Active Grants in Environmental Regulatory Enhancement - FY2023

Current as of:

The Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) program funding supports the development and implementation of environmental initiatives and training that advance tribal government capabilities to establish codes, protect natural resources, or enforce environmental quality pursuant to federal and tribal laws.

Below are ERE grant recipients in the following ANA regions:  


Alaskan Region 

Alaska

Recipient: Chickaloon Native Village

Project Title: Nay’dini’aa Na’ Kayax Eł Ugheldze’ Łoosyaał Łuts’tudaełde’ (Chickaloon Village Walks Well with Others) Project

Project Description: The “Walks Well with Others” Project will focus on four specific focus areas as requested by Chickaloon Village Tribal Council (CVTC): 1) Decolonization, Sovereignty and Self Determination; 2) Responsibility; 3) Connections; 4) Health and Healing. The Walks Well with Others project will be stewards for Indigenous sites of religious and cultural significance by means of increased knowledge bases, management of those knowledge bases, and through the effective application of tribal sovereignty. This project will establish a Tribal Historic Preservation Office to consult on sites of religious and cultural importance.  The HPO is projected to conduct 195 cultural and historical presentations to educate at least 780 community members and visitors to increase acceptance and more ambassadors for land and cultural stewardship for the Ahtna Dene people. The long-term focus area that guides this project is Decolonization. By the end of the 36-month project period, the CVTC anticipates the ability to effectively assert tribal sovereignty in consultations and regulatory processes with local, state, federal, and Tribal governments.

  • Location: Chickaloon, AK

  • ANA T/TA Region: Alaska

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2021 to 9/29/2024

  • FY 2023 Award: $300,000

Recipient: Chugach Regional Resources Commission

Project Title: Transferring Environmental DNA Methods to the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute (APMI) Laboratory to support the Chugach Regional Ocean Monitoring Program (CROM)

Project Description: The Chugach Regional Resources Commission (CRRC) will build upon the existing Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute (APMI) lab by implementing Environmental (eDNA) analytical methods to aid in determining spatial distribution and relative abundance of herring in the region. Pacific herring is a culturally significant traditional food for Southcentral Alaska Native Tribes and biomass has drastically decreased since 1989 and herring spawn surveys continue to show a decline in abundance. Due to the remote locations of each of the 7 CRRC communities, coordinating large field based non-eDNA monitoring programs is difficult and costly for Tribes to carry forward on their own. eDNA equipment and supplies will be installed in the APMI Laboratory to support the effort to collect spatial distribution and relative abundance data of herring. APMI staff will also receive training on eDNA methods and analyze 24 samples to ensure the eDNA methods are accurate and efficient to support sampling efforts. Finally, after samples from Chenega, Seward and Cordova are collected, the samples will be analyzed and shared with partners. By utilizing the eDNA data to determine the spatial distribution of key subsistence species throughout the Chugach region, leading towards developing subsistence management plans that would all assist Tribes to sustainably harvest this traditional food.

  • Location: Anchorage, AK

  • ANA T/TA Region: Alaska

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2022 - 9/29/2025

  • FY 2023 Award: $192,028

Recipient: Ketchikan Indian Community

Project Title: Established baseline environmental conditions on the Unuk River to preserve subsistence Eulachon harvest and inform regulatory management

Project Description: The Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) is partnering with tribal, state, and federal agencies to develop a robust water quality baseline by using environmental DNA (eDNA) to expand monitoring of the eulachon spawning populations on the Unuk River. The KIC have traditionally used the river for sustenance as the tradition has carried on via eulachon harvesting today. Remnants of three large mineral extraction projects currently drain into the Unuk River as research identifies a simultaneous decline in the eulachon population in the same watershed. The project goal is to widen the spatial and temporal span of water quality data available by using eDNA which in essence, will be used to inform regulatory management, project partners and the community. The long-term community goal is to ensure the Unuk River continues to serve as a rich resource for subsistence harvest and cultural traditions for generations.

