CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 36, Issue 2, March 2022

1. 2022 Lake County Cal-TREX: Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning TRAINING EXCHANGE

Dates:
Lake TREX Kickoff: Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning – March 14 – Register Now
Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Field Day – March 15 – Register Now
Burn Planning Workshop – April 23 – 24 – Register Now

More events planned, dates TBD summer / fall

Burns will be on-call throughout the fall/winter burn season
(November 2022 through March 2023).

Who can participate: The event is for individuals interested in improving their fire knowledge and becoming better practitioners of good fire. Beginners, non-professionals, and fire professionals are all welcome and will benefit from this training exchange. The event will be focused on local capacity building within Lake County and surrounding areas.

No prior experience or training is necessary. However, individuals are encouraged to complete the basic wildland firefighting NWCG courses S-130, S-190, L-180 and FEMA courses ICS-100 and IS-700. A work capacity test and a practice shelter deployment will be offered during the event for those who need it. Some burning opportunities will only be available to participants who have the training listed above For more information, see the “Basic Wildland Firefighter Training” section below.

Description: The Lake TREX training offers training throughout the year, with a goal of building our capacity to have an on-call burn crew by next Good Fire season. Upcoming events include:

1) March 14 – Lake TREX Kickoff Event: Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Conference – $30, includes lunch

2) March 15 – Prescribed Fire & Cultural Burning Field Day – $15, no lunch included

3) April 23 – 24 Burn Planning Workshop – In the Field – $30, no lunch included

3) Firefighter Type 2 Training in Summer / Fall. Dates TBD.

4) Pre-Fire Training in Fall. Dates TBD. Two immersive three-day weekends of fire study. These weekend trainings will focus on building a local prescribed fire crew, and will incorporate hands-on field scenarios, fireline leadership skills, local fire ecology, cultural burning and fire management. NWCG Course S-219 Firing Operations and the Fireline Refresher RT-130 will also be offered.

Training topics will include:

Building a prescribed fire team

Operational field scenarios

How to assemble and care for fireline equipment like pumps, hoses, fittings and drip torches.

How to take weather and fuel observations

Indicators for when a landscape or patch of ground is ready to burn

Reading the landscape to tell where fire would be beneficial

Understanding some cultural objectives for using fire (e.g., tribal objectives, pyro-silvicultural objectives)

Fire ecology and its interaction with climate science

These weekends are designed to not require live fire, but if an excellent burn window presents itself, we will take advantage of it and burn together to learn together!

NOTE ON PRE-REQUISITES: While we are not requiring Firefighter Type II certification to attend the Pre-Fire Training , we STRONGLY encourage it. See below for more info.

4) On-Call Prescribed Fire Crew: Participants who complete the Pre-Fire Training in the fall will be on-call for prescribed fire training opportunities through February 2023. Timing of individual burns will depend on weather windows. Participants will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, fire effects monitoring, mop-up, and patrol on prescribed burns. The work will take place in diverse ecosystems, including on private and tribal lands.

Do I need Firefighter Type II (or above) qualifications to participate? You don’t need to be qualified as a Firefighter II qualifications to participate in the training weekends or any non-fire events. When we start getting burn windows, you do need Firefighter Type II to join burns on Federal lands and on some private lands. If you don’t have Firefighter Type II qualifications yet and you’d like to grow your fire learning opportunities by getting one, scroll down to see options for getting your coursework done before the TREX event.

Registration: Registration will be required for pre-burn trainings (registration coming in Summer 2022; please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page if you’d like to receive a notice when Pre-Fire Trainings are announced). Once you complete the training, you will be on our on-call list and we will reach out to let you know when burns are happening, and we’ll ask that you RSVP to the burn.

Logistics: Most or all meals will be on your own, so expect to bring your own food and water. All participants are expected to be self-sufficient for a 72 hour period. The most up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols will be adhered to, including but not limited to mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. Participation will be limited to individuals traveling from low-risk areas and/or those willing to practice isolation prior to the training weekend.

Questions: Email any questions to rxfire@tribalecorestoration.org

Basic Wildland Firefighter Training Options to meet NWCG standards for Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2)

(also known as “Firefighter Type II” or “Basic 32 Classes” or “Red Card”)

—–In Person Option—–

The Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA), in partnership with The Watershed Research and Training Center, is hosting an in-person Basic Wildland Firefighter Training over two weekends in the summer. There are limited seats available, so please inquire about this ASAP if you are interested.

—–Self-Study Online Option——

There are five classes (S-130, S-190, L-180, IS-100, IS-700).

These courses will take approximately 30 hours to complete.

The first three NWCG classes can be found online at https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/training-courses. You will need to find these classes in the list and follow them to their online delivery.

The IS-100 is here https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c,

The IS-700 here https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b.

The last two classes are FEMA classes, so you will be prompted to create a FEMA SID (student identification number). You will also be asked for a DOMAIN, please select NWCG. There is nothing to it, just follow the steps and it will generate your number and send you back to the main page.

Once you have completed the classes and pass the quizzes, it will generate a certificate for each class. Please save these in your personal files for the rest of your career! Documentation of your trainings is very important. You will also be prompted to submit these certificates during the registration process for the event.

**In addition to the Basic 32 online classes, you will need a field day, a shelter deployment, and an arduous pack test. If you attend the Cal-TREX event, we can make sure you receive this additional training.

To Stay “Current” in your Qualification:

You will need to complete the RT-130 annually. This is a 1/2 day worth of training.

You will need to deploy a practice shelter once a year (usually done at the RT-130).

You will need to take the arduous level work capacity test every year.

You will need to participate in a prescribed fire or wildfire within 5 years of taking the Basic wildland firefighting classes.

For those who have registered for TREX, a pack test will be offered on the fall Pre-Fire Training days.

Lake County Cal-TREX made possible with funding from PG&E Better Together Resilient Communities Grant Program & the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program through a Fire Prevention Grant to the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center.

For more information, hit the read more button below.

2. Training Opportunity- Basic Fire School Classes with Torchbearr

3. Training Opportunity- Prescribed Burning with Torchbearr

Torchbearr invites everyone, including interested members of the public, non-profit organizations, and government agencies or representatives to participate in training as part of Torchbearr Capacity project, “Collaborative Burning in Northern California.” This project is intended to support collaborative planning that can enable public and partners throughout California region to work together in utilizing prescribed fire as a tool for achieving long term ecosystem and community health. For more information, please contact Torchbearr at Torchbearr.Org Or Email;
Torchbearr@gmail.com. To register, you can hit the read more button below to be redirected to Torchbearr’s Google form.

Schedule:

March:
March 14th-18th – S-130,S-190,L180 Basic Fire School (Field Day Required)

April:
April 12th—15th S-211 Portable Pumps (Field Day Required)

May:
May 10th-11th L-280 Fireline Leadership (Field Day Required)
May 17th-20th – S-212 Powersaw (Field Day Required)

June:
June 1st RT-130 Fire Refresher 2022 (Field Day Required)
June 11th RT-130 Fire Refresher 2022 (Field Day Required)

July:
July 5th Packtest (Field Day Required)
July 9th Packtest (Field Day Required)

August:
Aug 8th-12th S-130,S-190,L180 Basic Fire School (Field Day Required)

September:
Sept 5th-6th S-131 Firefighter Type I

October:
Oct 11th-13 S-230 Crew Boss
Oct 17th-18th S-231 Engine Boss

November:
Nov 8th-9th S-200 Initial Attack Incident Commander

December:
Dec 13-14 S-219 Firing Operations

4. Training Opportunity- Come Learn Online S-211 Portable Pumps & Water Use with Torchbearr

Registration link can be found in the read more button.

5. Presentation Opportunity- Call for Proposals Now Open – National Tribal & Indigenous Climate Conference: August 29-September 1, St Paul, MN (Hybrid)
Inbox

Dear Relatives,

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program is delighted to announce that the call for proposals for the upcoming 2022 National Tribal & Indigenous Climate Conference (NTICC) is now open. The conference will take place August 29 – September 1, 2022 and will be a hybrid event taking place both in person in St Paul, Minnesota and online.

We welcome proposals that discuss climate-related impacts, assessments, tools, adaptation, mitigation, actions, and the intersection of Traditional/Indigenous Knowledges with western science and adaptation strategies . We are accepting both in-person and virtual proposals. Proposal submissions include:

Presentations

Trainings

Working
Groups

Climate
Conversations

Application deadline: Friday, April 22nd
by close of business

Letter of notification: Monday, June 6th

Materials deadline: Friday, August 5th

For more information and to apply, please visit their website by hitting the read more button below. If you have any questions, please email
NTICC@nau.edu.

6. 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 6.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

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.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 37, Issue 2, July 2022

1. Input Opportunity- Seeking Your Voice on State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan

Tribal Representatives and interested parties,

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is inviting you to join a conversation about the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan to help ensure it matches the assets and opportunities in your community. Community input was so important during development of the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Resolution, rs2021-0050 (ca.gov), and we intend to honor your contributions as we continue our racial equity journey.

In May, community partners and State Water Board management and staff came together for Visioning and Strategy retreats, as well as a series of Action Planning workshops. The draft Racial Equity Action Plan will set goals for the State Water Board to address racial inequities and identify metrics to measure progress.

We are inviting you to provide input on the Racial Equity Action Plan through a series of public engagement workshops across the state. During each session, we also will inform communities about the Water Boards’ progress since the Racial Equity Resolution was adopted. We encourage you to share this invitation with others in your community.

Here are the ways that you and your community can provide feedback:

Statewide Virtual Workshop

July 20, 2022. 5:30-7:30 PM. Zoom.
Regional In Person and Virtual Workshops

Northern California (Redding, CA): July 21, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Southern California (Mecca, CA): July 25, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Central California (Visalia, CA): July 27, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
To Register, and for agendas and background materials, visit linktr.ee/ca.water.boards.racialequity

We approach this process with humility and acknowledge that we have a long journey ahead. Our vision is to co-create a sustainable California where race no longer predicts where clean water is available or who has access to it, and a Water Boards where employees represent the diverse experiences of California communities. We cannot get there without deepening our understanding of community assets and working collaboratively with you. We hope you can join us for a discussion of the Racial Equity Action Plan. We need your voice!

Public Notice – Racial Equity (ca.gov)

Feel free to reach out to racialequity@waterboards.ca.gov with any questions.

2. Training Opportunity- Cultural Monitoring: July 30-31st, Fresno, CA

3. Conference Opportunity- Tribal Lands and Environmental Forum: August 8-11th in Milwaukee, WI and Virtual.

This is the eleventh annual forum for environmental professionals from Tribes, US EPA, State/ Local/Federal agencies, community organizations, and other interested parties to meet, share knowledge and learn from one another how to improve management, protection and restoration of Tribal lands for us and all our relations.

Your community to connect with colleagues across the country
as we address Tribal waste and response issues.

This year we’ll meet in-person in Milwaukee and online everywhere.

To register or for more information, please hit the read more button below to be redirected to the TLEF website.

4. Conference Opportunity- Rising Voices 10: September 14-16th, Virtual

Save the date! The 10th Annual Rising Voices Workshop will be held virtually, Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16, 2022. The workshop theme is Emergent Knowledge through Indigenous and Earth Science Collaborations. More details and registration information coming soon!

The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences (Rising Voices) facilitates opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientific experts and community leaders from around the world to jointly address how extreme weather and climate events are impacting communities and to develop action plans. Rising Voices aspires to advance science through the collaborations of Indigenous and Earth (atmospheric, social, biological, ecological) sciences, along with an intercultural approach to addressing and understanding extreme weather events.

For more information, please hit the read more button below.

5. Tribal Beneficial Uses Progress Updates- State Resource Water Board

Our Tribal Beneficial Uses Regional Progress Updates webpage has now been updated and can be accessed by hitting the read more button below.

This webpage includes:

Progress updates from each Region, Division, and Office regarding Tribal Beneficial Uses
Contact information for each Region, Division, and Office
A list of the regulatory process steps involved to protect water quality for Tribal Beneficial Uses

What are Tribal Beneficial Uses?

Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBU) are a group of beneficial uses that can help protect water quality for activities specific to Native American cultures and their uses of California waters, including the consumption of non-commercial fish or shellfish. TBU are sometimes referred to as cultural uses of water.

