Using Data to Sustain Our Shared Natural Resources · Using Data to Sustain Our Shared Natural Resources Moderated by Councilman Melvin Sheldon, Jr., Tulalip Tribes Many have predicted

NCAI’s 12th Annual Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum

BREAKOUT SESSION

Salon C2

1:30pm-4:00pm

Using Data to Sustain Our Shared Natural Resources

Moderated by Councilman Melvin Sheldon, Jr., Tulalip Tribes

Many have predicted that the next world wars will be waged over water, not oil. And already we are

seeing how this precious resource is increasingly compromised by rising temperatures, drought,

contamination, and the like. The question now before us is: How do we use data to sustain our shared

natural resources? In this timely breakout session, presenters from across Indian Country will

demonstrate through their data and research how critical it is for tribal governments to be active

change agents in the effort to protect our waters.

Presenters:

Engaging Tribal Nations for Regional Ocean Planning

Kelsey Leonard, McMaster University

Contaminated Water: Increasing Tribal Access to Clean, Safe Drinking Water

James Temte, National Tribal Water Center

Special video presentation, “Stories of a Changing Climate”

Dr. Margaret Hiza Redsteer, US Geological Service

Renewable Energy Service Companies for Indian Country

Dean Suagee, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker LLP

Engaging Tribal Nations for

Regional Ocean Planning Valuing Traditional Knowledge for

Interjurisdictional Coordination

Kelsey Leonard

Shinnecock Indian Nation

Mid-Atlantic RPB Co-Lead

National Ocean Policy

“to coordinate and implement regional ocean planning with state,

federal, tribal, and Fishery Management Council representatives.”

Regional Planning Bodies

• Best available data used to inform

and improve decision making

• Stakeholders proactively engaged

earlier in decision making

• A venue for Federal agencies,

States, Tribes, and the Mid-

Atlantic Fishery Management

Council to work together with

stakeholders to address ocean

issues and inform decision

making under existing authorities.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (MidA RPB)

Prepare for

new and

expanding

uses in the

Mid-Atlantic

Make more informed

decisions about the

use of ocean space

Increase

coordination

across

agencies

and levels of

government

Engage

stakeholders to

share and vet ocean

data and achieve a

common vision

http://www.surfrider.org/oceancitymd/events/09/2009-0207_LutheranYouthsSweepBeach.jpg

Mid-Atlantic Ocean Action Plan

6 Actions to Promote a Healthy Ocean Ecosystem

Develop Healthy Ocean Indicators

Incorporate Traditional Knowledge of Tribes

33 Actions to Promote Sustainable Ocean Uses

Tribal interests and uses

Enhanced Interjurisdictional Coordination

Work with Tribes

to develop Tribal

Ocean Planning

Network (TOPN)

Action 3

Develop Tribal

and agency

marine planning

contact

directories

Action 2 Identify, review

and recommend

updates to Tribal

consultation

policies

Action 1

Tribal Interests and Uses

Enhance understanding of Tribal rights

Action 4

Federal and State governments meet with Tribes to discuss ocean planning

Action 5

Account for historic resources under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

Action 6

Identify and address data gaps

pertaining to Tribal use of the

ocean

Action 7

9

MARCO Portal www.midatlanticocean.org

Northeast Ocean Data www.northeastoceandata.org

Tribal Engagement in the Mid-Atlantic Region

• MARCO and the Shinnecock Indian Nation are collaborating to expand and enhance Tribal engagement in the Mid-Atlantic regional ocean planning process

Project Goals

Dialogue To begin a dialogue with tribal leaders on

regional ocean planning

TEK Data Layers To develop geographic data layers based

on Traditional Ecological Knowledge

(TEK)

Ocean Action Plan Mobilization

To collect data and other informational

inputs for the Mid-Atlantic Regional

Planning Body to consider in the

development of the Ocean Action Plan

1

1

2

3

Portal 2.0 Ocean Stories

Portal 2.0 Custom Maps

• Import map data from

external sources

• Identify and document

areas of interest using

drawing tools

• Export drawings as

GIS files & share

custom maps with

anyone

Engagement Process “The Portal is a tool to which the Tribes can contribute data and that they can use to tell their stories. Linking

Tribal stories to the Portal is representative of how Tribal Nations pass down knowledge of everything

including the ocean, rivers, land, animals, plants, ancestors and resources.” – Tribal Leader, 2015

Listening Sessions To share information about the regional

ocean planning process.

