Against all od

transfer stat

trium

REgion 8 ROC:

strength through

partnerships

luscious land

garbage mon

and mor

funding your

transfer station
stations. . . . . . . 5

Creating a Vision for Your

Transfer Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Captivating Your Council. . . . . 7

Ways to Win Community 

Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Funding Your Transfer 

Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Making Your Vision a Reality:

Siting, Designing, and Building

Your Transfer Station . . . . . . . 14

Sustaining Your Vision: Operation

and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . 18

Resources . . . . 21

contacts . . . . . 22

Kids Page . . . . . 23

United States Environmental

Protection Agency

Solid Waste and Emergency

Response (5306W)

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

Janice Johnson, Creative Director

Region 6 Contributor:

Ben Banipal

Campaigning Against Waste

Welcome to the second issue of the Tribal

Waste Journal, an important communications tool of my Resource Conservation

Challenge. The Challenge asks all

Americans to take personal responsibility

for their day-to-day decisions and to take

one small action every day to conserve our

natural resources. By 2005, we aim to

reach a national recycling rate of 35 percent and cut in half 30 priority chemicals

found in hazardous waste. Native

American tribes and Alaskan Native villages of course play an important role.

The Challenge asks everyone to adopt a resource conservation 

operate more efficiently and purchase more wisely, and to ma

environmentally sound products. You have already been hard 

similar goals, and I commend your commitment to developing 

waste management options for your communities. It is clear th

have accepted and overcome environmental challenges of you

You have assumed responsibility for improving your environme

change through partnerships and sharing, and used native cult

bols and words to change old disposal habits.

I encourage you to continue to campaigning against waste and 

side-by-side with your tribal communities, federal agencies, sta

industry to improve the environment in Indian country. I know 

appreciate the stories in this issue about how many tribes have 

“against all odds” to fund and build their transfer stations. You 

enjoy similar rewards through determination, perseverance, an

relationships.

Marianne Lamo

Assistant Ad

Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 
TWJ: How did ROC

get started?

Ms. Clausen-Jensen:

In 1995, the Region 8

tribes formed ROC to

address environmental

issues. We [the Oglala

Sioux Tribe] already

had a tribal operations

committee and

thought, why don’t we create a

regional one? It is amazing that a

few people can change destiny. We

were the first tribes in the nation to

form a regional entity to address

environmental concerns. Our goal is

to achieve a better quality of life for

the Native American people, which

have been forgotten.

Representatives from

most of the 27 tribes in

Region 8 attend ROC

meetings quarterly in

Indian country. At the

last meeting, 22 tribes

were represented. We

also invite government

officials to participate

in the meetings.

TWJ: Has ROC influenced the

relationship between EPA and the

tribes?

Ms. Clausen-Jensen: ROC encouraged EPA Region 8 to form a single

office to coordinate tribal grants and

issues. EPA Region 8 responded to

our concerns by creating the Tribal

Assistance Program (TAP) office.

TAP makes it easier for tribes 

manage the federal funds the

receive. There are individual

TAP office that can explain h

federal dollars can be used. T

employees help the tribes ens

that they are using the fundin

legally. To manage our grants 

tively, we need to understand 

intent of the federal laws.

TAP and ROC have enabled 

representatives to build relati

with EPA officials and emplo

other federal agencies. We ge

know everyone from top offic

grant managers. We actually 

people at EPA and IHS. Our 

tionship is not 100 percent p

but we’ve created something 

Voc

Changing Destiny: Region 8 Tribes 

Carve a Bright Future Through Partnerships

Kim Clausen-Jensen’s environmental work is legendary among tribes in Region 8. Ms. Clausen-Jen

directs the Oglala Sioux Environmental Protection Program, which recently opened a landfill to p

tribal members with a safe disposal option. It took 7 years to plan, design, and construct the lan

but patience and persistence paid off. The tribe obtained funding from 12 different agencies and compl

the project. Ms. Clausen-Jensen believes that collaboration is the key to success. Through her position a

woman of the Regional Operations Committee (ROC), she works with other tribes in Region 8 to form 

nerships. The Tribal Waste Journal (TWJ) wanted to know how ROC members work together and with go

ment agencies to address environmental problems. With this and other questions in mind, we spoke wit

Clausen-Jensen on October 30, 2002. The following are excerpts of the interview:
Th

Ms. Clausen-Jensen:

I don’t think that

enough can be said

about the benefits of

partnering. ROC

broke through the barriers with federal agencies by encouraging

tribal representatives to form relationships with representatives from

federal agencies. It’s easier to work

together when you know each other

and understand one another’s capabilities. In 2000, ROC encouraged

EPA Region 8 and 30 other federal

agencies such as BIA, USDA, IHS,

and HUD to sign an MOU [memorandum of understanding]. Under

the MOU, ROC and the federal

agencies agreed to work together to

remove barriers to effective environmental management in Indian

country.

BIA, EPA, and your tribe might

have small pots of money available

for a project. Putting them together

can form a large pot. You can’t work

on environmental projects in a vacuum in Indian country because the

issues are too big. ROC pulls federal

agencies into the overall project

planning process from the beginning. Everyone comes to the table

with a blank check and volunteers

to pay for a portion of the project.

issue, that tribe can send

representatives to another tribe to share knowledge and copies of grants

and codes. We call it bartering—one tribe sends

their RUS [Rural Utility

Service] grant application

to another tribe in exchange for its

GAP grant application. These documents can serve as a template for

other tribes, allowing them to avoid

reinventing the wheel.

TWJ: How do ROC representatives

reach consensus and prioritize projects? 

Ms. Clausen-Jensen: Over the last

few years, we have been able to

reach consensus on a number of

issues. We know each other so well.

Sometimes the tribal representatives

break away from discussions with

federal officials to caucus among

themselves. Tribal representatives

don’t always agree, and it helps to

speak with one voice to the federal

government.

Sometimes there isn’t enough

money to go around. ROC allows us

to prioritize our projects. ROC has

enabled us to look at our sister

tribes and say, our needs are great,

but theirs are greater. We know the

battles that other tribes are facing

because we have been there.

Through empathy, sympathy, and

pity we set our personal interests

aside. We decide as a group to put

tribes try to tae otoo 

once. Start slow and deve

program. Obtain funding 

staff. Many tribes use GA

(General Assistance Prog

ing to pay for their envir

program staff. You might 

environmental program b

one person and training t

tackle one issue. Don’t as

conduct inspections durin

year. Start with a task tha

handle. Later, you can ad

al staff and new compone

program. As you discover 

ronmental issues, bring th

EPA and try to obtain fun

additional employees.
Creating a Vision for Your Transfer Station

Developing a transfer station that will work in your community requires a vision, and good information. 

developing solid waste management plans, performing waste assessments, conducting site visits, and 

ing feasibility studies, tribes can take the pulse of their communities before breaking ground for their p

Develop a Solid Waste 

Management Plan

“Solid waste management plans

serve as a road map for the future,

forcing you to set goals and think

about strategies for achieving

them,” according to Laura Weber,

director of solid waste management

for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.

