Annual Water Quality Report

 Water Pollution Control Program

Staff

Jon Mooney, Environmental Director

Dylan Gray, Environmental Specialist I

Tim Nelson, Environmental Technician

Purpose

The Tribal Environmental Department was established in August 1996.  The purpose of this department is to monitor and protect the environmental resources of the Reservation, the Wiyot Tribe’s landholdings, and the Wiyot aboriginal territory.

Description

The department regularly interacts with the tribal community by staging environmental education events for the tribal youth, holding workshops, and including updates in the Tribal newsletter.  Management of the area’s environmental resources also requires coordination and collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies as well as the regional community.  This collaboration assists the department in developing many programs designed to address the various, and often very complex, environmental issues facing Tribes today.

Programs

The Tribal Environmental Department has developed and manages a number of programs designed to protect the environment and public health:

Water Pollution Control Program – under authority of section 106 of the Clean Water Act, the Tribe has been granted monies by US EPA to monitor the water resources of the Tribe.  For more on this program, click here.

Non-Point Pollution Program – this program serves to identify, reduce, and eliminate non-point source pollution of the Tribe’s water resources.  It is funded by US EPA under authority of section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.

Indian Island Environmental Restoration Project– the Tribal Environmental Department has collaborated with the TBR Cultural Department and tribal community, along with a large number of state, federal, and local community agencies and consultants in the ongoing program of improving environmental and cultural condition of the Tribe’s land on Indian Island.  For more on this project, click here.

Wind Quality Monitoring Program – this program took place from October 2002 to January 2004 in order to determine the potential for the new Reservation in regards to wind energy harvesting development (i.e. – wind turbines).  The data collected over the monitoring period have indicated that the Reservation does have an adequate wind resource, though be it marginal.  The department is now researching technology, scale, and funding options.  The department has developed a wind quality report, as well as an air quality report; both documents are available for review at the Tribal Office.

Solid Waste Program – The department has developed a solid waste program that includes community-wide curbside garbage and recycling pickup, composting, and waste reduction.  The department has also installed a used motor oil/oil filter/antifreeze collection facility to ensure that these wastes are disposed of adequately and recycled.

Community Garden – the department has headed management of a Reservation-based community garden since 2000.  The garden, primarily used to grow organic vegetables, is a means to educate the local community about land stewardship, organic gardening, and healthy eating habits.  The garden provides food for the weekly community lunch, and is sold at affordable rates to the Reservation community.

Public Water System Operator and Management Training Program – the department utilizes monies granted by US EPA to keep the Tribe’s drinking water system operators trained on the latest water system management technology and techniques, and keeps them certified for treatment and distribution of public drinking water.

Annual Reporting of Drinking Water Quality to Consumers – the department issues an annual Consumer Confidence Report, which informs customers of the Tribe’s public drinking water system of water quality monitoring results.

Emergency Operations Plan – the department has developed and managed an Emergency Operations Plan designed to aid the Reservation and Table Bluff community in the event of a disaster.

Hazardous Fuels Removal Program – funded by BIA, the department has developed a program to remove flammable material around the buildings and roads of the Reservation during the fire season.  Before the program was implemented, the Reservation had two close calls where grass fires nearly reached the community.

Other Accomplishments

Old Reservation Cleanup - In 2002, the department managed a massive cleanup of the old Table Bluff Reservation.  Funded with $188,000.00 from California Integrated Waste Management Board, the Tribe removed 1400 cubic yards of household trash and construction debris, 25 cubic yards of appliances, 80 cubic yards of hazardous waste, 10 cubic yards of asbestos, 400 cubic yards of metal debris, 100 cubic yards of tires, 5 cubic yards of vehicle parts, and some 25 abandoned vehicles.  Afterwards, CIWMB installed gates, fences, and “no dumping” signs to deter future illegal dumping.

Vehicle Removal – in 2000, the department removed 75 abandoned vehicles from the Reservation.

Funding

For general department funding and capacity building, the Tribal Environmental Department receives funding from the US EPA Indian General Assistance Program.  For specific programs, the Tribe relies on funding from other grant programs from the US EPA and many other agencies.

Feedback

We are always interested in what we can do to make this department work better for the Tribe.  We invite questions and comments, so please do not hesitate to give us a call at the Tribal Office.