To help identify potential tribal spatial data

and a process for mapping that data.

pGIS Sessions To familiarize tribes with the MARCO Data

Portal

To generate spatial data layers of tribal

resources for inclusion in Portal

Valuing Traditional Knowledge Data Areas of Interest for Tribes

Aquaculture

Wampum Submerged Cultural

Resources

Canoe Journey Routes

Tribal Fishing Tribal Marine Management

Areas

Climate Change

Heritage Sites

Relationships Building a foundational relationship with Tribes.

Engagment Engaging Tribes in the current ocean planning process.

Indigenous Knowledge Soliciting Tribal input on ocean planning in

the Mid-Atlantic. Data Production Creating initial Tribal spatial data layers.

Data Tools Providing a spatial data tool for Tribes.

Outcomes of the outreach and data

collection process included: Data collection included gathering information on localized Tribal attributes such as traditional

homelands and current headquarters, along with recorded stories from Tribes providing

background information on the spatial data collected for inclusion in the storytelling portion of the

Data Portal.

• Portal team created a

data layer for Tribal

Offices that will be

expanded in the near

future to include points

of contact, spheres of

influence and

reservation land

boundaries.

• Links to Bureau of

Indian Affairs

interactive tribal

directory.

Tribal Offices

Challenges in Tribal

Ocean Data Mapping • Zoom limitations inhibited full accuracy

when mapping certain layers

• Mistrust of federal government and

uncertainty of intended data use

Marine Debris

-Courtesy to Conservation Science Institute; Altered Ocean; Blue Planet Society

"The United Nations has turned its attention to the oceans for

World Environment Day, and one of the main evildoers is a

familiar one - plastic.

Marine trash, mainly plastic, is killing more

than a million seabirds and 100,000 mammals

and sea turtles each year.”

- Kofi Annan,

Secretary-General, United Nations, 2004

Plastic Trash Vortex

There are actually 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating

in every square mile of ocean. - UNEP

Albatross chick -

gut full of plastic!

- 90% of

albatross chicks

on Midway

Island in the

Pacific Ocean

had plastic in

their throats

What an albatross ate

Action Area: Marine Debris



• Tribes are large sellers of cigarettes

• Tribes also produce their own brand of

cigarettes

• Exploring opportunities to build outreach

strategy for “Point-of-Sale” program on

Marine Debris

• Indigenous Label on packs/cartons

• R&D to reduce butt lifetime

Consultation Indigenous nation consultation by

institutions/organizations/agencies

on research priorities, funding, and administration

Training Training for scientific review

panels responsible for granting

funding to value Traditional Knowledge

Indigenous Authorization Active approval by Indigenous

communities of research taking

place on Indigenous lands/waters.

Data Sharing Agreements Alternative data sharing agreements

that acknowledge Indigenous

sovereignty over data and allow for security protocols

Open data policies with Indigenous Nations must include:

Lessons Learned

Building a Foundation for

Improving Collaboration

• JOIN the Tribal Ocean

Planning Network

(TOPN)

• We’re Nations not Stakeholders.

• It is our hope that the work the Mid-

Atlantic has done on tribal

engagement will serve as an

example for future ocean planning.

For More Information:

Tabutne (Thank you)

[email protected]

@KelseyTLeonard

roa.midatlanticocean.org

Project Coyote Water: Assessment of Unregulated Drinking Water on Tribal Lands within the United States – January, 2015 – March 2016

By James Temte, G. Fortenberry, E. Taylor, K. Hickel and G. Goodwin

National Congress of American Indians - Tribal Scholar Leader Forum

June 17, 2017

Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards for water quality and provides various technical and financial programs

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2016

Unregulated Water Sources

Private well Natural Springs Surface Water

Potential Drinking Water Contaminants

Reliance on Unregulated Drinking Water Sources

~38 million Americans obtain drinking water from private wells

What is Known about Unregulated Water Sources?