Specifically, she believes that tribes

should develop solid waste management plans that integrate transfer

station operations with the rest of

their solid waste management services, such as waste collection, prevention, and recycling activities, to

better evaluate the whole picture. 

While the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

has used solid waste management

plans primarily as a planning and

design tool for transfer stations, the

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

decided to use a solid waste management plan to evaluate three alternatives: 1) building a new landfill, 

2) building a transfer station, or 

3) contracting with surrounding

counties to use their waste disposal facilities.

Ultimately, by outlining the community’s goals in the

management plan

and sticking to

them, the tribe

decided that

building a

transfer

station

would be

most 

effective.

Tribes can continue to use sol

waste management plans even 

opening their transfer stations

IHS helped the Tule River In

Tribe develop a solid waste m

ment plan that includes a lon

recycling strategy and financia

for the transfer station. The S

Mohawk Tribe is enhancing it

waste management plan to in

an expansion strategy for its so

waste management program, i

ing establishing a composting 

tion at the transfer station.

Interviews with each of these 

indicate that solid waste mana

ment plans are excellent tools 

looking at solid waste program

comprehensive fashion. 

Conduct a Waste Asses

Building a transfer station th

either too large or too small c

lead to higher operation and 

tenance costs, inefficient ope

or overload. To properly size 

fer station, several tribes reco

mend conducting a waste

assessment. The Eastern Ban

Cherokee Indians, for examp

learned from its waste assessm

that it generates enough wast

warrant a large transfer statio

“In the beginning, there was

lonely Coyote. Whatever else

there was around, it was

small and distant and hard to

see... And then she met Silver

Fox... Coyote and Silver Fox

closed their eyes very tight

and sang together. They sang,

‘I want to see something. 

I want to see something. 

I want to see something.’

While they sang, each

imagined what they 

wanted to see.”

~Miwok Creation Myth
Feature: tran

ured the volume of waste collected

through its curbside collection service to determine the correct size for

its transfer station. To estimate

commercial waste volumes, tribal

members visited a representative 10

percent of the businesses on the

reservation, recording the volume of

the waste storage containers at each

site and how often the containers

required emptying. 

The Eastern Band of Cherokee

Indians conducted a weight-based

waste assessment by soliciting

approximately 200 households and

several businesses to participate in a

study. For a specified period of time,

participants placed all of their solid

waste and recyclable materials in

special garbage bags. At the end of

the study period, solid waste staff

collected the bags and separated the

waste by hand, weighing paper, food

scraps, and glass separately on a set

of hanging scales. The tribe then

used the waste assessment data to

estimate current waste generation

rates, identify recycling opportuni

in different communities can save

money and time in the planning

process. By talking with facility

operators and evaluating different

configurations in several communities, for example, Merlin Tafoya, Sr.,

executive director of the Public

Works Division for the Jicarilla

Apache Nation, learned that

enclosed facilities are most effective

in regions that experience harsh

winters. Mr. Tafoya’s personal

research convinced the tribal council to approve an enclosed facility.

The Confederated Tribes of the

Umatilla Indian Reservation also

concluded that building an enclosed

facility was preferable in its community after visiting three transfer stations in similar size communities.

Tribal employees learned that open

facilities produced greater litter and

odors, even if the facilities are small.

Based on this observation, the tribes

chose to build an enclosed facility

to minimize these problems.

If some tribes lack funding for personal site visits, phone calls can also be

an effective information-gathering

tool. Tribes can contact other communities as well as haulers and landfill operators. When employees of the

Oglala Sioux Tribe made phone calls,

for example, they discovered that

transporting waste from a transfer station on the reservation to a landfill

off the reservation would be too

expensive and that tipping fees at the

nearest landfill were very high.

Consequently, the tribe decided not

to build a transfer station at all, but

to build its own landfill. W

Onondaga Nation contac

haulers to gather informat

small transfer stations, it o

variety of construction an

cost estimates for several d

designs. 

Perform a Feasibilit

Performing a feasibility st

another way to assess the 

and future needs and reso

the community prior to b

transfer station. Using ec

analysis and current wast

tion rates, combined with 

priorities of the commun

vate firm helped the Jicar

Apache Nation determin

building a transfer station 

indeed the most affordab

effective long-term soluti

solid waste needs. The fir

used the tribe’s informati

uate transfer station desig

draft a business plan for d

and operating the transfe

The Confederated Tribes 

Umatilla Indian Reservat

hired a private firm to co

feasibility study for its tra

tion. The study indicated 

tribal transfer station cou

itable and provided the t

an action plan. It also lis

requirements, identified s

long-term goals, and high

potential obstacles.

“Know your waste stream. 

A waste assessment provides information about

potential recycling opportunities and helps you choose

a transfer station design.”

~Calvin Murphy, Eastern Band 

of Cherokee Indians
A Picture Is Worth A

Thousand Words

One of the secrets to successful persuasion is just a click away. That’s

what tribal environmental managers

found when they used pictures to

present their cases to council members. Pictures not only helped tribal

council members “see” all the open

dumps that scar Indian lands, but

also how transfer stations can help

provide a cleaner, safer environment

for their community. 

Laura Weber, director of solid waste

management for the St. Regis

Mohawk Tribe, says that showing

her tribal council pictures of open

dumps “was a big eye opener” and

eventually led to its support of her

environmental department’s proposal to build a transfer station.

Deb Madison, Fort Peck’s environmental program manager, also found

pictures to be an effective persuasion tool. When the Fort Peck

tribes applied for SDS funding, Ms,

Madison had to explain to the tribal

council why they should designate

solid waste management the reservation’s number one priority. 

In her presentation, Ms. Madison

showed the council members pictures of open dumps and roll-off

sites and educated them about how

these sites fit into the reservation’s

existing Integrated Solid Waste

Management Plan. Ms. Madison

commented, “It was helpful to show

the council how roll-off sites fit into

the big picture. We showed the

council that roll-off sites are part of

a larger plan that includes recycling

and waste prevention.”

Seeing Is

Believing

If pictures aren’t

enough to persuade

your council members,

“take them to open

dumps, and to open

burning sites. Let

them stand downwind

of smoke,” urges Ms.

Weber. This strategy

worked for her tribe.

Two of her five council memb

joined her on trips to visit tra

stations at the Eastern Band 

Cherokee Indians and the Al

Coushatta Tribe. “When they 

the equipment working, they 

bought into it,” she said. 

A Champion for Your C

Combined with pictures, you 

an even greater chance of suc

you can win the support of at 

one tribal council member to 

as your “champion.” One way 

(SDS) funding for transfer station construction, the tribal council must place solid waste as its top priorit

• Use pictures; they are wo

thousand words.

• Take council members to 

open dumps and transfer 

tions.

• Find a federal "friend" or s

portive community memb

• Educate your community.

• Be patient.

• Be persistent—don't give u

tips

tribal 

council

FOR WORKIN

WITH YOUR

A picture is worth a thousand words...
Feature: tran

Taking another approach, Ms.

Madison asked her IHS engineer to

help her convince council members

to make solid waste a priority. The

engineer told the council that there

was a good chance that the roll-off

sites would get funded if the tribes

placed solid waste at the top of their

priority list. According to Ms.

