November 2011 CUJ - Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian ...

NW solid waste advisorynetwork meeting hereTERF will be on display in presentation, tourPaid Political AdMISSION – The Tribal Solid WasteAdvisory Network, a non-profit allianceof Native American tribes throughoutthe Northwest, will meet here Nov. 8-10at Wildhorse Casino.The agenda on Nov. 9 includes a presentationfrom Bonnie Burke about theTribal Environmental Recovery Facilityon the Umatilla Indian Reservation.Following her presentation, conferenceattendees will tour TERF, and then tourthe Nixyaawii Governance Center.TSWAN, according to its website,strives to make effective and environmentallyresponsible solid waste managementa priority on reservations andcommunities.One of TSWAN’s primary goals is toshare technical expertise, informationand educational resources, and opportunitieswith one another, as well as providingTribal perspective to agencies andorganizations designing waste programsso they are effective in Indian Country,according to its website.TERF recently was featured in aTSWAN publication. Here’s what thearticle said:In the past, tribal members living on theConfederated Tribes of the Umatilla’s Reservationin Oregon disposed of their solidwaste in open dumps located across the172,000 acre reservation. The municipalsolid waste landfill criteria implementedby EPA in the 1990’s (40 Code of FederalRegulations 257 and 258) provided insightinto the potential harm that the open dumpsmay be causing to the environment andhealth of the tribal members.The Confederated Tribes quickly beganto evaluate other solid waste managementalternatives. Options includedusing rail to move waste to a regulatedlandfill, incineration or installing a newtransfer station. They determined thata transfer station would be the best optionfor eliminating open dumping on thereservation.Construction of the transfer station tookplace from 1999 to 2001 at a cost of $1.3million. It was financed, in part, by federalgovernment funding. The 13,000 squarefoottransfer station was built by a triballyowned construction company. Waste iseither collected curbside or hauled by residentsto the transfer station seven days aweek. The waste is then processed andtransported to an EPA-approved landfilllocated 55 miles away.Recyclables and household hazardouswaste are collected, sorted, and stockpiledon site and transferred to off-site facilities.The minimum fee charged is $8 per bagto take out waste less than 200 poundsor $55 per ton, which remains competitiveamong other area transfer stations.Currently, the transfer station serves 900residents and 93 commercial customersthroughout the reservation. The transferstation is currently 1,500 tons short ofreaching the optimum operation efficiencylevel of 6,000 tons.Bonnie Burke, Operation Manager forthe Tribal Environmental Recovery Facility(TERF), launched an education andoutreach campaign focused on the benefitsof using the transfer station. The campaigneducated people on the hazards of opendumping and the effects it has on bothhuman health and the environment. Thecampaign also helped ease the transition toreducing solid waste by recycling. Targetedoutreach and education to both tribal eldersand children was a critical component ofBurke’s campaign.Burke is conducting a survey of the participatingtribal elders requesting feedbackon the success of the curbside recyclingprogram. Umatilla is also working withan intern to run an afterschool program toeducate school children on recycling. Overa period of 10 years, the amount of wastecollected has increased by 4,000 tons dueto the TERF staff’s determination and outreachand education efforts.NOW - Dec. 3 - Crow’s Shadow print exhibition at Humboldt State University inArcata, CANOW - April 20, 2012 - Crow’s Shadow print exhibition at PDX International Airport.Nov. 4-6 - Cylindrical and flat bag weaving workshop with Joey Lavador at Crow’sShadowDec. 3-4 - Medallion beading workshop with Maynard Lavadour at Crow’s Shadow.Dec. 4-17 - Printmaking residency with artist Janene NagyDec. 15 - Artist reception and lecture presentation with Janene Nagy, 5:30-7:30Please check our website at www.crowsshadow.org or call 541-276-3954.Become a fan of Crow’s Shadow on FacebookCrow’s Shadow Schedule48004 St. Andrews Road, Pendleton, OR 97801 - 541-276-3954November 2011Confederated Umatilla Journal39