Relatively little is known about

• locations

• populations served

• potential contaminants

Lack of information makes assessing public health risks challenging

Lack of Potable Water in Tribal Communities

~30,000 American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) homes lack potable water

11.6% of tribal communities rely on federally unregulated drinking water sources as primary water source

Little research done to:

• substantiate estimates

• characterize geographic distribution

• describe potential health hazards due to consumption

Project Coyote Water Objectives

Project Coyote Water is a collaboration between the National Tribal Water Center and CDC’s Health Studies Branch

• to assess use of unregulated water sources within tribal communities

• identify motivators for unregulated water source use

• describe educational and outreach activities for tribal communities

Methods

Participant Recruitment

Tribal environmental staff recruitment • IHS and Tribal staff recommendations • email solicitation though EPA Regional distribution lists • individual invitations

IHS employee recruitment • email solicitation through IHS Area Sanitation Facilities and

Construction Directors At least one IHS and one tribal environmental program staff

members from the 12 IHS regions interviewed

Survey Administration and Analysis Standardized questionnaire administered

from January 2015–March 2016

• in-person interviews

• telephone interviews

Survey questions

Descriptive statistics generated in Epi Info 7

Survey Administration and Analysis

Survey Administration and Analysis

Results

Number of Interviews Conducted by Region

95% of respondents reported some use of unregulated water for drinking and/or household activities in their area

Tribal Household Unregulated Water Use


Out of all the households in your (Area, District, Service Unit, Community) how many would you say use unregulated water for household activities?

N (%)

42

Fewer than half 29 (69)

About half 5 (12)

More than half 6 (14)

Don’t know 2 (5)


Out of all the households in your (Area, District, Service Unit, Community) how many would you say use unregulated water for household activities?

N (%)

42


About half 5 (12)


Don’t know 2 (5)

Tribal Household Unregulated Water Consumption

In your experience, out of all the households in the (Area, District, Service Unit, Community) how many consume unregulated water (e.g. through cooking or drinking) on a regular basis?

N (%)

42


About half 5 (12)


Don't know 3 (7)


In your experience, do people use unregulated water for drinking or cooking even when they have access to regulated water from a community water system?

N (%)

42

Yes 24 (57)

No 16 (38)

Don't know 2 (5)

If yes, do you have a sense of how

common this is? 23

Very common 2 (9)

Somewhat common 3 (13)

Common 2 (9)

Uncommon 9 (39)

Very uncommon 7 (30)

Don’t know 0


Reasons for Unregulated Water Use

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Cost

Cultural

Trust/Perception of Water Quality

Percentage (%) (n=23)* *Multiple reasons could be identified by the respondent

Common Unregulated Drinking Water Sources used for Drinking/Cooking

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Other

Rain Water

Trucked Water Not from Community Water System

Water from an Unregulated Community Water System

Surface Water

Springs

Private Well Water

Percentage (%) (n=42)*

*Multiple responses could be identified by the respondent

Level of Community Concern for Water Contamination

No concern Some concern Concerned Very concerned

86%

Contaminants of Concern

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Other

Radon

Uranium

Man-made Pollution

Objectionable taste/odor

Sediment

Arsenic

Nitrates/Nitrites

Natural Pollution

Bacteria

Percentage (%) (N=44)

*Multiple responses could be identified by the participant

Are Water Quality Educational Activities Offered?

77%

of respondents (n=34) reported that educational activities about water contaminants were offered in their respective areas


77%



77%



77%


Summary of Key Findings

95% of respondents reported some unregulated water source for drinking and/or household activities in their area

57% of respondents reported some households drink or cook with unregulated water source even when regulated water is available

Trust/perception of water quality most cited reason for unregulated water source use

86% of all respondents reported some level of community concern for water contamination by people in their area

77% of respondents reported water quality educational activities were offered

Public Health Implications

Unregulated water sources may pose potential health risks if consumed

Perceptions of water quality of water sources may influence the use of unregulated and regulated water sources

Existing educational resources are available, but its use is unclear, therefore, future studies are needed

Limitations

Small targeted sample of Tribal environmental organizations and IHS providers

Survey reflects expert opinion and is not a household-level survey and may not reflect true behaviors or ideas of household members

