Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee
Serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
Learn more about Region 10 RTOC in this short video.
Tribes & Villages
AK Natives & American Indians in Region 10 (2010 Census)
Happening Now
Tribal and Indigenous Climate Intensive: NTC/EPA Training – June 10-13
Join the National Tribal Caucus and EPA for a web-based training series aimed at helping Tribes prepare for climate impacts, draft adaptation plans, conduct vulnerability assessments, and access grant or technical assistance opportunities to address their climate needs. Tribal staff who are interested in increasing climate resilience, adapting to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are invited to attend.
You may register for the following sessions:
- June 10: Conducting a Vulnerability Assessments and Writing a Climate Action Plan
- June 11: Overview of EPA Programs, Technical Assistance, Capacity Building and Funding for Climate Change
- June 11: ORD (Office of Research and Development) and the Tribal Science Council: Tribal Work Addressing Climate Change
- June 12: OCSPP (Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention) and the Tribal Pesticide Program Council: Pesticides and Climate Change
- June 12: OEJECR (Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights) and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council: Environmental Justice and Climate Change
- June 12: OLEM (Office of Land and Emergency Management) and the Tribal Waste and Response Steering Committee Climate in Tribal Cleanup, Prevention, and Response Programs
- June 13: OW (Office of Water) and the National Tribal Water Council, Climate Priorities in the Water Program
- June 13: OAR (Office of Air and Radiation) and National Tribal Air Association, Climate Impacts on Air Quality and Health
- June 13: OCSPP (Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention) and the National Tribal Toxics Council: Toxics and Climate Change
WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative
The World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative provides free resources on the school bus electrification process, including a step-by-step guide, a power planner for working with electric utilities, funding information, and a market report/buyer’s guide detailing the electric school bus models on the road today.
DOE’s Tribal Nations and Native Communities Resource Guide
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Tribal Nations and Native Communities Resource Guide provides resources for Tribal governments and nongovernmental partners to navigate, access, and use clean energy funding opportunities.
NIHB’s Tribal Environmental Impact Network
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has launched the Tribal Environmental Impact Network, a cohort of professionals with experience in issues impacting environmental justice in Indian Country. This network of experts will assist Tribal communities as part of NIHB’s Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center (TEJTAC), which provides free technical assistance to Indian country for environmental health and climate justice opportunities benefiting Tribal communities.
EPA’s Water Technical Assistance Program
EPA has announced the expansion of its Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) Program, which helps communities identify their water challenges, develop plans, build capacity, and develop application materials. WaterTA will be better equipped to support communities applying for federal infrastructure resources through the agency’s State Revolving Fund programs such as the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside funding.
Final Rule to Protect Water Quality Where Tribes Have Treaty and Reserved Rights
Yesterday (May 2, 2024), EPA announced a final rule that will help protect water quality where Tribes hold and assert rights to aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources. The rule, entitled Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions to Protect Tribal Reserved Rights, revises the water quality standards regulation at 40 CFR part 131 to explicitly address how EPA and states must consider Tribal reserved rights.
Historically, EPA has addressed Tribal reserved rights under the Clean Water Act on a case-by-case basis in state-specific actions. This practice fostered uncertainty for Tribes, states, and entities seeking to comply with Clean Water Act requirements. EPA’s final rule provides clarity and transparency by revising the federal water quality standards regulation to better protect Tribal reserved rights under the Act. With this action, EPA is ensuring that water quality standards are established taking into consideration Clean Water Act-protected aquatic and aquatic-dependent resources where Tribes hold and assert rights to those resources under federal treaties, statutes, or executive orders. This final regulatory framework will be applied consistently while accounting for local conditions and factors to inform the development of specific water quality standards.
- Read the press release
- Learn more about EPA’s final Tribal Reserved Rights rule.
Tribal Resilience Action Database
Created by a diverse coalition of Tribal communities, project partners, and advisors, The Tribal Resilience Action Database provides access to more than 5,000 climate adaptation actions and community examples tailored to Indigenous values and worldviews.