Regional Water Board

How to Get Involved

Region 1
North Coast

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Cody Walker
Cody.Walker@waterboards.ca.gov
(707) 576-2642

Region 2
San Francisco Bay

Send a letter to Sami Harper with interest

Contact for more information:
Sami Harper
Samantha.Harper@Waterboards.ca.gov
(510) 622-2415

Region 3

Central Coast

Submit support letter to prioritize Tribal Beneficial Uses in the Triennial Review

Contact for more information:
Angela Schroeter
Angela.Schroeter@waterboards.ca.gov
(805) 542-4644

Region 4
Los Angeles

Contact Susana Lagudis for more information

Contact for more information:
Susana Lagudis
Susana.Lagudis@waterboards.ca.gov
(213) 576-6694

Region 5
Central Valley

Attend State Water Board meeting to add Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions on September 7

Submit letters to request Tribal Beneficial Uses designations

Contact for more information:
Adriana Ross
Adriana.Ross@waterboards.ca.gov
(559) 455-5576

Region 6
Lahontan

Attend Tribal Summit

Contact for more information:
Danny McClure
Daniel.McClure@waterboards.ca.gov
(530) 542-5443

Region 7
Colorado River Basin

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Maria Davydova-Flores
Maria.Davydova-Flores@waterboards.ca.gov
(760) 776-8947

Region 8
Santa Ana

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Claudia Tenorio
Claudia.Tenorio@Waterboards.ca.gov
(951) 782-4963

Region 9
San Diego

Fill out survey by July 15 to provide contact information and share your preferences on receiving information from the San Diego Water Board (Region 9): https://forms.office.com/g/RNLVA43QfA

Submit support letter to designate waterbodies with Tribal Beneficial Uses

Contact for more information:
Melissa Corona
Melissa.Corona@waterboards.ca.gov
(619) 521-8039

State Water Board
Division of Water Quality

Submit support letter to adopt Tribal Beneficial Uses definitions

Contact for more information:
Taran Sahota
Taranjot.Sahota@waterboards.ca.gov
(916) 327-8679

Please contact Tribal-Liaison@waterboards.ca.gov with any questions.

Best,
State Water Board Tribal Affairs Team | waterboards.ca.gov/tribal_affairs
(916) 216-1126 | Tribal-Liaison@waterboards.ca.gov

“You can be featured here.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 38, Issue 3, July 2022

1. Input Opportunity- Seeking Your Voice on State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan

Tribal Representatives and interested parties,

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is inviting you to join a conversation about the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Action Plan to help ensure it matches the assets and opportunities in your community. Community input was so important during development of the State Water Board’s Racial Equity Resolution, rs2021-0050 (ca.gov), and we intend to honor your contributions as we continue our racial equity journey.

In May, community partners and State Water Board management and staff came together for Visioning and Strategy retreats, as well as a series of Action Planning workshops. The draft Racial Equity Action Plan will set goals for the State Water Board to address racial inequities and identify metrics to measure progress.

We are inviting you to provide input on the Racial Equity Action Plan through a series of public engagement workshops across the state. During each session, we also will inform communities about the Water Boards’ progress since the Racial Equity Resolution was adopted. We encourage you to share this invitation with others in your community.

Here are the ways that you and your community can provide feedback:

Statewide Virtual Workshop

July 20, 2022. 5:30-7:30 PM. Zoom.
Regional In Person and Virtual Workshops

Northern California (Redding, CA): July 21, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Southern California (Mecca, CA): July 25, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
Central California (Visalia, CA): July 27, 2022. 4 – 6:30 PM.
To Register, and for agendas and background materials, visit linktr.ee/ca.water.boards.racialequity

We approach this process with humility and acknowledge that we have a long journey ahead. Our vision is to co-create a sustainable California where race no longer predicts where clean water is available or who has access to it, and a Water Boards where employees represent the diverse experiences of California communities. We cannot get there without deepening our understanding of community assets and working collaboratively with you. We hope you can join us for a discussion of the Racial Equity Action Plan. We need your voice!

Public Notice – Racial Equity (ca.gov)

Feel free to reach out to racialequity@waterboards.ca.gov with any questions.

2. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Invitation to meet and engage with the SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program

Greetings Tribal government representatives and other interested parties,

The SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program is interested in building relationships with California Native American Tribes and learning about each tribes’ interest and readiness to partner with us.

Background

The Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program works with its many partners to answer the question: Is it safe to eat fish and shellfish in California waters that the public and tribes use for consumption, subsistence, and/or cultural purposes?

The Water Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) evaluated its Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program and issued a Realignment Plan in December 2020. The Realignment Plan calls for a focus on incorporating Tribal perspectives and needs into its monitoring efforts and ensuring those data and information are useful and used by Californian Native American Tribes (tribes) who rely on waterbodies for traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses. The inclusion of representatives from Tribal governments and/or Tribal advocacy groups in the Realignment process is central to the success of the Program and long-term (10+ year) Realignment effort. Tribal representatives who choose to participate in a future Realignment Process will have the opportunity to highlight priorities and shape the future of the Program in their region so that it better serves their communities.

Tribal Engagement Plan

From March to November 2022, the Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program will be conducting statewide outreach and engagement with tribes that are interested in learning more about the Program or the Realignment process. The main objectives of this Tribal engagement effort are to:

Initiate introductions between Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff and tribes.
Explain the Program and Realignment process, and gauge Tribal interest and readiness to participate in future Realignment cycles.
Execute the engagement well in advance of the beginning of the next Regional Realignment cycle (2024) so that tribes have time to make an informed decision regarding their interest and readiness to engage with the Program and participate in future Realignment cycles.

How to Participate

Schedule an introductory meeting with Program staff. Introductory meetings can be short (~30 min) or long (one or more hours), depending on Tribal representatives’ interest and availability.

To schedule a meeting with Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff, please complete the Tribal Engagement Interest Form to indicate your interest in connecting with us, your availability to set up a meeting, who should be included in the meeting invitation, and their contact information. There is no deadline to complete the form. The form can be found by clicking the read more button below.

Resources below can be found on the Water Boards website.

Tribal Engagement Plan
Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Executive Summary

Contact

Anna Holder, SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Coordinator and Realignment Lead, at anna.holder@waterboards.ca.gov (preferred) or 916-341-5096.

3. Join the CIEA Team- The California Indian Environmental Alliance in currently hiring for an Executive Assistant- Job posting open until the position is filled.

Assistant to the Executive Director

The California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA) is a well-established, small-sized nonprofit that maintains relationships with a multitude of California Native Tribes, Tribal organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies across the state.

Our mission is “to protect and restore California Indian Peoples’ cultural traditions, ancestral territories, means of subsistence, and environmental health.” CIEA operates swiftly. Our Tribal partners expect the finest support and representation, and we work hard to exceed their expectations. We are looking for you to join us in supporting Tribal self-advocacy and environmental resiliency.

CIEA is seeking an Executive Assistant with experience and a background in environmental justice. Because our organization works with Tribes in California, those with experience working within Native American communities are preferred. You will be responsible for organizing the
day-to-day activities of our organization while assisting in operational functions in support of the Executive Director (ED). You will assist, oversee, and maintain records for project reporting and deadlines for all of CIEA staff program coordinators. We are looking for someone with 5–10 years of experience who will bring innovation and ideas to enhance our operations and swiftly adapt to a dynamic environment. California Tribal members and/or other Tribal people are highly encouraged to apply. Open until filled. We look forward to meeting you!

Qualifications:
 A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, political science, Native American Studies, social work, or a related field(s), or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience, is preferred.
 2-5 years of experience in grant writing and/or grant management
 Preferred candidates will have 3+ years of executive, personal assistant, or program experience.
 Preferred candidates will have 2+ years of clerical/administrative experience, staff oversight and/or Human Resources experience.
 Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include:
 self-motivated, proactive, diplomatic, tactful, confident personality with the ability to be persistent when necessary.
 Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Drive, QuickBooks, Abode, and Zoom; Experience with HRIS and applicant tracking systems is strongly preferred.
 must be extremely detail-oriented.
 must operate well in a team environment, maintain a positive attitude, and be willing to work with all team members.
 be able to perform job duties with little supervision.
 ability to maintain a flexible working attitude while performing job duties under stressful conditions or dealing with complex communications
 An excellent understanding of English, both written and verbal, is required.
 excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 ability to maintain confidential or sensitive information.
 flexibility in scheduling, which may include working a limited number of nights and weekends
 You must be a creative, high-energy, hands-on professional who can successfully multitask in a fast-paced environment and maintain excellent organizational skills.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Calendar management entails scheduling meetings, calls, and travel on a daily, monthly, and quarterly basis to align with both business and personal schedules.
 Communicating with staff and assisting with project management
 Managing and completing correspondence in coordination with the Executive Director
 Reviewing contract agreements and staff reports
 supports the HR team with additional duties and projects as needed.
 Assists with receptionist duties and special projects as needed.
 Support staff with project management needs.
 Answer, screen, route, and initiate telephone calls and use appropriate telephone etiquette.
 Prepare reports and/or special projects, which may include data collection from fellow employees, coordination, final copy preparation, distribution, etc.
 responsible for filing active and inactive employee documents and files.
 Support the ED in responding to phone messages in a courteous and professional
manner within 24 hours of receiving the call.
 Become familiar with all CIEA daily functions in order to build them into project reports effectively and accurately.
 Effectively coordinate a consistent, integrated, and comprehensive system of communications.
 Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Full-time
Experience:
 Executive Assistant: 3+ years (Preferred)
 Human Resources: 2 years (Preferred)
 Program Management: 3+ years (Preferred)
 
 Salary: $28-$33 per hour, DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE.
 Additional Compensation: Reimbursement for travel, hotel, and food based on state
scale as necessary.
 Location: The primary work location is in El Cerrito, CA, with the possibility of some
remote work days each month.
 Benefits: ARE NEGOTIABLE
 Schedule: day shift, Monday through Friday, and some weekends (8-hour average
shifts, 36 to 40 hours per week)
This Job Is:
 This is a good fit for applicants of all ages, including older job seekers and people with
disabilities, who are encouraged to apply. The position is open to applicants who do not
have a college diploma.
 The job is open to applicants with gaps in their resume or who have been out of the
workforce for the past 6 months.
 Opportunity for growth and advancement

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and a list of professional references (minimum of 3) to info@cieaweb.org.

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 39, Issue 1, August 2022

1. Opening Remarks- Denounce Performativity of Pope Francis’ “Apology”

Our hearts are full during these times as we continue living through a pandemic, the misinformation that arises about Monkeypox, continue showing support for our Black relatives, and seeing a continued fight for deconstruction/destruction of nationalistic symbols of colonization. As communities across Turtle Island and across the world denounce colonialism and its effects, CIEA stands in solidarity with Indigenous resistance work as well as those led by other BIPOC communities that are happening currently across the nation.

We are doing our part within the larger conversation and show support as we continue asking western institutions and entities to work towards righting the wrongs that continue to perpetuate violence and dispossession to us and other BPOC. Shoutout to our Cree sister Si Pih Ko for her impassioned plea and critique of the Papal visits and the actions taken by the Catholic Church and allies of the church. This shows the success of continued fighting and guidance from our ancestors and future generations.

We have included a link to the Indian Country Today’s article “Papal Visit: Singer at peace after captivating world with protest song” in the read more button below, where you can find her discussing the impact her protest singing in Cree has brought to the issue at large.

We must do our part within the larger conversation and demand accountability and reparations such as land back and other acts of Indigenous resistance.

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 August 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. 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

In-person attendance (Extended): Friday, August 12th, 2022

Virtual attendance: Monday, August 22nd, 2022

3. 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.

4. Conference Opportunity- Tribal Lands and Environmental Forum: August 8-11th in Milwaukee, WI and Virtual.

This is the eleventh annual forum for environmental professionals from Tribes, US EPA, State/ Local/Federal agencies, community organizations, and other interested parties to meet, share knowledge and learn from one another how to improve management, protection and restoration of Tribal lands for us and all our relations.

Your community to connect with colleagues across the country
as we address Tribal waste and response issues.

This year we’ll meet in-person in Milwaukee and online everywhere.

To register or for more information, please hit the read more button below to be redirected to the TLEF website.

5. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Invitation to meet and engage with the SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program

Greetings Tribal government representatives and other interested parties,

The SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program is interested in building relationships with California Native American Tribes and learning about each tribes’ interest and readiness to partner with us.

Background

The Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program works with its many partners to answer the question: Is it safe to eat fish and shellfish in California waters that the public and tribes use for consumption, subsistence, and/or cultural purposes?

The Water Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) evaluated its Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program and issued a Realignment Plan in December 2020. The Realignment Plan calls for a focus on incorporating Tribal perspectives and needs into its monitoring efforts and ensuring those data and information are useful and used by Californian Native American Tribes (tribes) who rely on waterbodies for traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses. The inclusion of representatives from Tribal governments and/or Tribal advocacy groups in the Realignment process is central to the success of the Program and long-term (10+ year) Realignment effort. Tribal representatives who choose to participate in a future Realignment Process will have the opportunity to highlight priorities and shape the future of the Program in their region so that it better serves their communities.

Tribal Engagement Plan

From March to November 2022, the Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program will be conducting statewide outreach and engagement with tribes that are interested in learning more about the Program or the Realignment process. The main objectives of this Tribal engagement effort are to:

Initiate introductions between Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff and tribes.
Explain the Program and Realignment process, and gauge Tribal interest and readiness to participate in future Realignment cycles.
Execute the engagement well in advance of the beginning of the next Regional Realignment cycle (2024) so that tribes have time to make an informed decision regarding their interest and readiness to engage with the Program and participate in future Realignment cycles.

How to Participate

Schedule an introductory meeting with Program staff. Introductory meetings can be short (~30 min) or long (one or more hours), depending on Tribal representatives’ interest and availability.

To schedule a meeting with Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff, please complete the Tribal Engagement Interest Form to indicate your interest in connecting with us, your availability to set up a meeting, who should be included in the meeting invitation, and their contact information. There is no deadline to complete the form. The form can be found by clicking the read more button below.

