At a meeting today with tribal leaders in Washington D.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials announced that the agency is soliciting applications to provide technical support for the Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC) as it works to protect public health and strengthen tribal pesticide programs. The total funding for the five-year period of the cooperative agreement is $975,000.
“Tribal governments are valued partners in our joint mission of protecting public health and the environment,†said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Assistant Administrator Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. “We are committed to providing tribal communities with both financial and technical assistance as we work together to develop pesticide programs that will lead to substantial environmental and economic benefits for their communities.â€
“Supporting groups like the Tribal Pesticide Program Council benefits everyone involved,†said EPA Office of International and Tribal Affairs Assistant Administrator Chad McIntosh. “Not only does it benefit the tribes seeking to strengthen their own environmental programs, but it also leads to a stronger national tribal program at EPA, as they provide invaluable, on-the-ground expertise to our leadership.â€
The TPPC informs tribes of pesticide issues and promotes pesticide education and awareness. It also assists in the establishment, development and implementation of comprehensive tribal pesticide programs.
The TPPC also provides a forum for tribal pesticide and environmental officials to share information, raise tribal pesticide program implementation issues to EPA, and offer input on national pesticide policy that affects tribes.
The recipient of the cooperative agreement will:
- Provide administrative support to the TPPC;
- Help to identify high-priority, pesticide-related areas of tribal interest;
- Assist the TPPC with comments to new rulemaking or issue papers addressing EPA policy decisions that impact Indian country;
- Develop an effective communication, public relations and outreach program to interact with both tribal and non-tribal pesticide organizations;
- In cooperation with the TPPC and EPA project officer, obtain, develop, deliver and/or facilitate pesticide-related training for the TPPC; and
- Work with EPA to develop a tribally driven agenda for tribal pesticide program needs and concerns.