EPA’s Environmental Resources for Educators
EPA’s Environmental Resources for Educators website includes lesson plans, teacher guides and online environmental resources on air, climate change, ecosystems, health, waste and more. Here are some recently posted items:
- Nature’s Benefit – The Card Game (Ecosystems) – Card Game and Guide for Grades 6-12
- Mercury Messes with the Environment (Health) – Activity Book for Grades K-5
- Electric School Bus Activity Book (Climate Change) – Activity Book for Grades K-5
- Educating Youth About Wasted Food (Waste) – Website for Grades K-12
EPA’s Environmental Justice Clearinghouse
EPA’s new Environmental Justice Clearinghouse includes resources submitted by agencies from across the federal government, including funding opportunities, screening and mapping tools, and technical assistance.
Build America, Buy America Act
The Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requires that no funds made available for a Federal financial assistance program for infrastructure may be obligated for a project unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in the project are produced in the United States. The Act affects purchasing for many grantees.
Orutsararmiut Native Council Water Quality Monitoring Collaboration Working Group (Alaska)
The Orutsararmiut Native Council’s EPA Environmental Program, along with Woodwell Climate Research Center Permafrost Pathways, invites interested Tribal leaders and Tribal environmental professionals to attend weekly meetings to discuss coordinating water quality monitoring efforts and to bring about successful projects to Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Tribal communities. The meetings are held every Tuesday/Wednesday from 3:00-4:00 Alaska. The mission of the project is to establish shared goals and understand co-stewardship opportunities. The objectives are to:
- Define a core set of shared environmental monitoring goals and concerns of YK Delta Tribal partners
- Understand potential Tribally led and co-stewardship opportunities for addressing these goals and concerns
- Begin planning a framework for potential Tribally led initiatives.
Contact Mary Herrera-Matthias at mmatthias@nativecouncil.org for more information.
Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Providers: NIHB
The National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) Tribal Environmental Impact Network is a new cohort of professionals with experience in issues impacting environmental justice in Indian Country. These experts will assist NIHB in providing technical assistance to Tribal communities for funding opportunities as part of NIHB’s Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center (TEJTAC). The TEJTAC was established to support underserved and overburdened communities addressing environmental and clean energy concerns by increasing access to federal funds. The network is open to professionals who work or have worked on environmental health and environmental justice issues in Indian Country. The network is seeking experts in the areas such as agriculture, air quality, clean energy, climate change, emergency response, environmental health, geology, hydrology, legal services, sanitation, solid waste transportation, and water quality. Compensation for technical assistance services will be provided.
Tribal Programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: EPA Website
Visited EPA Region 10’s Tribal Programs chock-full-of-goodness website lately? Here’s a quick tour to help you find some of or hidden gems:
- The home page features a rotating banner with EPA funding opportunities, upcoming events, and more.
- Learn about EPA Region 10’s Land, Water, and Air & Climate programs.
- Find all things GAP on our Region 10 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program page. Here you can learn about applying for a GAP grant, the role of the Tribal Council, ETEPs, Performance Partnership Grants, Tribal Consortia, and more.
- See our Training and Technical Assistance for Tribes in Region 10 for an entire table of opportunities. If you have a training you’d like to add, please email R10TribalPrograms@epa.gov.
- See the list of Upcoming Consultations on our Consultations and Coordination page.
- Want to find your Project Officer, Grant Specialist, or other EPA staff? Visit our Contact Us page.
EPA’s New National Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS
On April 10, EPA finalized the first-ever National Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS. Exposure to these forever chemicals has been linked to cancer, impacts on the liver, heart, and immune system, and developmental damage in infants and children. This final rule will regulate six kinds of PFAS and help to ensure that all Americans have access to clean, safe, drinking waters. In sum:
- Public water systems must monitor for these PFAS and have three years to complete initial monitoring (by 2027), followed by ongoing compliance monitoring. Water systems must also provide the public with information on PFAS levels in their drinking water beginning in 2027.
- Public water systems have five years (by 2029) to implement solutions that reduce these PFAS if monitoring shows that drinking water levels exceed allowable levels.
