7 generations 

clean up training 

Keys to end

burning 

the challenge 

of the tundra 

alaska villages chart 

their own course toward 

solid waste solutions 
Training Continues After 

7 Generation Classes End . . . . 6 

feature: 

challenges for 

alaska native 

villages 

Alaska Villages Profiled 

in This Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Selawik Accepts the Challenge 

of the Tundra . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Beyond Barriers: Cleanups Give 

Villages a Fresh New Look . . 13 

Bridges of Power: 

Leveraging Resources Through 

Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

Collaboration: The Key to Ending 

Burning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Charting Their Own Course: 

Kokhanok Village Uses “Real Life” 

Examples to Teach Kids . . . . . 19 

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 10 Contributor: 

Joe Sarcone 

Although there are hundreds of • Residents import and 

Alaska Native villages, and each vil- manufactured goods 

lage has a unique culture and histo- ate plastic, metal, an

ry, Alaska Natives are united in waste.


their quest for funding, recognition, • A remote location m

and social justice.


Raven Sheldon of 

Selawik village 

believes, “Everyone 

is entitled to basic 

services. The tribes 

up here are 3, 4, or 

even 5 years behind 

tribes in the lower 

48 states when it 

comes to being able 

to provide basic 

services for members.” Tribal leaders 

throughout Alaska 

are working to 

secure services that 

are critical to the 

health and safety of 

their people. Proper 

“I want the people who 

read this issue of the Tribal 

Waste Journal to understand 

the big picture. I want to 

open peoples’ eyes and 

focus more attention on 

Alaska. Federal agencies 

should send representatives 

to visit Alaska villages to 

gain a better understanding 

of our situation. Tribes up 

here are being overlooked.” 

—Raven Sheldon, Selawik Village 

shippin

hauling

ficult an

expensi

• Perm

fills are 

expensi

and ma

open du

• Burni

reduces 

volume

centrate

materia

produce

smoke. 

The vil

tured in 

solid waste management ranks near of the Tribal Waste Journa

the top of the list. overcome some of these c

obstacles through creativi

Many Alaska Native villages do not ence, and partnerships. have the funding, technical expert- Environmental trainers ga

ise, staff, or equipment required to lagers the tools to tap into 

close open dumps, or ensure safe ership and creative poten

disposal of solid wastes. Common community. Partnerships 

difficulties associated with solid them to leverage private, 

waste management in Alaska Native federal resources to achiev

villages include: nity goals. 
Open dumps such as this are common in rural Alaska, especially in regions 

dominated by tundra. 

Considering Culture and 

Climate 

Villages interviewed are working to 

implement solid waste management 

practices that are compatible with 

the local environment and culture. 

For thousands of years, Alaska 

Natives lived subsistence lifestyles, 

hunting and gathering to survive 

and producing very little waste. 

Rosalie Kalistook, environmental 

planner for the Association of 

Village Council Presidents explains, 

“In the past, people did not generate a lot of trash. Any garbage they 

produced came from the land. They 

used to bury bones from terrestrial 

animals under the ground, giving 

them back to Mother Nature.” The 

biodegradable nature of the waste 

stream changed as nomadic tribes 

assumed a sedentary lifestyle, and 

Alaska Natives began to consume 

outside goods. Villages are inundated with plastic, metal, and paper 

goods and packaging, but most of 

them do not export waste. This 

change in lifestyle has created waste 

management problems that did not 

exist in the past. 

Some Alaska Natives, such as the 

Athabascans, were traditionally 

highly mobile. According to Roy 

Andrew of Kokhanok, “Between 

1955 and 1963, our people gave up 

the nomadic life style and settled in 

Kokhanok permanently.” As a 

result, community members became 

more dependent on durable goods 

such as snowmobiles and appliances. 

There are five distinct climate zones 

in Alaska—arctic, interior, west 

coast, south-central, and maritime 

(which is further subdivided into 

western maritime and eastern maritime). Each climate zone has specific temperature and precipitation 

patterns. These patterns, along with 

differences in underlying bedrock, 

produce characteristic soils and vegetation patterns, from grassland tundra in the arctic to temperate 

rainforest in the southeast. Solid 

waste management solutions must 

be compatible with, among other 

factors, the distinct climate and 

soils of each village. 

Tundra dominates the west coast 

and arctic regions of Alaska, where 

a thin layer of soil rests on top of 

permafrost, a permanently frozen 

layer of ground. Open dumps and 

landfills can exert pressure on the 

permafrost and cause it to melt. As 

the permafrost melts, the ground 

Solid waste management plan

for St. Paul Island must take 

consideration sandy shoreline

addition to a treeless tundra i

or. Residents are working to o

new landfill and close an old 

which is located in a sand du

Landfill leachate percolates q

through sandy soils and ocean 

blow plastic bags and other w

onto the tundra. 

Unlike Selawik and St. Paul 

Chilkat Indian Village is loca

southeast Alaska on permeab

soil rather than tundra or san

While Chilkat’s environment

planner does not need to wor

about protecting permafrost, 

must consider the impacts of 

village landfill on a nearby ri

Leachate from the landfill co

potentially move through the 

soil into Chilkat River. 

“Alaska has five distinct 

regions with different c

tures and climates. You 

can’t develop a single 

solid waste managemen

plan for every commun

in Alaska because each 

community is unique.” 

—Patricia Warren, environme

planner, Chilkat Indian Vill
th

Voice 

7 Generations Training Empowers 

People to Clean Up Communities 

Against the vastness and diversity of Alaska, one environmental trainer stands out in the eyes 

of Alaska Native villagers: Bill Stokes and his “7 Generations Training.” The TWJ set out to e

how a white engineer from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) 

Anchorage could illicit such heartfelt praise from so many villagers, many of whom still view white m

suspicion and mistrust and, for years, hated the ADEC for its strict regulatory policies. 

Expecting to ask Mr. Stokes how he inspired so many, the trainer turned the interview into a learning s

filled with stories, questions, and exercises—much like the ones that the 300 Alaska Native villagers hav

enced since the training began in 1997. The following are excerpts of TWJ’s interview with Mr. Stokes

how the training came about, how it respects village culture and tradition, and how countless Alaska N

including elders and children, have been inspired to improve the health and well-being of their commu

TWJ: What prompted development 

of the 7 Generations Training? 

Mr. Stokes: When I began at 

ADEC, the standard operating procedure was strict enforcement of 

regulations. ADEC staff were hated 

by the villages. I quickly realized 

that the villages needed technical 

assistance, not regulation. They 

needed to know how to manage 

hazardous waste, used oil, and other 

wastes. I also saw that villages needed to own the problems and solutions. Compliance by enforcement 

is dictatorial. Compliance by agreement is understanding. We simply 

had to explain the hazard and its 

harm to the villages, and then let 

them make their own choices and 

decisions. 