  • Location: Ketchikan, AK

  • ANA T/TA Region: Alaska

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2021 — 9/29/2024

  • FY 2023 Award: $190,555

Recipient: Metlakatla Indian Community

Project Title: Utilizing Community-Based Monitoring and Environmental DNA to Combat the Influx of Invasive European Green Crab in Southeast Alaska

Project Description: Metlakatla Indian Community seeks to develop a community-based monitoring program that focuses on live trapping of European Green Crabs (EGC) and utilizing environmental DNA sampling to determine abundance and spatial distribution of EGC in Southeast Alaska. Currently, due to their voracious foraging behavior, EGC have been documented to reduce eelgrass habitat by 73-81% in just four weeks, therefore dramatically impacting the natural habitat for other species including shellfish and Pacific Salmon. The northern migration of EGC into Alaska threatens Tribal subsistence resources and economic development opportunities. By determining the prevalence of EGC in Southeast Alaska, formalizing the protocols and methods for determining this data, and sharing these tools with regional Tribal partners, the project will expand monitoring efforts into more communities. This rapid response program will develop tribal partnerships, train citizen scientists, and strengthen North Pacific marine ecosystems and coastal communities threatened by the Northward trajectory of European green crabs. Ultimately, this project will determine overall spatial coverage and increase the level of early detection and rapid response for this invasive species.

  • Location: Metlakatla, AK

  • ANA T/TA Region: Alaska

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement — ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $258,952

Recipient: Yakutat Tlingit Tribe

Project Title: Preserving subsistence resources and anadromous fish habitat in Yakutat, Alaska through stream mapping, habitat restoration, and establishing stream thermal regimes.

Project Description: Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT), in partnership with the US Forest Service, Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition, and Ocean and Earth Environmental, seek to conduct a complete assessment of anadromous fish habitat and establish a baseline of stream thermal regimes in the Yakutat Forelands to inform regulatory management. The Forelands extend approximately 50 miles between the rural town of Yakutat and the Alsek River and is a mosaic of marshes, shrub lands, rivers, wetlands, and forest that supports abundant wildlife and all five species of Pacific Salmon. The vastness of the Forelands has hindered the state’s ability to adequately map the wetlands and streams that support anadromous fish spawning and rearing. The anadromous fish habitat within the Forelands is threatened due to an incomplete Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC). Climate change, as well as historic and recent logging and development practices has impacted the habitat and changing stream thermal regimes. With this project, YTT will develop a complete and accurate AWC map used to inform regulatory management, a Yakutat Forelands Fish Habitat Restoration database to prioritize restoration activities, and a baseline of stream thermal regimes to better anticipate climate impacts on anadromous fish habitat within the Forelands. Ultimately, this project will support subsistence harvest for generations to come.

  • Location: Yakutat, AK

  • ANA T/TA Region: Alaska

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $220,218


Western Region

Arizona

Recipient: Yavapai Apache Nation

Project Title: Yavapai-Apache Environmental Code Community Outreach and Education Project

Project Description: Yavapai Apache Nation (YAN) will initiate a community outreach and education program that builds community awareness of the Environmental Code and will increase participation in the Nation’s newly established waste management, public nuisance, and water conservation programs. Currently, YAN community members are not actively participating in these programs that were established by the Environmental Code. They have not  received any outreach or education focused on these public health and environmental programs. By implementing outreach and education events focused on the Environmental Code and its associated programs, the YAN community will be better engaged in implementing the code. YAN will service their 330 households within their community. Ultimately, the project aims to fully implement and enforce the Nation’s Environmental Code in order to protect their environment and natural resources.

  • Location: Camp Verde, AZ

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2022 - 9/29/2024

  • FY 2023 Award: $146,708

California      

Recipient: Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria

Project Title: Environmental and Regulatory Enhancement Project

Project Description: Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria (BRB)’s Environmental and Natural Resources Department will manage the Environmental Regulatory Enhancement project by creating a new enforcement division within the department. The Project Director will develop tribal laws to navigate and enforce the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with partnering agencies. These agencies will assist in environmental co-management by focusing on the application of policies, procedures, and other requirements to facilitate the program. Once the project has hit maturity, BRB anticipates a more comprehensive management concept for their community. The increase in co-management is expected to improve access to ancestral lands for tribal members and will allow BRB to exercise some sovereignty over ancestral lands.

