Your Voice Matters:
Provide Feedback on the Tribal Solid Waste Management Operation and Maintenance Cost of Service Draft Study
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There is no long-term consistent source of Federal funding for the operation and maintenance (O&M) for Federally recognized Tribal solid waste programs. While many federal agencies including EPA provide support through competitive grants, these funds are limited and typically exclude O&M costs. To assist with building sustainable Tribal solid waste management programs, a reliable Federal funding stream is essential.
To support this need, EPA conducted a study to quantify the O&M costs for Tribal solid waste management programs. The study relied heavily on cost data and insight obtained directly from representative Tribes to estimate O&M costs for various waste management scenarios on a national scale. The study also considers the unique challenges Tribes face, particularly in rural areas and Alaska.
EPA will host two webinar sessions to share the draft results of this study and gather critical feedback. Each session will cover the same material. During these webinars, we will:
- Review the approach and assumptions used to develop the cost estimate;
- Present the draft results; and
- Facilitate an open dialogue to gather Tribal input and identify areas for improvement.
Your participation and feedback are vital to ensuring the study accurately reflects Tribal needs and helps advance sustainable solid waste management solutions. The study is scheduled to be finalized in Spring 2025.
Date/Time: December 11, 2024, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET
(1 pm CT, Noon MT, 11 am PT, 10 am AKT)
Date/Time: December 17, 2024, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET
(1 pm CT, Noon MT, 11 am PT, 10 am AKT)
 APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Online Training Week: January 27-30, 2025
Online Half-Day Training: February 19, 2025
It is highly encouraged that you arrange for an Enforcement Representative from your Tribe or organization to attend this two hour session with you.
In-Person Workshop: April 8-10, 2025
Continental US, Location TBD
The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are pleased to offer the “Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances” training course. Applicants to this course should work for a federally-recognized tribe that has completed an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (ISWMP) but lacks operable solid waste codes/ordinances.
The goal of this course is for participants to write a new or update an outdated solid waste code. The code can focus on any solid waste issue (illegal dumping, plastic bag bans, etc). The course includes online training, self-paced online assignments, and an in-person workshop to focus on the writing and implementation of effective tribal solid waste codes. The training has been developed for tribal environmental professionals without legal experience, yet all levels of experience are welcome. We strongly encourage multiple staff from one tribe to apply (can be from multiple departments, small groups, and/or council members) since we have seen this increases the success of writing and passing a code.
This tuition-free course requires the participant/tribe/organization to pay for their travel, lodging, and per diem during the in-person portion of the course. Each tribe that completes the training will receive legal and technical staff support via phone, email, and/or web-based meeting communication and shall include one-on-one assistance in developing their codes and ordinances. Complete attendance is required to receive legal and technical staff support and a certificate.
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
- Importance of Developing Community-Specific Codes & Navigating the Jurisdictional Labyrinth
- Drafting Codes – Conducting Research and Deciphering Code Language & Identifying Solid Waste Issues
- Outreach Methods & Strategies for Cultivating Public, Legal, and Governmental Support
- Enforcement Issues, Enforcement Options, Enforcement Alternatives
- Conducting/Managing Legal Review/Administrative Processes
ELIGIBILITY
This tuition-free course is specifically designed for tribes who intend to create solid waste codes, or to improve existing solid waste codes, and are in a position to enforce the completed codes. Course participants must be employees of federally-recognized tribes that currently have completed Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (ISWMP) but lack operable solid waste codes/ordinances.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Participants applying for the “Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinance” training are required to complete ITEP’s online application available at: https://bit.ly/2025IHSCodesApp (If you see a pop-up login screen, click Cancel both times to proceed to the application. No login is required.)
This training will be limited to twenty-five participants and is competitive. Completing an application does not guarantee acceptance. A notice of confirmation and fact sheet with additional course details will be sent to those who are selected to attend the course.
PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS
Attendees accepted to the “Development and Implementation of Tribal Solid Waste Codes and Ordinance” training are required to:
- Complete a pre-course assignment, pre-test, and self-assessment (requires approximately 2-4 hours) by Wed, Jan 15, 2025.
- Attend the online portion of the course Mon-Thurs, Jan 27-30, 2025 and Wed, Feb 19, 2025.
- Complete online course work (requires an additional 20-30 hour commitment from Jan 30, 2025 through April 8, 2025), including assignments, discussions forums with other course participants, and drafting a SW code that you will submit on March 18.
- Attend the in-person 2½-day follow-up Solid Waste Codes and Ordinances Workshop on April 8-10, 2025 to help complete the development of a successful code.
- Commit to the development/revision and implementation of a solid waste management code or ordinance within 12 to 18 months of completing this training.
TRAINING DATES, TIMES, AND LOCATIONS
The 20 hours of virtual training via Zoom (with cameras turned on) is scheduled for the following dates and times:
- January 27, 28, 29, 30, 2025: (9am-2pm PST; 10am-3pm MST; 11am-4pm CST; 12pm-5pm EST)
- February 19, 2025: (10am-12pm PST; 11am-1pm MST; 12pm-2pm CST; 1pm-3pm EST)
The in-person workshop will be held in the continental US, location TBD:
- April 8, 9, 10, 2025: This training will be delivered 8:00am-5:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 8-9 and 8:00am –12:00pm on Thursday, April 10, 2024.
TRAVEL AND LODGING
Participants selected to attend the course will be responsible to arrange and cover the cost of their travel, lodging, and per diem expenses for the in-person workshop. Participants should arrange their travel to arrive before 7:30am on Tuesday, April 8 and depart after 2:00pm on Thursday, April 10.
CANCELLATIONS
Please notify ITEP as soon as possible if you need to cancel. No-shows impact opportunities for other tribes to attend and will jeopardize your eligibility for future trainings.
Call or email Amanda Kapp at Amanda.Kapp@nau.edu or 928-523-4853 with questions.
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