Native News Weekly (September 8, 2024): D.C. Briefs
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $3.48 Million for Tribes to Build Environmental Protection Capacity
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of approximately $3.48 million for two, five-year cooperative agreements to build the capacity of Tribal governments to restore land for productive use and healthy communities, reduce waste, prevent environmental contamination and prepare for and respond to environmental emergencies in Indian country.
“These cooperative agreements will help bring together Tribes to share their experience and expertise in managing land cleanup and emergency response challenges,” said Clifford Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. “We are building the partnerships and capacity that will benefit Tribes for years to come as we collectively work to revitalize Tribal communities and protect the environment.”
Through the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), EPA anticipates awarding two cooperative agreements to one recipient. The awardee will provide training, technical assistance, research, and tools to Tribal environmental staff to build capacity on waste management, cleanup, pollution prevention, and emergency response programs in Indian country.
HHS Announces Tribal Consultation on Updated Draft Tribal and TEC Data Access Policies
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the Deputy Secretary, is initiating Tribal consultation on two new draft policies: (1) the HHS Tribal Data Access Policy, and (2) the HHS Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) Data Access Policy . The revised documents reflect the input received from Tribal leaders in prior consultation, as well as internal HHS working group experts. We ask that you please review the enclosed draft policies to offer your comments and recommendations to assist in the preparation of the final policies. Comments are welcome on all aspects of the drafts. Please see this Dear Tribal Leader Letter for full details.
HHS invites you to provide your input and feedback on the draft policies through one or both of the following methods:
Virtual Consultation
Date: October 1, 2024
Time: 3:00 – 5:00 PM EST
ZoomGov Registration:
https://hhsgov.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsde2grj8uGGIprr2dP29JGZRIFRw3MWc
Written Comment
Please send comments by October 31, 2024, via one of the following methods:
? Email: [email protected]
? Subject Line: (please submit comments on each draft separately)
o HHS Tribal Data Access Policy
o HHS TEC Data Access Policy
? Postal Mail:
Bertha Alisia Guerrero, Director
Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs
200 Independence Ave. SW
Mail Stop: 620E
Washington, DC 20201
HHS is also pleased to announce its new Tribal Data Access Website is now live at https://cdo.hhs.gov/s/tribal-data. We encourage you to bookmark this link and check it regularly for updates. We will be posting the final HHS Tribal and Tribal Epidemiology Center Data Access Policies, FAQs, and new Division-specific materials here as they are available. We also welcome input during consultation about additional information or features you would like to see on this site.
Enclosures:
Biden Names Pueblo of Acoma Citizen to Route 66 Centennial Commission
President Joe Biden on Friday named Charles P. Riley (Pueblo of Acoma) to the 66 Centennial Commission.
Riley has made public service his career. He served the Pueblo of Acoma as a Tribal Council member for 13 years and as a Tribal Sheriff for one year. Riley holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico and worked for private engineering and surveying firms for 10 years, before joining the Bureau of Indian Affairs. At the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he held the positions of Regional Road Engineer, Designated Engineer, and Mescalero Agency Superintendent. Riley ended his government career working for the Bureau of Indian Education.
He retired from public service after 25 years and is currently working for the Pueblo as the Director of Community Development. As the director of Community Development, Riley oversees the planning, design, and construction of roads on Pueblo of Acoma lands. His office has been awarded grants to plan and design 13 miles of roads and three bridges. His office is currently helping other departments with the development of a new Education Resource Center and Senior Center complex. The Pueblo’s future projects include a reservation-wide pedestrian/bike trail system, and the designation of a Tribal Scenic Byway that will lead to the historic Acoma village known as “Sky City,” that will begin and end on historic Route 66.
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