Registration

Online registration is now CLOSED.

TLEF Registration Fee Refund Policy:
Check out the new and improved TLEF registration fee refund process by clicking on the "TLEF Refund Policy" below!
Click HERE for the 2017 TLEF Refund Policy. [pdf]

Travel Scholarship

The request for Travel Scholarship is now CLOSED!

Hotel - Transportation

Hotel Accommodations
Lodging for the 2017 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum attendees is provided by the Double Tree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown and the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotels. Each hotel is offering a limited number of rooms at a single occupancy nightly rate of $91plus 13.517% tax. The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel is located adjacent to the COX Business Center while the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel is a 10-minute walk to the COX Business Center.

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Downtown
To make your hotel reservations at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Downtown you may call the Double Tree Hilton Hotel national reservations line at 800-838-7914 and be sure to mention the Group Code "TLE". To make and manage your hotel reservations online go to this website:
http://group.doubletree.com/tribalLandsEnvironmentForum

Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel
To make your hotel reservations at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa you may call the Hyatt Regency Group Reservations toll Free line at 888-421-1442 or Reservations Local phone 402-592-6464. Be sure to mention the Group Reservation for the 2017 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum. To make and manage your hotel reservations online go to this website:
https://aws.passkey.com/e/49076132

Airport and Ground Transportation Information
For your convenience, each hotel offers complimentary airport shuttle service to the Tulsa International Airport, approximately 9 miles. The airport currently is serviced by Allegiant, American, Delta, Southwest, and United airlines. To arrange for shuttle service from the airport to either of the hotels, call the hotel directly when you get to the baggage claim area and a shuttle will be on the way to pick you up.

If you are staying at the Double Tree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown, call for shuttle 918-587-8000
If you are staying at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Hotel, call for shuttle 918-234-1234

Vendor - Exhibitor - Sponsorship

The Deadline for Vendor/Exhibitor Registration is August 1, 2017!
The 2017 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum (TLEF) is sponsored by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Tribal Waste and Response Assistance Program Steering Committee, the USEPA Office of Land and Emergency Management, and the USEPA Office of Water. This is the 7th year of the TLEF and every year sees an increase in tribal environmental professional’s participation representing tribes across the US and Alaska Native Villages. We anticipate as many as 600 attendees at the 2017 TLEF and are inviting vendors and exhibitors to help with the continued success of this event!

Tables are available for vendors, exhibitors, government programs, tribal and non-government organizations, colleges, and universities to network and distribute information to forum attendees.

The 2017 TLEF Vendor/ Exhibitor fee is $100 and includes one table, two chairs, electric service and wifi. Vendor/Exhibitor tables will be ready for set up and staffing from 12:00pm Monday, August 14 through 12:00pm Thursday, August 17.

Click HERE to complete the online Vendor/Exhibitor Registration form and pay the Vendor/Exhibitor Registration fee. Payment options include secure online credit card payment and payment by check. If you are providing a Sponsorship (Thank YOU!) that amount will be included with the Vendor/Exhibitor fee on either payment option selected on the registration form.

Vendors & Exhibitors are invited to participate in the "Multi-Media Meetup" session at no extra cost. This networking event is scheduled for Wednesday, August 16 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in the Tulsa Ballroom. Please check the MMM RSVP "Yes" or "No" box on the Vendor/Exhibitor Registration form.

Many thanks for your interest and support of the 2017 Tribal Lands and Environment Forum!
After you have registered for the TLEF on the Registration tab, please visit the Hotel/Transportation tab on the TLEF website to reserve your room at the special rate of $91/night plus 13.517% tax.

Shipping displays and materials to the COX Center must include the following information:
Tribal Lands and Environment Forum
Your Name C/O Darian Woods
100 Civic Center
Tulsa, OK 74103

For questions about Vendor/Exhibitor Registration or Sponsorships please contact John Mead:
928-523-2005 or John.Mead@nau.edu

Sponsorships are also available for you to support the 2017 TLEF. Promote your business or organization and sign up for a sponsorship!

• Platinum Level Sponsorship ($1,000) provides logo displayed prominently at event and printed program; verbal recognition of sponsorship during plenary session; complimentary half-page full-color and half-page black and white advertisements in conference program, one (1) complimentary exhibitor space.
  