Madison, having an IHS

engineer advise

the council

helped her

council members feel “more

comfortable in

communicating

their needs.”

Instead of using federal agency staff

to support their cases, some tribes

have brought in respected community members as a show of support

for their solid waste projects. Some

solid waste managers, for instance,

have formed community advisory

councils to help make their case to

the council.

Representatives from several tribes

at the 2002 Solid and Hazardous

Waste Interactive Workshop, held

at the Spirit Lake Casino and

Resort, advocated this approach.

They emphasized the powerful influence of having such a group support

and advocate your case in front of

the tribal council. Several people

mentioned that before forming a

community advisory council, the

tribal council tended to ignore them

because it was just one person

pleading the case. With this group

standing behind them, it became

harder for the tribal council to put

them off.

Even for those tribes where

environmental staff enjoy a

close relationship with their

tribal council, winning them

over takes time. “If they’re

not real encouraging, keep

going back,” urges Ms.

Weber. She says in her case,

it took a lot of “hounding

and educating” to get solid

waste on a level playing field with

competing priorities such as water

and sewer projects. Eventually, “persistence paid off,” and now tribal

council members trust

Environmental Division staff to

bring important issues before them.

According to Bobby Sull

public involvement coord

the Pine Ridge Reservati

the tribe went to the cou

ing support for a proposed 

operation, it encountered 

ance over siting concerns

pressing the issue, Ms. Su

decided to wait for the n

council election. In the m

she and other environme

department staff used the 

before the election to edu

rent and potential counc

about the landfill. They s

these individuals blueprin

vided paperwork. They a

presentations at public m

spoke with the tribe’s dis

cils, which keep residents 

about tribal council busin

the election, the tribal co

approved landfill constru

Oglala Sioux

Fort Peck Reservation’s roll-off site in Poplar, Montana.

Mohawk Tribe
As a first step, the Tule River Tribal

Environmental Department

Program ran a series of articles in

the tribal newsletter on why the

community should be concerned

about solid waste management, how

their choices contribute to the filling of California’s landfills, and how

to reduce household waste.

Next, the Tribal Environmental

Program informed the community

about various aspects of the transfer

station, including when it would

open and the types of waste citizens

could dispose of at the facility. In

addition to explaining the “whys and

hows” of the transfer station project

to the community, the tribe recognized outstanding community efforts

to reduce and recycle solid waste. To

do this, it developed a graphically

appealing environmental newsletter

and featured photographs and “thank

you” articles on those individuals

who helped with roadside and riverside cleanups or donated land for

abandoned vehicle clean-up. Ms.

Vera believes the outreach campaign

“helped stimulate interest in the

roles we can and do play in waste

production and reduction.”

Other tribes with solid waste community outreach programs also

stressed the importance of explaining to people how their personal

choices can impact the well-being

of the entire community. To drive

this point home,

the Onondaga

Nation used words

from their native

language and cultural symbols in

some of its promotional materials

and signs for the

transfer station.

Underlying these

materials, says Jeanne Shenandoah,

is the cultural mandate to “care for

Mother Earth and prevent waste.”

Like the Tule River Nation, the

Confederated Tribes of the

Umatilla Reservation

found that an environmental newsletter was

a wonderful way to

keep residents

informed about

transfer station operation and waste reduction progress. Filled

with “exciting graphics and

tips for reusing products,” one

recent issue, for example, suggested

reusing old milk jugs by tying them

together and hanging them on

barbed wire fences to scare c

away and keep the cows from 

ting hurt.

The Umatilla also keep triba

employees updated about the 

fer station by sending e-mail

outreach materials to all trib

departments. They plan to e

the tribes’ education program 

include transfer station tours 

more activities for children.

Public hearings and meeting

another way to take the puls

your community. For instanc

Jicarilla Apache Nation rece

mandate from their commun

“do whatever is necessa

manage our waste sa

effectively” during 

meeting. Accordin

Merlin Tafoya, Sr

utive director of p

works, the commu

not only supported 

construction of a tran

station, but it provided “

whelmingly positive” feedbac

it opened. Tribal members fo

transfer station cleaner and e

use than the previous dump 

• Use your tribe or village’s 

guage and culture to incr

the impact of your messa

• Keep your community

involved through public m

ings, newsletters, and e-m

announcements.
Feature: tran

As for the Eastern Band of

Cherokee Indians, a public hearing

ruled out plans to build a landfill

and, instead, backed the construction of a transfer station.

If, like many tribes, you’re wondering how to pay for your educational campaign, Chief Powless of the

Onondaga Nation might have a

solution. Chief Powless encourages

easy to start an education program if

you leverage resources.”

If you distribute your educational

materials and find some citizens still

continue to dump their waste illegally, then you might want to try

one-on-one visits

with the uncooperative citizens.

The Onondaga

Nation used

this approach

with the few

households that

refused to recycle and co

dump illegally. These on

household visits were suc

convincing these hold-ou

the Nation’s transfer stat

Tribes Clean Up at WasteWise

Awards Ceremony

EPA recently recognized the Confederated Tribes of the

Umatilla Indian Reservation, Robinson Rancheria of Pomo

Indians, and Blue Lake Rancheria tribes for their outstanding

waste reduction activities at the WasteWise Annual Meeting

and Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC. 

The three tribes’ notable waste reduction activities include:

• Implementing aggressive recycling programs.

• Composting restaurant food scraps.

• Purchasing recycled content paper.

• Developing and delivering a presentation about waste

prevention, recycling, and buying recycled-content

products to the tribal governing board.

WasteWise is a free and voluntary partnership program that provides technical assistance 

recognition to partners that pledge to reduce waste. If you are interested in joining the m

than 35 tribes and native villages that are WasteWise members, visit <www.epa.gov/was

or contact the WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473). 

Scale house at entrance to 

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ 

transfer station site.

From left to right: Julie Moran and Irenia Quitiquit (

Rancheria of Pomo Indians); Linda Fisher (EPA Depu

Administrator); Bonnie Burke (Confederated Tribes o

Umatilla Indian Reservation); Arla Ramsey and Tall C

Comet (The Blue Lake Rancheria of California); Cha

Bearfighter Reddoor (EPA OSW)
Finding Funding: Fellow

Tribes, Internet Offer

Options

Many federal agencies offer grants

and loans for solid and hazardous

waste projects that fall within their

purview. “The challenge is finding a

grant that fits your needs,” explains

Deb Madison, the environmental

program manager of the Fort Peck

Reservation Environmental

Protection Office. “Creativity is the

key to success. Grant writers need

to find ways to make grants fit tribal

needs. 

At the same time, tribal leaders

must realize that some needs cannot

be met through grants. For example,

very few grants are available for operation and

maintenance activities.

Because of this, Ms.

Madison urges tribes to

determine how their

transfer station’s operation

and maintenance will be

financed even before construction begins.

Numerous resources are available to help you identify sources of

funding. Most federal agencies

announce grant and loan availability in the Federal Register and provide

information on their Web sites.

Some agencies send out announcements and solicitations for their

grant programs. For example, the

Interagency Work Group

<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/

tribal/finance.htm> mails out an

annual announcement and solicitation for its open dump cleanup

grants.