- Beginning in five years (2029), public water systems that have PFAS in drinking water that violates one or more of these levels must take action to reduce them and notify the public.
EPA will also invest $1 billion to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and help owners of private wells address PFAS contamination. Note that EPA will distribute the national Tribal allotment of 2% of the appropriations, estimated at $24M in FY22 funding, as an allocation to regions based upon the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants Tribal Set Aside Program allocation formula. Regional offices will develop the procedures and schedule for annual selection of projects and activities, obligation of funds, or distribution of grants.
- Read the press release
- EPA will host webinars on April 16, 23, and 30 to discuss the new regulation. See Events to register.
Tribal Waste and Response Steering Committee – Apply by May 31
The Tribal Waste and Response (TWAR) Steering Committee is composed of people working on the front lines for Tribes, Nations, and Alaska Native Villages in the fields of Superfund, emergency response, solid waste, underground storage tanks, and brownfields. TWAR is now accepting applications from Tribal professionals who are interested in serving on the committee, which produces a bi-annual Priorities Document, serve as mentors, help with the Tribal Lands and Environment Forum and other special projects, and meet with federal staff throughout the year to advance Tribal concerns and challenges.
Required Training for New EPA Grantees
As of March 4, EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment requires new grant recipients to complete two courses before receiving funds: EPA Grants Management Training and How to Develop a Budget. Whether you’re a seasoned or new grantee, this is great training for everyone!
Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants
Grants.gov has published a new Quick Start Guide for Applicants to help you register and apply for grants using Grants.gov. The guide covers registering with SAM, creating workspaces, submitting your application, and more.
Internships for Students and Recent Graduates
Looking for opportunities for youth? EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Renewable Energy Laboratories, and other federal agencies are recruiting now! You can also search or internships on USA Jobs.”
Ocean Acidification in Alaska
Ocean Acidification in Alaska is a free online course from the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network for anyone who wishes to learn how ocean acidification is affecting Alaska waters and its potential impacts on local species. The course is comprised of 8 modules and each module takes approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.
EPA’s Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plan Requirements
As climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, planning and preparedness are especially important. EPA has finalized new requirements for certain facilities to develop response plans for worst-case discharges of hazardous substances, or threat of such discharges, into or on navigable waters or conveyances to navigable waters. These requirements help protect the environment by ensuring that facilities have planned for and can respond to discharges of hazardous substances, particularly in communities with environmental justice concerns, which are disproportionately located in proximity to industrial facilities.
We Have the Power to Impact Our Future, and We’re Doing Something About It
Advising on Environmental Policy
The RTOC contracts with an Environmental Lawyer who assists our committee in analyzing and understanding environmental policies, law, federal comments and consultations. The RTOC Policy Advisor takes direction from the RTOC Chairman and committee to draft comments on behalf of our committee, and to make those comments available on our website for all tribes.
Protecting Our Way of Life
Nobody knows better about how to protect our way of life than those who are actively living within tribal communities. Since our region is spread out over 4 states and thousands of miles, we utilize technology to help us become aware of the needs of those we serve. Each representative holds a virtual town hall meeting to get input from constituent tribes about the environmental matters closest to them. We encourage all tribal leaders and environmental staff to attend these community building meetings, where they can learn from others and be heard.
Elevating Tribes as Original Guardians
Our committee recognizes Indigenous people as the original guardians of mother earth. Drawing upon thousands of years of Indigenous Knowledge, we work now within both traditional and western systems to continue our guardianship. The RTOC counts on the 271 Tribes in our region to keep us up to date with current environmental issues affecting tribal communities. We have advanced tribal concerns directly to Region 10 EPA Administration. Likewise, the NTOC (National Tribal Operations Committee) relies on all the regional RTOCs to elevate certain issues to the American Indian Environmental Office in Washington, DC, and to the National EPA Administrators.
Engaging with Tribal Leaders
Our representatives each garner topics and issues of importance from the tribes in their representative outreach areas to guide our official comments and direct our committee. Each year we host a Tribal Environmental Leaders Summit (TELS) where Tribal Council members and Environmental staff gather to discuss issues of environmental concern to tribes.