Department of Energy (U.S. DOE). Clean energy tax credits are now directly available to tribal governments and nonprofits. Other relevant programs and provisions support reinvestment in energy and environmental justice communities. Some programs expire in 2024 or 2026. Most tax credit bonuses and U.S. DOE loans can stack, providing a significant opportunity for tribal energy projects. Tribal Relevant Programs in IRA 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. FEMA: Emergency Management Institute | Tribal Course Schedule E/L 0580: Emergency Management Framework for Tribal Governments K0580: Jan 9-13, 2023 Virtual L0580: Jan 30-Feb 2, 2023 Location: Blue Lake, CA-Blue Lake Rancheria E/L 0581: Emergency Operations for Tribal Governments K0581: Feb 6-9, 2023 Virtual E/L 0582: Resilience for the Next 7 Generations: Miti gation and Recovery for Tribal Governments K0582: Mar 27 - 30, 2023 Virtual Registration will also be available onsite. For more information, please reach out to FEMA Tribal Training Specialist Mary Reevis at Marv.Reevis(a)fema.dhs.gov. FEMA Student Identification (SID) System ------- Page 16 Winter 2023 Issue National Emergency Training Center Online Admissions Application ITER | Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. EPA are pleased to offer "Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances" training course, February 13-16, March 8, AND April 25-27, 2023. This course includes an online training course, online assignments, and a follow-up in-person workshop to focus on writing and implementing effective tribai solid waste codes. Although it has been developed for tribal environmental professionals without law experience, all levels of experience, other tribal staff, and council members are welcome. Applications are due by January 13, 2023. Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances Training Register for the January 25th webinar Register for the January 31st webinar U.S. EPA | Tribal Clean Water Act Section 404 Webinars Wetlands and streams provide important environmental functions including protecting and improving water quality and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Section 404(g) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) gives tribes and states the option of assuming, or taking over, the permitting responsibility and administration of the Section 404 permit program for certain waters. In 2018, the U.S. EPA announced plans for the first comprehensive revision to section 404(g) since 1988 and held two listening sessions. The Agency invites tribal representatives for a webinar on either January 25, 2023 or January 31, 2023 to discuss potential updates to the CWA section 404(g) and to respond to prior tribal and state requests for more to register using the Eventbrite links below. These webinars will both cover the same information, which is the status and anticipated schedule for this rulemaking. They are intended to be informational only, as the opportunity to provide input will occur during the public comment period. California Department of Water Resources | 2023 Tribal Water Summit The next Tribal Water Summit will take place on April 11-13, 2023 in Sacramento. The Summit will convene tribal, state, and federal leaders to discuss water issues and strategies towards watershed resilience of California's sacred waters. Proceedings from this summit wili help inform state water policy and advance issues of equity, access and incorporation of Tribal Ecological Knowledge in the 2023 California Water Plan Update. GAP Project Officer Destinee Cooper, Susanville Indian Rancheria Solid Waste Technician Aaron Brazzanovich, Susanville Indian Rancheria Environmental Director, and Clean Water Act Project Officer Kate Pinkerton stop for a picture at the 2022 Tribal/U.S. EPA Region 9 Annual Conference. California Water Plan Update Tribal Water Summit ------- Page 17 Winter 2023 Issue U.S. IHS and U.S EPA | Open Dumps on Tribal Lands Webinar The U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS) and the U.S. EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery shared information and insight for improving open dump data, solid waste projects, and programs in Indian Country. During this interactive session, the U.S. IHS and the U.S. EPA highlighted the focus areas of the IHS-EPA Memorandum of Understanding and the Tribal Waste Program Assessment Form. Attendees learned how to review the open dumps on tribal lands. This webinar took place on November 3, 2022. IHS-EPA Memorandum of Understanding Tribal Waste Program Assessment Form Tribal Lands Webinar Recordings United States Environmental Protection ^*^1 Mm. Agency Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 Tribal Branch Tribal, Intergovernmental, and Policy Division 75 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, CA. 94105 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 R9 Tribal Programs: www.epa.gov/tribal/epaspacificsouthwest-tribal-programregion-9 Follow Region 9 the U.S. EPA on Facebook! www.facebook.com/EPAregion9 Follow us @EPAregion9 on Twitter! www.twitter.com/EPAregion9 Please see and subscribe to our U.S. EPA in the Pacific Southwest Newsletter for more general news about the U.S. EPA in Region 9. EMERGENCIES &EPA Report oil or chemical spills at: 800-424-8802 To report environmental violations, please call 1-800-300-2193, operational during normal working hours, Monday through Friday. To report oil or chemical spills, please call the emergency line. More information on reporting spills and environmental violations could be found here: How to Report Spills and Environmental Violations Protecting Human Health and the Environment ------- |