Another way to learn about available grants is talking with other

tribes. Several tribes mentioned

conversations with neighboring

tribes as a primary source of grant

information. Sharing information

and experiences can be mutually

beneficial. Some tribes even

exchange successful grant applications to help improve their

future grant applications.

Internet searches can also

turn up information on

funding opportunities. That

is how Kim Clausen-Jensen,

director of the Oglala Sioux

Environmental Protection

Program on the Pine Ridge

Reservation, found out about

USDA’s Rural Development grants.

“All of the agencies have Web sites

with descriptions of their grant programs including applications,

instructions for applying, and 

tact information for state and

regional representatives,” say

Clausen-Jensen. (See the Res

section on page 21 for a listin

The Tribal Association of Sol

Waste and Emergency Respon

(TASWER) can also help trib

native villages locate funding 

directing them to the appropr

representative for each source 

• Be bold and ask questions of your agency representatives

• Follow the grant process one step at a time

• Live up to your end of the bargain—do what you said you would do!

• Apply for a variety of gran

• Talk to other tribes to sha

information and experienc

• Develop good relationship

with your regional agency 

resentatives.

• Seek creative solutions to

obstacles.

• Be accountable—earn a p

tive reputation.

• Be persistent—do not give 

tips

fundin

FOR

YOUR TRANSFER STAT
Feature: tran

environmental grant programs. The

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla

Indian Reservation, for example,

received a $25,000 grant from the

JELD-WEN Foundation for construction of its transfer station and recycling program. Grant Resources for

Solid Waste Activities in Indian Country

(EPA530-R-98-014) provides an

extensive list of private sources of

funding for tribes and native villages.

Building Relationships

Reaps Rewards

In addition to speaking with other

tribes or villages, Ms. ClausenJensen believes speaking with your

federal agency representatives is crucial to securing funds. “Educate

them about your tribe's history, culture, and current situation. Explain

all of your tribe’s accomplishments,

especially the ones dealing with

solid waste. If they understand your

tribe, who you are, and what you

have accomplished, they are more

likely to support you in future

endeavors,” she says. 

When preparing your grant application, Ms. Clausen-Jensen adds,

“Don't be afraid to ask them for help

or to outline the steps to completing

a grant application. That is their

job. That is why they are there.” 

As you develop relationships, Ms.

Clausen-Jensen believes it is important for tribes to “take the lead on all

initiatives.” She advises, “Be positive,

constructive, and flexible in working

with your agency representatives.”

completing the application. 

Bobby Sullivan, the Pine

Ridge public involvement

coordinator, made several

visits when she started working on the Rural Development

application. According to Ms.

Sullivan, “I called Mavis all the

time and camped out in the Rural

Development office for 2 weeks

while she walked me through the

application process. She showed me

what to do and helped me obtain

the right signatures.” Ms. Sullivan

offers, “The Rural Development

staff is there to help you. Call your

regional people and let them show

you what to do. Let them help you.”

Laura Weber, the director of solid

waste management for the St. Regis

Mohawk Reservation, is also a firm

believer in the importance of rela

ment Block G

(ICDBG) pro

If you are like 

Weber, you ma

relationships pay

unexpected ways. O

blue, she received a call f

USDA contact. He told 

program had available gr

and that he thought she 

apply for it. She worked c

the regional project offic

the application process, a

tribe received the grant f

struction of its transfer st

If you find that your regio

sentatives are not respons

Weber suggests inviting t

your reservation to build 

ship with them. Her tribe 

weekend cultural sensitiv

shop designed to help ind

from outside the commun

stand the tribal perspectiv

“Partnering with a region

tative benefits both your 

the federal agency,” says M

Earning a Reputatio

Those that Give, G

In addition to building a 

ship with your agency rep

tives, many tribes empha

importance of building tr

positive reputation for yo

village. Ms. Clausen-Jens

that building trust is a m

this process. “If you can d

strate to the agency repre

that your tribe has been s

“If you can demonstrate to

the agency representative

that your tribe has been

successful in the past and is

responsible and accountable, he or she is more likely to support you in securing future technical assistance and funding.” 

~Kim Clausen-Jensen, 

director of the Oglala Sioux

Environmental Protection

Program, Pine Ridge Reservation
in the past and is responsible and

accountable, he or she is more likely

to support you in securing future

technical assistance and funding.” 

Ms. Clausen-Jensen believes that a

good way to build this trust is to

make sure you submit all required

reports and meet all agency requirements when you do receive a grant.

She adds, “This attention to detail

is especially crucial with pilot projects. If agencies cannot document

the success of a pilot project, it is

unlikely to be continued.

Submitting the required reports

helps the agency justify the project

to internal federal reviewers and can

help ensure that the project receives

continued funding. Live up to your

end of the bargain—do what you

said you would do.”

Running into Roadblocks

Securing federal grants and loans is

a great way to pay for construction

of your transfer station, but it does

not come without difficulties or

challenges. Frequently, the biggest

roadblock to obtaining federal

grants is completing the application. 

Most agency applications are very

long and complicated. USDA's

Rural Development grant/loan

application, for example, provides a

checklist of required items to help

applicants—and the checklist itself

is six pages, double-sided! Some

applications also require specific

information or data that many tribes

payment bonds. It also

requires a fidelity bond

(a.k.a., a crime and dishonesty bond) for anyone

with access to the grant

or loan money to protect

against embezzlement or

misappropriation of

funds.

Another hurdle in the

grant process is complying

with the National Environmental

Protection Act (NEPA). NEPA

requires any construction by a federal agency, or any construction using

federal funds, to undergo an environmental assessment (EA) or an

environmental impact statement

(EIS). The funding agency is

required to perform the EA or EIS,

but tribes must be involved in the

process.

Reporting requirements are the final

challenge with which tribes must

contend. Many agencies require

periodic progress and financial

reports and a final report or assessment. These reports are not usually

difficult, but can be time consuming.

Strategies for Success

1. Turning Failure into Success

If you apply for a grant and do not

receive it, Ms. Weber recommends

calling your agency representative

and asking why and how you can

improve your chances in the future.

The first time she applied for a

HUD ICDBG, her tribe was not 

selected. She

called the HUD office to find 

why and ask for ways to impr

application. The HUD repres

tive sent back her application 

an evaluation form. She used

HUD’s comments to revise th

application. When she resubm

it, HUD awarded her tribe an

ICDBG. Ms. Weber advises, 

be afraid to pick up the phon

call your regional representat

Be bold and ask questions.”

2. Divide and Conquer

One possible strategy for incr

your tribe or village’s chance 

receiving grants is to break b

ects into discrete portions an

funding for the individual pa

Clausen-Jensen points out th

obtaining $75,000 from an ag

for a portion of your program

as a collection truck or comp

might be easier than obtainin

$600,000 for the entire progr

at once.