TWJ: Since you were an outsider the village council that S

and worked for a regulatory agency, smoke is very toxic, and i

why do you think villagers accepted the whole village. I told t

your advice? your choice whether you 

Mr. Stokes: Whenever I visited a thing about this or not. Y

village I always made sure to ask the here. If it’s important to y

village council for permission. That find a way to stop.” Six m

way, I came to the village as a guest. ter, the council banned th

Once in a village, I watched, lis- TWJ: Did some villagers 

tened, and learned. I never told to change? 

them, “You must do this,” or “You Mr. Stokes: I was in a vi

are required to do that.” If I saw a the Arctic Circle. They w

problem, I explained the harm or the because they felt they we

hazard. I said, “If this is important to done in by the white man

you, and you want to do something for awhile. Then, I took 

about it, I will do everything I can to to one of their dumps, fil

help you. If not, I will leave.” refrigerators, Freon, and o

At one village I visited, for example, household materials. I to

they were burning Styrofoam. I told “You can’t yell at someon
MStokesy 1997, ad co

ducted more than 20 village environmental assessments, and the 

requests from the villages far outstripped my ability to do them. At 

this point, I realized that I needed 

an environmental toolbox that 

allowed me to train the villages to 

conduct their own environmental 

assessments and educate themselves. 

It was at this point that I began 

developing a rough draft of what 

Sue Unger finalized as 7 

Generations: Addressing Village 

Environmental Issues for the Future 

Generations of Rural Alaska. 

community, the community members have essentially voted on the 

issue. Tribal council meetings can be 

a lot like dog fights. There’s a lot of 

internal politics. The survey takes 

the politics out of these decisions 

because the community speaks and 

says, “We want this fixed.” The survey also helps create ownership over 

the issue and empowers villagers to 

solve the problem themselves. 

The technical environmental survey 

helps villagers know the right questions to ask so that they can check 

the viability of a facility. For exam

program will cease to exist as 

30, 2003. How do you feel ab

this decision? 

Mr. Stokes: We’re finding tha

munities now come to the AD

say “These are our issues, how 

help us fix them?” not “Can yo

them for us?” This is a huge ch

from 10 years ago. More impor

we have trained more than 30

ple and addressed more than 1

school children. These are the 

who will keep 7 Generations a

Training Exercises Touch the Heart 

Bill Stokes understands that change occurs when people are moved by their hearts, not 

their minds. “Our culture and values live in our hearts,” he says. So, he starts his training 

with the premise that pollution has a “real world” impact on people’s value systems. A 

variety of techniques, including exercises, stories, and questions allow villagers to experience this principle first in their hearts and their own lives. He then offers them environmental tools that they can use to improve village life as a whole. 

Exercise 1. Participants start by listing four of their values in one column, and four pollutants in their 

lives in another. “In many cases,” Mr. Stokes explains, “this may be the first time that a villager sees how their value o

cultural preservation could be impacted by a pollutant in their life, such as alcoholism.” He says many elders have eve

cried when they saw how the pollutants in their lives are impacting their values. Since people have some control ove

their values, Mr. Stokes believes participants then become more willing to own both the problem and the solution. 

Next, the training moves to the community as a whole so villagers understand how their choices and actions ca

contribute to pollution of their entire village. Again, he brings the ideas of ownership and responsibility back to 

their own lives. “During all of my training sessions, I always tell participants to look out the window, and I ask 

them, “What do you see in the village that you don’t like?” The stuff in the dump doesn’t grow there, we put it 

there.” Then he tells them, “If you don’t fix it, your grandchildren will have to live with it.” 

Exercise 2. To help empower villagers to see beyond their problems and begin to look for ways they can impro

the situation, Mr. Stokes uses another simple exercise. In column A, participants list four main environmental pr

lems in their community. In Column B, they list three solutions to each of these problems. In this way, Mr. Stoke

explains, “Villagers not only make the issue theirs, but also the solutions.” He encourages participants to start b

making changes in their own house before they tackle more complicated environmental problems. 
7 generations trainin

Inspired by Mr. Stokes’ training, 

Roy Andrew, president of the 

Kokhanok Village Council, returned 

to his village and created an environmental survey to assess community priorities and build support for 

his village’s solid waste management 

program. He invited every adult to 

participate in the decision-making 

process by answering questions such 

as: 

• How do you rate the importance of different solid waste 

programs? 

• Is it important to start teaching 

school students about environmental issues? 

• How should Kokhanok Village 

Council inform you of environmental issues within the village? 

Mr. Andrew supplemented survey 

results with his own observations 

about the community to develop an 

environmental plan. For example, 

he noticed that a comprehensive 

village cleanup in 2001 produced 

mixed emotional reactions. After 

the event, a sense of sadness and 

gloom pervaded the community. 

Some of the elders felt that discarding abandoned items that had been 

part of the village for more than 40 

years removed part of its identity. 

At the same time, villagers experienced joy and felt cleansed, physically and spiritually. Based on 

observations like this one, Mr. 

Andrew decided to draft an environmental plan that respects 

Kokhanok traditions, incorporates 

aspects of local culture, and addresses the concerns raised by community members in the environmental 

survey. 

Patricia Warren of Chilkat Indian 

Village found that village-oriented 

leadership experiences and courses 

on solid waste management issues 

Look for workshops and 

courses that: 

• Provide planning tools 

for small communities. 

• Demonstrate how to 

involve village residents. 

• Present funding opportunities and explain grant 

requirements. 

• Facilitate networking 

with representatives 

from funding ag

tips 

TRIBES 

encies 

and other villages. 

• Foster the technical 

expertise required to 

tackle environmental 

issues in rural Alaska. 

training 

FR O M 

helped her assume a grea

ronmental leadership role

strengthening her village

waste management progr

Americorps volunteer in 

Ms. Warren developed le

skills that allowed her to 

munity support for a recy

gram. She enlisted local s

paint a new recycling cen

educate the community a

Impressed with her enthu

skills, the tribal council a

her into a new position—

mental planner. In her ne

Ms. Warren obtained tec

expertise on solid waste m

ment plans by attending 

University of Northern A

Institute of Tribal Enviro

Professionals Solid Waste 

Management course. Aft

with a consultant to draf

waste management plan f

Indian Village, she enroll

University of Alaska env

technology course and re

plan with her professor’s 

Likewise, Carole Holley o

Village used the leadersh

and technical expertise sh

through similar courses a

experience to create a suc

education and outreach p

her community. Accordin

Holley, “The best way to 

to participate in cleanups 

every possible method fo
One of AVCP’s tasks is to help villages build solid waste management programs from scratch by provid

ing grant-writing assistance. At first glance, grant applications can be daunting. Experienced grant write

are rare in Alaska Native villages, and more than half of the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta tribes have never 

received funding for environmental projects. Ms. Kalistook is working to change this statistic. 

Before joining AVCP’s staff, Ms. Kalistook wrote solid waste management grants for her own village

She relates to villagers struggling with applications. When these individuals call for advice, Ms. 

Kalistook explains the requirements and sends samples of completed grant applications. AVCP urge

villages to develop long-term plans and sustainable programs to increase their chances of receiving 

funding. 

