Posts Archive

The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has created a bipartisan oversight email to track how any freeze on federal funding is impacting Tribal Nations and Native communities. If your community or Nation is affected, please share your experiences and concerns by...

EPA’s report, The Environmental Value of Applying Compost: Improving Soil Health for Stormwater Management, Contaminated Site Remediation, Ecosystem Restoration, Landscaping and Agriculture, summarizes the published science on the benefits of compost use in various...

The logistics of removing waste from remote areas of the country can be very challenging. Learn about Backhaul Alaska and the development of a mobile app to help support backhaul in rural Alaska. Read the article 

With the spate of devastating wildfires in California and the prospect of more fires in the near future, EPA and other organizations are sharing information on how to address the health effects.  ITEP Training: After a Wildfire – Health and Safety Considerations...

EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment hosted a December webinar series on the following topics:  Participant Support Costs 2024 Revisions to 2 CFR Part 200 Regulations – Impacts to Tribes as Federal Award Recipients 2 CFR Updates to the Appendix,...

The Exchange Network is an intergovernmental, collaborative partnership of EPA, states, territories, and Tribes to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely, high quality environmental information. EPA is soliciting...

Many Superfund sites are well suited to support alternative energy production, and 110 Superfund sites now host alternative energy facilities. As of October 2024, these facilities provide enough energy to power more than 280,000 homes for one year.   Read the...

This EPA calculator can be used to estimate the methane emissions avoided per ton of food waste by diverting food waste from landfills over time. Anyone can download and use the calculator, which may be useful for grant applications, program planning, and reporting....

EPA has updated its Hazardous Waste Cleanup website to include a new landing page for all corrective action program topics and initiatives; a new searchable, sortable table of corrective action guidance, regulations, rulemakings, and resources; and a new training...

The Build America Buy America Act, enacted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on November 15, 2021, established a domestic content procurement preference for all Federal financial assistance obligated for infrastructure projects after May 14,...

Project WET (Water Education Today) works to solve critical environmental challenges by teaching the world about water by providing hands-on, science-based water education resources to educators around the world. The Project Wet Conference will be held in person in...

ASHRAE Guideline 44, “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events,” released in December, recommends building measures to minimize occupant health impacts from wildfire and prescribed burn smoke events. It is the first guideline...

Native Climate, a project that supports climate adaptation efforts in Native American communities of the Southwest and Northern Plains, compiled local climate projections for 633 tribally controlled areas in the United States, including Alaska Native Villages. The...

On December 23, EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights released the agency’s Environmental Justice Strategic Plan. The plan lays out three goals for agency: Promote environmental justice and civil rights at the federal, Tribal, state, local,...

n its FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan, EPA committed to assembling a set of indicators of disparities in environmental and public health conditions relevant to the agency’s work, consistent with the broader effort to advance environmental justice. EPA has now released the...

Through E-Enterprise for the Environment, EPA, states, and Tribes are working together to improve environmental program management by streamlining processes and modernizing technology. It is governed by three goals: Early and meaningful dialogue with partners who make...

On Jan. 3, EPA announced the addition of 9 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to the list of chemicals covered by the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). TRI data is reported to EPA annually by industrial and federal facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use...

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Carbon monoxide symptoms can be flu-like or may look like other health problems. At high levels, carbon monoxide can be deadly. Share this excellent fact sheet with your community.  

EPA Region 10 is updating its web page, Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities for Tribes in Region 10. If you have other opportunities you think we should include, please email Susan Conbere at Conbere.Susan@epa.gov. In the meantime, take a gander at a wide...

Pathways to Science compiles research and funding opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Some of these opportunities are in federal agencies, including EPA. Paid Summer 2025 Undergraduate Research...

Students across the Northwest are encouraged to raise public awareness of radon hazards by participating in the 2025 Northwest Radon Poster Contest. Youth between the ages of 9 and 14 living in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are eligible. First, second, and third place...

EPA recently published updates to the agency’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing, which help federal government purchasers and other buyers select products that are more sustainable and contain safer chemical...

Brownfields 101: Tribal Funding Panel: A presentation from EPA given at the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council Conference. Brownfields 101 Practical Ways to Navigate Cleanup and Redevelopment: A presentation from the Washington Department of Ecology, EPA,...

EPA has posted fish graphics that show parts of a fish that should not be eaten because of possible exposure to chemicals. This is particularly true for sensitive populations (e.g., pregnant people, children) and people who are subsistence fish consumers. Download the...

This report presents the results of an EPA analysis of blood mercury and fish consumption data for 1999 through 2020 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for U.S. women 16-49 years of age. A key finding is that while the estimated amount of fish...

As a new year is upon us, it seems exactly the right time to reintroduce the New Staff Toolkit. Chock full of resources, the toolkit is designed to help new Tribal environmental staff understand the typical activities of the GAP Program in the first year and...

Pathways to Science compiles research and funding opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Some of these opportunities are in federal agencies, including EPA. Paid Summer 2025 Undergraduate Research...

EPA’s Tribal Water & Natural Resources Conservation Guide aims to provide resources to Tribal environmental programs about federal assistance opportunities that can support Tribally led efforts to protect and restore waters, protect air quality, protect wildlife...

EPA added the Upper Columbia River Site in northeast Washington to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), the list of sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose...

As we enter the new year, the Info Box thought it might be helpful for readers to have the grant reporting deadlines all in one place.   ReportDue Date(for awards starting Oct. 1)Due Date(for awards starting Jan. 1)Progress reports that document progress in...

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) are seeking contractors to work on a multi-media outreach project and a climate analyses project to accompany the report, The Estimated Unmet Need of Coastal Tribes in...

