The Plan
Section I
Issues of Concern
Concern #1
Concern #2
Concern #3
Concern #4
Concern #5
Concern #6
Concern #7
Concern #8
Section II
Grants
Sky
Article
Earth
Codes
Law
Water
Resources
Law
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The purpose of this Tribal Environmental Plan (TEP) is to outline tribally identified environmental and
public health concerns, set priorities, and forge comprehensive solutions for future years. Our community
needs a holistic environmental approach linking together public and private stakeholders to work toward
achieving long-term ecosystem health.
The information in this TEP will assist Santa Rosa Rancheria and EPA to target its resources to support
tribal environmental program development.
Environmental Concerns
The Plan
Section I
Issue of Concern #1
Solid Waste Management Protection Policies
Santa Rosa Rancheria has good waste disposal from the Western Waste Company. Past methods of disposal were necessary in the past but now we need to plan for the future. We can reduce the amount of Solid Waste. We can recycle. With a Solid Waste Management Plan and Codes and Ordinances we can help solve the Solid Waste problems in our country.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Remove the dump
- Prevent inappropriate dumping
- Develop a Recycling Center
- Develop Solid Waste Plan, including solid waste pickup and recycling program.
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal community
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- Staff for Recycling
3. Action Required
- Report dump site to the Indian Health Service
- Report dump site to Environmental Protection Agency
- Report dump site to Bureau of Indian Affairs
- The IHS, EPA, and BIA together can remove the dump site.
- Do a cost study to determine if it would be a good idea to do our own solid waste pickup, and recycling.
- Gain community support for this project before beginning.
- Apply for assistance to start a Recycling center
- Develop Codes and Ordinances
4. Projected Assistance from EPA, ITC, IHS, BIA and others:
- Technical/training
- Training in solid waste management
- Training for Recycling programs
- pollution prevention training
- Training in general environmental programs
Soil quality (toxic salt levels)
We have some of the poorest land in the valley. We have about 1,100 acres of land to farm and it is high in salts and alkali. Water is high in demand and the irrigation wells and pumps are old and in disrepair. A direct plan of action needs to be developed.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- To farm approximately 1,100 acres
- To complete a plan of action to restore and correct the soil structure
- Acquire equipment needed to farm
- Acquire expertise for "best management practices"
- Proper irrigation
2. Key Personnel
- Farm Foreman and staff
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- USDA, Consultants, local farmers, and local farm AG meetings
3. Action Required
- Decide and list the equipment needed, and maintenance schedule
- Develop a plan of action schedule for each crop
- Train workers in agriculture practices
- List of experts, and suppliers
- Implement irrigation for crops
- Develop complete Resource Management Systems
4. Projected Assistance from EPA, USDA and others
- Technical/training
- Development of Resource Management Systems
- Pesticide Management
- Pollution prevention training
- Training in general environmental conservation.
Surface/Groundwater quality and quantity Protection Policies
We need to define our practical irigable acreage (PIA) water resources need to be determined. We need to define our water needs for now. We need to define our water needs for the future. What is the quality and quantity of our Groundwater? Can we secure more water through water rights disputes?
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Chart the quality and quantity of all water
- Settle all water rights disputes
- Codes and ordinances protecting our water
- Complete a Storm Water Plan
- Proper irrigation and water conservation practices
- Set buffer around the wetlands area (slough)
2. Key Personnel
- Farm Foreman and staff
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- USDA, Consultants, local farmers, and local farm AG meetings
- Last Chance Ditch
- Government, state, county, local, agencies and GIS information
- Universities and colleges
3. Action Required
- Use 106 grant to develop a water information bank.
- Train workers in agriculture practices to prevent point source pollution.
- Develop and implement codes and ordinances protecting our water
- Develop a GIS mapping system to chart all water information.
- Equipment and technology
- Develop an Emergency Response Plan and team.
- Develop a Groundwater and Pesticide Plan.
- Develop a wetlands buffer ordinance/protection for our wetlands.
4. Projected Assistance from EPA, IHS, USDA and others
- Technical/training
- Surface water training
- Ground water and Pesticide Management
- Watershed Academy
- Training in general environmental programs
- Emergency Response
- Underground Storage tanks
Soil contamination by toxic substances Policies
If any vehicle dumps a hazardous substance on our land, by accident or on purpose we need to have a plan of action that will clean up the spill. We need a plan of action that places the cost of clean-up on the responsible party.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Keep and inventory of any substances that can harm the soil if spilled.
- Complete a plan of action to insure that harmful substances will not be spilled.
- Put in place a clean up plan to insure quick and complete action to minimize and clean up areas that spills have occurred.
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- All users of products that can be harmful to the soil.
3. Action Required
- Create a Chemical Emergency Response Notification Plan
- Decide and list the equipment needed, and maintenance schedule if spill occurs.