  
• Gold Level Sponsorship ($750) provides logo displayed prominently at event and on printed program; verbal recognition of sponsorship during plenary session; complimentary 3’x 5.25” full-color advertisement in conference program; one (1) complimentary exhibitor space.
  
  
• Silver Level Sponsorship ($500) provides logo displayed prominently at event and on printed program; verbal recognition of sponsorship during plenary session; complimentary half-page black & white advertisement in conference program; one (1) complimentary exhibitor space.
  
  

You can make secure online credit card sponsorship payments for a sponsorship on the Vendor /Exhibitor registration form, otherwise please make sponsorship checks or money orders payable to Northern Arizona University and mail payment to:

John Mead, ITEP/NAU
P.O. Box 15004
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-1504

Multi-Media Meetup

The Multi-Media Meetup session of the TLEF is a networking opportunity for forum attendees to share information and interact with other attendees in an informal, exhibit-style atmosphere. This special session is an excellent opportunity for:

• Tribal professionals to highlight their work, sharing their successes with, and garnering feedback from, other attendees;
• Representatives from various agencies, industries, and organizations to share information on the services and products they provide to tribal professionals and tribes;
• Researchers and students to provide information on studies and projects they are involved in with other attendees.

The Multi-Media Meetup will take place during the TLEF, on Wednesday, August 16, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. Requests to participate in the Multi-Media Meetup should be submitted no later than July 31, 2017.

Participants are encouraged to display materials that discuss unique projects, original research, innovative technologies, or other subjects related to solid waste, UST/LUST, Superfund, brownfields, emergency response, surface and/or groundwater quality, habitat restoration, water facilities, and/or climate change. This session is free to all participants – there are no charges for display tables. ITEP will provide a 6-foot table, chairs, and a limited number of presentation easels, poster board, tape and accessories for your use. Please feel free to bring your own table coverings, dazzling displays or artwork, and/or other items you wish; just be aware that whatever you bring has to fit in front of, on top of, or behind your table. The more you can engage the TLEF attendees the better!

Forum sponsors are not responsible for issues related to copyright or culturally sensitive information. Participants are responsible for shipping and setup/breakdown of all materials before, during and after the session. Any items left behind will be discarded accordingly.

Click HERE to reserve a table online.

If you have any questions about the Multi-Media Meetup contact Julie Jurkowski or John Mead:
Julie.Jurkowski@nau.edu
John.Mead@nau.edu

Session Proposal

The proposal deadline was May 12. Thank you to everyone that has submitted proposals for trainings and breakout sessions. If you missed the proposal deadline and would still like to share information at the Forum, please check out the Multi Media Meetup tab and sign up for a free table!

Field Trips/Trainings

We are very excited to offer you a record number of in-depth trainings and field trips at the 2017 TLEF. Please keep in mind that you must sign up in advance for all trainings and field trips, and they will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Also keep in mind that trainings and field trips will be happening at the same time on Monday and Tuesday morning, so please be sure you don’t sign up for conflicting activities. To reserve your spot on a training or field trip email Julie Jurkowski at Julie.Jurkowski@nau.edu.

If you are selected for one of the field trips please be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat. It is going to be very warm and humid in Tulsa during August.

Trainings on Monday, August 14, 2017

• Eight-Hour HAZWOPER Refresher by Eric Lindeman. At the end of this training participant will be able to identify the training requirements to meet the five levels of the HAZWOPER Standard; understand the requirement of the employer and the employee under the HAZWOPER Standard; be able to use the 2016 ERG and NIOSH Handbook of Chemical Hazards; know the components of a Site-Specific Safety Plan; be able to complete a chemical evaluation; be able to complete a job hazard analysis; understand how to select PPE; understand the HAZCOM/GHS regulation; understand basic air monitoring instrumentation; and have a basic understanding of the incident command system. This training will take place 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday and is limited to 20 participants.
  