AVCP encourages villages to network and share information on funding opportunities and environme

tal programs. Ms. Kalistook organizes an annual conference, for example, enabling villagers to discuss 

traditional environmental practices and share solid waste management success stories. In 2003, she 

invited a tribal administrator, a tribal council member, an elder, and a student from each village of the 

Yukon Kuskokwim Delta. 

tion dispersal, including standing 

outside with a sign.” Ms. Holley uses 

posters and the public radio channel 

to broadcast information about 

cleanup events. Prizes provide additional incentive for residents to dispose of household hazardous waste 

and used oil properly. Ms. Holley 

writes articles for the tribal newsletter to keep the community informed 

of her department’s activities. She 

also started a recycling club to educate students about proper solid 

waste management. If Ms. Holley 

left Galena tomorrow, her programs 

would continue to flourish because 

the community supports them. 

Ann Wyatt and Paula Peterson, 

environmental planners on Prince 

of Wales Island, attended a grant 

management training in Anchorage 

after receiving Indian General 

Assistance Program (IGAP) funding 

from EPA. According to Ms. 

Peterson, “One of our greatest challenges was learning how to meet 

EPA’s requirements after we 

received IGAP funding.” The training helped both women submit 

progress reports on time and use the 

grants properly, making them strong 

candidates for future funding. The 

IGAP grant management training 

also offers environmental planners 

an opportunity to meet individuals 

from other villages, discuss common 

problems, and learn from one 

another. The Alaska Native Health 

Board and other organizations sponsor conferences that offer similar 

networking opportunities. 

Training and education can also be 

used to build human capital within 

a village and create momentum for 

solid waste management prog

When Jeanette Carlson organ

cleanup in Chignik Bay, she 

workers from a pool of reside

tified to handle hazardous ma

In 2002, these individuals rec

HAZWOPER (hazardous was

operations and emergency res

training and learned about th

Occupational Health & Safe

Administration’s requirement

handling hazardous waste. Th

training proved to be an asse

properly trained community m

bers, Ms. Carlson did not nee

hire an outside contractor to 

form the cleanup. 
❂ St. Paul Island 

❂ 

kokha

❂

Bering 

Sea 

Bristol 

Bay 

• 

Kotz

chignik bay 

• 

Nome 

A

Feature: ges for alaska Na

g , y 

move to subsistence camps near the village, and move back to town for 

the winter. Because of its location on the tundra 10 miles above the 

Arctic Circle, the village uses a system of boardwalks rather than roads. 

Galena (Louden) 

The Native Village of Galena, also known as Louden, is located 

on the Yukon River. Louden was a semi-permanent summer fishing camp established by nomadic Koyukon Athabascans. In 

1918, lead miners established Galena 14 miles down-river from 

Louden, and Athabascans living in Louden began moving to 

Galena. As a result, the Native Village of Galena is also known 

as Louden Village. Not connected to the state road system, the 

village relies on planes landing at Galena Air Field and barge 

service for supplies. 

Village of Chignik Bay 

Chignik Bay, accessible only by sea and 

air, has a winter population of han 

100. During the spring and summer when 

the local salmon canneries reopen, the 

population multiplies 10-fold. Built in the 

late 1800s, the local cannery attracts 

workers from all over the world, making 

Chignik Bay a melting pot of different cultures. The name Chignik is an Aleut word 

meaning “great wind” and legend has it 

that storms are born in Chignik. 

St. Paul Island 

Located north of the Aleutian Islands approximately 300 miles from 

the mainland, St. Paul Island is the largest of the five Pribilof Islands. 

This 14-mile long by 8-mile wide island of treeless tundra and sandy 

shorelines is home to more than 500 people. Russian fur traders were 

the first outsiders to reach St. Paul, but fishing eventually replaced fur 

trading as the main occupation on the island. Thanks to U.S. government investment in running water, sewer, roads, and other convenchallen

iences, St. Paul is one of the most modern villages in Alaska. 

less t
a

• Juneau 

• 

❂

Chilkat 

(Village of 

Klukwan) 

❂ klawock 

❂Kassan 

Pacific 

Ocean 

craig ❂

hyd ❂ aburg 

• 

Anchorage 

Fairbanks 

Prince of 

Wales Island 

ASKA

Klawock Cooperative Association 

The four tribal villages of Klawock (pop. 673), Kasaan (pop. 5

Hydaburg (pop. 369), and Craig (pop. 1,500) make up the 

Klawock Cooperative Association. The villages are located on 

Prince of Wales Island, the third largest island in the United 

States. The island’s mill and cannery provide the majority of j

on the island. Islanders communicate with the rest of the wo

via satellite telephone and mail. 

Chilkat Indian Village 

(Chilkat Village of Klukwan) 

Chilkat Indian Village, also known as the Chilkat Village of Klukwan, is 

located on the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Home to approximately 

150 people, the village lies in the Chilkat River valley and is attached to 

the Alaska road system. All five species of Pacific Salmon run up the 

Chilkat River and are a valued resource. Unlike many tribes in Alaska, 

Chilkat Indian Nation owns the land in the village. 
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

issues head-on and developed an integrated solid waste management pro- The entrance of Selawik

stands a mere 1,500 fee

gram to solve its number one problem: an uncontrolled open dump. edge of the village. 

Selawik’s current dump is little more 

than an unlined, unfenced open 

area whose boundary continues to 

creep closer and closer to the village. Today, the dump’s entrance 

stands a mere 1,500 feet from the 

edge of the village. Joe Sarcone of 

EPA Region 10 describes Selawik’s 

dump as “one of the worst I have 

seen.” Raven Sheldon of the 

Selawik environmental program 

agrees. “Our community hates visiting our existing dump site . . . and 

everybody knows it is too close to 

town. All you have to do is look out 

the back window of our medical 

clinic or last row of houses to see it 

or smell it.” 

Adding to the concern about the 

dump, a recent epidemiological 

study of the villagers revealed that 

simply visiting the dump greatly 

increased the risk of illness. 

Villagers have also noted that pollution from the dump, such as blown 

litter, smoke, and leachate, negatively impacts subsistence practices. 

Many villagers, for example, will 

not fish in certain parts of the river 

because of leachate contamination. 

“I hope that other tribes can 

benefit from our experience 

with designing a new type 

of landfill. Many villages in 

Alaska face similar obstacles. We can help tribes 

overcome them. We want 

to create a step-by-step 

guide to help tribes build a 

landfill like ours.” 

— Raven Sheldon, Selawik 

Environmental Program 

From Dump to Landfill 

Through the process of developing a 

long-term solid waste management 

plan (made possible through a 1999 

EPA grant), the community determined that the central component 

to solving the problem of the dump 

would be constructing a state permitted landfill. 

Selawik’s first challenge was obtaining a Class III permit from the 

Alaska Department of 

Environmental Conservation 

(DEC). Alaska DEC returned 

Selawik’s first landfill per

cation with a series of qu

concerning the proposed 

impact the tundra. In res

Selawik reassessed its lan

and selected a new, innov

nology that is “the newes

Alaska,” according to Mr

Recommended by an eng

consultant who initially w

ed through the Central C

Tlingit-Haida Indian Trib

Alaska, “Super Sacks” be

answer to Selawik’s landf

lenges. Super Sacks are la

shipping bags—the avera

feet square and 4 to 5 fee

made from woven polypr

(plastic). They weigh onl

pounds when empty, but 

designed to hold loads fro

4,000 pounds. 

