CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 36, Issue 1, July 2022

1. Opening Remarks- Honoring Our Indigenous Relatives from “Canada”

Today the settler colonial nation known today as “Canada” is celebrating the creation of their anti-Indigenous nation that dispossessed and made livings off the backs of our Indigenous relatives across Canada. CIEA stands in solidarity with our Indigenous relatives in Canada. Indigenous communities have suffered under the colonial structures built that serve as a tool to reinforce systems of racial and cultural inequality within settler colonial societies.

We must do our part within the larger conversation and demand accountability and reparations such as land back and other acts of Indigenous resistance. CIEA would like to take the time to offer space and a moment of silence for those children who were taken so soon from us.

We stand in true solidarity with our Indigenous relatives and communities in Canada and commit to anti-racist work. CIEA would like to use our platform to denounce anti-Indigeneity perpetrated by settler colonial societies like the U.S., Canada, Australia, and across the globe.

The CIEA office is physically closed until July 31st as part of the ‘shelter in place’ directive. Of course if the situation changes we will have to adjust our plan. We will continue to work remotely and are available via email and through our phone, our messages are checked daily.

Again, we are so happy to be able to provide you with monthly announcements about training, capacity building, Tribal Self-Advocacy and funding opportunities, as well as water related news. Readers are more than welcome to send information about upcoming events, training, or news that you think would be beneficial for other Tribal members in other regions to know to our Communications and Public Relations Coordinator, Joel Sedano at info@cieaweb.org.

2. Recordings Available- Native Nations and Climate Change Webinars

The Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC) and the National Park Service Tribal Engagement & Climate Change workgroup hosted a “Native Nations and Climate Change ” webinar series. The webinars will highlight climate adaptation projects partially funded by the SW CASC that are taking place in collaboration with local Tribal partners. The 3 webinars are “Engaging Indigenous Communities in Climate Resilience Research,” “Tribal-Led Renewal of Black Oak Traditions for Climate Adaptation,” and “Fire and Humans in Resilient Ecosystems of the American Southwest.” The recordings can be found on the SW CASC website by hitting the read more button below.

3. Conference Opportunity- National Tribal & Indigenous Climate Conference
August 29 – September 1, 2022, In-Person in St. Paul, Minnesota & Hybrid (online options available)

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) is honored to host the second Biennial National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference (NTICC) with support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Resilience Program. The NTICC is open to all US Tribal nations and Indigenous Peoples, respective partners and interested people from throughout the world, with an emphasis on including our Elders and Youth. This virtual conference will convene experts on climate change which will include a balance of Western Science and Traditional Indigenous Knowledges. We welcome all to join us! For more information on the conference or to registration, hit the read more button below to be redirected to ITEP’s website.

Registration Deadlines

Scholarship Applications: Wednesday July 6th, 2022

In-person attendance: Monday, August 1st, 2022

Virtual attendance: Monday, August 22nd, 2022

4. Reading Recommendation- “Supreme Court rejects EPA authority” article

Opening paragraph: “The Supreme Court said Thursday the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions without specific authority from Congress. The decision raises new questions about the power of government in the age of climate change.” For the full article, please hit the read more button below to be redirected to the article in its entirety.

5. Funding Opportunity- Tribal Nation Grant Fund – Emergency Response Grant- Ongoing Basis

The Emergency Response Grant is available to eligible tribes to respond to and provide relief for the immediate impacts of unexpected situations that threaten the health and safety of tribal communities and require emergency action. Eligible tribes may apply for up to $100,000 per emergency and must provide an authorizing resolution and a tribal emergency resolution/proclamation. Funding is ongoing and is typically considered on a monthly basis. For more information, please hit the read more button to be redirected to the CA.gov website where the info is housed.

6. Save the Date- Conference: 13th National Monitoring Conference- April 24-28th 2023

Save the Date!

The National Water Quality Monitoring Council will host its 13th National Monitoring Conference during the week of April 24–28, 2023, at either Hartford, Connecticut or Virginia Beach, Virginia, final location will be released at a future date. All federal, state, tribal and local water professionals, nonprofits, academia, water consultants and industry, and volunteer scientists are welcome at this important national forum.  The conference will be offered in a hybrid format primarily in person, including a limited virtual format.

Networking and opportunities to create new relationships will abound for attendees. Whether you seek to develop new skills, learn about the latest technologies, or simply exchange information on a wide variety of topics relevant to water resources, the National Monitoring Conference is for you. Monitoring for water quality/quantity and public and ecological health in all water resources will be represented, including lakes and wetlands, rivers and streams, coastal waters and estuaries, and groundwater. The conference attracts the highest quality professional papers and posters and is a destination conference for many in the field.

Please look for the Call for Session Proposals and Call for Abstracts in Spring and Summer of 2022.

For more information, please hit the read more button to be redirected to their website.

7. Save the Date- Tribal Water Summit Planning- April 11- 13th 2023

8. Workshop Opportunity- Summer Free Fire School Training

Registration form available by hitting the read more button below.

9. Opportunity for Equipment- EPA’s WSMART Provides Air Monitoring Equipment

Air Monitoring Equipment Available for Loan to State, Local, and Tribal Agencies

In 2021, EPA’s Office of Research and Development initiated the Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology (WSMART) Pilot, loaning air monitoring technologies to state, local, and tribal air organizations to support supplemental air monitoring in areas affected by wildfire smoke and with observational data coverage gaps.