  
• Approaching Community Engagement and Redevelopment Through Indigenous Planning by Theodore Jojola and Michaela Paulette Shirley, University of New Mexico Design and Planning Institute. The goal of this training is to develop capacity in tribal community engagement, in a neutral setting, using Indigenous participatory techniques that can leverage Tribal Response Programs (TRP) resources and tools. For example, the approach can help stakeholders scope, plan, and implement land re-use decisions based on an agreed set of principles and input from all generations. This and other values-based methods can generate consensus in meeting environmental, economic, cultural and social needs with brownfields sites involving existing infrastructure, greenspace, and strategic visioning. This training will take place 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• Tribal-FERST – Your Environment, Your Health by Steve Terry and Harrell French, United South and Eastern Tribes. USEPA’s Tribal-Focused Environmental Risk and Sustainability Tool (Tribal-FERST) is a web-based geospatial decision support tool designed to serve as a research framework to provide tribes with easy access to the best available human health and ecological science. Tribal-focused tools are needed to: Prioritize environmental issues, understand exposure pathways, and conduct comprehensive impact assessments, all of which are important in decisions to improve public health and the environment. Participants will learn how to follow step-by-step guidance for identifying priority issues, compile data, rank and address risks, and assess impacts. The Tribal-FERST geospatial mapping component will enable the participant to view and overlay demographic information with publicly available date including environmental concentration, human exposures, health risks, Ecosystem services, Sustainability indicators, and Sources of pollution. Participants will need to bring a laptop with wifi capability. Participants will need a minimum skill set on operating a computer. This training will take place 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• Water and Wastewater Utility Operations, Maintenance, and Management (CEUs Provided) by Mark Nelson, P.G. with Horsley Witten Group, Inc. A well run tribal water utility saves money, protects public health, and keeps streams, lakes, pond and coastal waters clean. This training is intended for utility operators, managers, and leaders. The workshop will use presentations, case studies, and group exercises to promote utility sustainability and instruct participants on how best to operate, troubleshoot, maintain and manage drinking water & wastewater collection treatment and disposal systems, covering: Water & wastewater collection system management; Water & wastewater treatment system operation and maintenance; Decentralized system O&M and management; Operator and management roles and responsibilities; Developing rate structures to support operations; Asset management to ensure system sustainability; and Resiliency planning to respond to and recover from extreme events. This training will run 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday and continue on Tuesday morning. On Tuesday morning, training participants will tour the Lower Bird Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Northeast Tulsa as part of the training.
  
  
• Brownfield Tribal Response Programs 101 by Mickey Hartnett and Oral Saulters, KSU-Tribal TAB. Basic training on the Brownfields 128(a) Tribal Response Program (TRP) for tribal staff that are relatively new to the program or seeking to start a TRP program. Outcome: knowledge of what is expected to establish and implement a TRP and some concepts on how to do that. No previous knowledge of the TRP is required. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• ENIPC’s UST Owner/Operator Training by Leonard Sabatino and Rebecca Martin, Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council. ENIPC is pleased to announce UST Owner/Operator Training at the Tribal Lands and Environment Forum in Tulsa, OK. The training shall cover the following topics: tank and piping leak test requirements, safety, federal regulations, reporting, recordkeeping, financial responsibility, UST operations and Maintenance, Compliance Issues, New Regulations. *This training explains and demonstrates to UST owners and operators the proper operation and maintenance of UST facility equipment; identifies and addresses existing compliance issues; and reviews federal UST regulations. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• A Grant Writing Blueprint by Josh Simmons, Prosper Sustainably. Clear, well written laws are often needed to effectively manage ongoing environmental issues within Indian Country. Many tribes currently need to create or revise water, waste, air, or other environmental codes to address the unique issues and objectives within their community. This session provides a summary of a step-by-step approach to developing tribal environmental codes regularly taught in multiday workshops on behalf organizations such as ITEP. Examples of how this approach has been applied will be shared from specific tribal projects. This training will take place 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• Developing and Implementing an EPA-Tribal ETEP And Strategic Plans for Tribal Environmental Programs by Josh Simmons, Prosper Sustainably. An EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan (ETEP) can and should be a powerful tool that helps a tribe accomplish its environmental goals and objectives in the most efficient and effective manner possible. This workshop will offer a blueprint on how to develop (or revise) and implement an ETEP that is a living, adaptable (yet simple) strategic planning and management system. Participants will receive hands-on training on how to prepare (or revise) clear mission and vision statements, core values, long-term goals, and intermediate objectives to guide their tribal environmental programs. Training will also be provided on how to implement an ETEP strategic work plan to develop grant work plans, oversee programs, manage staff, obtain buy-in from leadership, develop partnerships, and more. This workshop will be supplemented with case studies and examples from on the Pala Band of Mission Indians and Yavapai Apache Nation. This training will take place 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• Above Ground Storage Tank Spill Prevention Inspections by Mark Howard, USEPA. Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures regulations and inspection program will be discussed in detail. While not a delegated program, EPA relies on tribes to be aware of oil storage facilities that EPA inspects and what is required for facilities to prevent spills and plan for spill mitigation. Tribes that are more informed can better report issues to regional inspectors. This training will take place 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• Enhancing a Brownfield 128(a) Tribal Response Program by Mickey Hartnett, KSU-Tribal TAB. How to Enhance your 128(a) Tribal Response Program: -Going beyond the 4 Element Basics. Outcome: Ideas, Experiences and Discussion of how to build upon the basics of the 4 Elements of TRP to meet tribal needs and priorities. Knowledge of the basic TRP 4 Elements and some TRP implementation experience needed. This training will take place 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday.

