The Tribal Program

In New England, there are 10 federally recognized Tribes with an approximate land base of 260,000 acres. Throughout Indian Country, Tribes have primarily elected to place environmental activities within their Natural Resource Departments. The New England Tribes have done likewise. Currently, all the New England Tribes have Tribal environmental management programs. The Tribes have developed capability to assess environmental quality through monitoring, data collection, and reporting. Most of the Tribes are conducting air and water monitoring, and a few have approved assessments and Best Management Practices for non-point source pollution. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which received federal recognition in 2007, is just beginning to develop an environmental capability. The New England Tribes run across a spectrum from upland blueberry barrens to large and sophisticated gaming operations and resort hotels. Agriculture contributes to non-point pollution in rural areas whereas tribal gaming enterprises generate vehicle trips which generate air emissions. Ozone generation from upwind sources, atmospheric deposition of toxic contaminants, accumulation of persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) compounds, and water quality are specific concerns of the tribes.

Tribal members rely on natural resources to a greater extent than the general population to provide the Tribe with food and spiritual sustenance. Many tribal members engage in hunting, fishing, and gathering. Medicine men and women and ethno-biologists gather plants, herbs and animals as part of cultural practices on tribal land and other traditionally occupied areas. Therefore, Tribal members are at greater risk due to a higher level of environmental exposures than the general population. In addition, with regard to climate change, because the New England Tribes often live in coastal or riverine areas and rely on specific ecological settings for their cultural existence and subsistence any changes in sea level or climate will be particularly felt. The Tribes also have continuing concerns about environmental contaminants and their impact on tribal health.

The Tribal Programs

Dan Kusnierz of the Penobscot Indian Nations Accepts the National Award from Mike Shapiro of the EPA Office of Water for developing and implementing the Penobscot River Restoration Trust. Click for a larger image.

Dan Kusnierz of the Penobscot Indian Nation Accepts the National Award from Michael Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water, for developing and implementing the Penobscot River Restoration Trust.

Jean McInnes of the Mohegan Tribe Receiving the National Award from Beth Craig , DAA for Air at EPA for first-in-the-nation approval of a Tribal Implementation Program under the Clean Air Act.. Click for a larger image.

Jean McInnes (far right) of the Mohegan Tribe Receiving the National Award from Beth Craig , Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air, for first-in-the-nation approval of a Tribal Implementation Program under the Clean Air Act. Also receiving an identical award is Angela Benedict-Dunn (on left) Air Quality Program Manager, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.

National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management
At the biennial National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management (NTCEM), several hundred attendees from tribes across the country, along with federal and state agencies participated in four days of programs on important tracks, including air water, waste and public health. Four of the ten tribes from EPA's New England region were represented along with the Indian Program office of EPA. Two of the tribes received important awards, with Dan Kusnierz of Penobscot Indian Nation accepting the Environmental Merit Award for their work on the Penobscot River Restoration Project and Jean McInnis of the Mohegan Tribe (CT) received an Environmental merit Award on behalf of the Mohegan Tribe for being one of two tribes in Indian country to receive first delegation of authority to run the Clean Air Act on tribal lands.

Also attending were Steve Crawford (Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point) who presented multiple programs related to tribal health issues, Bill Thompson, Penobscot Nation air program manager and George Frantz (EPA), who presented on the collaborative nature of work between the Tribes in Maine and the Maine DEP.