The plan is to fill the Sup

with non-combustible wa

burn box ash residue and 

the full bags into a dispos

rounded with berms abov

dra. Selawik decided to u

above-ground design to a

aging the tundra. Once b

new landfill will operate 

20 years, according to Mr
seeing the condition of the villages 

open dump, DOT committed funds 

to build the road. 

To prevent the new landfill from 

becoming another open dump, the 

village plans to limit public access to 

the posted hours of operation when 

facility staff are on site. In addition, 

villagers can only drop off waste at 

the facility transfer station or the 

salvage pad (see next section for 

more details), not the burn box or 

landfill itself. 

A Comprehensive Facility 

Because its solid waste management plan called for the 

cles, vehicle parts (including 

tires), equipment and appliances, furniture, toys, construction materials, and 

safely-contained hazardous 

materials such as paints. 

Reusable items will be resold 

with all proceeds going back 

into the solid waste management program account, and 

non-reusable items will be 

recycled. 

Burn Box: Selawik’s solid waste 

management plan includes the use 

of a burn box to reduce the volume 

Solid Waste Operations and 

Maintenance Plan. 

Short Term Solutions 

Long-Term Benefits 

While waiting for the landfil

and funding, the community 

ued with several complemen

endeavors to support both it

term needs and long-term go

“We had some setbacks in th

few years . . . but we decided 

to upgrade our existing site t

least reduce the most severe 

our community health and th

ronment,” Mr. Sheldon expl

construction of a comprehensive new waste handling 

and disposal facility, Selawik 

began work on two other 

important elements of the 

facility (in addition to the 

landfill)—a facility transfer 

station, and a burn box— 

even while the landfill project was being reviewed and 

redesigned. 

Facility Transfer Station: 

The facility transfer station 

is where villagers will drop 

off certain types of waste 

and reusable or recyclable 

items that the mini-transfer 

stations (described on page 

12) cannot handle. Design 

plans include: 

Selawik’s open dump during the summer. Note the remains of the containing fe

destroyed by the wind. 
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

The village’s original open dump on the bank of the Selawik River. 

To this end, the village used its first 

Open Dump Cleanup Grant funding 

of $250,000 to: 1) purchase a bulldozer to improve conditions at the 

existing dump, 2) implement a 

waste collection program and design 

mini-transfer stations, 3) begin a 

recycling program, and 4) buy a 

used oil burner. 

Bulldozer: The community purchased a new bulldozer to close portions of the current dump site. The 

bulldozer is used to push waste back 

from the edge of the boardwalk, and 

compact and cover it with gravel. 

At the new landfill, the bulldozer 

will be used to push waste into the 

burn box and load ash into the 

Super Sacks. 

Waste Collection and MiniTransfer Stations: Selawik and 

Alaska DEC officials both agree 

that an effective waste collection 

system is needed to ensure the success of the new landfill facility. Such 

a system makes it unnecessary for 

villagers to visit the facility, except 

to drop off large items or large volumes of subsistence waste. This procedure allows landfill operators to 

control dumping and manage the 

facility. 

Because full door-to-door waste collection service is too expensive 

(Selawik currently provides a limited door-to-door service for village 

elders and others requiring special 

assistance), Selawik is planning to 

build five mini-transfer stations 

within the village. The sites will 

consist of waste bins on 3-foot deep 

pads of gravel and insulation to protect the tundra. To empty the bins, 

the village will purchase a Bobcat 

forklift—the only machine small 

enough to fit on the 6-foot wide 

boardwalk. Once the new landfill is 

operational, the Bobcat also will be 

used to move and stack filled Super 

Sacks. 

Recycling: Selawik purchased shipping containers to store and ship 

aluminum cans, lead-acid batteries, 

non-reusable computers, and other 

recyclable household hazardous 

wastes. Since Selawik is only serviced by barge once or twice each 

summer, the village purchased a second container to continue storing 

recyclables while the first container 

is barged down river. Materials are 

barged to Anchorage where they are 

either recycled or shipped to Seattle 

for processing. 

Used Oil Burner: Buyin

burner solved two of Sela

lems: 1) safe disposal of t

amount of used oil gener

ATVs, snow machines, an

heavy equipment, and 2) 

the storage shed that pro

new bulldozer and other 

equipment from the extre

temperatures. 

Though all the pieces of 

waste management plan 

in place and much work 

Selawik has shown that d

determination, coupled w

cant community and out

tance, can help create so

solutions for small, remot

villages. 
For decades, the debris piled 

up along roads and near 

homes in Kokhanok Village. 

Like many other villages, the snow 

machines, appliances, storage 

drums, tires, batteries, and other debris left Kokhanok in need of a makeover. But in 2001, a comprehe

cleanup gave the community a fresh new look. 

From funding to tribal council approval, and from “junkoholics” to the weather, the obstacles faced by A

Native villages planning cleanups vary widely. Thanks to new funding rules, trained environmental mana

and workers, and community support, villages such as Kokhanok are overcoming these barriers and ach

results. 

Several of the villages we spoke with cited funding as the key obstacle to cleanup success. During an In

General Assistance Program (IGAP) training session in 2000, one villager dumped a waste basket onto 

floor and said, “You can look at it. You can talk about it. You can even write a plan on how to pick it up

you can’t pick it up!” At the time, Alaska Native villages could not use IGAP funds to implement enviro

tal programs. They hired and trained environmental staff, planned cleanup projects . . . and waited. In 2

EPA amended the IGAP funding restrictions, allowing many villages to move forward with cleanups. Som

lages, however, lack IGAP grants, and even grantees face additional challenges. 

Village of Chignik Bay 

• Meet with tribal and city leaders to obtain project support. 

• Locate an adequate supply of 

workers qualified to handle 

hazardous waste. 

• Allow extra time to gather 

items that will be hauled out. 

• Expect pockets of resistance, 

tips 

particularly from “junkoholics.” 

• Plan for weather-related delays. 

• Identify hidden costs such as 

tipping fees at the landfill. 

cleanup 

FR O M TRIBES 

ers, to move items from the v

but did not provide staff to o

Jeanette Carlson, environmental the machinery and remove h

coordinator for the village of ardous materials such as anti

Chignik Bay, took advantage of from old cars. In the past, M

EPA’s new funding rules and includ- Carlson used IGAP funding 

ed a cleanup in her 2002 IGAP hazardous waste operations a

work plan. She organized several emergency response (HAZW

meetings with the tribal and city training to community memb

councils to obtain support for her Therefore, she was able to lo

project, which addressed abandoned three qualified residents to c

vehicles, storage drums, batteries, 

and debris from an old open dump. the job. 

