DRAFT MINUTES

Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee Monthly Conference Call

February 15, 2018

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ALASKA STANDARD TIME

Dial-in Number: (641) 715-0632

Toll free: (844) 844-0065

Access Code: 993885 **MEETING LOCATION IN ANCHORAGE – WESTMARK HOTEL 720 W. 5th Ave

Attendees NTOC: Billy Maines, AK 2, Tom Robinson AK1, Chris Price AK1 Alternate, RTOC: Brian Holter Jr, AK 1, Ray Paddock AK2, Lance Whitwell AK3, Shallee Baker WWA, Sam Penney ID, Elizabeth Sanchey EWA, Noelle Saluskin EWA Alternate, Dean Adams OR
EPA: Michelle Pirzadeh, JR Herbst, Michael Ortiz, Rose Kwok, Ann Williamson, Kayla Krauss, Stacy Murphy
Presenters: Kayla Krauss, Rose Kwok, Karen Gude EPA
Attachments: Road Dust Powerpoint

Action Items:

  1. Kate Schaberg will post the following to the RTOC website and social media: WOTUS Webinar, Road Dust Presentation, Draft Minutes for Feb.
  2. Billy will forward the 5 names for the WOTUS in-person workshop to Rose Kwok asap, by Friday 2/16.
  3. Kayla Krauss will contact Kate Schaberg to arrange Alaska RTOC involvement in the review of the Road Dust Tool Kit.
  4. Carm will take care of registration for all of the RTOC members as participants (options for no fee?)
  5. Carm will email the nomination form to all RTOC members for their outreach to tribes to garner nominations as well as TELS registrations. (March 7th due date).
  6. Kate and Randi will be working on the draft March and April RTOC meeting agenda next week.
  7. Add Federal Interagency Transboundary mining workgroup update to the in-person June meeting agenda for Juneau.

Regular Monthly Conference Call

12:30 pm Call to order, Billy Maines
12:31 pm Roll call, Randi Madison
12:35 pm Approval of Minutes, Billy Maines
● Nov & Dec 2017, Jan 2018 Ray Paddock approved, Lance Whitwell seconded, no opposition, motion carried.

New Business

12:40 pm WOTUS In-Person Technical Workshop Request, Rose Kwok & Karen Gude

See Letter attached

●In the process of advanced engagement with states and tribes. Tribes have expressed to wanting to remain engaged in this process as it develops. Webinar next week Feb 20th; sent out via normal channels.
●In-person meeting set up for March 6-7th, 2018: 26 tribal participants invited to come to the meeting in DC; asked RTOCs to help identify participants. Share information, and get input and feedback re: policy direction to definitions, etc. Will be sending out a draft agenda soon.
●Seeking 3 from WA, ID, OR and 2 from AK
○Billy will forward the 5 names asap, by Friday 2/16
○Dean Adams, OR - Sam Penney, ID (tentative)
○Ray motioned for Tom and Billy to be the 2 Alaska reps, seconded by Brian Holter, all in favor, motion carried.

12:55 pm Update on Assessment of Road Dust in Alaska (see powerpoint) Kayla Krauss, Office of Air and Waste

●Assessments by ANTHC reveal road dust as one of top 3 air contaminants in Alaska
●Collaboration on research and data gathering
●Seeking input on how to better include tribes
●Working on a RARE grant (Regional Applied Research Effort program) related to chemical dust repellent and its effect on people, food and environment.
●Final phase would be field testing. Identifying additional funding sources. UAF working on application guidelines, etc.
●4 years of study revealed 46% of AK tribes listed dust as one of their Tribal Priorities
●See map re: Rural Alaska
●Rural Dust Toolkit (see slide)
●Have shared at ATCEM and Rural Providers Conference, quarterly calls w/dust workgroup and air work group
●Requesting help from RTOC in reviewing the Tool Kit

Reports of Officers, Boards and Standing Committees

1:10 pm RTOC Tribal Co-Chair Report, Billy Maines
●We are here attending the Alaska Forum on the Environment, had a session on Tuesday am. Participant feedback centered around the GAP Guidance.
1:15 pm RTOC Coordinator Report, Kate Schaberg
●Introduction by Kate
1:20 pm Policy Analyst Report, Rick Eichstaedt - see email summary
●Question: Lance concerned re: Electronic Consultation
●Clarification on State primacy: “Cooperative Federalism”, AK does not have TAS (Treatment as State)
1:25 pm TELS Coordinator Report, Carm Bohnee
●Registration is live. Please go in and register.
●Nominations for the Environmental Excellence award are open. Due March 7th.
●Scholarships will be available this year, applicants will apply and be awarded at the TELS conference as a reimbursement.
●Agenda will be out next week.
1:35 pm EPA Co-Chair Report, Michelle Pirzadeh
●FY19 President’s Budget Request. FY18-22 Strategic plan is now out, strategic goals: Cooperative Federalism, Rule of Law, Process. 11 Priority areas. Available re: news release.
●Decision made re:Pebble Mine: after hearing directly from stakeholders and the people of AK, EPA is suspending its process to withdraw those proposed restrictions, leaving them in place while the Agency receives more information on the potential mine’s impacts on the Region’s world-class fisheries and natural resources. This decision neither deters nor derails the application process of the Pebble Limited Partnership’s proposed project.
●Chris Hladick will attend the RTOC meeting on Tuesday the 10th, and be available for the Lake Tour that evening. He will be speaking on April 10 at TELS.
●In November, the State Dept convened a transboundary interagency work group. The workgroup includes Dept of State, Dept of Interior and EPA. It will conduct outreach with States and Tribal governments as it develops its ‘Gap Analysis’.
1:45 pm EPA Tribal Trust and Assistance Unit Report, Stacy Murphy
●Kristy Fry is back from her detail assignment.
●Performed internal realignment of AK grants to provide enhanced service to AK tribal partners. Changes will occur after current negotiations are final.
●Katherine Brown and Susan Conbere put on a few webinars re: ETEPS. Wrapping them up and then will start work on updating ETEPS for tribes.

Action Items & Closing Remarks

1:55 pm Action Items, R. Madison

2:00 pm Call to Close Meeting, Billy Maines

UPCOMING MEETINGS:Conference Call March 15, 2018-In person Cd’A April 9-10, 2018 – TELS Cd’A April 11-13, 2018