Page 1 of USDA Rural Development’s grant/

application check list.
Feature: tran

Choosing a Site

When siting a transfer station,

tribes have learned that a few key

factors can greatly influence the

success of a facility. These include:

• Central location

• Access to major (paved) roads

and highways

• Community’s familiarity with

the site

• Impacts on the surrounding

community and environment

• Buffer space between the facility and the community

• Adequate space for future

expansions

• Topography

• Impacts on traffic

• Access to utilities (i.e., water

and electricity)

Siting a transfer station in a central

location and providing access to

roads and highways are two factors

that ranked highest on several

tribes’ lists of siting criteria.

Community familiarity with the site

(such as using former dump sites) is

another factor that many tribes recommended to encourage transfer

station use. Considering a transfer

station’s impact on the neighboring

community is also important, as

proper siting can minimize the

effects of noise, odor, traffic, litter,

and pests on a community.

Considering how the transfer station might expand in the future,

such as adding composting operations or used goods swaps, can also

impact site decisions.

The Onondaga Nation found success in its siting decisions by choosing a former open dump site located

on an uninhabited road. Tribal

members were already fa

this location, and it is sit

from homes and the com

center, thereby providing 

space that helps minimiz

odor, and traffic impacts

tion, the site is between 

ways, which allows easy 

tribal members, minimize

congestion, and facilitate

removal by the contract 

Similarly, the Eastern Ba

Cherokee chose a closed 

with which the commun

already familiar. The trib

owned the land, and the 

large enough for recyclin

posting operations. Over

is a success, but because 

used existing onsite road

costs down, the area exp

occasional traffic bottlen

retrospect, Calvin Murph

tribe’s executive director 

utilities, recommends pe

engineering study of a sit

beginning construction, 

emphasis on studying tra

patterns within the facili

surrounding roads.

The Jicarilla Apache Na

lished a list of “essential 

ria” before beginning its 

One of the main criteria 

tribes design their transfer station first and look for land that will best accommodate it. In many instan

do both simultaneously. No matter which approach you use, certain principles will apply. This section 

how the siting of your transfer station can affect its success, the importance of designing a facility tha

your tribe’s specific needs, and the benefits and drawbacks of different construction approaches.

• Determine your key siting criteria before you begin your site

search.

• Choose a familiar and centrally

located site with easy access

to major roads if possible.

• Design your transfer station to

meet your tribe or village’s

specific needs and situation.

• Use local contractors to avoid

service and repair problems.

tips

designing

FOR

YOUR TRANSFER STATION
relevant social, economic, and environmental factors during its site

selection process. These factors

helped rule out one potential site

that was ideal in many ways, but

was located in a flood plain.

Weighing all the relevant factors,

the tribes selected and purchased a

private piece of land adjacent to the

reservation near a major interstate.

The Tule River Indian Tribe found

that it had to locate its transfer station in the middle of the community and near the river due to limited

land availability. To minimize the

site’s negative visual impact, the

tribe installed fencing along the

perimeter and instituted several

measures to prevent runoff into the

river. The tribe found that selecting

a specific site sometimes requires

special engineering designs or operational practices. 

Designing Your Facility

When designing a transfer station,

tribes recommend focusing on two

major considerations: size and specific needs or conditions. Arguably

the most important design decision

is determining the size of your transfer station. Calvin Murphy advocates designing your transfer station

to meet your tribe’s needs now and

10 years into the future. When the

Eastern Band of Cherokee designed

its facility, it knew it had to build a

facility that could handle the waste

from its 3,000 homes and 400 businesses, in addition to waste from its

planned gaming facility. 

sort, and bale recyclables

and a large scale composting operation.

Mr. Murphy cautions tribes against

building a transfer station with the

expectation of accepting off-reservation waste for a profit. “There is no

guarantee you will ever see a return

of your investment,” he cautions.

“Build a transfer station to handle

your tribe’s waste. If you are able to

accept others’ waste and generate

some revenue, then that is an added

bonus. Just don’t count on it.”

It is also important to determine if

your transfer station will require a

special design to address specific

demands or conditions. Weather and

climate are two conditions that must

be planned for in advance. Knowing

how your hauler is going to charge

you is another element to factor into

decisions. Merlin Tafoya, Sr., of the

Jicarilla Apache Nation, for example, knew that he wanted an

enclosed and heated transfer station

because of the long harsh winters on

the reservation. He also knew he

wanted a compactor unit to maxi

Onondaga Nation built a she

station employees and one fo

hydraulic pump that drives it

pactor. The St. Regis Mohaw

chose to use a modular, self-c

tained unit that is weather-, l

fire-, and animal-proof. 

Preventing illegal dumping, k

out animals such as dogs and 

and controlling litter are seve

additional challenges that ma

transfer stations face. The Tu

River Indian Tribe learned fr

experience with roll-off bin s

that a fence was essential for 

these issues. Prior to building 

transfer station, the tribe used 

series of roll-off containers fo

disposal that were not fenced

scavenging dogs and illegal d

quickly made the sites a mess

tribe also learned that placin

offs on the ground made disp

large and heavy items difficul

rectify these errors, the tribe 

ed a transfer station design th

incorporated roll-off bins set 

ground level in an excavated 

Front view of the waste unloading area

at the Tule River transfer station.

Side view of the paved ramp p

access for vehicles removing a

replacing full roll-off containers
Feature: tran

With this configuration, customers

simply back up to the edge of the

bins and drop their waste in.

Building Your 

Transfer Station

There are several different

approaches to building your transfer

station. Some tribes allow a federal

agency—frequently the IHS—to

build the facility for them and

assume operational control once

construction is complete. Many

tribes use federal grants or loans to

build the facility themselves or pay

an independent contractor. A few

independent tribes, such as the

Onondaga Nation, pay for and build

their facilities completely on their

own. You will need to decide which

option is best for your tribe in terms

of economic and technical feasibility and sovereignty concerns. The

examples that follow highlight a few

tion process.

Taking this

approach also

allows you to

include specific

requirements in

the contract to satisfy tribal needs

and policies. The Confederated

Tribes of the Umatilla Indian

Reservation, for example, used several federal grants and loans, one

private grant, and $200,000 of its

own money to hire a private construction company to build its transfer station. The tribes used a

competitive bidding process to

select a contractor. As part of the

contract, the tribes required the

contractor to hire local Native

American workers to the greatest

extent possible. If the contractor

could not fill its needs locally, it was

required to attempt to hire individuals from other tribes.

When hiring a contractor, Bonnie

Burke, the Umatilla’s solid waste

manager, recommends using local

contractors and subcontractors

whenever possible. She had difficulty getting a few non-local subcontractors to come back and repair

equipment or correct problems. Ms.

Burke also recommends doublechecking the warranty dates on

facility equipment and structures,

especially if the tribe encounters

construction delays, and suggests

extending warranties when possible.

spend their funds. When 

unexpected costs came up

almost inevitably do on c

tion projects, it was diffic

cover new costs with gran

that was designated for a 

purpose.

Contractor bonding is an

cern when using federal f

hire a private constructio

ny. Most federal grant an

grams require contractors 

performance and paymen

and a fidelity bond. After 

Regis Mohawk Tribe sele

tractor to build its transfe

for example, the contract

unable to meet the requir

ing requirements within 

10 day period. Consequen

contract was voided, and 

had to initiate the biddin

again.