It took longer than Ms. Carl

Chignik Bay is only accessible by air expected for the HAZWOPE

and sea, so the tribal council hired a workers to move all of the de

barge company to haul debris from the dock, and mother nature 

the community to a landfill in rupted operations. Sub-zero t

Kodiak. The city council supplied atures made it difficult to dra

heavy equipment, such as bulldoz­ fluids from vehicles. Most co
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

ed more than 60 old propane tanks, cars from the village to


four totes of lead-acid batteries, and the barge. She Abandoned vehicles waiting for the ba

34 abandoned vehicles. To keep the approached the city Chignik Bay.


village clean, the tribal and city council, which offered to provide 

councils passed a joint resolution to workers. Nearby villages also 

enforce a no dumping or littering expressed interest in participating 

ordinance in subsistence and recre- and promised to deliver cars to the 

ational areas. barge. Unfortunately, these villages 

were unable to find volunteers to Galena (Louden) Village move the cars and lacked funding to 

Carole Holley, environmental pro- hire workers. Despite a disappointing 

gram director for the Louden Tribal turnout from surrounding communiCouncil, also organized an ambitious ties, more than 40 junk cars were 

junk car removal project, supple- removed from Galena and the project 

menting IGAP funding with free was considered successful. When Ms. 

services. She contacted Captain Holley organizes another cleanup 

Moore of Yutana Barge Lines and event, she plans to help neighboring 

asked him to haul the cars from her villages obtain IGAP funding for it. 

community to Nenana for free. 

Captain Moore’s barge company was Kokhanok Village 

involved in an illegal dumping law While the village of Chignik Bay 

suit in the late 1990s and agreed to and Louden Village relied on IGAP 

provide free back-hauling services for funding and free services to comvillages as part of the settlement. plete cleanup projects, Kokhanok 

Captain Moore committed to the Village used an Alaska Native 

junk car removal project immediate- Health Board (ANHB) solid waste 

management grant. 

Kokhanok hired 20 residents to move 50 truckloads of broken 

appliances, cars, snow 

machines, and other 

items from the village to 

the dump. During the 

cleanup, workers built 

storage boxes for batteries; burned waste oil; and 

collected pipes, wires, 

and drums at central 

locations. School Kokhanok’s HAZWOPER team removes batteries children contributed to and other hazardous materials. 

the effort by cleaning up 

around the village. 

At first the cleanup proje

Kokhanok produced mix

tions. Some of the elders 

the abandoned items wer

sions of themselves and r

cleanup, but they were im

with the results—they fe

St. Paul Island 

Like Kokhanok Village, S

Island located funding to 

ment its IGAP grant. At 

the residents of St. Paul I

55-gallon oil drums as ga

Frequently, the open drum

over, allowing foxes, seag

stray cats to strew waste t

the village. The Alaska I

Council provided St. Pau

with money to build sturd

containers and replace th

After completing the new 

ers, environmental plann

community cleanups to g

island a makeover. 

In addition to cleaning u

pal solid waste, St. Paul I

led a marine debris probl

year, tons of derelict fishi

wash up on the island’s sh

tering beaches and trappi

wildlife. In 2003, workers 

25,000 pounds of marine 

shipped it to a mainland 
Local Alliances 

In most Alaska Native villages, two 

distinct governing bodies—the tribal 

council and the city council—determine the fate of the community. 

Tribal and city councils can work 

synergistically to plan, fund, and erning bodies don’t always agree, but 

ggg

nect and overlap. Like the Haida figures, these villages are forming connections 

with other villages, businesses, and governments. Many Alaska Native villages 

recognize that some partnerships can produce benefits. 

While environmental planners on Prince of Wales Island answer to different tribal 

councils, they believe that partnerships are a source of support and call each other 

frequently to share ideas. In addition to providing inspiration, partnerships helped 

the villages we interviewed access funding, free labor, and technical assistance. 

From creating local alliances to building relationships with federal officials, these 

villages are reaching out and reaping rewards. 

planner for the Louden Tribal 

Council, cultivated a relationship 

with the facilities manager for the 

city. As a result, the tribal and city 

councils are working to integrate 

environmental protection into solid 

waste management. The two gov

staff solid waste programs. For example, the tribal and city councils of 

St. Paul Island are working to create 

a sustainable recycling program. The 

tribe won grants for storage containers, balers, and other recycling 

equipment and would like the city 

to provide funding to collect materials and maintain the equipment. 

In Galena Village, city employees 

collect waste from residents and staff 

a landfill, but the 

open communication enables them 

to sort through differences and reach 

consensus. 

In addition to reaching out to the 

city council, tribal environmental 

planners can build relationships 

with individual villagers and ask 

them to volunteer expertise or time 

to solid waste management programs. When Patricia Warren, of 

Chilkat Indian 

Village, decided to Louden Tribal establish a recycling Council is responsi- center in an old fire­ ble for environ- house, student volun­ mental protection. teers provided free Carole Holley, labor for the project. environmental 

The students helped paint th

ing and set up containers for 

ble materials. Villages on Prin

Wales Island rely on voluntee

assist with cleanup events. 

Tribal environmental planner

also cultivate local alliances b

cating the community about 

programs. Patricia Warren is p

that this strategy works—she 

became so excited about envi

mental issues that she decided 

serve her village as an Americ

volunteer. Each year, the Rur

Alaska Community Action P

uses a grant from Americorps 

25 individuals from Alaska N
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

Paula Peterson, environmental draft IGAP grant work plans and planner for the Organized Village of apply for additional grants. In the Kasaan, believes that partnerships future, she would like members to
 with other villages can supple- pool their resources and ship
 ment local expertise and waste out of the region.
 resources. Prince of


Wales Island is home to Private Partnerships 


four tribal communi- Pay Off


ties—Klawock,


Hydaburg, Craig, and Several of the villages we


Kasaan. In 2000, these vil- interviewed convinced busi­


lages formed the Prince Kasaan TEC nesses to donate goods or


of Wales Tribal services by reminding them


Environmental Coalition to coordi- that benevolent activities can boost


nate efforts between their EPA- corporate image and attract new


funded environmental departments. customers. When the Prince of


In an early victory, the coalition Wales Tribal Environmental


convinced the Alaska Inter-Tribal Coalition organized an Earth Day


Council to reverse a decision to fair, local businesses agreed to


exclude Kasaan from an Integrated donate gifts and prizes for students. 


Solid Waste Systems Project Grant. When Carole Holley organized the


Originally, the council awarded junk car cleanup for Yukon-Koyukuk


funding to Klawock, Hydaburg, and Environmental Consortium villages,


Craig, but not Kasaan. According to she asked Captain Moore of Yutana


Ms. Peterson, “Representatives from Barge Lines to provide free hauling


Klawock, Hydaburg, and Craig real- service from Galena to Nenana.


ized that their own villages would Captain Moore agreed and suggested


receive less funding if the Alaska that Ms. Holley call the Alaska


Inter-Tribal Council provided fund- Railroad Corporation and ask them


to transport the cars 

from Nenana to 

Anchorage. According 

to Ms. Holley, “We told 

the railroad service that 

Yutana was back-hauling 

the cars for free and the 

company agreed to help 

out. In the end, we 

removed between 40 

and 50 cars from the 

villages!” 

If they have extra space, 

services and airlines will 

waste or recyclable mater

free. Alaskans for Litter P

and Recycling (ALPAR) 

a “Flying Cans” program 

matches villages with air

volunteer to transport alu

cans to Anchorage. Gale

pates in this program. 