Resources below can be found on the Water Boards website.

Tribal Engagement Plan
Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Executive Summary

Contact

Anna Holder, SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Coordinator and Realignment Lead, at anna.holder@waterboards.ca.gov (preferred) or 916-341-5096.

6. Conference Opportunity- Rising Voices 10: September 14-16th, Virtual

Save the date! The 10th Annual Rising Voices Workshop will be held virtually, Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16, 2022. The workshop theme is Emergent Knowledge through Indigenous and Earth Science Collaborations. More details and registration information coming soon!

The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences (Rising Voices) facilitates opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientific experts and community leaders from around the world to jointly address how extreme weather and climate events are impacting communities and to develop action plans. Rising Voices aspires to advance science through the collaborations of Indigenous and Earth (atmospheric, social, biological, ecological) sciences, along with an intercultural approach to addressing and understanding extreme weather events.

For more information, please hit the read more button below.

7. Invitation: Cultural Heritage Pavilion – Native American Day September 23, 2022

Dear Cultural Practitioner,

The California Water Boards and the Natural Resources Agency invite you to apply to showcase a cultural practice at the 54th Annual California Native American Day Cultural Heritage Pavilion. The deadline to submit an application to be considered as a cultural practitioner is August 19.

The 55th Annual California Native American Day
Friday, September 23, 2022 – State Capitol – West Steps
“Standing Strong Together”
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Starting in 1939, Native American Day is considered a time-honored tradition in the California Native American community. This is an all-nations event where every tribe, tribal community, and member of the public is welcome. This event is hosted by the California Tribal Chairpersons Association.

The Cultural Heritage Pavilion is an opportunity for cultural practitioners to share cultural practices, wisdom, language, and history with Native American Day attendees. Ten cultural practitioners will be selected to have a table in the Cultural Heritage Pavilion tent and deliver a presentation or demonstration of cultural practices. To apply to be considered as a cultural practitioner, please submit a completed application by August 19. Selected practitioners will be notified by late August. The application can be accessed by clicking this link to a Microsoft form. If you have any trouble accessing the form, please reach out.

Here’s what you can expect as a cultural practitioner:

· Prepare and deliver a presentation to a live audience about a cultural practice.

· Prepare a written description and photo of your cultural practice (if appropriate) or your group to be included in the printed event program.

· Share a spacious tent on the state capitol grounds with nine other cultural practitioners, each with individual tables.

· Set up your table beginning at 7:00 am.

· Receive a small honorarium for your time and expertise.

· The planning committee will respect and value the cultural wisdom and expertise shared.

· The planning committee will provide information to selected practitioners about day-of logistics.

· The planning committee will actively outreach to schools and organizations to encourage active participation and attendance to learn from cultural practitioners.

If you cannot participate, please direct this invitation to other cultural practitioners you believe may be interested in participating. For more information about Native American Day, please visit the Native American Day Facebook Page or californianativeamericanday.com.

Feel free to contact us should you have questions.

Thank you,
Adriana Renteria (she/they)
Director and Tribal Liaison
Office of Public Participation
State Water Resources Control Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento CA 95814
Adriana.Renteria@waterboards.ca.gov

8. Submit Public Comments: Central Valley Tribal Beneficial Use Definitions

Good morning tribal government representatives and interested parties,

The State Water Board is seeking written comments on an amendment to add the definitions of Tribal Tradition and Culture (CUL), Tribal Subsistence Fishing (T-SUB), and Subsistence Fishing (SUB) to the Central Valley Regional Water Board’s Basin Plans. See below for more information.

The Notice of Availability for Public Comment and Notice of Public Meeting on the Central Valley Water Quality Control Board’s (“Regional Water Board”) final amendment to the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins and Tulare Lake Basin Water Quality Control Plans (collectively the “Basin Plans”) to add the definitions for three new beneficial uses — Tribal Tradition and Culture (CUL), Tribal Subsistence Fishing (T-SUB), and Subsistence Fishing (SUB) (“Basin Plan amendment”) has been posted and can be accessed at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/public_notices/notices/notice_r5_tbu.pdf

Comments are due by 12 noon on August 23, 2022.

The State Water Board will consider adopting a resolution to approve the Basin Plan amendment:

Wednesday, September 7, 2022, 9:30 a.m.

Coastal Hearing Room

CalEPA Headquarters Building

1001 I Street, Second Floor

Sacramento, CA 95814

and via Video and Teleconference

For additional information, click on the link above to read the Notice in its entirety.

Best,
State Water Board Tribal Affairs Team | waterboards.ca.gov/tribal_affairs
(916) 216-1126 | Tribal-Liaison@waterboards.ca.gov

9. Save the Date: Tribal Exchange Network Conference, Oct 18-20, Flagstaff AZ and online

More information coming soon: www.tribalexchangenetwork.org

No registration fee! Join us online or in person!

The 2022 Tribal Exchange Network Conference (October 18-20) aims to expand tribal capacity for environmental data sharing, management, and analysis through informational, interactive sessions that offer:

o Networking opportunities and connections with other professionals

o A showcase of Exchange Network projects and technology tools

o Workshops, demonstrations, and mentoring for tribal professionals

o Discussions on resources, funding opportunities, and technical support

Connections outline

The Tribal EN Conference is now accepting proposals and requests for Presentations and Sponsors/Exhibitors! Sign up now to provide valuable information and connect with attendees.

Caret Down with solid fill

Submit a Session Proposal: https://bit.ly/3zGBVpS

Submit a Sponsorship Request: https://bit.ly/3oA6DuD

This event is designed for tribal staff and program managers working with environmental data, particularly those seeking to leverage technology solutions to streamline their work and enhance their data management capacity. Others who may benefit from attending include state and federal partners, collaborators, and other stakeholders working to support tribal sovereignty to address environmental concerns.

Presented by:

ITEP, TXG, EPA

The Tribal Exchange Network Conference is hosted by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) and the Tribal Exchange Network Group (TXG) and made possible by funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

10. Notice of Staff Workshop on Proposed Regulation Modifying Water Right Ownership Notice Requirements and Reporting Dates

The Notice of Staff Workshop on Proposed Regulation Modifying Water Right Ownership Notice Requirements and Reporting Dates has been posted and can be accessed by hitting read more button.

The Staff Workshop will be held on August 23, 2022 at 10 a.m. PDT on Zoom. Written comments on the proposed regulations are due by 5:00 p.m. on August 31, 2022.

The public hearing to consider adoption of the proposed regulation is scheduled for September 20, 2022.

For any further information, please click on the link above to read the Notice in its entirety.

11. DWR Released Prop 1, Round 2 Proposal Solicitation Package to fund IRWM projects

Good Morning,

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released the Proposition 1, Round 2 Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) to fund IRWM projects. Up to $1.2 Million is available in the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional Water Management (NSV IRWM) region and another $1.1 million is available to the Mountain Counties Funding Area portion of the region. The NSV wants to know if your project is ready to receive funding. The application will be due February 1, 2023 and projects will be considered for inclusion in the funding application by the NSV TAC in September and by the NSV Board in October.

Please review the PSP and Guidelines to evaluate whether your project is a good fit for this funding opportunity. If you’d like to have it considered for funding by the NSV, please contact your County representative by September 2, 2022 and provide a brief project description and estimated project budget. Eligible projects are listed in the Guidelines document on pages 11-13.

If your project is not yet included in the NSV IRWM Plan, please complete the application and send it to your County representative and to cbuck@buttecounty.net by September 2, 2022. Reach out to your County rep if you have any questions.

The NSV TAC meets on September 21, 2022 and will be considering new projects to add to the Plan and projects to recommend to the NSV Board to include in the application for funding.

County Representatives:

Christina Buck, Butte County; cbuck@buttecounty.net

Lisa Hunter, Glenn County; lhunter@countyofglenn.net

Justin Jenson, Tehama County; jjenson@tcpw.ca.gov

Vacant, Colusa County; contact cbuck@buttecounty.net

Guadalupe Rivera, Sutter County; grivera@co.sutter.ca.us

Charleen Beard, Shasta County; cbeard@co.shasta.ca.us

Best,

Christina Buck

NSV IRWM TAC Chair

Christina R. Buck, Ph.D.

Assistant Director

Dept. of Water and Resource Conservation

Butte County

308 Nelson Avenue

Oroville, CA 95965-3302

Off: 530.552.3593

Cell: 530.864.6057

cbuck@buttecounty.net

12. California Bacteria Summit, September 14 – 16, 2022

California Bacteria Summit, September 14-16, 2022

The purpose of this message is to announce the California Water Boards and the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) are co-hosting a three-day statewide summit on bacteria from September 14 – 16, 2022, at the CalEPA building in Sacramento (pending applicable COVID restrictions in place at that time).

The purpose of the summit is to identify the priority technical and regulatory actions needed to recreate safely in California’s river and ocean waters, to eat shellfish safely, and the process to implement those actions. In simple terms, we want to work together to identify solutions and actions that will get us to our goals.

AGENDA AND GOALS

The draft agenda (attached) identifies the goals for each day. It is important to emphasize that presentations will provide information to seed additional discussion. The summit will be professionally facilitated, and all in-person attendees will actively be engaged.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND (IN-PERSON)

As the success of the event is contingent upon active engagement and participation, we strongly encourage in person attendance by individuals who are able to contribute and can commit to doing so over the entire three-day event.

HOW TO WATCH THE SUMMIT REMOTELY

There will be a live remote viewing option for anyone whose primary goal is to learn more and stay informed. Please note that remote viewing is a viewing-only option. Participation in the summit requires in-person attendance.

HOW TO REGISTER

Registration opens on a first-come, first-registered basis on August 8, 2022. You will receive another notice with the registration information on August 8.

There may be a reduced capacity for the meeting room due to COVID restrictions, limiting the number of in-person attendees that can be accommodated. We appreciate your patience as we all continue to navigate the evolving COVID considerations. If registrations exceed room capacity, we will create a waiting list for in-person attendance.

QUESTIONS

For any questions regarding the summit, please contact Amanda.Blackwell@waterboards.ca.gov or Christine.Rico@waterboards.ca.gov.

13. EPA has New SFBWQIF Grant Funding Available

Dear Interested Parties,

We are pleased to inform you that the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) FY 2022 RFA (also known as ‘request for applications’) AND the BIL-SFBWQIF FY22 RFA (new funding from Congress to build resiliency in underserved communities) are now OPEN. Proposed projects must be within the nine Bay Area counties that drain to San Francisco Bay. Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov on or before the submission deadline of September 20, 2022 at 9:00pm Pacific Standard Time.

Under the SFBWQIF RFA, EPA is accepting applications for approximately $24 million in grant funding to protect and restore San Francisco Bay watersheds and wetlands. Funding is to support projects in the range of $1- $3 million to focus on water quality results, such as restoration of impaired waters, shorelines and wetlands. Applicants must provide a minimum 50% non-federal match.

Under the BIL-SFBWQIF RFA, EPA is accepting applications for approximately $5 million in grant funding specifically to expand the SFBWQIF’s focus on building climate resilience in underserved communities. Funding is to support projects in the range of $200,000 to $1 million to advance the Biden Administration’s goal of investing in America’s infrastructure and delivering environmental and public health benefits for communities with environmental justice concerns. There is NO match requirement.

You will find the RFAs on our EPA website and on Grants.gov (see link by hitting the read more button below).

Please check our website for upcoming dates of free webinars we will hold to provide detailed review of both RFAs and help answer questions related to submitting an application. This year we also plan to host “Drop-In Q&A” sessions to answer questions specifically about the Grants.gov submission process to support you during the application submission process.

Please forward this announcement to any other interested parties. If you would like your email taken off this mailing list, please let me know by emailing me back.

Contact: Luisa Valiela, US EPA Region 9

Email: valiela.luisa@epa.gov Phone: (415) 972-3400

14. DWR Info Sharing: EPA Seeks Input on New Pollution Prevention Grant Opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting two listening sessions to collect input on the development of a new grant opportunity made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $100 million investment in the agency’s Pollution Prevention (P2) program. In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s environmental justice goals and initiatives, the new grant opportunity will encourage products, purchasing, and/or supply chains that are safer, more sustainable, and environmentally preferable.

A listening session on Sept. 7 will seek input from tribes on this new grant opportunity. Another session on Sept. 8 is for all potential applicants and stakeholders. Eligible applicants include U.S. states, tribes, territories, or entities of these governments such as colleges, universities, or intertribal consortia. Eligible applicants may also partner with interested stakeholders. Matching funds will not be required for these grants.

EPA is interested in understanding how these grants can be most accessible and useful to applicants. EPA will also seek additional insight into how funded projects can increase supply and demand for safer, environmentally preferable products, such as those certified by EPA’s Safer Choice program or identified by EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program.

During these listening sessions, EPA will pose the following questions to better understand opportunities as well as barriers to potential grant-funded projects:

Which projects would best support the grant’s goals?
How can EPA encourage grantees to partner with other organizations to maximize project impact?
How can EPA encourage projects that will benefit underserved communities?
How can EPA encourage projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
What barriers exist to potential applicants of this grant and what can be done to minimize those barriers?
Written feedback on the above questions will also be accepted through Sept. 30 at EPP_SaferChoice_Grants@epa.gov.