Next Steps

Disseminate the survey electronically to reach a greater number of tribal environmental staff and IHS employees across the US www.sgiz.mobi/s3/Project-Coyote-Water-Survey-1

Evaluate effectiveness of outreach activities

Design a strategic plan to help address public health concerns and reduce possible health risks consuming and using contaminated unregulated drinking water sources

http://www.sgiz.mobi/s3/Project-Coyote-Water-Survey-1









Acknowledgements

CDC Health Studies Branch • Ethel Taylor

CDC Public Health Advisor Program • George Goodwin

National Tribal Water Center • Korie Hickel • James Temte

All tribes and IHS representatives that participated in this project

1

HOBBS STRAUS DEAN & WALKER, LLP WASHINGTON, DC | PORTLAND, OR | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | SACRAMENTO, CA

Renewable Energy Service

Companies for Indian Country

Dean B Suagee

Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker LLP

[email protected]

2


Renewable Energy Service

Companies for Indian Country

Natural Resources & Environment

vol 31, no 3, p 50 (Winter 2017)

A publication of the American Bar Association

Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources

3


Outline of Presentation

Some Data and Metadata

Climate Change

Jobs in Clean Energy

Governmental Policies Informed by Data

States & Cities as Examples

A New Kind of Tribal Energy Utility

4


Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

5


IPCC 5th Assessment Synthesis Report,

Summary for Policymakers - 2014

• A scenario that limits GHG concentrations to

450 ppm CO2 equivalent is likely to limit warming

to 2 degrees C over the 21st century relative to

pre-industrial levels

• Requires emissions reductions of 40 to 70% from

2010 levels by 2050, further reduction to near zero

or below by 2100

6


Keeping Fossil Fuels in the Ground

For a 50-50 chance of staying below 2°C

– One third of global oil reserves

– Half of natural gas reserves

– 80 percent of coal reserves

must stay in the ground,

assuming 450 ppm CO2 keeps us below 2°C

McGlade & Ekins, Nature 2015

7


Target atmospheric CO2: Where should

humanity aim? Hansen, et al (2008)

If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to

that on which civilization developed and to which

life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and

ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need

to be reduced … to at most 350 ppm.

See also: 350.org

Photo credit: 350.org

License:; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/legalcode

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/legalcode





9


The Revolution Is Happening

Globally, more capital is invested in renewable

electric power than non-renewable sources

– 55.3 % in 2016

Source: G. Taraska, The Flip Side of Climate Risk

(Center for American Progress, April 18, 2017)

citing: Frankfurt School-United Nations Environment Programme

Collaborating Centre/Bloomberg New Energy Finance, “Global Trends

in Renewable Energy Investment 2017”

10


Jobs in Clean Energy

Direct jobs in the USA, 1st Quarter 2016

Clean Energy Industry 3,384,834

Fossil Fuel Industry 2,989,844

Source: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY,

U.S. ENERGY AND EMPLOYMENT REPORT, Jan. 2017

Also: Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Fact Sheet: Jobs in

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Feb. 2017)

11


Direct Jobs Comparison Clean Energy

Energy Efficiency 2,707,290

Renewable Electricity & Fuels

Solar Electricity 373,807

Wind Electricity 101,738

Hydro 65,554

Geothermal 5,768

Bioenergy 130,677

Subtotal:

RE Electricity & Fuels 677,544

Fossil Fuels

Natural Gas 398,235

Coal 160,119

Petroleum 515,518

Gas & Diesel Vehicles 1,915,972

Total 2,989,844

Note: Coal includes 86,035 direct

jobs in coal-fired electricity.

12


2,707,290 Jobs in Energy Efficiency

Appliances

traditional HVAC 520,572

Energy Star, incl. high efficiency HVAC 552,147

efficient lighting 327,792

Buildings

construction, materials, RE heating/cooling 563,241

Public Transit 402,978

Energy Storage 90,831

Smart Grid & Micro Grid 34,635

Vehicles

hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, hydrogen, fuel cell 215,094

13


CO2 reductions from energy efficiency

and renewable energy

Source: American Solar Energy Society, Tackling Climate Change (2007)

14


Marketplaces for Energy Goods & Services

Practically every marketplace transaction involves

energy in one way or another, often in many ways

These marketplaces have been shaped and

distorted by decades of governmental policies –

federal, state, and local

Tribal governments, not so much

15


In the Absence of National Policy

What can Tribal Nations do?