Cashing in on Gov

Connections 

Raven Sheldon of Selawi

villages to build a networ

ernment contacts by appr

state and federal officials 

sessions and conferences. 

can demonstrate that the

mitted to pursuing solutio

keeping in touch with th

uals. Networking paid off 

Selawik. Mr. Sheldon cul

relationship with Joe Sar

EPA, who eventually hel

Selawik obtain funding fr

sources. 

Chignik Bay’s environmen

nator, Jeanette Carlson, m

contact with EPA that he

her informed of changes in 

funding. When tribes beca

to use IGAP funds for pro

mentation, Ms. Carlson’s 

tact let her know immedia

Chignik Bay diverted mon

cleanup project. 

Entrance to the Klawock Transfer Station. 
such consortiums, she sees a viable way for the tribes to achieve regional waste management goals whi

maintaining their sovereignty. 

Recognizing it will not be easy to 

eliminate burning, Ms. Holley is 

counting on cooperation and partnerships to make back-hauling 

waste possible. “I really think that 

by working with neighboring vil-­

lages, the Alaska Department of 

Environmental Conservation 

(DEC), and federal agencies that 

Alaska Native villages can find a 

solution to this problem,” says Ms. 

Holley. 

To date, Ms. Holley, representing 

the Yukon-Koyukuk Environmental 

Consortium, has successfully negoti-­

ated one such agreement with 

Captain Moore of Yutana Barge 

Lines. Under this agreement, 

Captain Moore back-hauls junk 

cars, snow machines, old boats, 

refrigerators, and other large items 

collected from Galena 

In the meantime, Ms. Holley is edu-­

cating leaders in the Louden Tribal 

and Galena City Councils about the 

harmful effects of burning wastes. 

She is concerned that her village 

and other villages are deciding to 

burn without fully 

what to do about it. 

Patricia Warren, environmen

planner for Chilkat Indian V

elaborates about the decision 

Native villagers face: “If we d

burn our waste, dogs, 

foxes, flies, rats, an

understanding its animals get into it 

impacts upon their carry diseases to th

health and wel- lage. We have to c

fare. This problem between the lesser 

is exacerbated, she evils—dioxin emis

asserts, “by gov- disease carrying ve

ernment-spon-­

sored grant Chilkat Indian Village When educating L

programs that offer


villages grants to purchase burn


boxes and provide technical assis-­


tance to help them burn.”


Bill Stokes of the Alaska DEC’s 

Rural Issues Program, understands 

Ms. Holley’s concern. He 

Tribal officials abo

burning, Ms. Holley used an 

mational approach. She poin

the link between burning tra

the emissions of the group of 

chemicals known as persisten

organic pollutants (POPs). 

Previously, tribal council and 

village leaders expressed conc

about POPs in a letter they w

support the Kyoto Protocol. P

also referred to as persistent, 

cumulative, and toxic polluta

(PBTs), are highly toxic chem

that do not break down in th

ronment. 

By tying her message about th

harmful impacts of burning w

POPs, climate change, and th

and five neighboring believes that controlled 

villages once a year. burning of waste is a 

viable and effective vol- Expanding this pro- ume reduction approach, gram requires fund- but he cautions: “It is not ing, but that is hard free.” When he visits a to come by, says Ms. village that is currently Holley. Without it,


she explains, “we have burning its waste or con-


to rely on companies and individu- sidering this approach, he explains


als to sympathize with our situation	 that burning waste creates and emits 

dioxins and numerous other dangerous pollutants, but lets them decide and donate services.” 

Galena Village 
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

lead, mercury, hexachlorobenzene, 

and dioxins. These pollutants can 

cause immediate and long-term 

damage to the lungs, nervous system, kidneys, or liver. Children, the 

elderly, and those with preexisting 

respiratory conditions are often 

affected the most. 

Dioxins are some of the most toxic 

chemicals produced by open burning of household waste. They accumulate in the food chain, are toxic 

at extremely low levels, and are 

linked to several health problems, 

including cancer and developmental and reproductive disorders. 

For more information on the 

health and environmental hazards 

of burning waste, including dioxins, visit EPA’s Backyard Burning 

Web site at <www.epa.gov/ 

msw/backyard/>. 

Adapted from EPA’s Tribal Leaders 

Are Key to Reducing Backyard 

Burning (EPA530-F-03- 016). 

city burns household waste in 

piles at its Class III permitted 

landfill and burns medical waste 

behind the clinic, which is locat-­

ed next to the public school. Ms. 

Holley believes she has made 

some progress in reaching city 

officials. While the city believes it 

needs to continue burning waste 

to reduce the volume of trash, 

certain materials, such as plastics, 

are being separated and not 

burned. The city has told Ms. 

Holley that it will continue to 

burn waste until she comes up 

with a better solution. 

As a first step towards finding that 

solution, the Louden Tribal 

Council Environmental Program 

is building a waste transfer sta-­

tion. In 2001, the village received 

grants from the Alaska Native 

Health Board, the Interagency 

Working Group Tribal Open 

Dump Cleanup Program, and the 

Alaska Inter-Tribal Council 

Integrated Solid Waste Systems 

Project to plan, build, and equip a 

transfer station. The transfer sta-­

tion will house recycling opera-­

tions and a new compacting 

dumpster. The compacting dumpster reduces the volume of waste 

and alleviates some of the need 

for burning waste at the landfill. 

It will also play a crucial role in 

future waste back-hauling by com-­

pacting waste to facilitate han-­

dling and shipping. 

The village currently re

aluminum cans through 

(Alaskans for Litter Pre

and Recycling’s) Flying 

gram, a statewide back-

program. Ms. Holley is 

ing ways to expand the 

recycling efforts beyond 

cans. She has particular

hopes for recycling corr

cardboard, which comp

60 percent of the villag

stream. 

While she realizes she h

work cut out for her, M

remains optimistic that 

hauling can become a v

solution to Alaska Nati

waste management pro

“There must be a way,” 

“When you stop trying

going to find a solution
like navigating uncharted waters. That’s wh

Andrew, president of the Kokhanok Villag

Council (KVC), discovered when he deci

pursue a customized approach to teach

used “real life examples taken from our 

people, village sites, problems, and his

The KVC had decided to focus on 

educating children because it recog-­

nized that any money spent on 

cleanups and other environmental 

improvements would be wasted 

unless the next generation understood how the village’s growth and 

development had affected its envi-­

ronment and learned safer disposal 

practices. “We must impart our 

knowledge to future generations so 

that they don’t repeat the same mis-­

takes,” Mr. Andrews asserts. 

Like any maiden voyage, however, 

Mr. Andrew’s quest to develop a 

unique education program encoun-­

tered many difficulties. The biggest 

setback occurred when Mr. Andrew, 

fresh from college and full of “pride 

in my work and my communication 

skills,” gave young village children 

“college style lectures” on the envi-­

ronment. 

Instead of giving Mr. Andrews their 

rapt attention, he says “the kids 

became impatient, lost interest and 

just endured what I had to say” 

because their teachers were in the 

room. The school subsequently can- school kids’ environmen

celled the lectures. achievements. 

