Yukon River Inter-Tribal
Watershed Council
Successes in Outreach, Involvement, and Capacity
Presented by Willoughby Peterson and Emily Anderson
About YRITWC
• Indigenous Grassroots Organization
– Formed in 1997 due to health concerns related to industries along the Yukon
River – Still a concern
– 73 First Nations and Tribes – One of the largest of its kind
• Dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Yukon River
Watershed, it’s people and their way of life
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Providing Technical Assistance
Facilitating the development and exchange of information
Coordinating efforts between Tribes, coalitions, and other organizations
Undertaking Research or Investigations
Provide Training, Education and Awareness Programs
• 50 Year Vision
– To be Able to Drink Water, Directly From the Yukon River
About The Watershed
About the Watershed
• Third Largest River in North
America
• Nearly 2000 Miles in Length
• Over 320,000 Square Miles
• Approximately 126,000 Residents
• One of the Longest and most
important salmon runs in the
world; Chinook, Coho, Chum
• Longest inhabited region in
America
• Over 400 Potential Brownfield
Sites
YRITWC Brownfield Tribal Response
• Completed Eleventh year of Program!
– Established in 2005
• Over 140 Tribal Environmental Technicians Trained
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Brownfield 101
Oil Spill Response
Techniques in Land Reuse
Asbestos Abatement (2016)
• Completed 24 Environmental Site Assessments/Investigations
(2+ per year)
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13 Phase I ESAs
8 Phase II ESAs
3 Environmental Management Plans
1 Clean up -> Successful Reuse
• Continuing to Investigate over 400 Potential Brownfield Properties
YRITWC ATCEM Gen Pres 10/25/2016
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Outreach
• Have You Talked to a Tribe Today?
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Phone Calls and Fax
Email – Can be difficult due to Very High Satellite Internet Costs
Conferences – Limited representation
Travel is Most effective
– Regional or Annual Meetings
– River Profile Trips
– Combine Program Goals
• Community Meetings
Involvement
• Scholarships – Travel costs in Rural Alaska are highest in the
Nation
• Promote Established Skills
– Heavy Equipment Operators
– Boats as another means of transport
– Local Knowledge – Ie Drinking Water Sources
• Training that makes sense
– Asbestos – Old BIA Schools
– Freon – Backhauling freezers
• Volunteers
– Water Quality Monitoring
– Hosting events and meetings
Building Capacity To Conduct ESAs
• YRITWC staff have taken Qualified Samplers Course
– Can gain experience under Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEPs)
• QEP Through Certification or License
– P.E. , P.G., or other Equivalent from State or Tribe
– Three years of full-time relevant experience
• QEP Through Educational Requirements
– Baccalaureate or higher degree in engineering or science
– Five years of full-time relevant experience
• Community Members that have attended 40-Hr Trainings have
opportunity to gain experience as well
– Hope to establish network of “competent persons”
Summit 2017
• Bi-Annual Summit –
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August 2017 in Carcross Canada
Presentations & Updates
Open Dialogue
Discussions
Resolutions
Trainings
Youth Outreach
Cultural Involvement
Song, Dance, Food
Old Website Difficulties
• Very hard to navigate
• Difficult to edit
• Lacked cohesiveness and continuity
New Website
• All pages have same cohesive look
• Easy to edit and make changes
• Updated Often
• Easier to find what you are looking for
• Coming soon: Community profile index and A-Z resource page
YRITWC Website Before & After
YRITWC Website Before & After
YRITWC Website Before & After
What is Still Yet to Come
• Still under construction
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Library
Community profile
Historical archives
Program pages
• What we would like to see
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Updated regularly
Interaction with users
Program page growth
Used as community tool
Donations and subscribers
Community testimonies
Thank You!
• Get involved and Learn More:
www.yritwc.org and www.yritwc-brownfield.com