Some States and many Cities are taking

action, e.g. –

California Climate Change Program

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy

7,000 cities in 112 countries

U.S. Climate Alliance

16


Local Governments for Sustainability

• Action plans for reducing CO2 emissions – Government operations

– Land use planning

– Building codes

– Public transit

– Recycling and waste management

– Education & Outreach

– Renewable electric power

iclei.org - International Council for Local Gov’t Initiatives

17


What can Tribal Nations do?

The article suggests a new kind of tribal

government agency or utility –

– Renewable Energy Service Company, RESCO

• Like an energy service company but with a

commitment to renewable energy

• Created by tribes or intertribal organizations

• Could take many different forms

18


What would a RESCO look like ?

• A full-service energy efficiency agency

• An electric utility with a full-service energy

efficiency program and support for

interconnection of distributed renewables

• A solar design consultant team

• A small business incubator

• An enterprise to develop utility-scale renewable

energy projects

19


A Basic Policy Issue

Is electric power a necessity that should be

available to everyone, delivered at reasonable

cost by entities with a public service mission?

or

Is it a commodity that private parties should be

able to make and sell for profit?

A contemporary variation on this theme:

support for rooftop solar electric power

21


Toward a RESCO Mission Statement

Might start with a needs assessment

Kinds of likely needs –

Information

Technical Assistance

Staff

Investment Capital

22


Information & Technical Assistance

Department of Energy Sources

– Office of Indian Energy Policy & Programs

• www.energy.gov/indianenergy

– National Renewable Energy Laboratory

• www.nrel.gov

Very good, but not enough

23


Capital for Investments

• The “Partnership Flip” Model – MacCourt, Renewable Energy Development in Indian

Country: A Handbook (2010)

• Tax-exempt Bond Financing – Suagee, Tribal Climate Crisis Tax-Exempt Bonds,

Nat. Res. & Envt. Vol 28, No 2 (2013)

24


Capital for Investments

• Timeframes for return on investment – Legacy of treating electric utilities as natural

monopolies; “rate base” regulation; and other policies

that favor big projects

• The concept of “On-Bill” loan repayment – USDA Rural Utility Service Energy Efficiency &

Conservation Loan Program

78 Fed. Reg. 73356 (Dec. 5, 2013), 7 CFR part 1710, subpart H

25


Big Picture - C02 Emissions by End Use

Source: Architecture 2030, from U.S. Energy Information Administration

Buildings 44.6%

Industry 21.1%

Transportation 34.3%

26


Net Zero – the Architecture 2030 Challenge

Carbon Neutral through -

Design (energy efficiency, passive solar)

Renewable energy (on-site, off-site)

27


A Better Buildings Challenge for Indian Country Natural Resources & Environment, vol. 29, no. 2 (Fall 2014)

• DOE Building Energy Codes Program

– 42 USC 6833, www.energycodes.gov

– Tribes should be included

• Moving toward Net Zero fossil fuels as the standard

– Meeting the need for homes for Indian families can be

part of the solution to global warming

28


Net Zero Homes as Energy Infrastructure

A Better Buildings Challenge for Indian Country

Natural Resources & Environment, vol. 29, no. 2 (Fall 2014)

• 200,000 net zero homes for Indian families – Equals about 17.9 trillion Btu annual savings

– Or 5.24 billion kWh

– Or 3.09 million barrels of oil

• Over 40 years = about 124 million barrels

30


Net Zero Homes as Energy Infrastructure

Compare Net Zero Homes to Keystone XL

KXL capacity: 830,000 barrels per day

303 million barrels per year

200,000 net zero homes offset 124 million barrels

Indian families are not the only people who could use net

zero homes.

Climate change is not the only reason that tar sands

should be left in the ground.

32


Every decision we make must reflect

consideration of the welfare of the seventh

generation to come.

– Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace

Documents

Using Data to Sustain Our Shared Natural Resources · Using Data to Sustain Our Shared Natural Resources Moderated by Councilman Melvin Sheldon, Jr., Tulalip Tribes Many have predicted