Feeling defeated and despairing, Mr. • A printing and learning 

Andrews thought about never for kids to print booklets 

teaching kids again. He eventually posters. 

realized, however, that “he had To fund its plan, Kokhanok V

nowhere to go but up.” He decided received two “small, but pote

to learn from his mistakes and $10,000 grants from the Alas

change his approach. Instead of Native Health Board. Accord

doing everything alone, he brought Mr. Andrews, small grants wo

in the KVC, Kokhanok School staff, because “they force you to de

village residents, and the students so short-term, attainable goals.” 

they could “design a program short, 4-page application was 

together.” appealing. 

Together, Mr. Andrews explains, The Kokhanok Village presi

“we took into account all of our believes that values he learne

mistakes and worked to develop a growing up as a child in this 

new type of curriculum utilizing village of 170 people helped 

many different types of education through the tough times and 

approaches for students from K-12.” model learning program for h

Besides the curriculum, the village ple. He urges others to alway

education plan includes: their goals and a sense of hig

• Student produced videos that purpose in mind so that when 

document village environmen- pointments occur, “you don’t 

tal history and progress. victimized and insignificant.” 

• An environmental fair and adds: “Be persistent and ready 

work hard!” awards ceremony to recognize 
Feature: ges for alaska Na

challen

graphical features, such as Lake 

Iliamna and animals and birds 

such as seagulls, swans, caribou, 

and seals that live in and around 

the lake, to help children understand that “we are all connected 

in a very special bond and unity” Abandoned appliances and other scrap metal collected during Kokhan

that deserves respect. cleanup. 

Each chapter of the curriculum 

examines the changes in village fuel 

use, along with solid waste, water, 

and wastewater management prac-­

tices from 1955 to the present. 

Detailed maps and diagrams show 

visually how the village has 

evolved, including who lived where 

during the various time periods, and 

what family dump they used. 

The curriculum is also filled with 

terms like “culvert” and “chlorine 

test,” but they are explained in sim-­

ple language, and the concepts are 

driven home by diagrams of how, in 

this case, water flows through the 

village—from source to sewers. 

Drawing on his love of anthropolo-­

gy, Mr. Andrews peppers the techni-­

cal material with anecdotes and 

stories from elders so that young vil-­

lage children understand traditional 

culture and values. For instance, for 

years, families got water from Lake 

Iliamna in the winter by boring 

holes into five feet of ice and “pack-­

ing” it in 2 five gallon buckets. The 

lake in winter served not only as a 

source of physical sustenance, but as 

a meeting place as well, much like 

the coffeehouses of today. 

However, village elders assert that 

“self-reliance in providing water for 

ourselves” ended in 1996 when the 

IHS installed a modern water supply 

system, and brought in a core of 

qualified personnel to operate and 

maintain it. “Gone were the days of 

water holes, packing water, socializ-­

ing, frozen water buckets...knowing 

who lit their steam baths on certain 

days and watching who and when 

anyone would go out to chop a hole 

in the ice,” the elders lament. 

It is village culture and h

as this that Mr. Andrews 

hard to see come to light

through his persistence, v

hard work, he’s been able 

something equally as ama

children’s eyes “light up” 

look at the maps and hea

their village history. 
Publications 

Alaska Department of Environmental 

Conservation, Rural Issues Program. 

7 Generations: Addressing Village 

Environmental Issues for the Future 

Generations of Rural Alaska. March 

1999. <www.state.ak.us/local/ 

akpages/ENV.CONSERV/dsps/ 

compasst/7generations/7gen.htm>

Or call 800 510-2332. 

Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB). 

Solid Waste Management & 

Planning for Rural Communities in 

Alaska: Community Resource Guide 

& Planning Workbook. Draft 2003. 

Available soon from ANHB. 

Central Council of Tlingit and Haida 

Indian Tribes of Alaska. A Guide to 

Closing Solid Waste Disposal Sites in 

Alaska Villages. July 2001. 

<www.zender-engr.net> 

Napoleon, Harold. Yuuyaraq: The 

Way of the Human Being. Fairbanks: 

University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Center 

for Cross Cultural Studies, 1991. 

The Rural Alaska Community Action 

Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP), Rural 

Alaska Village Environmental 

Network (RAVEN) AmeriCorps 

Program. Savin’ Raven Game and 

Educational Kit. To order a copy, contact Ellen Kazary, RurAL CAP 

Environmental Program Coordinator, at 

907 279-2511 or 

<ekazary@ruralcap.com>. 

U.S. EPA. Tribal Decision-Maker’s 

Guide to Solid Waste Management. 

EPA530-R-03-013. November 2003. 

<www.epa.gov/tribalmsw> 

U.S. EPA. The Decision-Maker’s 

Guide to Solid Waste Management, 

Second Edition. EPA530-R-95-023. 

August 1995. <www.epa.gov/ 

epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/dmg2.htm> 

U.S. EPA. Tribal Leaders are Key to 

Reducing Backyard Burning. 

EPA530-F-03-016. August 2003. 

<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/ 

non-hw/muncpl/backyard/pubs.htm> 

U.S. EPA. Reducing Backyard 

Burning in Indian Country. 

EPA530-F-03-017. August 2003. 

<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/ 

non-hw/muncpl/backyard/pubs.htm> 

U.S. EPA. Site Specific Flexibility 

Requests for Municipal Solid Waste 

Landfills In Indian Country, Draft 

Guidance. EPA530-R-97-016. 

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

muncpl/landfill/indian/siteflex.pdf> 

U.S. EPA. Waste Transfer Stations: 

A Manual for Decision-Making. 

EPA530-R-02-002. June 2002. 

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

muncpl/pubs/r02002.pdf> 

U.S. EPA. Tribal Waste Journal: Issue 

1, “Respect Our Resources: Prevent 

Illegal Dumping.” EPA530-N-02-001. 

May 2002. <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/ 

non-hw/tribal/pdftxt/twj-1.pdf>

U.S. EPA. Tribal Waste Journal: Issue 

2, “Against All Odds: Transfer Station 

Triumphs.” EPA530-N-03-003. May 

2003. <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/ 

non-hw/tribal/pdftxt/twj-2.pdf> 

U.S. Office of Technology 

Assessment. An Alaskan Chall

Native Village Sanitation. OTA

591. May 1994. <www.wws.pr

ton.edu/~ota/ns20/alpha_f.htm

Zender Environmental Service

Left Out in the Cold: Solid Wa

Management and the Risks to 

Resident Health in Native Villa

Alaska. 2001. <www.zender-en

Zender Environmental Service

Making Your Dump Safer For 

And Your Community: An 

Operator’s Workbook: WOW 

Information Sheet #7. 2002. 

<www.zender-engr.net> 

Web Sites 

Alaska Department of Environ

Conservation, The Division of 

and Water Quality’s Open Bu

Information Web page 

<www.state.ak.us/local/akpage

CONSERV/dawq/aqi/openbur

Central Council of Tlingit and 

Indian Tribes of Alaska, Solid 

Alaska Network (SWAN). 

