Region 1: EPA New England

EPA Tribal Program in New England

National Information

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Chairwoman guest of President and Mrs. Obama

Originally printed at www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northeast/82405672.html

Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) at the White House.
Photo courtesy Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais

AQUINNAH, Mass. – Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) was recently an invited guest of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama at a holiday reception. The event was held Dec. 14, in the East Wing of the White House. The chairwoman met the president and first lady and was able to exchange pleasantries. "It was an extraordinary experience," Andrews-Maltais said. "I was so proud and deeply honored to be invited and to have [the tribe] recognized, as well as memorialized as being a formal guest of the president and first lady at the White House."

Along with senators, members of congress, local politicians, philanthropists, business executives, educators, and activists, Andrews-Maltais was one of only four tribal leaders invited. Guests are invited to the reception to acknowledge their contributions and recognize their efforts within their government, business, or community. The chairwoman’s invitation was extended at the behest of Director of Domestic Intergovernmental Affairs Jodi Gillette.

While enjoying the honor and privilege of being a guest at the White House, Andrews-Maltais further hopes that this recognition signifies positive intergovernmental relations in the future.

Wabanaki Traditional Cultural Lifeways Exposure Scenario

The Wabanaki Traditional Cultural Lifeways Exposure Scenario project was a coordinated effort among the five federally recognized Tribal Nations in Maine and the US EPA. It was produced under a special grant called a DITCA (Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreement) awarded to the Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians on behalf of the five tribal nations in Maine. This project has resulted in the development of the Wabanaki Cultural Lifeways Exposure Scenario report. View the full report (PDF) (104 pp, 2.1MB, about PDF). As the report acknowledges, the Scenario does not represent a risk assessment, but provides a historical representation of the environmental contact, diet, and exposure pathways present in traditional cultural lifeways of the Wabanaki peoples of Maine, and the findings of the report serve as an informational resource for consideration in the context of protecting water resources. The report was prepared for EPA in collaboration with the Maine Tribes by Dr. Barbara Harper, DABT, AESE, Inc. and Professor Darren Ranco, PhD, Environmental Studies and Native American Studies, Dartmouth College, July 9, 2009.

Aroostook Band of Micmacs
Summer Youth Practicum 2009
A GREAT SUCCESS!

EPA's American Indian Tribal Portal

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

Mohegan Tribe Food Waste Recycling Program
The Mohegan Tribe is one of 25 EPA Waste Wise national partners. Members are required to have an effective waste reduction program and are asked to report their waste reduction efforts each year. For the full story click on the link Mohegan Tribe food waste recycling program (PDF) (27 pp, 2.5MB, about PDF).

We present this information about solid waste management programs for your information. For further information about the Mohegan program, contact Jean McInnis at 860-862-6112.