National Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Tribal Workgroup Conference Call

Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 2 pm EDT, 1 pm CDT, Noon MDT, 11am PDT

1. Introductions

2. Guest Speaker
   Keith Giarrusso, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

   Keith works in the Office of Native American Programs and provided an overview of HUD energy efficiency and green building activities, as well as outline upcoming funding opportunities.

   HUD ONAP covers 552 recognized tribes, and provides funds to run tribal housing programs. Largest program: Native American Block Grant program (NAHASDA). Typically, NAHASDA grants are $600 million per year. It is a formula program where formula was decided by tribes and the government.

   • Stimulus grant has already been distributed and recipients have begun to use the money. Competitive NAHASDA grant will hopefully be soon issued. Recipients that get these grants will have to demonstrate they meet green building criteria. Keith believes the percentage for green is significant. This is HUD's first attempt to encourage green building directly with criteria.
   • Another grant(Native American Community Development Grant) is $70 million/year. Stimulus provides $10 million. NOFA should come out in the next two weeks. There is a sizeable requirement for green building as well.
   • ONAP sponsors trainings and onsite energy assessments. In late 2007, twelve site visits and 48 assessments focus on indoor air quality (mold, mildew, moisture), insulation, exterior water management, partnerships/financing, renewable energy, energy-efficiency techniques.

   Information is located in a couple of places:

   • http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/recovery has full descriptions of the stimulus programs and grants.
   • HUD also hosts an interagency website, CodeTalk (search at www.hud.gov), to integrate all tribal programs.
   • ONAP participates with EPA to sponsor trainings. It has 6 offices around the U.S, including Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Anchorage, Oklahoma.
    

3. Questions

   • How are trainings and assessments administered?
     - Had five regional trainings and one national training. They contract out the work. They do the assessments with the training, and divide equally in their regions. They come up with potential recipients, and contact tribes. The ultimate goal is that recipients do some of the work themselves
   • What are some tips for a successful grant application?
     - Their major funding mechanism is a formula grant, so grant-writing is simplified. For housing , they need a one and five year plans. The Block Grant is a competitive grant. Some tribes band together and apply as an umbrella organization -- one plan covers a number of tribes. Some tribes contract to other tribes to write grants.
   • Where are the green building criteria?
     www.hud.gov, search for CodeTalk and ONAP site. The criteria in Keith's opinion are broad enough so that they're not restrictive and are broadly applicable to tribes. They hope recipients make inroads; they are not dictating type of building, but rather providing incentive and encouragement.

   Contact: keith.a.giarrusso@hud.gov

    

4. TribalP2 Survey Results and Discussion (N=19)

   These areas are those that will guide Tribal P2 efforts for the next year.

   Top Environmental Concerns (in priority order)

   1. Water Resources
      • Clean drinking water and development of that resource
      • Conservation and drought related issues
      • Water quality protection
      • Water rights
   2. Solid Waste
      • Hazardous waste collection points/backhaul
      • Effective recycling and development of transfer stations
      • Illegal dumping
      • Landfills
      • Tire piles
      • Code enforcement
   3. Industrial Impacts
      • Coal burning
      • Reservations as dumping grounds
      • Toxics in children
      • Agricultural chemicals
      • Contaminated sites – clean-up
   4. Dust
   5. Energy
      • Conservation
      • Alternatives (i.e. fuel cells)
      • Efficiency

   Topics of Interest (in priority order)

   1. Green Building, Solid Waste, Hazardous Waste Cleanup
   2. Renewable/Alternative Energy, Water Issues
   3. Environmental Management Systems, Natural Resource Protection
   4. Environmental Procurement
   5. Sustainable Economic Development
   6. Green Schools
   7. Industrial Impacts
   8. Land Use Planning (TEPA and Environmental Review Process)

   Tools of Value (in priority order)

   1. Directory of tribal environmental contacts by issue area
   2. Direct assistance or targeted training with grants and financial development
   3. Monthly topic conference calls and posted presentations
   4. Collaborative assistance to create grant proposals that address cross-tribal or national issues
   5. Templates that offer P2 checklists, forms, and calculators
   6. Tribal P2 listserv
   7. Tribal P2 website case studies and success stories

   Mentorship
   58% would use the opportunity if they had access to an environmental/P2 mentor on issues such as recycling programs in casinos and in the community, erosion BMPs, superfund clean-ups, education and outreach to tribal community members, dust control.

   Website
   64% said it was a great site- suggestions for additions

   • Links or EPA materials (posters, DVDs, training materials)
   • Grant writing training
   • See comments above on tools of value.
    
5. Announcements
   • Wind River is interested in mentoring. They are gathering tribes to work together car recycling programs. They are also working on a brownfields program, and passing a solid waste code. Best practices on how to get codes through tribal councils would be helpful.
    

6. Next call
   Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009
   Time: 2 pm EDT, 1 pm CDT, Noon MDT, 11am PDT
   Call in Number: 888-296-6500 Pass code 547845