Brownfields Program
Content to be
added by program coordinator.
Link to Public
Record (PDF):
Tribal Brownfields Program
- Public Record
Link to Site
Inventory (PDF):
Tribal Brownfields
Program - Site Inventory
GIS/GPS Program
Introduction to
GIS - A presentation by Photoscience, Inc.
The GIS-GPS Technician, environmental technician and a couple
of other tribal department personnel attended a meeting that was hosted by I.
H. S. (Bangor, ME). The meeting was to enhance the Tribe's understanding of
GIS and its potential. The GIS-GPS Technician and environmental technician are
compiling the needed data to print maps and begin analysis of the Tribe's
resources.
It is a goal of the department to assist the Tribe in
establishing a 911 addressing system. Other projects are being worked on such
as understanding the drainage of water on the reservation. The department has
provided tribal sustenance users maps of tribal trust lands. A more detailed
map of Washington County showing points of probable pollution areas is
available on request.
Lead-Based Paint Program
The department has
performed some lead assessments.
Approximately, 50% of the pre-1978 tribal homes on the reservation have been
tested for lead in paint, dust, soil, and water. Assessments included testing of painted surfaces
using an XRF instrument, collecting and shipping soil samples where children
tend to play and dust wipes of sills and floors were sent to a certified lab, and grabbing tap water
samples primarily used for cooking and drinking purposes for further lab
analysis. Lab analyzed samples and painted surfaces tested by the XRF have all been below EPA's level of
concerns.
Presently, no lead
assessments will be done because the program was dependent on funding
availability from the US EPA. The environmental specialist was certified to inspect for lead-based paint by the federal government (EPA
- Region 01 Tribal Trust Lands). Annual training is required with annual
certifications by Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The Passamaquoddy Tribe Sipayik
was an EPA certified firm to
conduct lead-based paint activities. The lead program utilized a RMD XRF
instrument to measure lead content in paint. The instrument is sourced with with
a very low radioactive isotope that has to be licensed under the State of Maine
Radiation program.
The department has
provided lead awareness literature and video to interested tribal community
members. Recall of consumer products contaminated with lead have been posted on
the department website. Available training in the lead profession had been advertised
in the newsletter and Tribal TV. The Sipayik Lead Program hosted a lead smart
renovator course (AUG 2001). The program has assisted in training three tribal
members in obtaining State licenses to perform lead inspections (DEC 2002).
Subsequent trainings (2006) were held and the program employed a tribal member to
assist with the lead assessments once he successfully completed the required
course and received the state's lead inspector's certification.
TBEP,
Tribal Based Environmental Protection (www.tbep.net), has developed several products for use by
tribal lead programs throughout Indian Country. Little Moccasins, a video
produced by the Houlton Band of Maliseets, has been translated to the Passamaquoddy language. Joann Barnes,
a tribal member, assisted with the translation and narrated at the tribal recording studio
located within the museum. The multi-media
specialist (Ed Bassett) dubbed the audio in a digitized format of the video. The
environmental specialist contributed to TBEP by developing an assessment tool using a Pocket
PC (HP iPAQ 5555). He presented this assessment tool at TBEP's 7th Annual
Environmental Training (MAY 2003). One of Sipayik Lead Program's goal is to
eliminate all lead poisoning by 2010 by educating the tribal community and
members in the service area about sources of lead and its effects on the body.
The lead program encourages tribal community members to visit
and request more information. The program has limited supplies of lead test kits
for homeowners of pre-1978 residential structures. Lead kits are designed for
homeowners for screening purposes only because kits are not 100% reliable. For quantitative results, a
more elaborate and costly inspection will have to be performed. At this time
(August 2009), the program lacks funding and there is no plans to apply for
additional funding as it has been become a very competitive process nationally.
Tribal Air Quality Program
The environmental
specialist has attended several air
quality trainings to establish a
tribal air program. The goal is to
understand the data that is already being collected in the region. The department
has learned there is a big need to generate AQ data for modeling and forecasting
needs. The department decided to focus its efforts
in this area. The tribal air program greatly appreciates the Institute for
Tribal Environmental Professional's (ITEP) dedication in providing training and
support throughout the year. The environmental specialist become very competent
from his experiences, He is an instructor of a couple of ITEP courses. He has assisted in teaching other tribal air quality
professionals in topics such as air quality computation, datalogging and
monitoring, and introduction to tribal air quality program.
The Tribal Air
Quality Program has an ozone monitor up and running.
The ozone monitoring program has passed all the audits since it went online in
2003. Our goal is to be actively involved in ozone monitoring. The data
will be used to assess ozone concentrations in the Down East area. The data is
polled every hour through the internet by the Maine Department of Environmental
Bureau of Air Quality. The data is used for modeling and forecasting needs that
helps with providing ozone alerts the day before forecasters determine potential
exposures to unhealthy levels of ozone.
The Tribal Air
Quality Program is conducting a particulate matter study. The instrument is
called a TEOM and measures particulate matter that measure 2.5 microns or less.
PM 2.5 does not exit the body as quickly as larger particles. The study is
ongoing and the data is collected by the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (ME DEP) Bureau of Air Quality and IPS Meteostar. The organization's
websites where tribal data are accessible are provide below.
Other parameters
that the TAQP collect include wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, outdoor
temperature, relative humidity, total solar, and total ultraviolet radiation.
The data is polled and stored by ME DEP and IPS Meteostar.
To learn more about ITEP. Visit their site at: http://www4.nau.edu/itep/.
Check out the sites that provide access to the data that is being collected by
the TAQP.
http://www.maine.gov/dep/air/air_quality/
http://weather.meteostar.com/tribal_weather
http://weather.meteostar.com/tribal_weather/forecast?location_id=579616
http://trexwww.ucc.nau.edu/cgi-bin/daily_summary.pl?32
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