Nelson Island Special IGAP Consortium FY 06 2nd Quarterly report

1. Caninermiut/Qaaluyat-llu Nunamta Meniutengnaqllerkanun Nunam Caliarat FY 06 2nd Quarterly Report Nelson Island Special IGAP ConsortiumFY 06 2nd Quarterly report Native Villages of Chefornak, Nightmute, Newtok, Tununak, Toksook bay, Umkumiut2nd quarter report for the IGAP special project reportSubmitted by the Native Village of Chefornak

2. Objective 1: Identify what our problems are Conclusion: The fishing grounds and fishnet problem of toxins and waste pollution, an ongoing issue for the villages that utilize those resources, has been addressed. Trash and unattended nets are unsightly as well as being sources of contaminants. A plan for the fishnets has been made and is waiting approval. Also addressed in the communities was Styrofoam and its negative effects on our environment and human health. The local school has banned styrofoam from future purchases. The ban will start as soon as they order the next batch of kitchen supplies. The communities in the consortia have similar dump problems, they are too close to communities, hazardous toxins discarded in dumpsites (e.g. florescent lights, batteries, appliances, etc.) and improper disposal of food sources (inedible parts of animals disposed of on beaches, river banks, and into dumpsites). Insects, attracted by food sources, spoiling drying or hanging food also add to the food mess. An elder from Newtok also stated that he doesn’t like when people dump just anything (i.e. metals) into rivers or ponds. Usually, these problems are ignored due to little or no understanding of how toxins and improper disposal of wastes effect our environment and our health. Outcome: With the new monitor plan, we can keep track of how many nets are set through the fishnet-tag system and how often the nets are checked and how often the nets should be checked (are the fish dead after three days? After two? Etc.) With the Styrofoam ban and recycling/backhaul plans in effect, we are reducing the amount of contaminants that go into our environment.

3. Objective 2: Evaluate what we are doing that is causing these problems. • Conclusion: We have noticed that some of the fishnets are unattended and left during the whole winter, frozen underneath the ice and still catching fish. The trapped fish eventually die, contaminating the water surrounding the net. When concerned hunters see a net that is not regularly checked during the wintertime, they usually rip the net out of the water to prevent contamination if it’s frozen over, but if it isn’t frozen over, they confiscate the net and take it home. When the owner doesn’t come to get the net, they usually keep it and use the net for themselves. • The schools and businesses didn’t know about the toxins in Styrofoam products (i.e. cups, plates, bowls, etc.) and continued to purchase and use them. Since we learned about the toxins, we have educated and informed the community not to use Styrofoam products anymore. We also wrote letters to ban the use of Styrofoam. Some communities now have resolutions against using Styrofoam products. • Outcome: With these program(s) and resolution(s) in place, we reduce the amount of contaminants and toxins going into our environment.

4. Objective 3: Develop a local strategy to follow • Conclusion: The fishnet monitors plan has been sent to Nightmute/Umkumiut and Newtok, since they are the villages that are going to hire the monitors, to insure that they are appropriate for the communities. proper care of food- talk to elders, use their knowledge and wisdom to find proper disposal places for unused food parts (example: land animal remains were dumped into the river, while sea animal remains were dumped into one certain pond or dug into a certain spot on land.) A budget for the monitors was developed and discussed and hours were worked out. Text for the signs was discussed and costs research and the signs are about to be ordered. • A strategy for next years open dump grant was broached and will continue to be discussed – i.e. individual Villages applying vs. one grant to cover activities from several of the NI Villages. We are trying to determine what is the best way to request grant funds for our solid waste needs. • The backhaul projects in communities are ongoing, mainly backhauling batteries. Backhauling/recycling education is greatly helping with awareness and action, since lack of awareness is usually the reason that batteries, light bulbs, and toxins are disposed of in our dumps. • We have contacted school officials and local businesses about the dangers of Styrofoam. We will continue to follow up on these strategies/programs to make sure that they are complying to them.

5. Objective 4: Identify Regional and Local Long-term Primary Disposal Options and Costs Summary: The regional plan will be developed by our retainer consultant with community input, and the local plans will be developed by NIC staff with community input. The consultant will have already given us ballpark numbers from the start, but here they will develop more detailed budgets because they will have learned more specifics about what is possible for reducing our wastes first and how our villages work. The consultant will work with us to be sure that they are looking at options in the way that we need. The consultant is currently developing a template for each Nelson Island community to follow to help develop our local plans. We will be able to use these templates to write solid waste plans in a way that fits our culture. Elders will be used to help us develop our local plans. The consultant is also currently developing sections of the regional plan. Some of the information researched has already been used in grants that the consultant has helped us write pro-bono. Conclusion and Goal: Consultants have started this task and are continuing to work on it. Nelson Island Consortium reps have been gathering information and interviewing Elders for information to include in the local plans.