<www.ccthita-swan.org>

U.S. EPA. Backyard Burning W

page. <www.epa.gov/msw/bac

U.S. EPA. Waste Management 

Indian Country. 

<www.epa.gov/tribalmsw> 

U.S. EPA Region 10 Tribal Off

Home page. 

<yosemite.epa.gov/r10/tribal.N

webpage/tribal+office+homep

opendocument> 
Village of Chignik Bay 

Jeannette Carlson 

Environmental Coordinator 

907 749-2481 

jcar205840@aol.com

Chilkat Indian Village (Chilkat 

Village of Klukwan) 

Patricia Warren 

Environmental Planner 

907 767-5505 

igap@wytbear.com

Klawock Cooperative Association 

Klawock


Ann Wyatt


Environmental Planner


907 755-2265


klwepd@aptalaska.net

Organized Village of Kasaan 

Paula Peterson 

Environmental Planner 

907 5423008. 

paulakayne@hotmail.com

Hydaburg Cooperative Association 

Cherlyn Holter 

907 285-3660 

epajada@yahoo.com 

Kokhanok Village Council 

Roy Andrew


President/Environmental Coordinator


907 282-2325


royaepa@aol.com

Louden Tribal Council (Galena) 

Carole Holley


Environmental Program Director


907 656-1711


muck21@hotmail.com 


Native Village of Selawik 

Raven Sheldon 

Environmental Director 

907 484-2006 

rpsheldon@maniilaq.org

St. Paul Island 

Phillip Zavadil 

Co-Director 

907 546-2641 

pazavadil@tdxak.com

Aquilina Lestenkof 

Co-Director 

907 546-2641 

aquilina@tdxak.com

Alaska Department of Environmental 

Conservation, Rural Issues 

Bill Stokes


Environmental Specialist


907 269-7580


sevengenerations@nat.com 

Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB) 

Rural Alaska Sanitation Coalition/Solid


Waste Management


Jacqueline Agnew


Project Manager


907 743-6119


jagnew@anhb.org

The Rural Alaska Commu

Program, Inc., (RurAL CA

Rural Alaska Village Enviro

Network (RAVEN) AmeriC

Program


Brian Connors 


Community Service Direc

907 279-2511 


bconnors@ruralcap.com


Ellen Kazary


Environmental Program Co

907 279-2511


ekazary@ruralcap.com

Association of Village Cou

Presidents (AVCP) 

Rosalie Kalistook 

Environmental Planner 

907 543-7300 

rkalistook@avcp.org

U.S. EPA Region 10—Alas

Operations Office 

Jean Gamache


Tribal Coordinator


907 271-6558


gamache.jean@epa.gov


Joseph Sarcone 


Rural Sanitation Program C

907 271-1316


sarcone.joseph@epa.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>. 
Meet Lulu the Landfill Lady. She 

calls the St. Paul Island landfill 

home. Lulu, also known as 

Aquilina Lestenkof, was created 

for the St. Paul Island Ecosystem 

Conservation Office’s household 

hazardous waste (HHW) collec-­

tion event. Ms. Lestenkof transformed into Lulu by pulling on 

orange and black-striped socks 

and pairing an old flannel shirt 

with a floral skirt. She also 

accessorized, draping a string of 

Christmas lights around her 

neck, adding a gaudy hat with 

pink flowers, and tying a mesh 

bag to a rope around her waste. 

After residents dropped off drain 

cleaner, batteries, and other haz-­

ardous items at the collection 

event, Ms. Lestenkof offered to 

take them on a tour of the local 

landfill, leading interested chil-­

dren and adults onto a school 

bus destined for the dump. 

Young children eyed Lestenkof 

suspiciously, recognizing her face, 

but not her clothes. During the 

ride to the landfill, she talked 

fondly of her home among debris 

and many children began to 

believe that she was really Lulu. 

At the landfill, Lestenkof 

described proper waste disposal 

practices and explained where 

waste goes on St. Paul Island. 

She spiced up the tour by 

referring to specific piles of 

debris as her “kitchen” 

or “bedroom.” Back on 

the bus, she chal-­

lenged children to 

think of waste 

reduction tech-­

niques, including 

reuse and recycling. 

As Lulu, she also 

bestowed buckets of 

“green” cleaning supplies to a few lucky pas-­

sengers. The buckets 

contained vinegar, bak-­

ing soda, and other 

alternatives to harsh 

cleaning products, 

which can contaminate 

local water supplies if 

disposed of improperly. 

december 2003 ✄

Landfill Lady 

Lulu the 
trash art display as some of the 

children used recyclable materials 

in collages and sculptures. 

After the 

trashion show, 

students 

admired Earth 

Day logos 

designed for 

the event and 

participated in a poetry contest. 

They also strolled to tables 

staffed by representatives from 

the U.S. Forest Service, the 

Alaska Department of 

Conservation, and the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game, 

where they received information 

about environmental issues and 

learned how to crochet backpacks, handbags, bath mats, bas


kets, and other items out of plas


tic bags. Students from the 

Organized Village of Kasaan 

talked about their red worm com


posting project. They feed food 

scraps to a bin full of red wig


glers that process the organic 

material into nutrient-rich com


post and sell small bags of the 

final product to community 

members. 

is limited. By compacting materials, 

villages can ship more recyclable 

items. For some villages, recycling is 

not logistically or economically fea-­

sible, but landfill space is at a premi-­

um. Compacting can reduce the 

volume of waste and provide an 

alternative to burning. 

After introducing the concept of 

simple machines such as levers and 

pulleys, teachers can collect rope, 

wire, hinges, screws, nails, wood 

scraps, bricks, blocks, and other 

materials and ask students to design a 

can crusher with them. Before beginning the construction phase, students 

y 

able to explain how the m

work. Under adult superv

construction phase can pr

when the students are fini

testing phase can stimulat

sion of waste volume redu

options available to villag

For additional information 

activity, visit <www.epa.go

osw/kids/quest/pdf/31crush

order a free copy of The Q

Less: Activities and Resourc

Teaching K-6 (EPA530-R-0

from EPA’s RCRA Call Ce

800 424-9346 or 703 412-

Savin’ Raven 

Be the first to experience the 

excitement of RurAL CAP’s 

Savin’ Raven game. This colorful board game is popular in 

schools, community halls, and 

homes throughout rural Alaska. 

Savin’ Raven inspires children to 

educational pos

ty books and cu

Discovering 

Salmon fo

the li

and c

signific

discuss waste management issues 

affecting their communities. 

The board includes nine destination 

sites, ranging from a dump to a com-­

munity recycling center, spread 

across a map of Alaska. Players race 

to dispose of items such as styrofoam 

packing peanuts and used oil at the 

proper site. Along the way, they 

learn about environmental hazards 

and answer questions about solid 

waste management. 

Rural CAP also distributes an 

educational kit that includes videos, 

salmon. The tea

guides also contain inform

activities tailored to child

rural Alaska. One exercis

example, involves intervi

ers to obtain information 

waste management practi

Rural CAP provides Savi

and the educational kit to 

educators for free. To orde

contact Ellen Kazary, Rur

Environmental Program 

Coordinator, at 907 279-2

<ekazary@ruralcap.com>.