“Know your tribe’s s

tion, location, and re

and your goals.” 

~Merlin T

Jicarilla Apach

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ enclosed 

transfer station building.
Assiniboine and Sioux Nations 

of the Fort Peck Reservation

Northeastern Montana

Capacity: Four sites with single 40 yd3

roll-off bin, one site with three 40 yd3 rolloff bins

Population served: 10,300

Hours of operation: Four unfenced sites—

open 24 hours, one fenced site—open 

during daylight hours

User fees: Residential customers—$15 per

month, businesses and contractors—$300

per month

Types of waste accepted: All household

and commercial waste

Cost: $20,000 each for two HUD CDBG

funded sites, $40,000 each for the three

IHS SDS funded sites

Design: Five roll-off sites across reservation;

one site has three bins, concrete pad, and

headwall; three sites have one bin and a

concrete headwall; one site has just a bin

Onondaga Nation

Nedrow, New York

Capacity: One bin for waste (emptied at

least once a week), one bin for recyclables

Population served: 600

Hours of operation: 7 days a week, 24

hours a day

User fees: Free to tribal members

Types of waste accepted: Household trash,

recyclables (paper, glass, plastic, cardboard),

car batteries, household hazardous waste

Cost: Not available

Design: Open facility, fenced and gated, concrete surface with two roll-off bins and waste

compactor, shelter for staff and generator

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

Akwesasne, New York 

Capacity: Two 53 yd3 self-contained 

modular units for waste, four 6 yd3

selfcontained modular units for 

recyclables

Population served: 2,000

Hours of operation: To be determined

User fees: Pay-as-you-throw on a per bag

basis, recycling is free

Types of waste accepted: Household 

trash, recyclables (paper, cardboard, glass,

aluminum, plastic)

Cost: Not available

Design: Open facility, fenced and gated,

paved road and tipping area, scale located

at entrance, building housing scale equipment, baler, and administrative operations,

composting bathroom (no running water)

Tule River Indian Tribe

Tulare County, California

Capacity: Two 30 yd3 roll-off boxes 

(emptied twice per week); three tipping

bins and three storage bins for recyclables;

equipment storage shed; running water

Population served: 800

Hours of operation: Monday - Saturday,

during daylight hours

User fees: Free to tribal and community

members and businesses

Types of waste accepted: Household trash,

white goods, tires, recyclables (office

paper, glass, cardboard, plastic) 

Cost: $141,000 ($45,000 from IHS and 

$96,000 from HUD)

Design: Open facility, fenced and gated,

paved surface, two waste bins set down in

an excavated area

Jicarilla Apache Nation

Dulce, New Mexico

Capacity: 12 to 16 tons per day (three to

four 42 yd3 bins/day)

Population served: 5,000

Hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 

8 AM to 5 PM (to 6 PM during the summer)

User fees: Free to tribal residents

Types of waste accepted: Household trash,

yard trimmings (branches  3 in. in 

ter), bulky items, white goods, tire

car batteries, household hazardou

Cost: $900,000 ($500,000 from th

Jicarilla, $400,000 from IHS)

Design: Totally enclosed building, 

level building (50' x 75'), hopper p

tioned above compactor which co

waste into enclosed 42 yd3 on low

Confederated Tribes of the Um

Indian Reservation

Pendleton, Oregon 

Capacity: 200 tons per day

Population served: 2,500

Hours of operation: 7 days a wee

7:30 AM to 5:30 PM (5/1 through 

7:30 AM to 4:30 PM (9/1 through 

User fees: Pay-as-you-throw on a p

pound basis 

Types of waste accepted: Househ

tires, car batteries, household haza

waste

Cost: $1.3 million

Design: Totally enclosed, two-leve

building (7,200 ft2) with four bay d

concrete tipping floor, backhoe lo

compacts waste in transfer trailer

Eastern Band of Cherokee India

Cherokee, North Carolina

Capacity: 300 tons per day

Population served: 6,300

Hours of operation: Sunday – Sat

during summer, closed on holiday

User fees: Free to tribal residents, n

ing county and businesses pay tipp

Types of waste accepted: Househ

waste, yard trimmings, food scraps

clables, white goods

Cost: Not available

Design: Totally enclosed, two-level 

with tipping floor, front-end loader 

and compacts waste in transfer tra
Paying for Operation 

and Maintenance

User Fees

The tribes that we interviewed used several different types of user fees.

Some charged a monthly service fee while others used a PAYT

approach. 

The Assiniboine and

Sioux Nations of Fort Peck

decided to charge community members $15 per month to dispose of

trash, regardless of the amount generated. A financial technician, hired

by the Fort Peck tribes to help make

their solid waste disposal program

more self-sufficient, however,

advised the tribes to institute a

PAYT program in place of the flat

disposal fees. Now the tribes plan to

charge roll-off site users $15 per

load rather than per month.

Instead of a flat fee, the St. Regis

Mohawk Tribe chose to charge residents based on the volume of waste

generated to encourage waste prevention and recycling. The St. Regis

Mohawk Tribe’s PAYT system

rewards residents for generating less

waste. To participate in PAYT, residents purchase blue, 30-gallon

trash bags from the tribe for

their garbage. The tribe’s

curbside collection vehicle picks up the special

bags once a week. 

Once the tribe’s transfer station is operational, residents can opt

out of purchasing the blue

trash bags and bring their

waste directly to the transfer station.

They will be assessed a disposal fee

based on the weight of their trash.

General Fund

Jicarilla Apache Nation decided to

use money from the tribal general

fund to subsidize collection and disposal costs to provide free, weekly

residential waste collection to all

tribal members. Residents also have

the option of bringing their waste

directly to the transfer station,

where it is accepted for free. By providing free waste disposal service,

the tribe increased community participation and discouraged illegal

dumping. 

The Confederated Tribes 

Umatilla Indian Reservat

money from the tribal ge

to supplement solid waste 

user fees. The tribes oper

no and allocate a portion 

enue to transfer station o

and maintenance. Simila

Feature: tran

• Revenue from the sale of recyclables

• Tipping fees from non-tribal/off-reservation waste

In addition to funding, the tribes cited educated and skilled staff and waste screening programs as k

ing that their transfer stations ran smoothly. The Fort Peck tribes even established a Public Works Co

help it make quick decisions and improve curbside collection and roll-off program management. The 

examples demonstrate how tribes have sustained their transfer stations and increased operational ef

• Consider a variety of 

mechanisms to pay f

tion and maintenanc

• Train your staff to im

operational efficienc

• Screen all incoming w

remove recyclables a

propriate materials.

• Remove and manage 

waste (e.g., tires, whi

car batteries) separat

• Properly maintain eq

to prolong life and p

breakdown.

tip

operat

FOR

AND

maintena
Regis Mohawk Tribe uses its general

fund to supplement revenue from its

PAYT program. Part of the tribal

general fund comes from a fee on

cigarette and gasoline sales on the

reservation. 

Bonnie Burke, the Umatilla Indian

Reservation’s solid waste manager,

however, cautions tribal solid waste

departments about relying on casino

revenues and the tribal general

fund. She explains, “The casino

generates revenue, but much of the

money is used for education and

other purposes. Historically, the

tribes did not place a high priority

on solid waste management.” 