Register for the webinars using the following links:

Listening session for tribes and intertribal consortia: Sept. 7, 2022, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. EDT
Listening session for other potential applicants and stakeholders: Sept. 8, 2022, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. EDT
Read more about P2 and the P2 Grant Program.

15. 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.

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

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. Join the CIEA Team- The California Indian Environmental Alliance in currently hiring for an Executive Assistant- Job posting open until the position is filled.

Assistant to the Executive Director

The California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA) is a well-established, small-sized nonprofit that maintains relationships with a multitude of California Native Tribes, Tribal organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies across the state.

Our mission is “to protect and restore California Indian Peoples’ cultural traditions, ancestral territories, means of subsistence, and environmental health.” CIEA operates swiftly. Our Tribal partners expect the finest support and representation, and we work hard to exceed their expectations. We are looking for you to join us in supporting Tribal self-advocacy and environmental resiliency.

CIEA is seeking an Executive Assistant with experience and a background in environmental justice. Because our organization works with Tribes in California, those with experience working within Native American communities are preferred. You will be responsible for organizing the
day-to-day activities of our organization while assisting in operational functions in support of the Executive Director (ED). You will assist, oversee, and maintain records for project reporting and deadlines for all of CIEA staff program coordinators. We are looking for someone with 5–10 years of experience who will bring innovation and ideas to enhance our operations and swiftly adapt to a dynamic environment. California Tribal members and/or other Tribal people are highly encouraged to apply. Open until filled. We look forward to meeting you!

Qualifications:
 A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, political science, Native American Studies, social work, or a related field(s), or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience, is preferred.
 2-5 years of experience in grant writing and/or grant management
 Preferred candidates will have 3+ years of executive, personal assistant, or program experience.
 Preferred candidates will have 2+ years of clerical/administrative experience, staff oversight and/or Human Resources experience.
 Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include:
 self-motivated, proactive, diplomatic, tactful, confident personality with the ability to be persistent when necessary.
 Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Drive, QuickBooks, Abode, and Zoom; Experience with HRIS and applicant tracking systems is strongly preferred.
 must be extremely detail-oriented.
 must operate well in a team environment, maintain a positive attitude, and be willing to work with all team members.
 be able to perform job duties with little supervision.
 ability to maintain a flexible working attitude while performing job duties under stressful conditions or dealing with complex communications
 An excellent understanding of English, both written and verbal, is required.
 excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 ability to maintain confidential or sensitive information.
 flexibility in scheduling, which may include working a limited number of nights and weekends
 You must be a creative, high-energy, hands-on professional who can successfully multitask in a fast-paced environment and maintain excellent organizational skills.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Calendar management entails scheduling meetings, calls, and travel on a daily, monthly, and quarterly basis to align with both business and personal schedules.
 Communicating with staff and assisting with project management
 Managing and completing correspondence in coordination with the Executive Director
 Reviewing contract agreements and staff reports
 supports the HR team with additional duties and projects as needed.
 Assists with receptionist duties and special projects as needed.
 Support staff with project management needs.
 Answer, screen, route, and initiate telephone calls and use appropriate telephone etiquette.
 Prepare reports and/or special projects, which may include data collection from fellow employees, coordination, final copy preparation, distribution, etc.
 responsible for filing active and inactive employee documents and files.
 Support the ED in responding to phone messages in a courteous and professional
manner within 24 hours of receiving the call.
 Become familiar with all CIEA daily functions in order to build them into project reports effectively and accurately.
 Effectively coordinate a consistent, integrated, and comprehensive system of communications.
 Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Full-time
Experience:
 Executive Assistant: 3+ years (Preferred)
 Human Resources: 2 years (Preferred)
 Program Management: 3+ years (Preferred)

 Salary: $28-$33 per hour, DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE.
 Additional Compensation: Reimbursement for travel, hotel, and food based on state
scale as necessary.
 Location: The primary work location is in El Cerrito, CA, with the possibility of some
remote work days each month.
 Benefits: ARE NEGOTIABLE
 Schedule: day shift, Monday through Friday, and some weekends (8-hour average
shifts, 36 to 40 hours per week)
This Job Is:
 This is a good fit for applicants of all ages, including older job seekers and people with
disabilities, who are encouraged to apply. The position is open to applicants who do not
have a college diploma.
 The job is open to applicants with gaps in their resume or who have been out of the
workforce for the past 6 months.
 Opportunity for growth and advancement

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and a list of professional references (minimum of 3) to info@cieaweb.org.

20. 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 20.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 40, Issue 1, September 2022

1. Opening Remarks- Sending prayers and standing with James Smith Cree Nation

Our hearts are full during these times as we continue living through a pandemic, the misinformation that arises about Monkeypox, continue showing support for our Black relatives, seeing a continued fight for deconstruction/destruction of nationalistic symbols of colonization, and the recent attacks on our James Smith Cree Nation relatives. As communities across Turtle Island and across the world denounce colonialism and its effects, CIEA stands in solidarity with Indigenous resistance work as well as those led by other BIPOC communities that are happening currently across the nation.

We are doing our part within the larger conversation and show support as we continue asking western institutions and entities to work towards righting the wrongs that continue to perpetuate violence and dispossession to us and other BPOC. We would like to take this opportunity to put medicines down for our James Smith Cree Nation relatives who has been struck by a recent tragic event. We offer Creator our prayers and ask them to guide the community and to keep its members safe.

We must do our part within the larger conversation and demand accountability and reparations such as land back and other acts of Indigenous resistance.

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 September 30th 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. 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

3. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- OPR’s upcoming Tribal Advisory Group: Nominations email must be in by September 9, 2022

I’m reaching out to share an opportunity to nominate candidates for the Fifth Climate Change Assessment’s Tribal Advisory Group, which can be found in the read more button below. If you have any partners that may be interested, it would be fantastic if you could share this! We are asking for Advisory Group member nominations to email a letter of recommendation from a tribe and resume/bio to me at patricia.kennedy@opr.ca.gov by September 9, 2022. If they would like to have a meeting, consultation, or need more information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Overview

The Governor’s Office for Planning and Research is excited to be standing up the first Tribal Research Program within California’s Climate Change Assessments. This program is largely based on the work of the Fourth Assessment Tribal and Indigenous Communities Report. We are at the very initial stages, with the first step of standing up a Tribal Advisory Group to guide this lasting and meaningful work. A letter respectfully requesting consultation was sent to California Native American Tribe in June of 2022.

A call for nominations for members to serve on the Tribal Advisory Group is attached. Ideally we hope to find members to represent youth/elders, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), different regions in California, federally and non-federally recognized tribes, and a variety of climate/environmental expertise. We will be taking up topics such as how we approach TEK integration into this work and research priorities for Tribes. This group will be compensated and will likely meet one time per month through May 2026.

Thank you for your consideration and contribution to make this exciting component of the Fifth Assessment a success!

Patricia Kennedy (she/her)
Tribal Research Manager, Fifth Climate Change Assessment
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
916.758.0579

4. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Invitation to meet and engage with the SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program

Greetings Tribal government representatives and other interested parties,

The SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program is interested in building relationships with California Native American Tribes and learning about each tribes’ interest and readiness to partner with us.

Background

The Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program works with its many partners to answer the question: Is it safe to eat fish and shellfish in California waters that the public and tribes use for consumption, subsistence, and/or cultural purposes?

The Water Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) evaluated its Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program and issued a Realignment Plan in December 2020. The Realignment Plan calls for a focus on incorporating Tribal perspectives and needs into its monitoring efforts and ensuring those data and information are useful and used by Californian Native American Tribes (tribes) who rely on waterbodies for traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses. The inclusion of representatives from Tribal governments and/or Tribal advocacy groups in the Realignment process is central to the success of the Program and long-term (10+ year) Realignment effort. Tribal representatives who choose to participate in a future Realignment Process will have the opportunity to highlight priorities and shape the future of the Program in their region so that it better serves their communities.

Tribal Engagement Plan

From March to November 2022, the Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program will be conducting statewide outreach and engagement with tribes that are interested in learning more about the Program or the Realignment process. The main objectives of this Tribal engagement effort are to:

Initiate introductions between Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff and tribes.
Explain the Program and Realignment process, and gauge Tribal interest and readiness to participate in future Realignment cycles.
Execute the engagement well in advance of the beginning of the next Regional Realignment cycle (2024) so that tribes have time to make an informed decision regarding their interest and readiness to engage with the Program and participate in future Realignment cycles.

How to Participate

Schedule an introductory meeting with Program staff. Introductory meetings can be short (~30 min) or long (one or more hours), depending on Tribal representatives’ interest and availability.

To schedule a meeting with Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff, please complete the Tribal Engagement Interest Form to indicate your interest in connecting with us, your availability to set up a meeting, who should be included in the meeting invitation, and their contact information. There is no deadline to complete the form. The form can be found by clicking the read more button below.

Resources below can be found on the Water Boards website.

Tribal Engagement Plan
Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Executive Summary

Contact

Anna Holder, SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Coordinator and Realignment Lead, at anna.holder@waterboards.ca.gov (preferred) or 916-341-5096.

5. Conference Opportunity- Rising Voices 10: September 14-16th, Virtual

Save the date! The 10th Annual Rising Voices Workshop will be held virtually, Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16, 2022. The workshop theme is Emergent Knowledge through Indigenous and Earth Science Collaborations. More details and registration information coming soon!

The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences (Rising Voices) facilitates opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientific experts and community leaders from around the world to jointly address how extreme weather and climate events are impacting communities and to develop action plans. Rising Voices aspires to advance science through the collaborations of Indigenous and Earth (atmospheric, social, biological, ecological) sciences, along with an intercultural approach to addressing and understanding extreme weather events.

For more information, please hit the read more button below.

6. Webinar- Air, Climate, & Energy Research Webinar Series: What Can We Learn From a Consistent 18-Year Dataset?- September 20th

EPA scientists have developed a set of modeled meteorology, emissions, air quality and pollutant depositions spanning the years 2002 through 2019 called EPA’s Air QUAlity TimE Series Project (EQUATES). The air quality and deposition data are being used by epidemiologists and ecologists to study decadal trends in pollution and link air quality to adverse health and ecological effects. The meteorology and emissions data are being used to test if updates to the air quality modeling system based on new scientific research improve the estimation of pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter. Developers of the database will provide information about EQUATES and how it can be applied, and users of the data will offer additional perspective. For more information on registering for the webinar, please hit the read more button below.

7. Technical Assistance: Small/Disadvantaged Community Technical Assistance available

If you are in a small or disadvantaged community, you may be interested in the following program through the Environmental Finance Center at Sacramento State. They provide technical assistance for work plans for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects; these work plans can be used to develop applications for construction funding through the State Water Board.

They also provide GIS assistance with facility mapping and assessing groundwater contaminations risks.

They also provide grant application assistance.

Check out their website by hitting the read more button below and also you can check out the small/disadvantaged community page: https://www.efc.csus.edu/small-and-or-disadvantaged-community-assistance/

Contact them for more info if your facility could use some help!

8. Invitation: Cultural Heritage Pavilion – Native American Day September 23, 2022

Dear Cultural Practitioner,

The California Water Boards and the Natural Resources Agency invite you to apply to showcase a cultural practice at the 54th Annual California Native American Day Cultural Heritage Pavilion. The deadline to submit an application to be considered as a cultural practitioner is August 19.

The 55th Annual California Native American Day
Friday, September 23, 2022 – State Capitol – West Steps
“Standing Strong Together”
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Starting in 1939, Native American Day is considered a time-honored tradition in the California Native American community. This is an all-nations event where every tribe, tribal community, and member of the public is welcome. This event is hosted by the California Tribal Chairpersons Association.

The Cultural Heritage Pavilion is an opportunity for cultural practitioners to share cultural practices, wisdom, language, and history with Native American Day attendees. Ten cultural practitioners will be selected to have a table in the Cultural Heritage Pavilion tent and deliver a presentation or demonstration of cultural practices. To apply to be considered as a cultural practitioner, please submit a completed application by August 19. Selected practitioners will be notified by late August. The application can be accessed by clicking this link to a Microsoft form. If you have any trouble accessing the form, please reach out.

Here’s what you can expect as a cultural practitioner:

· Prepare and deliver a presentation to a live audience about a cultural practice.

· Prepare a written description and photo of your cultural practice (if appropriate) or your group to be included in the printed event program.

· Share a spacious tent on the state capitol grounds with nine other cultural practitioners, each with individual tables.

· Set up your table beginning at 7:00 am.

· Receive a small honorarium for your time and expertise.

· The planning committee will respect and value the cultural wisdom and expertise shared.

· The planning committee will provide information to selected practitioners about day-of logistics.

· The planning committee will actively outreach to schools and organizations to encourage active participation and attendance to learn from cultural practitioners.

If you cannot participate, please direct this invitation to other cultural practitioners you believe may be interested in participating. For more information about Native American Day, please visit the Native American Day Facebook Page or californianativeamericanday.com.

Feel free to contact us should you have questions.

