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Managing A Tribal Transfer Station:

Managing A Tribal Transfer Station:. A Pyramid Lake Case Study Presented by John Mosley Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Environmental Director. Background For PLPT Reservation. Area - 477,000 acres 2400 Members, ~2200 residents 650 Tons of Solid Waste Per Year

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Managing A Tribal Transfer Station:

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  1. Managing A Tribal Transfer Station: A Pyramid Lake Case Study Presented by John Mosley Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Environmental Director

  2. Background For PLPT Reservation • Area - 477,000 acres • 2400 Members, ~2200 residents • 650 Tons of Solid Waste Per Year • 3 Separate Communities, ~15miles apart • 3 Separate Waste Pools • Open Dumps (aka “The Dump”…) • AKA “Macy’s” • Burning Waste • Medical Waste • Dead Animals • No laws?!!!

  3. Why is Trash a Problem? • Cultural ways remained unchanged for millennia • Green living & Zero waste were necessities • Migration • Culture clash with Western World • Western culture is wasteful • After hundreds of years, Tribes still struggle to change • Economically, its difficult for change to occur • Lack of education • Western ways bring Western problems • Per capita, 2.3 lbs/yr vs. US 4.6 lbs/yr avg.

  4. Dumps: Characterization • Examples of different types of DUMPS…

  5. Old Dumps

  6. Junk Dumps

  7. Burning Dumps

  8. Oil Dumps

  9. Big Dumps

  10. Tire Dumps

  11. New Dumps

  12. Picture of My Dog

  13. Behind People’s Homes Dumps

  14. Off Reservation Dumps

  15. Nixon Dump BEFORE

  16. Nixon Dump BEFORE

  17. Nixon Dump AFTER

  18. Nixon Dump AFTER

  19. Conclusion • Pyramid Lake needs a waste management sol’n • Grant funding helps to clean up waste • and to build a transfer station • Once facilities are constructed, the Tribe has to pay for O&M • A utility board is formed to help advise Council • Board sets rates and fees to become self-sufficient • Other options? Waste companies will service two of the three communities (not many options) • PLPT Solid Waste Department is created • Equipment procured through surplus

  20. Transfer Stations • 3 for each community • Designated hours of operation • Special waste drop off areas • Raised earth with concrete reinforcement • Fenced with chain-link and barbed wire top • Safe and secure site • SORT OF…!!

  21. Additional Considerations • Who will man the site? • Costs of contracting to haul waste off site • Vandalism • Honoring the hours of operation • Large waste or unacceptable waste • Recycling • Payment for use • Enforcement • Use by outsiders • Use by Tribal Members who charge for collection • Maintaining Billing and getting people to pay

  22. Pyramid Lake Solutions • Created Department and Staff positions • Used Grants to get large equipment or procured surplus equipment • Managed waste self-sufficiently • Created curbside program • Billing for curbside AND TS as one charge • Moved SW and DW under Indirect Cost • Familiarity and convenience with curbside • Create commercial accounts to increase revenues • OUTREACH & EDUCATION!!!!!!

  23. PL – Solutions Cont’d • Discouraged use of transfer sites • Management of Transfer Stations is a full-time job, Environmental liability • Decision was made to move to Curbside pick-up • Keeps residents from not throwing away too much • Convenient for Elderly and Disabled • Helps with Billing enforcement • Created ISWMP (RCRA Funded) • Taking more commercial accounts (to ^ revenues) • Working with State and County for enforcement • Partnering with Contractors to share facility use

  24. RCRA – Change is Needed • Resource Conservation Recovery Act • Named Tribes as “Municipalities” in authority • Challenged in Court (EPA permit for Campo Tribe) • BACKCOUNTRY AGAINST DUMPS and Donna Tisdale, Petitioners, v. USEPA, Respondent, Muht-Hei, Inc., et al., Intervenors. • Court ruled in favor of challengers • Tribes have TAS in other laws (CWA, CAA) • We must get Tribal Chairs, Councils, Congressmen and NCAI to be aware and advocate for change! • TAS is an important authority Tribes need as Sovereign Nations

  25. Questions? Discussion? • Talky talk time.

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