During 2022, this pilot technology loan program will continue to provide several technology types – including stationary air sensor systems and a compact mobile monitoring system – to state and local air agency monitoring staff and professional tribal air quality staff members upon request.

The equipment is not available for general public use.

For more information and access to the loan request webform, please visit the WSMART website by hitting the read more button below.

For technical questions, please contact smoketech@epa.gov.

10. Proposal Requests- California Forests: Targeted Headwater Resilience Implementation and Monitoring 2022 Request for Proposals- Due July 21, 2022

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, partnering with the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Bezos Earth Fund, is excited to announce that the California Forests: Targeted Headwater Resilience Implementation and Monitoring 2022 Request for Proposals has launched and is available on our website and through the link below. Please forward to any interested parties.

To see the published RFP, please hit the read more button below.

The application process closes on July 21, 2022. Please let me know if you have any questions.

11. Reading Recommendation- “Cal Fire Fumbles Key Responsibilities to Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires Despite Historic Budget” article

Opening Paragraph- “Richard A. Wilson is worried about wildfires this summer, amid dry conditions, extreme temperatures, punishing winds and the amplification of climate change.

“We are very vulnerable,” the 90-year-old said while looking out the window of his house on Buck Mountain, part of a 3,000-acre cattle ranch spanning Mendocino and Trinity counties that has been in his family for 80 years.”

For the article in its entirety, please hit the read more button below.

12. Meeting Opportunity- RAAC Meeting- July 11, 2022 1-4PM, Virtual

Greetings Recreational Abalone Advisory Committee (RAAC) members, red abalone management strategy integration process participants and all other red abalone interested parties,

CDFW is scheduling a virtual meeting of the RAAC on July 11 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to update everyone on the latest draft of the red abalone FMP Management Strategy. This draft Management Strategy (MS) was presented to the FGC Marine Resources Committee in March and we now would like to present it to the RAAC and the public for additional input. The meeting will be approximately 3 hours with the following items:

1) Department staff presenting the progression of development of the draft MS since the MS integration process in 2019-20

2) Presentation of the draft MS and description of the various indicators that will be used to inform the health of the red abalone stock and management of the fishery.

3) Presentation of the draft Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and potential allocations whenever the fishery reopens

4) Time for questions and comments from the RAAC and the general public

Meeting materials will be sent out to everyone at a later date prior to the meeting. On the day of the meeting please use the meeting link below to join the virtual meeting or dial into the conference call number if you are not able to join virtually by computer.

13. Funding Opportunity- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) meeting on July 13. 2022

To All Interested Parties:

Learn how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding can help communities improve their water and wastewater infrastructure. For example, the BIL invests $43 billion through the State Revolving Funds (SRFs), with a significant portion of funding provided as grants or principal forgiveness loans to disadvantaged communities. The webinar will include an opportunity to submit questions. The webinar presentation will be recorded, and EPA will post the recording and slides online after the webinar.

Topic: Water Infrastructure Funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Date: July 13, 2022

Time: 10:00 AM

Registration: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_tvhAEDGwQz2z-ha7Op9YSg

14. Funding Opportunity- Updated DFA Statewide and Regional SAFER Programs List

The Division of Financial Assistance has updated its list of Statewide and Regional Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Programs. This list provides information on regional and state-wide projects the Water Boards is funding in partnership with community organizations and local governments. Information includes project purpose, funding amount and uses, progress, and contact info for Water Boards staff and partnering organizations’ staff. The list can be accessed by hitting the read more button below.

If any questions regarding this list of SAFER Programs arise, please contact Kyle.Harper@Waterboards.ca.gov.

15. Funding Opportunity- Letter of Interests for NDN Collective’s Community Self-Determination Grant are due by 5pm CST on Monday, August 1, 2022.

Invitations for full applications, if selected, are expected to be released by Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Applicants will be notified of either an invitation or declination at that time. Final applications are due by 5pm CST on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

Final Selections are expected by late-October 2022. Community Self-Determination Project start dates will begin on or around November 1, 2022.

For more information, please hit the read more button to be redirected to their website.

16. Podcast Listen- Resilience Against Power and Privilege (R.A.P.P.)

Two of our staff members (Jo-Joe Lee and Joel Sedano) created Resilience Against Power and Privilege” (RAPP). R.A.P.P is a podcast that aims to delve into issues Indigenous People living in America face today, which affect other communities as well. Topics will include climate change and environmental issues, disparities in houselessness crisis in urban settings for Indigenous Peoples, and the land back versus land acknowledgement debate. This project sheds light on the impacts of these issues across racial identities and highlight how the most impacted people are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BI&POC). This project is funded in part by the Racial Justice Mini-Grant Program through University Life and supported by the Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Youtube.

To listen to the 3 episodes, 1 featuring CIEA’s Executive Director Sherri, please hit the read more button to be redirected to their Linktree where the episodes and articles and their social media page lives.

17. Feature Opportunity- CIEA Environmental Chronicles Newsletter

First, thank you for reading our newsletter. We greatly appreciate your subscription to updates as they become available. Second, CIEA invites you to please share anything related to environmental issues such as artworks, writings, photos, words/sayings/phrases in your language, quotes that we can use within our newsletters to help close the message. Third, if you would to submit anything, please do not hesitate to contact Joel, our Communications Coordinator at joels@cieaweb.org.

“You can be featured here. Please review item 17.”

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If you would like us to share any events or news related to our mission, please do not hesitate to send the information to info@cieaweb.org