6. Objective 5: Compile a Draft Regional Working Plan for SWM • Consortia communities have interviewed elders about our environment and how it has changed from their childhood to present times. They shared their knowledge about caring for our foods and children. They noticed that we no longer respect our land, food, and each other as they used to. Verbally passing down traditional knowledge and principles is diminishing. The older generation is better taught about respecting land, food, and others than is the younger generation. Although the younger generation tries their best at working on food and keeping our land clean, their efforts are usually without the knowledge of traditional ways and principles. The plan is still under construction, still receiving input from our villages. • Outcome: This working plan for SWM will include elder knowledge about traditional principles.

7. Objective 6: Keep to Grant Requirements, Recordkeeping, Reporting, Etc. Summary: The consortium thinks that there are no grant requirements they have missed. Demonstration projects have gone underway and have been completed. We also prepare for upcoming trainings and conferences to attend to. Our lead coordinators already know what to do, and they inform the consortium where we are at in each meeting. Our consultants who are on a retainer basis are working with us in many issues, keeping us informed on upcoming trainings and conferences and assisting us when needed. The consortium believes that we are capable of managing our home work which is cleaning up our environment. Conclusion and Goals: The consortiums reports are timely and the work done by the village rep.s are turned in to the NI Coordinator in a timely manner, and they’re doing a great job keeping up with tasks, tackling them one by one. Financial status report are determined by the consortiums needs and are also recorded. We have completed our first FSR and MBE/WBE with the help an AITC circuit rider visit. (We did not know that we needed to fill these forms out prior to the circuit rider’s visit.)

8. Objective 7: Build SWM Capacity for Sustainable Safe SWM Programs and Policies • All of the Consortium villages were invited to send 1-3 people to attend the Freon removal training held in Newtok with trainer Larry Zirkle. Due to weather and snowmachine problems, Chefornak and Toksook Bay did not have trainees attend. Trainees from Nightmute were: Morgan Joe- certified, Edward Joe, and Kenny Sunny. Trainee from Tununak was Ira Menegak-certified. Newtok trainees: Dominic Charles, Joseph John Jr.- certified, Jack Charles, and Margaret Nickerson. In our April 11th teleconference, Morgan commented that although the training was short (a two year training session compressed and held in two days), they learned the basics of Freon removal. He suggested that we send the trainees to upcoming Freon trainings since they only learned the basics, he wants to gain in-depth knowledge of Freon removal and components of appliances that use Freon. Also, the Hazwoper course is available for waste technicians and anyone who wants the training. Certificates are available to those who complete the course. • Conclusion and goals: The Freon training (for example) is one way to keep our dumps safe and keep up capacity and knowledge for SWM programs and policies. The Freon removal and Hazwoper courses ensure that there are qualified people for the programs.

9. Communications between NI Villages • All of the Consortium villages meet regularly by phone to discuss the issues our communities face, to discuss grant tasks, and to inform each other of our progress. These meetings have been very successful. With the exception of weeks when there are conferences or trainings, we meet every Tuesday on the conference call line. Our calls are held in Yup’ik and are usually 1.5-3 hrs long. We now also have at least one Elder from one of our Villages on the calls to help us with decision making. • In January, our fourth Nelson Island meeting occurred in Toksook. We had a great turnout from every Village and Elders from each Village attended. Elders spoke about our trash situation and subsistence sites. We were able to use some of the meeting to help prepare for our Presentation at the Forum which was a big success (see next slide). Nelson Island staff also discussed grant tasks with the Consortium and Elders. Our retainer consultant carried out a hands-on characterization at the meeting. This really helped us understand why it’s important to get our solid waste numbers specific to our communities. This helped prepare us for the official waste characterization that will be carried out at the next NIC meeting in Nightmute. Discussion of when the Nightmute meeting should be held also took place at this meeting, but the exact date is still being decided. • As can be seen on the first slide of this report, the Nelson Island Consortium has an official logo! The logo was selected the quarter from several logos submitted. Now we use this on all of the grants we apply for, on reports and documents, and possibly on the signs we are putting up at our subsistence sites. Photos from the Toksook Consortium Meeting

10. NIC Talk at AFE • Below are photos that were printed in the Anchorage Daily News and other media sites of our Nelson Island Consortium Talk at the Forum. This talk was a huge success. We had translation headsets for the audience and the whole talk was held in Yup’ik. The event was billed as the first ever conducted in a Native language at the forum  • Channel 2 news also reported the session. We have seen the DVD of the session – at least a 2 minute piece on what the Nelson Island Consortium is about and what we’re doing.  Below are links to the stories reported. • http://www.sikunews.com/art.html?artid=906&catid=3 • http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7431884p-7342767c.html • http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=3560&z=1 • http://indianz.com/News/2006/012442.asp