Sale of Recyclables

A few tribes have found markets for

some recyclables and use the revenue from these sales to help cover

transfer station operation and maintenance costs. The Eastern Band of

Cherokee Indians discovered that

cardboard recycling is lucrative near

the reservation. The tribe sells cardboard to support other, less profitable recycling activities. Markets

for recyclable materials vary with

location. Jicarilla Apache Nation,

located in a remote region of New

Mexico, implemented a recycling

program and found that transportation costs added up quickly because

the nearest recycling facility is far

away from the reservation. The

tribe could

not justify

these costs

and abandoned its

recycling

program. 

Many tribes

separate

recyclable

materials to

minimize

disposal

costs.

Although

recyclers charge a processing fee for

some materials, the fee is usually

lower than landfill tipping fees. The

Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla

Indian Reservation use this strategy

to reduce disposal costs. 

Tipping Fees from Non-Triba

The Eastern Band of Cherok

Indians and the Confederated 

of the Umatilla Indian Reser

accept waste from off the rese

tion for a fee. Accepting was

surrounding communities can 

lucrative b

ness unde

right cond

Calvin M

of the Eas

Band of

Cherokee

Indians ca

against en

this busin

without c

considera

and feasib

analyses. H

gests that 

size their transfer stations to 

their own waste, not other co

waste. His tribe solicited busi

from off of the reservation aft

building the transfer station a

determining it had excess cap

rather than counting on it du

the planning phase.

Tribe can bring white goods and old tires to a site adjacent to the tribal transfer station. To minimize the heal

risks associated with storing these items (e.g., refrigerators contain freon, old tires serve as a breeding ground 

mosquitoes), the tribe pays for a private contractor to remove them at least once every 6 weeks. The contrac

is responsible for recovering hazardous materials and freon from the white goods before hauling them away.

The Onondaga Nation decided to make household hazardous waste (HHW) disposal a priority. The tribe hos

HHW collection events twice a year to educate the community about proper disposal practices. In addition, 

tribe provides public access to a HHW collection compartment at the transfer station. Tribal members can br

their HHW to the transfer station 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The transfer station also includes a storage

container for car batteries.

Waste loading inside the Eastern Band of

Cherokees’ transfer station.
Feature: tran

Agriculture’s certification program

for weigh masters and seven transfer

station employees took a class

offered by the Solid Waste

Association of North America

(SWANA) to become certified

transfer station managers. 

Calvin Murphy recommends this

course to employees of large transfer

stations. Having state certified

transfer station managers gave the

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

credibility when working with counties and private haulers.

Jicarilla Apache Nation also understands the importance of employee

education. The tribe pays a private

contractor to haul its waste to a private landfill. Landfill employees

inspect the waste for inappropriate

materials and turn shipments away

if they are contaminated. To avoid

refused shipments, the contractor

trains tribal employees to inspect

waste and separate out inappropriate materials at the transfer station.

To date, the landfill has never

refused a shipment from the

Jicarilla Apache Nation.

ed that the tribes manage con

struction and demolition

(C&D) debris separately to

reduce their disposal costs.

Tipping fees at C&D landfills

are lower than those at

municipal solid waste landfills.

For a fee, Fort Peck

Operations and Maintenance

Department staff deliver

dumpsters to construction

sites. When the dumpsters are

full, department staff hauls

them to a C&D landfill. 

The Onondaga Nation initially trusted community members to use its transfer station

without supervision. Illegal

dumping by residents from the

surrounding counties who

were trying to avoid paying

tipping fees in their own

towns, however, forced the

nation to staff the facility 24

hours a day, 7 days a week. 

In addition to monitoring

incoming vehicles, the attendants help users place recyclable materials in the correct

roll-off bin and household

hazardous waste in the auxiliary storage cabinet.

Periodically, the attendants

check the roll-off bins and

remove tires and other unacceptable materials to keep

contamination to a minimum.

“Tribal leaders must realize

that some needs cannot be

met through grants.” 

~Deb Madison, environmental 

program manager for the 

Fort Peck Reservation

permit rates, adjust collec

procedures, and approve 

funding applications. To s

up the decision-making p

Ms. Madison suggested th

the tribal council establish 

Public Works Committee 

to manage the Operation 

Maintenance Department

The board removes the b

of solid waste manageme

sions from the tribal coun

is able to make quick dec

In return for being entrust

decision-making powers, b

members maintain a posit

tionship with tribal counc

bers by keeping them info

about collection and roll-o

operations.

“The board is critical

because it sets curbs

collection and roll-of

permit rates, applies 

organizations for fun

ing, and provides an

interface between O

and the tribal counc

~Deb Ma

Fort Peck Environm

Program Ma
Guidance and

Training

Publications

Waste Transfer Stations: 

A Manual for Decision-Making

(EPA530-R-02-002)

Waste Transfer Stations: Involved

Citizens Make a Difference

(EPA530-K-01-003)

Decision-Maker’s Guide to Solid

Waste Management, Second Edition

(EPA530-R-95-023)

Tribal Solid Waste Management

Decision-Maker’s Guide

(expected from EPA in 2003)

Sites for Our Solid Waste: A

Guidebook for Effective Public

Involvement (EPA530-SW-90-019)

Training and Technical Assistance

Directory for Tribal Solid Waste

Managers (EPA530-B-99-007)

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Solid Waste

Handbook <www.northnet.org/earth/

swhandbk.pdf>

NEPA: A Handbook for Tribal Staff

(for a free copy contact Inter Tribal

Council of Arizona at 602 258-4822)

Links

Institute for Tribal Environmental

Professionals (ITEP) and Northern

Arizona University Solid Waste

Training for Alaskan Native Villages

<www4.nau.edu/itep/s_waste.html>

Solid Waste Association of North

America’s (SWANA) collection and

transfer training courses

<www.swana.org/Events.asp>

Publications

Grant Resources for Solid Waste

Activities in Indian Country

(EPA530-R-98-014)

Solid Waste Funding: A Guide to

Federal Assistance (EPA530-F-97-027)

Preparing Successful Grant

Proposals tip sheet (EPA530-F-97-020)

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Solid Waste

Handbook <www.northnet.org/earth/

swhandbk.pdf>

Links

U.S. EPA Tribal MSW Funding page

<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/

tribal/finance.htm>

U.S. EPA's Grant Writing Tutorial

<www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/

grants.html>

U.S. EPA American Indian

Environmental Office (AIEO)

General Assistance Program (GAP)

Grants <www.epa.gov/indian/pdfs/

gap2000.pdf>

U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment,

Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup

Grants <www.epa.gov/brownfields>

U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services' Administration

for Native Americans (ANA)

<www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ana/notice.htm>

USDA Rural

Development's Rural

Utilities Service (RUS)

Water and

Environmental

Programs (WEP)

<www.usda.gov/rus/

index2/rusregs.htm> 

Urban Development (HUD)

Community Development Blo

Grants (CDBG)

<www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/

communitydevelopment/progr

cdbg.cfm>

The Catalog of Federal Dome

Assistance <www.cfda.gov> 

This is a database of all federal assi

programs—including grant and loan 

grams—available to state, local, and 

governments.