Thank you,
Adriana Renteria (she/they)
Director and Tribal Liaison
Office of Public Participation
State Water Resources Control Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento CA 95814
Adriana.Renteria@waterboards.ca.gov

9. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Racial Equity and Water- Water Board

My name is Kason Grady and I am an engineer and supervisor with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board). Karen already knows me, but I don’t think that I have met Ms. Norris yet, so it’s nice to meet you. I specifically volunteered to reach out to NCRP on this topic of racial equity and water quality because I already meet with Karen regularly during our executive team meetings and would like to further build this relationship.

The Regional Water Board is working toward a future where a person’s race or tribal affiliation does not predict their access to or quality of water and where water quality conditions are improved for all marginalized groups. We are taking the first steps to achieve this future by, in part, drafting a Racial Equity Resolution (Resolution) that will acknowledge historical and present-day racial inequities and injustices and commit to developing an Action Plan with specific actions to advance racial equity in the North Coast Region. We are reaching out to the NCRP to invite and encourage you and your members to participate in opportunities to share with us your experiences and priorities related to inequities in access to clean and safe water and comments on the draft Resolution when it is available.

The Regional Water Board will hold four engagement events to seek input on the draft Resolution from communities of interest and tribes prior to proposing the draft Resolution to our Board for adoption in February 2023. These engagement events include:

1. A hybrid (in person and virtual) Board workshop on the evening of October 5 or 6, 2022;

2. Two in-person listening sessions during the week of October 17-21, 2022; and

3. One virtual, region-wide listening session during the week of October 24-28, 2022.

The purpose of the engagement events is to:

1. Inform communities of interest, tribes, and the public about the Regional Water Board’s racial equity initiative, the draft resolution and its review period, and future Action Plan;

2. Create a space for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other people of color to share their input, experiences, perspectives, and wisdom related to racial inequities and environmental injustices in the North Coast Region; and

3. Invite comments and conversation from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other people of color communities, tribes, and other members of the public related to the draft resolution, future action plan, and racial equity at large.

We encourage you and your members to attend the board workshop and/or listening sessions, but also invite you to engage in informal discussions with us in advance of and/or instead of participation in these events. We are happy to provide more details about the work we do, discuss how our work may or could intersect with the work NCRP does, discuss the contents of the draft resolution, and/or any other topics you wish to discuss.

After the Resolution is adopted, Regional Water Board staff will develop an Action Plan that will contain specific actions the Regional Water Board and its staff will take to implement the Resolution and advance racial equity. This initial invitation to informally discuss the Racial Equity Resolution is intended to mark the beginning of an ongoing discussion and relationship to inform the direction of our efforts, for not only the Resolution, but the future Action Plan as well.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your input, should you choose to engage. For updates on the dates and locations of the listening sessions and other project-related information, please subscribe to the Racial Equity email list here: https://waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/reg1_subscribe.html. Please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at kason.grady@waterboards.ca.gov or RB1-Equity@waterboards.ca.gov or by telephone at 707-576-2682, if you would like to set up a meeting to discuss further.

Thank you and have a great day.

~Kason

10. Save the Date: Tribal Exchange Network Conference, Oct 18-20, Flagstaff AZ and online

More information coming soon: www.tribalexchangenetwork.org

No registration fee! Join us online or in person!

The 2022 Tribal Exchange Network Conference (October 18-20) aims to expand tribal capacity for environmental data sharing, management, and analysis through informational, interactive sessions that offer:

o Networking opportunities and connections with other professionals

o A showcase of Exchange Network projects and technology tools

o Workshops, demonstrations, and mentoring for tribal professionals

o Discussions on resources, funding opportunities, and technical support

Connections outline

The Tribal EN Conference is now accepting proposals and requests for Presentations and Sponsors/Exhibitors! Sign up now to provide valuable information and connect with attendees.

Caret Down with solid fill

Submit a Session Proposal: https://bit.ly/3zGBVpS

Submit a Sponsorship Request: https://bit.ly/3oA6DuD

This event is designed for tribal staff and program managers working with environmental data, particularly those seeking to leverage technology solutions to streamline their work and enhance their data management capacity. Others who may benefit from attending include state and federal partners, collaborators, and other stakeholders working to support tribal sovereignty to address environmental concerns.

Presented by:

ITEP, TXG, EPA

The Tribal Exchange Network Conference is hosted by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) and the Tribal Exchange Network Group (TXG) and made possible by funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

11. 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.

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

13. Join the CIEA Team- The California Indian Environmental Alliance in currently hiring for an Executive Assistant- Job posting open until the position is filled. Please spread the word.

Assistant to the Executive Director

The California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA) is a well-established, small-sized nonprofit that maintains relationships with a multitude of California Native Tribes, Tribal organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies across the state.

Our mission is “to protect and restore California Indian Peoples’ cultural traditions, ancestral territories, means of subsistence, and environmental health.” CIEA operates swiftly. Our Tribal partners expect the finest support and representation, and we work hard to exceed their expectations. We are looking for you to join us in supporting Tribal self-advocacy and environmental resiliency.

CIEA is seeking an Executive Assistant with experience and a background in environmental justice. Because our organization works with Tribes in California, those with experience working within Native American communities are preferred. You will be responsible for organizing the
day-to-day activities of our organization while assisting in operational functions in support of the Executive Director (ED). You will assist, oversee, and maintain records for project reporting and deadlines for all of CIEA staff program coordinators. We are looking for someone with 5–10 years of experience who will bring innovation and ideas to enhance our operations and swiftly adapt to a dynamic environment. California Tribal members and/or other Tribal people are highly encouraged to apply. Open until filled. We look forward to meeting you!

Qualifications:
 A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, political science, Native American Studies, social work, or a related field(s), or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience, is preferred.
 2-5 years of experience in grant writing and/or grant management
 Preferred candidates will have 3+ years of executive, personal assistant, or program experience.
 Preferred candidates will have 2+ years of clerical/administrative experience, staff oversight and/or Human Resources experience.
 Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include:
 self-motivated, proactive, diplomatic, tactful, confident personality with the ability to be persistent when necessary.
 Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Drive, QuickBooks, Abode, and Zoom; Experience with HRIS and applicant tracking systems is strongly preferred.
 must be extremely detail-oriented.
 must operate well in a team environment, maintain a positive attitude, and be willing to work with all team members.
 be able to perform job duties with little supervision.
 ability to maintain a flexible working attitude while performing job duties under stressful conditions or dealing with complex communications
 An excellent understanding of English, both written and verbal, is required.
 excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 ability to maintain confidential or sensitive information.
 flexibility in scheduling, which may include working a limited number of nights and weekends
 You must be a creative, high-energy, hands-on professional who can successfully multitask in a fast-paced environment and maintain excellent organizational skills.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Calendar management entails scheduling meetings, calls, and travel on a daily, monthly, and quarterly basis to align with both business and personal schedules.
 Communicating with staff and assisting with project management
 Managing and completing correspondence in coordination with the Executive Director
 Reviewing contract agreements and staff reports
 supports the HR team with additional duties and projects as needed.
 Assists with receptionist duties and special projects as needed.
 Support staff with project management needs.
 Answer, screen, route, and initiate telephone calls and use appropriate telephone etiquette.
 Prepare reports and/or special projects, which may include data collection from fellow employees, coordination, final copy preparation, distribution, etc.
 responsible for filing active and inactive employee documents and files.
 Support the ED in responding to phone messages in a courteous and professional
manner within 24 hours of receiving the call.
 Become familiar with all CIEA daily functions in order to build them into project reports effectively and accurately.
 Effectively coordinate a consistent, integrated, and comprehensive system of communications.
 Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Full-time
Experience:
 Executive Assistant: 3+ years (Preferred)
 Human Resources: 2 years (Preferred)
 Program Management: 3+ years (Preferred)

 Salary: $28-$33 per hour, DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE.
 Additional Compensation: Reimbursement for travel, hotel, and food based on state
scale as necessary.
 Location: The primary work location is in El Cerrito, CA, with the possibility of some
remote work days each month.
 Benefits: ARE NEGOTIABLE
 Schedule: day shift, Monday through Friday, and some weekends (8-hour average
shifts, 36 to 40 hours per week)
This Job Is:
 This is a good fit for applicants of all ages, including older job seekers and people with
disabilities, who are encouraged to apply. The position is open to applicants who do not
have a college diploma.
 The job is open to applicants with gaps in their resume or who have been out of the
workforce for the past 6 months.
 Opportunity for growth and advancement

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and a list of professional references (minimum of 3) to info@cieaweb.org.

14. 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 14.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 41, Issue 1, October 2022

1. Opening Remarks- Welcoming the Fall Equinox

CIEA would like to wish our relatives across California an Happy Fall Equinox. Also, a shoutout to Muchacha Fanzine for their amazing image.

The CIEA office is still physically closed until further noticed. Staff is still available via email and through out telephones.

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. 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

3. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Invitation to meet and engage with the SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program

Greetings Tribal government representatives and other interested parties,

The SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program is interested in building relationships with California Native American Tribes and learning about each tribes’ interest and readiness to partner with us.

Background

The Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program works with its many partners to answer the question: Is it safe to eat fish and shellfish in California waters that the public and tribes use for consumption, subsistence, and/or cultural purposes?

The Water Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) evaluated its Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program and issued a Realignment Plan in December 2020. The Realignment Plan calls for a focus on incorporating Tribal perspectives and needs into its monitoring efforts and ensuring those data and information are useful and used by Californian Native American Tribes (tribes) who rely on waterbodies for traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses. The inclusion of representatives from Tribal governments and/or Tribal advocacy groups in the Realignment process is central to the success of the Program and long-term (10+ year) Realignment effort. Tribal representatives who choose to participate in a future Realignment Process will have the opportunity to highlight priorities and shape the future of the Program in their region so that it better serves their communities.

Tribal Engagement Plan

From March to November 2022, the Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program will be conducting statewide outreach and engagement with tribes that are interested in learning more about the Program or the Realignment process. The main objectives of this Tribal engagement effort are to:

Initiate introductions between Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff and tribes.
Explain the Program and Realignment process, and gauge Tribal interest and readiness to participate in future Realignment cycles.
Execute the engagement well in advance of the beginning of the next Regional Realignment cycle (2024) so that tribes have time to make an informed decision regarding their interest and readiness to engage with the Program and participate in future Realignment cycles.

How to Participate

Schedule an introductory meeting with Program staff. Introductory meetings can be short (~30 min) or long (one or more hours), depending on Tribal representatives’ interest and availability.

To schedule a meeting with Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff, please complete the Tribal Engagement Interest Form to indicate your interest in connecting with us, your availability to set up a meeting, who should be included in the meeting invitation, and their contact information. There is no deadline to complete the form. The form can be found by clicking the read more button below.

Resources below can be found on the Water Boards website.

Tribal Engagement Plan
Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Executive Summary

Contact

Anna Holder, SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Coordinator and Realignment Lead, at anna.holder@waterboards.ca.gov (preferred) or 916-341-5096.

4. Comments Opportunity- Adaptation Planning Grant Program Draft Guidelines Open for Public Comment

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) are pleased to invite public comment on the DRAFT Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) Grant Guidelines from September 28, 2022 to October 28, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Visit the APGP Webpage and read the latest news announcement to learn more about our approach, including how the APGP will leverage interagency partnerships and $25M in funding to help communities identify climate resilience priorities, address planning needs, and develop a pipeline of climate resilient infrastructure projects across the state.

The APGP draft guidelines incorporate feedback received through seven public listening sessions, focus groups, and key informant interviews from Spring 2022. To understand the development of this draft, refer to this ICARP engagement summary. Feedback received by the October 28th deadline will inform a final version of the draft guidelines, which OPR will post on its website in mid-November.

Providing Public Comment: Public comments can be made submitted via email to icarp.grants@opr.ca.gov or mailed to “Office of Planning and Research, 1400 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814” no later than October 28th at 5:00p.m.

Workshops: OPR is also hosting four public Q&A workshops to gather additional feedback. Attendees are encouraged to participate based on their preference. Please register to attend on the APGP website.

Next Steps: The Final Guidelines will be published online following the public review period.

To sign up for the APGP listserv, please hit the read more button below.

5. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Racial Equity and Water- Water Board

My name is Kason Grady and I am an engineer and supervisor with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board). Karen already knows me, but I don’t think that I have met Ms. Norris yet, so it’s nice to meet you. I specifically volunteered to reach out to NCRP on this topic of racial equity and water quality because I already meet with Karen regularly during our executive team meetings and would like to further build this relationship.

The Regional Water Board is working toward a future where a person’s race or tribal affiliation does not predict their access to or quality of water and where water quality conditions are improved for all marginalized groups. We are taking the first steps to achieve this future by, in part, drafting a Racial Equity Resolution (Resolution) that will acknowledge historical and present-day racial inequities and injustices and commit to developing an Action Plan with specific actions to advance racial equity in the North Coast Region. We are reaching out to the NCRP to invite and encourage you and your members to participate in opportunities to share with us your experiences and priorities related to inequities in access to clean and safe water and comments on the draft Resolution when it is available.