Join the Environmental Law Institute in person or on the web to hear what lies ahead for environmental law in the coming year. The conference, designed for attorneys, will explore the potential impacts of a new administration and Congress on future environmental...

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released Guideline 44, “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events.” It is the first guideline of its kind to provide recommendations...

First published in 2019, Alaska’s Changing Environment, published by the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, highlights environmental changes and extremes that impact Alaskans lives and livelihoods. All regions of the state have been impacted, from...

EPA’s report, Climate Change Considerations When Prioritizing, Developing, and Implementing Total Maximum Daily Loads, provides examples and a selection of approaches for incorporating climate change considerations into Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) processes that...

EPA has announced the three Alaska Native organizations that will receive more than $3.8 million in grant funding to assess and clean up legacy contamination on lands conveyed through the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). These grants are part of more...

Here’s some good news to fuel your day: EPA’s FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan included a new strategic goal focused on addressing climate change and an unprecedented goal to advance environmental justice and civil rights and we’ve made a lot of progress in FY24!...

Man, does EPA have resources! If you are looking for ideas to include in your GAP work plan for FY26 or beyond, take a gander at the following: EPA’s GAP Technical Assistance Handbook: The handbook provides a roadmap of activities that may be useful to Tribes and...

The Salmon Recovery Conference in Yakima, WA, will include discussion of innovations being used in partnerships, projects, coordination, community involvement, and funding to integrate salmon recovery with other interests while reflecting diversity, equity, inclusion,...

Check out EPA Region 10’s recently updated Tribal Solid Waste and Sustainable Materials Management page, which now includes a section on Environmental Justice and Solid Waste, information on organics and composting, the latest EPA contacts, and a whole lot more. 

EPA’s Compendium of Tools and Methods to Estimate Environmental Benefits for Nature-Based Solutions identifies open-source tools and methods that can be used to estimate and communicate environmental benefits related to water quantity, climate mitigation, air quality,...

Vehicle tires contain the chemical 6PPD, which helps prevent degradation and cracking of rubber compounds. When 6PPD reacts with ozone in the air, it forms a transformation product called 6PPD-quinone, which has been shown to exhibit acute toxicity toward some aquatic...

This Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center, funded by EPA Region 10, is now offering free, no cost technical assistance to communities across the Northwest, including support navigating government systems, increasing administrative...

EPA's free Water Technical Assistance services support communities to identify water challenges, develop plans, build capacity, and develop application materials to access water infrastructure funding. To implement WaterTA, EPA collaborates with states, Tribes,...

If you are working to educate your community about the impacts of wasted food on the environment, take a gander at EPA’s graphics, which any community is welcome to use in its education efforts. Two fact sheets are also available: Food Waste and Methane Fact Sheet...

EPA’s Burn Wise website provides many handy resources to help you educate your community about safe ways to burn wood this winter:   Brochures and Flyers Example: Does Your Wood Stove Have a Dirty Little Secret (brochure) Example: Test Your Wood with a Moisture...

EPA has released its National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution outlining opportunities for action to protect communities from the impacts of plastic production and waste and detailing how government agencies, businesses, non-profits, and communities can take...

On November 12, EPA published RAIN-2025-G01. This Recipient/Application Information Notice (RAIN) informs EPA grant recipients of the process to amend fully funded grants and cooperative agreements to incorporate the Office of Management and Budget’s revisions to 2...

The Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Department’s wetland biologists have spent considerable time inventorying, assessing, monitoring, and ultimately restoring or enhancing wetlands on the Tulalip Reservation. The Tribe has posted three excellent videos on its wetland...

On Nov. 13, EPA released its final supplement to the risk evaluation and final risk determination for the solvent 1,4-dioxane under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has determined that this chemical poses an unreasonable risk of injury to human health....

FY 26 GAP NOFA Webinar What's New in the Uniform Grants Guidance 2024 On November 12, EPA Region 10 provided an overview of GAP funding in FY26. Initial proposals are due to your EPA Project Officer by January 21, 2025. (And would we take them early? You bet!!) ...

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review new science on the public health and environmental impacts of air pollutants every 5 years and revise the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), as necessary. EPA lowered the annual NAAQS for PM2.5 from 12.0 to 9.0...

The ELI Digital Consultation Hub serves as a comprehensive platform to build the capacity of Tribal, state, and local policymakers in implementing best practices in government-to-government consultation. The database includes documents from Tribal, state, and federal...

Brand spanking new and hot off the presses! If you’ve thought of combining your EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan (ETEP) with your GAP work plan – which should make it easier to keep both documents aligned and up to date – EPA has a new, optional template that can help....

A new report from the National Integrated Drought Information Service (NIDIS) identifies outcomes and opportunities to manage drought on Tribal lands. The document captures a range of best practices and opportunities that Tribal Nations, Tribal Colleges and...

There is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children. EPA has released updated sample lead disclosure forms that will give renters and homebuyers clearer and more specific information about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in pre-1978...

The Universal Access to Clean Water Initiative has released the Funding Handbook for Access to Clean Drinking Water in Tribal Communities. This is a reference guide for Tribes seeking to access and use funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation...

EPA has released new tools to help protect public health and local water bodies in communities that rely on lagoons for wastewater management. Lagoon wastewater treatment systems are typically used in communities that are smaller than 3,000 people and can lack the...

The Firewood Community Safety Initiative is aimed at any firewood bank or high wood burning town. Those who participate will receive technical assistance from the Alliance for Green Heat to improve the safety of low-income households that heat with wood. A free...

The Native Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Network serve as a national voice and advocate for the 60+ U.S. Treasury-certified Native CDFIs. Native CDFIs help Native American communities overcome systemic barriers to entrepreneurial...