  • Location: Loleta, CA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2021 — 9/29/2024

  • FY 2023 Award: $285,699

Recipient: Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation

Project Title: Monitoring Humboldt Marten Populations on Yurok Ancestral Territory

Project Description: The Yurok Tribe’s Wildlife Department will conduct a three-year Humboldt marten population monitoring program in Yurok Ancestral Territory. Humboldt marten is an important species to the culture of Yurok people, prominently displayed in regalia as part of many ceremonial dances. Due to deforestation and trapping, the marten was believed lost to the Yurok people until recently re-discovered within the territory.  Currently, there is a profound lack of information regarding marten population dynamics in Yurok Ancestral Territory which is necessary to accomplish Tribal forestry management goals, including those related to economic growth and sustainability, cultural revitalization, ecological restoration, and climate change resilience. The project will conduct non-invasive surveys for Humboldt martens in Yurok Ancestral Territory, invest in the Tribal natural and cultural resource department, and develop and disseminate youth outreach materials at twelve tribal youth education opportunities using traditional ecological knowledge. The project will directly inform conservation and management for this threatened and endangered species and empower the Yurok Tribe to manage their resources more effectively and sustainably.

  • Location: Klamath, CA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $300,000

Idaho

Recipient: Nez Perce Tribe

Project Title: Strengthening Nimíipuu Stewardship Practices

Project Description: The Nez Perce Tribe seeks to strengthen its Hunting Stewardship and Safety Program to develop opportunities for tribal families to build relationships within and between families and with their homeland, that foster traditional ecological skills and knowledge transfer as a means of cultural survival. They will provide opportunities and activities that will support hunting for elk, deer and bison, hold weekend stewardship skills workshops, develop a 4-day famility stewardship skills camp, and provide stewardship and ecological education through oral presenaqtions and hands-on demonstrations that focus on plan and animal harvesting practices.  If this knowledge is not successfully transmitted to younger generations, it can become lost, which diminishes Nez Perce lifeways, cultural survival and the Tribe’s ability to effectively ensure healthy and sustainable communities.   Ultimately, the project aims to have the majority of Nimíipuu families regularly engaged in seasonal subsistence activities that restore ecological abundance while strengthening and perpetuating cultural ties to the land and each other.

  • Location: Lapwai, ID

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2022 - 9/29/2025

  • FY 2023 Award: $200,000

Montana

Recipient: Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Project Title:  Northern Cheyenne Land Authority's Lands Leasing Department Project

Project Description: The Northern Cheyenne Tribe (NCT) will develop the framework necessary to implement the Tribal Lands Leasing Act of 2021. Currently, the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation has limited opportunities and financial resources for environmentally sound economic development. Under the project, the Tribe will develop, staff, and operate a Land Authority Lands Leasing Office that will establish standards for environmental regulations, policies, procedures, and review and approve applications for leases that will protect the environment for the benefit of Tribal members and nonmembers doing business on the Reservation.  In addition, they will develop regulations to enforce the provisions of the Northern Cheyenne Lands Leasing Act of 2021.  The long-term goal of this project is to promote leasing on Tribal Land for economic development and resource preservation while avoiding or mitigating possible adverse impacts of such development to the aesthetic, environmental, biologic, and cultural aspects of the reservation.

  • Location: Lame Deer, MT

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $150,974

Washington

Recipient: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

Project Title: Improving Capacity of Six Tribal Nations Through Youth Education and Wildlife Research and Monitoring