The Regional Water Board will hold four engagement events to seek input on the draft Resolution from communities of interest and tribes prior to proposing the draft Resolution to our Board for adoption in February 2023. These engagement events include:

1. A hybrid (in person and virtual) Board workshop on the evening of October 5 or 6, 2022;

2. Two in-person listening sessions during the week of October 17-21, 2022; and

3. One virtual, region-wide listening session during the week of October 24-28, 2022.

The purpose of the engagement events is to:

1. Inform communities of interest, tribes, and the public about the Regional Water Board’s racial equity initiative, the draft resolution and its review period, and future Action Plan;

2. Create a space for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other people of color to share their input, experiences, perspectives, and wisdom related to racial inequities and environmental injustices in the North Coast Region; and

3. Invite comments and conversation from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other people of color communities, tribes, and other members of the public related to the draft resolution, future action plan, and racial equity at large.

We encourage you and your members to attend the board workshop and/or listening sessions, but also invite you to engage in informal discussions with us in advance of and/or instead of participation in these events. We are happy to provide more details about the work we do, discuss how our work may or could intersect with the work NCRP does, discuss the contents of the draft resolution, and/or any other topics you wish to discuss.

After the Resolution is adopted, Regional Water Board staff will develop an Action Plan that will contain specific actions the Regional Water Board and its staff will take to implement the Resolution and advance racial equity. This initial invitation to informally discuss the Racial Equity Resolution is intended to mark the beginning of an ongoing discussion and relationship to inform the direction of our efforts, for not only the Resolution, but the future Action Plan as well.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your input, should you choose to engage. For updates on the dates and locations of the listening sessions and other project-related information, please subscribe to the Racial Equity email list here: https://waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/reg1_subscribe.html. Please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at kason.grady@waterboards.ca.gov or RB1-Equity@waterboards.ca.gov or by telephone at 707-576-2682, if you would like to set up a meeting to discuss further.

Thank you and have a great day.

~Kason

6. Tribal Consultation Opportunity- Tribal Engagement Strategy development

The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is seeking to consult and collaborate with California Native American tribes on the development of a Tribal Engagement Strategy that will provide a framework for enhanced partnership between OPC and tribes on ocean and coastal issues. The draft Tribal Engagement Strategy is available by hitting the read more button below. This draft was developed by OPC based on input received from tribes during early consultations and listening sessions in fall 2021.OPC can facilitate in-person, web-based, or conference call consultations on the draft Tribal Engagement Strategy. Requests for consultations or written comments should be sent by October 7, 2022 via email to Michael.Esgro@resources.ca.gov with the subject line “[Tribe Name] Tribal Consultation Response: OPC Tribal Engagement Strategy.”

7. Funding Opportunity- The California Truth and Healing Fund

The California Truth and Healing Fund is excited to announce that the first round of awards to tribes and tribal serving organizations has totaled a little under $300k to support tribal and community engagement with the Council. Applications for the second round of 2022 funding are now open and will be accepted through November 1, 2022.

The California Truth and Healing Fund is intended to provide California Native American tribes, families, communities and organizations with resources to engage in opportunities associated with the goals of the landmark California Truth & Healing Council. Grant amounts will range from $5,000 to $50,000.

Seeded with an initial $500,000 investment from Decolonizing Wealth Project’s Liberated Capital fund, The California Endowment, and Christensen Fund, and with the goal of raising more than $5 million, the fund is guided by an advisory board of California Natives.

Interested tribes and tribal organizations can find out more information and apply for funding here: https://decolonizingwealth.com/liberated-capital/cathf/. An updated FAQ document is available by hitting the read more button below.

8. Webinar- California’s 5th Climate Change Assessment Roundtable: Working Lands, Waters & Biodiversity

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research in partnership with the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) is hosting a public roundtables to discuss California-specific information and knowledge gaps that will help inform the scope of climate change research conducted as part of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment.

This roundtable on Working Lands, Waters, and Biodiversity will discuss climate impacts to lands and waters that are managed to fulfill some service for society, including agriculture, timberlands, rangelands, aquaculture, fisheries, and lands used for mining, and how to respond to such impacts. To register, hit the read more button below.

9. Save the Date: Tribal Exchange Network Conference, Oct 18-20, Flagstaff AZ and online

10. Save the Date: Tribal Exchange Network Conference, Oct 18-20, Flagstaff AZ and online
Image
More information coming soon: www.tribalexchangenetwork.org

No registration fee! Join us online or in person!

The 2022 Tribal Exchange Network Conference (October 18-20) aims to expand tribal capacity for environmental data sharing, management, and analysis through informational, interactive sessions that offer:

o Networking opportunities and connections with other professionals

o A showcase of Exchange Network projects and technology tools

o Workshops, demonstrations, and mentoring for tribal professionals

o Discussions on resources, funding opportunities, and technical support

Connections outline

The Tribal EN Conference is now accepting proposals and requests for Presentations and Sponsors/Exhibitors! Sign up now to provide valuable information and connect with attendees.

Caret Down with solid fill

Submit a Session Proposal: https://bit.ly/3zGBVpS

Submit a Sponsorship Request: https://bit.ly/3oA6DuD

This event is designed for tribal staff and program managers working with environmental data, particularly those seeking to leverage technology solutions to streamline their work and enhance their data management capacity. Others who may benefit from attending include state and federal partners, collaborators, and other stakeholders working to support tribal sovereignty to address environmental concerns.

Presented by:

ITEP, TXG, EPA

The Tribal Exchange Network Conference is hosted by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) and the Tribal Exchange Network Group (TXG) and made possible by funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).

10. Funding Opportunity- Whale Tail Grant funding available for coastal education and stewardship projects

WHALE TAIL® grants support experiential education and stewardship of the California coast and its watersheds. Education and stewardship projects relating to climate change as it impacts the coast and ocean are eligible and encouraged. Shoreline cleanup and coastal habitat restoration projects that have an educational component are also eligible for these grants.

Application deadline: November 4, 2022.
Eligible applicants: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, projects of a non-profit fiscal sponsor, public schools or districts, government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes and other California Native American Tribes as defined by Governor’s Executive Order B-10-11.
Applicants may request any amount up to $50,000. At least 25% will be small grants up to $20,000. Approximately $2,000,000 will be distributed.
WHALE TAIL® grants focus on reaching communities that have historically received fewer marine education and stewardship opportunities. We strongly encourage applicant organizations based in and composed of the communities they are engaging. Projects throughout California are eligible.
Thank you to all the owners of WHALE TAIL® License Plates and donors to the Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund for making these grants possible. Funds were also allocated in 2021 through the California state budget allowing this year’s grants to support even more great education and stewardship projects.

A walk-through of the WHALE TAIL® Grants application will be presented on October 4 at 3:30pm, including time for questions. Register for the webinar.

Download the grant guidelines and application form at www.coastal.ca.gov/whaletailgrant.

Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions about WHALE TAIL® Grants.

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

12. 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.

13. Join the CIEA Team- The California Indian Environmental Alliance in currently hiring for an Executive Assistant- Job posting open until the position is filled. Please spread the word.

Assistant to the Executive Director

The California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA) is a well-established, small-sized nonprofit that maintains relationships with a multitude of California Native Tribes, Tribal organizations, non-governmental organizations and agencies across the state.

Our mission is “to protect and restore California Indian Peoples’ cultural traditions, ancestral territories, means of subsistence, and environmental health.” CIEA operates swiftly. Our Tribal partners expect the finest support and representation, and we work hard to exceed their expectations. We are looking for you to join us in supporting Tribal self-advocacy and environmental resiliency.

CIEA is seeking an Executive Assistant with experience and a background in environmental justice. Because our organization works with Tribes in California, those with experience working within Native American communities are preferred. You will be responsible for organizing the
day-to-day activities of our organization while assisting in operational functions in support of the Executive Director (ED). You will assist, oversee, and maintain records for project reporting and deadlines for all of CIEA staff program coordinators. We are looking for someone with 5–10 years of experience who will bring innovation and ideas to enhance our operations and swiftly adapt to a dynamic environment. California Tribal members and/or other Tribal people are highly encouraged to apply. Open until filled. We look forward to meeting you!

Qualifications:
 A bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, political science, Native American Studies, social work, or a related field(s), or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience, is preferred.
 2-5 years of experience in grant writing and/or grant management
 Preferred candidates will have 3+ years of executive, personal assistant, or program experience.
 Preferred candidates will have 2+ years of clerical/administrative experience, staff oversight and/or Human Resources experience.
 Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include:
 self-motivated, proactive, diplomatic, tactful, confident personality with the ability to be persistent when necessary.
 Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Drive, QuickBooks, Abode, and Zoom; Experience with HRIS and applicant tracking systems is strongly preferred.
 must be extremely detail-oriented.
 must operate well in a team environment, maintain a positive attitude, and be willing to work with all team members.
 be able to perform job duties with little supervision.
 ability to maintain a flexible working attitude while performing job duties under stressful conditions or dealing with complex communications
 An excellent understanding of English, both written and verbal, is required.
 excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 ability to maintain confidential or sensitive information.
 flexibility in scheduling, which may include working a limited number of nights and weekends
 You must be a creative, high-energy, hands-on professional who can successfully multitask in a fast-paced environment and maintain excellent organizational skills.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Calendar management entails scheduling meetings, calls, and travel on a daily, monthly, and quarterly basis to align with both business and personal schedules.
 Communicating with staff and assisting with project management
 Managing and completing correspondence in coordination with the Executive Director
 Reviewing contract agreements and staff reports
 supports the HR team with additional duties and projects as needed.
 Assists with receptionist duties and special projects as needed.
 Support staff with project management needs.
 Answer, screen, route, and initiate telephone calls and use appropriate telephone etiquette.
 Prepare reports and/or special projects, which may include data collection from fellow employees, coordination, final copy preparation, distribution, etc.
 responsible for filing active and inactive employee documents and files.
 Support the ED in responding to phone messages in a courteous and professional
manner within 24 hours of receiving the call.
 Become familiar with all CIEA daily functions in order to build them into project reports effectively and accurately.
 Effectively coordinate a consistent, integrated, and comprehensive system of communications.
 Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Full-time
Experience:
 Executive Assistant: 3+ years (Preferred)
 Human Resources: 2 years (Preferred)
 Program Management: 3+ years (Preferred)

 Salary: $28-$33 per hour, DEPENDENT ON EXPERIENCE.
 Additional Compensation: Reimbursement for travel, hotel, and food based on state
scale as necessary.
 Location: The primary work location is in El Cerrito, CA, with the possibility of some
remote work days each month.
 Benefits: ARE NEGOTIABLE
 Schedule: day shift, Monday through Friday, and some weekends (8-hour average
shifts, 36 to 40 hours per week)
This Job Is:
 This is a good fit for applicants of all ages, including older job seekers and people with
disabilities, who are encouraged to apply. The position is open to applicants who do not
have a college diploma.
 The job is open to applicants with gaps in their resume or who have been out of the
workforce for the past 6 months.
 Opportunity for growth and advancement

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and a list of professional references (minimum of 3) to info@cieaweb.org.

14. 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.

15. 2023 National Fish Forum Registration is Live

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water, will hold a virtual National Forum on Contaminants in Fish (Fish Forum) to bring together interested stakeholders to discuss the many issues related to
human health and contaminants in fish. The free virtual conference will be held as follows:

• Week 1: February 28 and March 2, 2023 (12:00 – 5:30 PM Eastern Time)
• Week 2: March 7 and 9, 2023 (12:00 – 5:30 PM Eastern Time)

Some topics likely to be covered include:
• Latest science on specific contaminants in fish and their impacts on human health (e.g., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], mercury, PCBs, and cyanotoxins)
• Emerging science in developing fish consumption advisories
• Risk communication and public engagement strategies for fish consumption advisories
• Issuing/rescinding fish consumption advisories
• Effectiveness of fish consumption advisories
• Environmental justice: Protection of high frequency fish consumers, such as subsistence fishers and fishers in underserved communities
• Community/participatory science: Roles and practices
• Sampling and analysis: Practices and methods

Register for the Fish Forum at: https://usepa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_h_jw0futQ1GjDim2P51Ubg.

If you plan to submit an abstract for consideration, please submit all materials for consideration by Wednesday, November 2, 2022. Your abstract should be no longer than 250 words.

For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech/2023-national-fish-forum.

“”You can be featured here. Please review item 14.”

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 42, Issue 2, October 2022

1. Public Comment Opportunity- APGP Draft Guidelines Open for Public Comment

Please join the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to learn more about two grant programs for California Tribes: Adaptation Planning Grant Program and Climate Assessment Tribal Research Program. We hope you can join us!

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) are pleased to invite public comment on the Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) Draft Round 1 Grant Guidelines for public review from September 28, 2022 to October 28, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

To learn more about our approach, including how the APGP will help local, regional and tribal communities identify climate resilience priorities, address planning needs, and support the development of a pipeline of climate resilient infrastructure projects across the state, visit the APGP Webpage and read the latest news announcement.

Public comments can be made during guideline workshops, submitted via email to icarp.grants@opr.ca.gov, or mailed to “Office of Planning and Research, 1400 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814” no later than October 28th at 5:00p.m. If you like accessibility or language access accommodations for the workshops, please email abby.edwards@opr.ca.gov.