TASWER's 10 Pots of Money

<www.taswer.org>

Federal Register search page

<www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs

aces140.html>

Rural Community Assistance

Program (RCAP) <www.rcap.o

RCAP is a national network of wat

water, and solid waste professional

provide onsite managerial, technica

financial assistance to develop rura

munity infrastructure. It is comprise

regional affiliates. For more informa

contact Christine McCoy, director 

ronmental programs at 800 321-27

202 408-1273, ext.104; or via ema

cmccoy@rcap.org.
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla

Indian Reservation 

Pendleton, Oregon 

Bonnie Burke, Solid Waste Manager,

541 276-4040, terfmngr@uci.net or

Teddi Bronson, Recycling Coordinator,

541 276-4040, trecycle@uci.net

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 

Cherokee, North Carolina

Calvin Murphy, Tribal Utilities, 

828 497-1805, 

cmurphy@cherokee-nc.com

Assiniboine and Sioux Nations 

of the Fort Peck Reservation 

Poplar, Montana

Deb Madison, Environmental Program

Manager, Environmental Protection

Office, 406 768-5155 ext. 399, 

2horses@nemontel.net

Jicarilla Apache Nation 

Dulce, New Mexico

Merlin Tafoya, Sr., Executive Director

of Public Works Division, 

Jicarilla Apache Nation, 

505 759-3242 ext. 295

Onondaga Nation 

Nedrow, New York

Chief Irving Powless, Jr., 

315 492-4210, Nosneaks2@aol.com,

or Jeanne Shenandoah, 315 492-1440

Oglala Sioux Tribe of the 

Pine Ridge Reservation 

Pine Ridge, South Dakota

Kim Clausen-Jensen, Director, 

Oglala Sioux Environmental

Protection Program, 605 867-5236,

ostepkim@gwtc.net, or

Bobby Sullivan, Public Involvement

Coordinator, 605 867-5236, 

ostepbob@gwtc.net

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe 

Akwesasne, New York 

Laura Weber, Director of 

Management, 518 358-59

earth2-lauraweb@northne

Tule River Indian Tribe 

Tulare County, California

Kerri Vera, Environmental 

Program Manager for Tule 

Indian Tribe, 559 781-427

tuleriverenv@govisalia.com

USDA Rural Developmen

Rapid City, South Dakota 

Mavis Hass, Rural Develo

Specialist, 605 342-0301 e

mavis.hass@sd.usda.gov

To be placed on our mailing list or submit ideas or success stories, send an e-mail to Janice Johnso

U.S. EPA Tribal Solid Waste Program at <johnson.janice@epa.gov>. 

Recycling bins at Umatilla

transfer station

Modular units to be used at St. Regis

transfer station

Scrap metal recycling p

side Eastern Band of Ch

Indians’ transfer station
Laura Weber shares her enthusiasm about the science behind

waste decomposition through

stories and experiments. She tells

a story about microbes to teach

students about decomposition.

Microbes are living organisms,

and some of them break down

waste. As Ms. Weber explains

the decomposition process, she

asks her audience to identify

which statements are true and

which are false. For example,

when she says, “Garbage contains microbes,” the children

agree, but when she says,

“Microbes leap out of the

garbage at night,” they disagree.

This interactive

format entertains students

and keeps them

engaged.

Ms. Weber uses

experiments to

reinforce the decomposition 

message. According to Ms.

Weber, “One of the exciting

things about trash is that there 

is so much science involved in

decomposition. It is fun to 

conduct experiments to show

students that different objects

degrade at different rates.” At

the beginning of the school year,

teachers can place soil in a

aquarium, add water, and b

items in the soil to simulat

landfill. During the school

year, students can watch th

items decompose and use

their observations to draw

conclusions about how

biodegradable different 

materials are.

March 2003

Garbage Monsters

Teddi Bronson, recycling coordinator for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation,

believes that environmental education should be fun. When the tribes opened a recycling depot and

transfer station, she expanded the environmental education program to promote recycling and prope

solid waste disposal.

Ms. Bronson visits the tribal Head Start facility and daycare center to familiarize children with the new

recycling and waste disposal options. She tells stories about the time when tribal members used to dum

their waste in a landfill on the reservation and explains how waste management

practices have changed over the years. Then, she distributes recycling coloring

books, nature stickers, and frisbees with the phone number and address of the

recycling depot. The presentation culminates with an illegal dumping and litter

prevention activity. The children create “garbage monsters” out of paper shopping bags. They draw a monster’s face on each bag and then use the bags to

pick up litter outside. The monsters literally eat garbage!

Ms. Bronson plans to integrate her solid waste management message into

curricula across the school system. She would also like to provide transfer

station tours to older students.

changing. You can tell a lot about

someone’s behavior and lifestyle

from their trash. When people leav

bags of trash by the side of the

road, their trash tells a story.”

~Laura Weber, director of solid was

management for the St. Regis Mohawk Trib

Adventure
cookies and ice cream to symbolize

clay liners and leachate. During the

“luscious layered landfill” lesson, students place different treats in clear,

plastic cups to learn how to build

landfills. Each treat represents a different landfill layer—near the bottom, crushed cookies symbolize the

soil underneath the landfill, and

cookie pieces symbolize the clay

liner that absorbs leachate escaping

from the plastic liner. A fruit roll-up

represents the plastic liner, crushed

graham crackers the sand layer, and

raisins the pebble layer. Licorice

sticks, or leachate pipes, complete

the leachate containment and collection system. Teachers can explain

that this system prevents waste from

contaminating water supplies.

leachate and garbage. Students then

place crushed cookies (soil) on top.

Teachers can explain that, at the

end of each day, landfill operators

cover waste with soil to minimize

problems with vermin. Finally, students cap their tasty landfills with

whip cream. They can insert a small

candle to symbolize a methane gas

recovery system. For additional

information about this activity, visit

<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/kids/

quest/pdf/49layer.pdf>, or order a

free copy of The Quest for Less:

Activities and Resources for Teaching

K-6 (EPA530-R-00-008) from EPA’s

RCRA/UST, Superfund and EPCRA

Hotline at 800 424-9346 or 

703 412-9810.

waste prevention. Ms. S

delivers interactive prese

to educate 4th through 

graders about proper so

management and involv

in finding solutions to p

She shows pictures of o

dumps on the reservatio

describes the tribe’s new 

and asks the children to 

creative ways to promot

landfill and prevent illeg

ing. Student suggestions 

included creating trash 

enforcing existing litter l

housing projects, and d

awards for clean comm

After a lively discussion 

illegal dumping prevent

Sullivan captivates the s

with a new question, “A

interested in learning ho

trash a single person ca

ate in one day?” She ask

child to carry a trash ba

hours. During the study 

the students bring their 

bags everywhere and co

of the solid waste that t

duce (excluding food an

wastes). The next day, th

dren bring their tr

back to class

are amazed t

person can 

so much 

Ms. Su

conclu

activit

a wa

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brain

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