Environmental Protection
In 1997 the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians formed the Tribal Environmental Protection Agency. This partnership with the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created to manage all environmental protection programs on the Reservation including development of regulatory, non-regulatory and education/outreach programs.
NATIVE AMERICAN LAND CONSERVANCY
Established in 1998, the Native American Land Conservancy (NALC), safeguards off-reservation sacred sites in California’s ancestral territories. Evolving in response to ongoing development, NALC has become a vital force, now expanded to protect and restore sacred sites nationwide. Our comprehensive approach includes educational initiatives for Native American youth and the wider public, along with scientific studies on cultural, biological, and historical aspects of sacred lands. NALC’s unwavering commitment to preserving the rich heritage of Native American Tribes remains paramount in today’s expansive landscape.
BROWNFIELDS
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) § 128(a)
“Brownfields sites are abandoned, idled or underused industrial and commercial properties where development, redevelopment or expansion is complicated by actual or suspected environmental contamination”
According to the U.S. EPA, a Brownfield is an industrial, commercial, and/or residential property or site which has been abandoned, idled, or underused, complicating development, redevelopment, or expansion because of actual or suspected environmental contamination. In 2015, the Tribe began a Brownfield program on the Reservation in order to inventory potential Brownfield sites and conduct investigations as needed. To implement this program, Tribal EPA staff work toward achieving “the four elements” of a Tribal response program:
- Timely Inventory of Brownfield Sites within Reservation boundaries.
- Oversight and enforcement authorities or other mechanisms and resources to protect human health.
- Mechanisms and resources to provide meaningful opportunities for public participation.
- Establishment of procedures for approval of a clean-up plan.
SOLID & HAZARDOUS WASTE
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
Tribal EPA oversees the Reservation land in order to ensure compliance with the Tribal Solid and Hazardous Waste Ordinance and to prevent and address illegal dumping.
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
In 2016, the Tribal EPA established a compliance assistance program to help Reservation businesses use sound environmental practices when transporting, storing, or using hazardous materials. Inspections will be conducted biannually in accordance with an established Standard Operating Procedure.
Tribal EPA staff also underwent training to deal with hazardous materials through a 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) course. An 8-hour refresher course will be taken annually to ensure staff is up to date in response methods.
RECYCLING
The Tribe began its in-house Recycling Program within Spotlight 29 Casino in April 2015.The Recycling Program aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by diverting and recycling various waste materials. This program began as a result of a Waste Characterization conducted by the Tribal EPA to determine the feasibility of operating this program.