A special guideline workshop will focus on Tribal Communities will take place on Thursday, October 20, please register here:

Guideline Workshop for Tribal Communities
Thursday, October 20, 2022 @1:00
Register for the workshop by hitting the read more button below.

The Final Guidelines will be published online following the public review period. Additional information is available on the APGP Webpage. To receive updates on the Adaptation Planning Grant Program, please sign up for the APGP Email List.

Thank you for helping ensure the Adaptation Planning Grant Program is supporting your urgent climate adaption planning needs.

2. Recommended Readings- Advancing Earth and Space Science’s “Fire in the Earth System” issue

Synopsis: Many aspects of fire-related research are growing rapidly, in part as a response to recent, major fire seasons in fire-prone regions such as Australia, the Mediterranean region, and the western United States, but also to unprecedented fire activity in areas like the Amazon basin or the Arctic. The interest in and the need for better scientific understanding of fire are expected to continue to rise due to widespread projections that climate warming, in combination with land-use changes, will increase fire activity, fire impacts, and extreme fire behavior. This Special Collection brings together new research on myriad aspects of fire, including physical and biogeochemical processes associated with wildfires, implications for human and ecosystem health, effects on water resources and critical infrastructure, fires in the wildland-urban interface, the use of prescribed fire and other mitigation strategies, and new modeling efforts to characterize potential future fire regime under a warmer climate. We solicit manuscripts on research representing new advances in understanding these and other aspects of fire, and we especially encourage cross-disciplinary consideration of fire-related processes.

For the articles, please hit the read more button below to be redirected to AGU’s website.

3. Symposium Opportunity- The California Extreme Heat Symposium: October 18 at 9:00 AM

Extreme heat is a public health, climate resilience, and social equity problem that will impact every community in California for decades to come. Join the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Natural Resources Agency, and leaders across the state on October 18 to discuss critical topics related to extreme heat and innovative solutions available to address its wide-reaching impacts.

The event will feature experts from diverse sectors who will explore key challenges and opportunities to address extreme heat.

The Symposium is open to the public. Guests may attend the event in-person at the California Natural Resources Agency Headquarters (715 P Street, 1st Floor Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814) or virtually via Zoom.

Reasonable Accommodation & Language Access: The Symposium will be hybrid, with in-person and remote participation options. Both options will have opportunities for participants to submit questions. To register for the Zoom, please hit the read more button below. CNRA and OPR remain steadfast in their goals to promote transparency and public participation. To do so, CNRA and OPR have arranged for multiple options to listen, view, and/or comment during the symposium.

If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to fully participate in this event, please email Kimberly Arbuckle, at Kimberly.Arbuckle@resources.ca.gov, as soon as possible to discuss your accessibility needs.

Spanish translation will be provided virtually. In-person interpretation services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of these services, please make your request no later than 14 days prior to the meeting by contacting Kimberly Arbuckle, at Kimberly.Arbuckle@resources.ca.gov.

Servicios de accesibilidad adicionales, como traducción de inglés a otros idiomas, pueden hacerse disponibles si usted los pide. Para asegurar la disponibilidad de estos servicios, por favor haga su petición 14 días antes del taller público, a Kimberly Arbuckle at Kimberly.Arbuckle@resources.ca.gov.

4. Summit Opportunity- National Tribal Leaders Climate Change Summit

The 2022 National Tribal Leaders Climate Change Summit will convene leaders from Tribes and First Nations to advance tribal climate change policy and action.

When: November 28-30, 2022

What: The Summit will engage Tribal leaders, citizens, staff, youth and collaborators in conversation about navigating the cultural, economic, and social challenges of climate change. Our goals include:

Hear from Tribal communities on the frontlines of climate change;
Explore what a just transition looks like for diverse Tribal Nations; and
Discuss how Tribal sovereignty and co-management can advance climate action.
Who: Audience includes:

Tribal leaders, staff, and interested citizens;
Tribal and non-tribal organization staff; and
Tribal collaborators (including advocacy groups, academics, or governmental staff).
Lodging: The Summit will be held at the Northern Quest Resort; a block of rooms has been reserved at a reduced rate ($129/night) until Oct. 31, 2022. To make a reservation, call 1-877-871-6772 and mention the “ATNI Climate Summit (Block 27309)”.

Presentations: Want to present a poster or lightning (3 to 5 min.) talk? Submit your abstract today!

DRAFT AGENDA:
MONDAY NOVEMBER 28

Registration; Welcome, drum circle, sponsored networking reception

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

8:45 am Opening (Facilitator: TBD)

8:50 am Welcoming Prayer: Kalispel or Spokane Tribe

9:00 am Keynote IA: Fawn Sharp, National Congress of American Indians President (invited)

9:30 am Keynote IB: Daniel Wildcat, Haskell Indian Nations University

10:00 am Panel I: Front Line Communities and Climate Change. (Facilitator: TBD) This session will explore the climate challenges being faced by Tribal communities and identify strategies for successful Tribal climate actions.

11:15 am Breakout I: Front Line Communities

Session II (Facilitator: TBD)

12:00 pm Lunch and Keynote II: Frank Ettawageshik (invited)

1:30 pm Panel II: A Just Transition for Tribal Nations Panel (Panelists: TBD)

2:45 pm Breakout II: Just Transition for Tribal Nations

3:30 pm Day 1 Wrap-up and Reflections

4:30 pm Lightning Presentations and Networking Session (Facilitator: Amelia Marchand)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

8:45 am Opening (Facilitator: TBD)

8:50 am Welcoming Prayer: Kalispel or Spokane Tribe

Session III (Facilitator: TBD)

9:00 am Welcome and Keynote III: Debra Lekanoff, Representative of the 40th Legislative
District in Washington State

9:30 am Panel III: Sovereignty and Co-management. This session will explore the impacts of climate change on tribal sovereignty, trust resources and treaty rights and examine how co-management and other federal policies can assist Tribes in achieving goals related to Tribal sovereignty and climate change.

10:45 am Breakout III: Sovereignty and Co-management

12:00 pm Lunch and Raffle (Keynote: TBD)

Session IV (Facilitator: TBD)

1:00 pm Tribute to Terry Williams (Tulalip Tribes)

NCAI President Fawn Sharp; ATNI President Leonard Forsman, Yellowwash Washines, & others

3:00 pm Closing

Summit Partners include Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Bureau of Indian Affairs, PNW Tribal Climate Change Network, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Oregon State Univ., World Medical Guide., Univ. of Washington, Washington Environmental Council, and Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.

Planning Team:

Chas Jones, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
Amelia Marchand, Affiliated Tribes of NW Indians / NW Climate Adaptation Science Center
Luhui Whitebear, Oregon State University
Clarita Lefthand-Begay, Univ. of Washington
Jody Olney, Washington Environmental Council
Nikki Cooley, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
John Mankowski, Mankowski Environmental
Kathy Lynn, Tribal Climate Change Network
To inquire about being a speaker or presenter, the agenda, youth participation, exhibits, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Chas Jones, ATNI Climate Change Program Director at cjones@atnitribes.org.

To register, hit the read more button below.

5. Meeting- California Water Commission meeting – October 19, 2022

The California Water Commission will hold a meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, in the New Resources Building Auditorium, 715 P Street, in Sacramento. Please see the attached agenda for meeting details. Meeting materials will be posted at the following link: https://cwc.ca.gov/Meetings/All-Meetings/2022/Meeting-of-the-California-Water-Commission-Oct-19-2022.

The Commission will retain remote public participation similar to our online meeting format. This hybrid platform allows the public to participate in multiple ways.

To participate in person, please join the Commission at the Warren-Alquist State Energy Building, 1516 9th Street, Rosenfeld Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA 95814. Masks are strongly recommended for all regardless of vaccination status, but not required.
To participate remotely, you may join the meeting on Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83534702265?pwd=T2VHc0FsNFMwSXhFNWhjK2FhSWJtdz09). More detailed instructions on how to use Zoom and participate in the meeting can be found on the Commission website.
Offer verbal comments by telephone by calling one of the numbers below:
(408) 638-0968

(669) 900-6833

Meeting ID: 835 3470 2265

Passcode: 021045

Individuals who only want to watch or listen can view the live webcast at: https://www.water-ca.com as it preserves interactive meeting resources for those who are commenting on items.

Public comments made in person will precede public comments from remote participants. For those wishing to make an in-person comment, comment cards will be available at the meeting to establish a comment queue.

Written comments received at the Commission office by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 17, 2022, will be made available to Commissioners prior to the meeting. Comments related to meeting agenda items will not be edited and will be posted to the Commission’s webpage in their entirety. Individuals who require special accommodations are requested to contact the Commission by phone at: (916) 873-5774 or by email at cwc@water.ca.gov.

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 43, Issue 1, November 2022

1. Opening Remarks- Happy Native American Heritage Month

CIEA would like to wish our Tribal partners a Happy Native American Heritage Month. Everyday is Native American Heritage Month.

The CIEA office is still physically closed until further noticed. Staff is still available via email and through out telephones.

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. 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

3. Tribal Engagement Opportunity- Invitation to meet and engage with the SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program

Greetings Tribal government representatives and other interested parties,

The SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program is interested in building relationships with California Native American Tribes and learning about each tribes’ interest and readiness to partner with us.

Background

The Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program works with its many partners to answer the question: Is it safe to eat fish and shellfish in California waters that the public and tribes use for consumption, subsistence, and/or cultural purposes?

The Water Board’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) evaluated its Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program and issued a Realignment Plan in December 2020. The Realignment Plan calls for a focus on incorporating Tribal perspectives and needs into its monitoring efforts and ensuring those data and information are useful and used by Californian Native American Tribes (tribes) who rely on waterbodies for traditional, cultural, and subsistence uses. The inclusion of representatives from Tribal governments and/or Tribal advocacy groups in the Realignment process is central to the success of the Program and long-term (10+ year) Realignment effort. Tribal representatives who choose to participate in a future Realignment Process will have the opportunity to highlight priorities and shape the future of the Program in their region so that it better serves their communities.

Tribal Engagement Plan

From March to November 2022, the Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program will be conducting statewide outreach and engagement with tribes that are interested in learning more about the Program or the Realignment process. The main objectives of this Tribal engagement effort are to:

Initiate introductions between Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff and tribes.
Explain the Program and Realignment process, and gauge Tribal interest and readiness to participate in future Realignment cycles.
Execute the engagement well in advance of the beginning of the next Regional Realignment cycle (2024) so that tribes have time to make an informed decision regarding their interest and readiness to engage with the Program and participate in future Realignment cycles.

How to Participate

Schedule an introductory meeting with Program staff. Introductory meetings can be short (~30 min) or long (one or more hours), depending on Tribal representatives’ interest and availability.

To schedule a meeting with Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program staff, please complete the Tribal Engagement Interest Form to indicate your interest in connecting with us, your availability to set up a meeting, who should be included in the meeting invitation, and their contact information. There is no deadline to complete the form. The form can be found by clicking the read more button below.

Resources below can be found on the Water Boards website.

Tribal Engagement Plan
Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Fact Sheet
Realignment Plan Executive Summary

Contact

Anna Holder, SWAMP Bioaccumulation Monitoring Program Coordinator and Realignment Lead, at anna.holder@waterboards.ca.gov (preferred) or 916-341-5096.

4. Tribal Beneficial Uses Opportunity- Central Valley Regional Water Board Tribal Beneficial Uses Update Meeting: Thursday, November 10, 2022 | 3:00-5:00 PM

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Water Board) invites tribes, tribal organizations, and consultants or individuals representing tribes to attend its upcoming Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBU) Update Meeting on November 10, 2022, from 3-5PM. The Central Valley Water Board will be holding this meeting at a physical location with the option to participate remotely via Zoom videoconference or call-in.

Meeting Location:

Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board

11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200

Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

The purpose of this meeting is to:

Continue soliciting further input to incorporate in the development of the TBU designation process
Provide an update following the Central Valley Water Board’s 18 February 2022 adoption and 7 September 2022 State Water Board approval of adding the TBU definitions to the Central Valley Water Board’s Basin Plans
Introduce new project staff
Highlight recently developed documents to help tribes navigate the beneficial use designation regulatory process

Pre-registration is respectfully requested. Agenda and meeting materials will be provided to registered guests prior to the meeting. If you plan on attending either in person or remotely, please register by emailing: RB5S-TBU@Waterboards.ca.gov by Friday, November 4, 2022.

NOTE: This invitation is only extended to tribes, tribal organizations, and confirmed consultants or individuals representing tribes. This meeting is not open to the public. If tribes would like a representative not affiliated with a tribe or tribal organization to attend on their behalf, please send an email confirming the representative to RB5S-TBU@Waterboards.ca.gov.

If you have questions or would like to talk more about the TBU designation process, please reach out to Janaé Bonnell and Lauren Smitherman by e-mail at Janae.Bonnell@waterboards.ca.gov and Lauren.Smitherman@waterboards.ca.gov.