- Inventory all substances, including MSDS
- Insure proper spill containment for all liquid contaminates such as oil, fuel ect.
- Train workers/staff on reporting spill procedures
- Work with fire department and local response agencies in Kings County.
4. Projected Assistance from EPA
- Pollution prevention training
- Training Chemical Emergency Response
- Safety and Hazardous Material certification
Drinking water quality Policies
We need to follow the guidelines of the Safe Drinking Water Act. to ensure that our water is good. We need our own policies and procedure, and Codes and Ordinances to protect our water. We need to report to the community a report on the water quality.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Chart the quality and quantity of all water for future water needs using GIS
- Explore new systems for improving he secondary quality of drinking water i.e. ozonation/etc.
- Settle all ground water rights disputes
- Use Codes and ordinances to protecting our water quality and quantity
- Report to the community the quality of water for each water well.
- Insure proper water conservation practices
- Insure proper drinking water testing procedures in accordance with Federal Guidelines.
- Develop Santa Rosa Rancheria guidelines, policies and procedures.
- Insure a residue chlorine reaches to the entire water system to combat coliform bacteria.
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal council & administrator
- Wastewater treatment operator
- IHS & EPA
- Tribal environmental staff
- Government, NACD USDA, state, county, local, agencies and GIS information
- Universities and colleges
3. Action Required
- Use 106 grant to develop a water information bank.
- Develop a report for the community
- Develop and implement codes and ordinances protecting our water
- Develop a GIS mapping system to chart all water information and well head protection.
- Plan for future (10 year) plan for effective drinking water delivery
- Test for a chlorine residual in the drinking water system.
4. Projected Assistance from EPA, IHS and RCAC:
- Technical/training from EPA and RCAC
- Drinking water Tribal Set-Aside Grants
- Community outreach for protecting drinking water resources using UDSA education services and other training materials
Issue of concern #6
Air quality protection Policies
What is in the air we breath? We need to monitor the quality of our air.If our air quality changes we need to detect it and find the source of contamination and stop the pollution. We need to build up an information bank that documents the quality of our air so our facts can be used as evidence in court. If we monitor our own air we will have a much larger vote when or if a large air polluter wants to locate near us. Our community needs to control what we put in the air. We need our own codes and ordinance.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Investigate the air quality at Santa Rosa Rancheria, for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of the national standards, in Clean Air Act.
- Establish a Air Quality Monitoring Station.
- Use Codes and ordinances to protecting our air quality.
- Establish a burn policy.
- Establish Permits and guidelines for source polluters.
- Settle the credits purchase understanding
- Comment on any new source polluters that have an impact here.
- Do an emissions inventory post information with GIS
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- Tribes, Government, state, county, local, agencies and GIS/web information
- Universities and colleges
3. Action Required
- Establish a burn policy in the community
- Complete an Clean Air Act Grant from §105 application.
- Establish information on all criteria pollutants
- Develop and implement codes and ordinances protecting our air.
- Develop a GIS mapping system to chart all air pollutant sources
- Develop a Air Monitoring station, once established, our comments on future source pollutes will have much more weight.
4. Projected Assistance from EPA
- Technical/training from EPA and ITEP
- 105 grant, to assist in planning developing, establishing, improving, and maintaining air quality.
- Community outreach for protecting drinking water resources.
Dog immunization/licencing programs and Policies
Our pets that roam free can get in all kinds of situations and get all kinds of disease. We need to take care of our pets. The new fencing is helping a lot by keeping the pets at home. We need to protect our community from pets that are not properly taken care of.
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Disease free pets
- Pass a leash law.
- Loose animals prevention, security involvement
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- IHS, local authorities/security
3. Action Required
- Fences for yards
- Develop a leash law
- Gain community support
- Train security to keep an eye out for which dogs are running loose, are they stray?
- Develop and promote an immunization program which is easy for the community to follow and healthy for the dogs.
4. Projected Assistance from local county and community:
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff IHS
- IHS & Local dog pound
- Army Veterinary at NAS Lemoore
Culturally significant plants
Plants and there uses have been taught through the generations. Can we grow and tend to the plants we know and care so much for?
1. Recommendations (desired results in 3-5 years)
- Restore Cultural Plants for gathering
- Pass Codes and Ordinances protecting the Culture
- Tending training for tribal members.
2. Key Personnel
- Tribal council & administrator
- Tribal environmental staff
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Tribal Members
3. Action Required
- Plant culturally significant plants.
- Gather a list of important plants
- Gain community support
- Protect gathers by using an active Pesticide Plan
- Join groups like the California Basket Weavers Association.
- Active Tending Program.
4. Projected Assistance from USDA
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (provide plant material and experts)
- Community funds
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