Project Description: The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, in collaboration with six Olympic Peninsula tribes, will increase tribal youth engagement in the outdoors by providing educational opportunities in natural resource sciences. This will involve the study of black bears and cougars while also increasing the capacity of the six communities to manage their natural resources for current and future generations. Currently, very few tribal youth are engaged in outdoor sciences, and even fewer pursue educational pathways or careers in natural resources. By teaching tribal youth to be comfortable and competent in the outdoors through camps and field experience, the tribal youth will be able to help estimate the black bear population in the north Olympic Peninsula region and learn how to study cougars through developing a regional map of their habitat connectivity for all wildlife species. At the end of the 36-month program, at least 50 of 60 tribal youth between the ages of 15-25 will be able to demonstrate knowledge gain in outdoor navigation, survival, animal tracking, plant identification, wildlife research, and the importance of pursuing education and careers in the natural resources.  Other tribal partners include the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the Makah Tribe, The Skokomish Tribe, Point No Point Treaty Council, and the Quinault Indian Nation. Ultimately, the project aims to increase tribal capacity by introducing tribal youth to natural resource science while also monitoring and managing wildlife populations and preserving intact wildlife habitats. The project will benefit the next seven generations, subsistence harvest purposes, and the greater ecological health of their shared regional landscape.

  • Location: Port Angeles, WA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $299,995

Recipient: Lummi Indian Business Council

Project Title: Lummi Nation Wildlife Program

Project Description: The Lummi Nation’s Natural Resources Department will develop a new environmental program redirecting some co-management responsibilities from the existing Timber, Fish, and Wildlife (TFW) division to the Lummi Nation Wildlife Program. Implementing this new program will expand environmental co-management internally as Lummi have widely participated in external cooperative agreements. The Lummi people are connected to the land and water, such that natural elements not only provide sustenance physically, but they facilitate cultural grounds for the people to practice Sche’lang’en — their traditional way of life. The wisdom of their ancestors and application of traditional knowledge by previous leadership allows them to teach their children the importance of the environment.  The ultimate goal for the Lummi Nation Wildlife Program is to expand environmental oversight and strengthen ties with neighboring communities, governments, and jurisdictions for improved wildlife management.

  • Location: Bellingham, WA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2021 — 9/29/2024

  • FY 2023 Award: $151,545

Recipient: Makah Indian Tribe

Project Title: Preparing a Multi-Species Adaptive Wildlife Management Plan for Tribally Important Wildlife and Developing Guidelines for Forest Activities

Project Description: The Makah Indian Tribe will establish the techniques to assess and monitor current wildlife populations and plan for the future of tribally important wildlife species by addressing data gaps, improving their capacity to provide recommendations to Tribal Management, and benefitting the community through improved guiding documents for subsistence and cultural value. Natural resources for hunting and gathering are important to Makah families with over 64% of households relying on meat from deer and elk alone. In addition, the timber industry affects the Makah livelihood, providing annual income that brings tribal services to the Makah people and employment opportunities for community members. Developing responsible forestry practices can provide protection for culturally important wildlife species that rely on various forest conditions while still providing critical revenue to the Makah people. The Makah Wildlife Division will develop a wildlife management plan that will incorporate wildlife management objectives into forest management activities and provides habitat recommendations.  Ultimately, the project aims to establish management guidelines that ensure healthy wildlife populations and available resources for future generations, for the health and well-being of families within the Makah Community.

  • Location: Neah Bay, WA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2026

  • FY 2023 Award: $290,195

Recipient: Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

Project Title:  Shoreline and Sea Level Rise Technical Assessment and Recommendations Report (SSTARR)

Project Description: The Swinomish Tribe’s Department of Environmental Protection will develop a Shoreline and Sea Level Rise Technical Assessment and Recommendations Report (SSTARR) that will function as an intermediate guiding document that will enable future comprehensive shoreline code update.  Composed of two primary sections, the SSTARR will record the community’s recommendation on how the tribe should address climate change and will feature updated projections for regional climate change impacts. Situated in the Puget Sound, the Swinomish Reservation, home to over 1000 enrolled members, is nearly surrounded by seawater. The reservation is particularly vulnerable to hazards such as sea level rise, storm surge, beach and cliff erosion, and landslides; these hazards are heightened by climate change. Swinomish citizens are most concerned about sea level rise related impacts that would impede their ability to access commercial fishing, prawning, crabbing, and shellfish harvesting.  The goal for the project is to create an informed and communicative community whose needs and wishes drive tribal government initiatives through the seven generations planning framework.

  • Location: La Conner, WA

  • ANA T/TA Region: Western

  • Program Area: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement— ERE

  • Project Period: 9/30/2023 - 9/29/2025

  • FY 2023 Award: $124,004

 

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