5. Funding Opportunity- The California Truth and Healing Fund- EXTENDED DEADLINE: November 15, 2022

The California Truth and Healing Fund is excited to announce that the first round of awards to tribes and tribal serving organizations has totaled a little under $300k to support tribal and community engagement with the Council. Applications for the second round of 2022 funding are now open and will be accepted through November 15, 2022.

The California Truth and Healing Fund is intended to provide California Native American tribes, families, communities and organizations with resources to engage in opportunities associated with the goals of the landmark California Truth & Healing Council. Grant amounts will range from $5,000 to $50,000.

Seeded with an initial $500,000 investment from Decolonizing Wealth Project’s Liberated Capital fund, The California Endowment, and Christensen Fund, and with the goal of raising more than $5 million, the fund is guided by an advisory board of California Natives.

Interested tribes and tribal organizations can find out more information and apply for funding here: https://decolonizingwealth.com/liberated-capital/cathf/. An updated FAQ document is available by hitting the read more button below.

6. Technical Assistance- Transformative Climate Communities Technical Assistance Available Now

The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has expanded its technical assistance offerings for the Transformative Climate Communities Program (TCC) to support applicants in advance of the next funding application period. TCC funds community-led planning and infrastructure projects that achieve major environmental, health, and economic benefits in California’s most disadvantaged communities.

In preparation for the next funding cycle of TCC, technical assistance will be provided to potential applicants through workshops, tailored resources, and other guidance from October 2022 to February 2023, with the aim to help applicants prepare competitive Round 5 Planning or Implementation Grant Applications in early 2023.

Intake Survey

To take advantage of the application technical assistance opportunity, please fill out this brief intake survey to be connected to the relevant assistance. The survey link can be found in the read more button below. Details will also be added to the TCC Technical Assistance Webpage in the coming weeks.

7. Opportunity for Tribal Youth- Tribal Youth Certificate Training (Please click the read more button below for PDF of additional benefits)

8. Funding Opportunity- Nonpoint Source (NPS) Grant Program

To All Interested Parties,

This is notification that the request for proposals for the 2023 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Grant Program – Clean Water Act section 319(h) is open from October 3, 2022 through December 19, 2022.

New this year!! Informational sessions will be available to learn more about the Nonpoint Source Grant Program and to ask questions about application requirements, program requirements, funding timelines, and more! Details about the informational sessions will be announced on this notification list and will also be posted to the NPS Grant Program website (https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/nps/319grants.html).

The Nonpoint Source Grant Program seeks proposals for projects that reduce runoff of pollution to waters of the state, such as agricultural projects that reduce pesticide and nutrient runoff, improvement or decommission of dirt roads to reduce erosion and sediment runoff, streambank stabilization to reduce erosion, marina programs to reduce toxic discharges from anti-fouling paints on boats, and infrastructure improvements for ranching and livestock operations to reduce erosion and runoff of nutrients and pathogens.

The 2023 Nonpoint Source Grant Program Guidelines (Guidelines), posted on the NPS Grant Program website (https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/nps/319grants.html), describe program preferences, eligibility requirements, application process and instructions, project selection criteria, and the grant award process. Please note one of the minimum eligibility requirements is to consult with the NPS Grant Coordinator in the corresponding Regional Water Board listed in Appendix 7 of the Guidelines.

Complete proposals are due by 5:00 pm on Monday, December 19, 2022 using the State Water Board’s FAAST system at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov.

For questions or comments about the Nonpoint Source Grant Program, please contact Mike Hanks at Michael.Hanks@waterboards.ca.gov or (916) 341-5558.

9. Clean California Cycle 2 – Tribal Listening Session

10. Notification of Continued Consultation and Coordination on Potential EPA Actions to Increase Tribal Capacity to Maintain and Expand Nonpoint Source Management Programs

Dear Tribal Partners,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is continuing consultation and coordination with federally recognized Indian Tribes to inform potential EPA actions the Clean Water Act (CWA) (§) 319 national Nonpoint Source (NPS) program could take to better support CWA §319-eligible Tribes in their efforts to manage NPS pollution.

As outlined in EPA’s September 27, 2021, national policy memorandum, Near-term Actions to Support Environmental Justice in the Nonpoint Source Program, in fiscal year (FY) 2022, EPA committed to engaging the national NPS community, including Tribal, state, and territorial CWA §319 grantees, in a dialogue on advancing equity and environmental justice in the national NPS program. Over the past year, EPA hosted a series of Tribal CWA §319 grantee equity listening sessions, then convened workgroups, which included EPA staff and Tribal volunteers, to develop suggestions for potential EPA CWA §319 program actions to help achieve equity goals. As part of this engagement effort, on March 29, 2022, EPA initiated consultation and coordination with Tribes to help identify potential CWA §319 program actions to address challenges facing Tribal NPS programs.

Based on input received over the last year, EPA released a second national policy memorandum on September 30, 2022, entitled Continued Actions in FY23 to Increase Equity and Environmental Justice in the Nonpoint Source Program. This memo outlines a set of new actions in support of national NPS program equity goals, including EPA’s intention to implement the FY23 President’s Budget proposal to commit an additional $7 million to the Tribal CWA §319 set-aside, contingent on a final appropriation from Congress.

As part of this continuing consultation and coordination process, EPA is now soliciting Tribal input on potential changes to the CWA §319 Tribal grant allocation formula. Specifically, EPA invites Tribal input on proposed alternative approaches in how the NPS program awards CWA §319 base grants to eligible Tribes.

This consultation period will close at the conclusion of this 60-day comment period on December 23, 2022.

The tribal consultation letter and consultation and coordination plan for this action are attached. These consultation materials are also available on EPA’s Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS) website located at: https://tcots.epa.gov/ords/tcotspub/f?p=106:5::1457::::.

As outlined in the consultation letter and consultation and coordination plan, EPA will hold two identical tribal informational webinar and listening sessions on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 from 2 – 3:30pm Eastern and on Thursday, November 10, 2022 from 3 – 4:30pm Eastern. The webinars will provide tribal representatives an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about this consultation opportunity and potential EPA actions to advance equity in the national NPS program.

To Register:

November 10, 2022 Tribal Informational Webinar and Listening Session: https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdeitrT4uHM3HwIxvhfen6YqlqxykPlM

At any point in the tribal consultation and coordination process, tribes may submit written comments either:

Via email comments to Steve Epting at tribal319grants@epa.gov), or
Electronically by using this form.

Additionally, Tribal governments may request one-on-one consultation meetings with EPA. If you are interested in requesting consultation with EPA during the consultation and coordination period, please contact Steve Epting at tribal319grants@epa.gov.

For any questions, please contact Steve Epting with EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds by email at tribal319grants@epa.gov or phone at (202) 566-1074.

Thank you,

Karen Gude

Tribal Program Coordinator
Office of Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(202) 564-0831 (desk)
(202) 713-6032 (mobile)

11. 2023 National Fish Forum Registration is Live

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water, will hold a virtual National Forum on Contaminants in Fish (Fish Forum) to bring together interested stakeholders to discuss the many issues related to
human health and contaminants in fish. The free virtual conference will be held as follows:

• Week 1: February 28 and March 2, 2023 (12:00 – 5:30 PM Eastern Time)
• Week 2: March 7 and 9, 2023 (12:00 – 5:30 PM Eastern Time)

Some topics likely to be covered include:
• Latest science on specific contaminants in fish and their impacts on human health (e.g., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], mercury, PCBs, and cyanotoxins)
• Emerging science in developing fish consumption advisories
• Risk communication and public engagement strategies for fish consumption advisories
• Issuing/rescinding fish consumption advisories
• Effectiveness of fish consumption advisories
• Environmental justice: Protection of high frequency fish consumers, such as subsistence fishers and fishers in underserved communities
• Community/participatory science: Roles and practices
• Sampling and analysis: Practices and methods

Register for the Fish Forum at: https://usepa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_h_jw0futQ1GjDim2P51Ubg.

If you plan to submit an abstract for consideration, please submit all materials for consideration by Wednesday, November 2, 2022. Your abstract should be no longer than 250 words.

For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech/2023-national-fish-forum.

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

13. 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.

14. 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.

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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

CIEA Environmental Chronicle

Monthly news of environmental issues affecting Indigenous Peoples

Vol. 44, Issue 2, November 2022

1. Webinar Opportunities- DWR Info Sharing: Fifth Climate Change Assessment Research Process and Tribal Research webinars

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) is leading the implementation of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment (Fifth Assessment) in partnership with the California Energy Commission (CEC), California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), and California Strategic Growth Council (SGC). The implementation team will host outreach opportunities this November to present draft guidelines and updates on the Fifth Assessment’s Tribal Research Grant Program and to share information about the individual research products each team is leading and how the public can get involved.

Please join the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, California Energy Commission, and California Natural Resources Agency for tribal sessions on California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment’s Tribal Research Grant Draft Guidelines.

· Session 1: Wednesday, November 9th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

· Session 2: Tuesday, November 1st, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The info presented at both sessions will be the same. We have received input from tribes through listening sessions, consultations, and meetings since July 22 and are excited to share draft concepts for additional feedback. We will present on Draft Guidelines for the Tribal Research Grant Program, updates on Fifth Assessment’s Tribal Research Program and provide time for questions, input, and suggestions from attendees.

Once draft guidelines are released, we will accept comments on the draft guidelines for 60 days, aiming to release final grant solicitation in the beginning of 2023.

California’s Fifth Assessment Tribal Research Team looks forward to building relationships and collaborating with California tribes to support tribal-led research in the Fifth Assessment and ensure that projects advance tribes’ goals and priorities around climate change, energy, and resilience.

To register here are the links for session 1: https://governorca.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqc-qsrjkrGt2H187ooHXu-W2FM7HPx_N8

and session 2: https://governorca.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrd-quqTwiGdQgWRUZ6iVdhEwYpKO-VP5D

2. Funding Opportunity- SCC Grants

Each year, the Coastal Conservancy issues millions of dollars in grants for projects that restore and protect the California coast, expand public access to it, and enhance its resilience to climate change.

The State of California has made an unprecedented investment in the resilience and accessibility of the coast. As a result, the Coastal Conservancy has significant funding available to:

non-profit organizations,
public agencies, and
federally-recognized tribes
for projects that benefit public access, natural resources, working lands, and climate resiliency at the coast, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay.

We anticipate that most of this funding will be allocated through the ongoing pre-proposal process described below.

The Conservancy will fund most stages of a project including: pre-project feasibility studies, property acquisition, project planning including community involvement, design, environmental review, permitting, construction, and project-related monitoring. We do not fund operation and maintenance activities.

We will host a webinar on November 9 at 11:00 on Conservancy funding and how to apply for our grants. A recording of the webinar will be posted here.

Topic: SCC Grant Webinar

Time: Nov 9, 2022 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://scc-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/89567051339?pwd=QnRENnhZd3dTOFNFeEFlTjNZeE1KZz09

Meeting ID: 895 6705 1339

Passcode: 936315

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,89567051339#,,,,*936315# US (San Jose)

3. Invitation ‘Salmonid Reorienting to Recovery’ Tribal Meeting – November 10, 2022 10am

You are invited to the second ‘Salmonid Reorienting to Recovery’ Tribal Meeting

Date: Nov 10, 2022
Time: 10:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89608462500?pwd=cjFpd0VkakxreFZZdXpTTHhqMTN1UT09
Dial by your location: +1 669 444 9171 US or +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Or, find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdL72GzR1H

Meeting ID: 896 0846 2500
Passcode: 080077

This Tribal meeting on November 10, 2022 will assist us in shaping Tribal engagement and the Project itself. Members of the Salmon Recovery Planning Team will join us for the first hour to and share the ‘values’ collected and how these will be used to develop the draft Salmon Recovery plan, provide the next steps, and to include an overview of the upcoming November and December meetings (see dates below). They will stay with us to answer questions and to receive feedback. The second half of this meeting will be a Tribal only discussion on:

1) Whether or not the presented values are reflective of Tribal perspectives, and gather what should be added before they continue.

2) How Tribes want to be represented in two Salmonid workgroups. The first ‘Science Advisory Team’ meeting is on November 18, 2022 information on it will be sent separately. The second is not yet scheduled.

3) How Tribes want us to structure a Tribal workgroup, what funding is available to support Tribal engagement, and how these funds should be distributed to regional Tribes.

Please also Save the Date for the following upcoming meetings:

Salmonid Reorienting to Recovery Project Meetings

· Day 1 (12/1, 10am-2pm) – Initial baseline and reference scenarios (based on current and planned projects in the Central Valley)

· Day 2 (12/6, 12-4pm) – A straw proposal for modeling the values we’ve collected from you

· Day 3 (12/12, 11am-3pm) – Model sensitivity and next steps for the structured decision-making process

Science Advisory Team – November 18, 2022 at 10am-Noon

Information about these meetings will be sent separately.

Attached are related documents we will discuss these during the November 10, 2022 meeting. Note these also include attachments we previously sent along with the poll used to identify this meeting date – we have left it here so you will have all this information in one place.

We are also sending this same information a calendar invite. We are sending the agenda with an event reminder next week. We hope you can join us in November!

P.O. Box 2128
Berkeley, CA 94702

510-848-2043
info@cieaweb.org
http://www.ciea-health.org/

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