Field Trips on Monday, August 14, 2017

There are limited seats available and participants will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Please bring a water bottle on all field trips and be prepared for the summer temperatures.

• A visit to the Euchee Butterfly Farm. Attendees on this half-day tour will visit the Euchee Butterfly Farm, which includes a greenhouse, butterfly raising facility, and collections of native seeds. Their "Natives Helping Natives" project is looking for additional tribal partners around the country, and they currently work with seven tribes in Oklahoma to save, and plant, native seeds as well as spread native pollinators. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about how you can work with native pollinators and plants, including on remediation projects. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Monday.
  
  
• A tour of three tribal recycling facilities. This special all-day tour will visit the recycling facilities of the Modoc Tribe, Wyandotte Nation, and Eastern Shawnee Tribe. This is an excellent opportunity to see three different approaches to recycling and talk to onsite staff about equipment, operations, administration, and markets. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday. Attendees will purchase lunch onsite for $5 for this tour.
  
  
• An opportunity to practice in-stream monitoring and learn about community engagement strategies. This all-day tour, led by staff from the Osage Nation and Blue Thumb Oklahoma, will allow attendees to learn about, and practice in-stream water quality monitoring techniques. Participants will also learn about citizen science and community education and engagement projects being conducted by the tribe and their partners. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday. Lunch will be provided on this tour.
  
  
• A visit to both the Tar Creek Superfund Site and an innovative Passive Treatment System. This all-day tour will provide attendees with an introduction to the Tar Creek Superfund site by staff from the Quapaw Tribe as well as visits to the Fischer Pile, the Catholic 40 site, Douthit Bridge, and Distal 10/Distal 12. Attendees will then visit the innovative Mayer Ranch Passive Treatment System before returning to Tulsa.

Trainings on Tuesday, August 15, 2017

• Hazardous Waste Program Inspections and Emergency Response by Rudy Mix and Dale Anderson, Gila River Indian Community. In this session GRIC DEQ will present information on how to conduct hazardous waste and chemical safety inspections. This will include what we have learned from our experience with program development, environmental law enforcement, safety, emergency response and other aspects of implementing U.S. EPA and tribal programs. Information will include:
  
  
  • Common hazardous chemicals and where they are found.
  • How to identify chemicals, chemical wastes, and theJules34 emergencies.
  • How to clean up chemicals when they spill or catch fire.
  • How to respond to chemical emergencies, spills, fires, explosions and other releases.
  • Personnel safety and sampling considerations.
  • EPA and tribal laws for site access and inspections.
  • How to conduct chemical waste and safety inspections.
  • Designing tribal waste laws and integrated waste management plans.
  • Practical examples and plans.
  
  This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• Brownfield Tools to Engage Community and Assess Health Risk by Gary Perlman, ATSDR. In this interactive session, participants will learn about three tools created by ATSDR Land Reuse Health Program. The first tool is the ATSDR Land Reuse Action Model, a four-step framework to engage communities in land reuse planning. The second tool is the ATSDR Land Reuse Site tool. This tool is an inventory database and a rapid site screening/multiple chemical evaluation tool that allows users to assess sites by past/future use, institutional controls, sensitive populations, and suspected or confirmed contamination. The third resource is the ATSDR Comparison Value Viewer. That tool is a computer program that allows users to quickly view ATSDR health-based comparison values for chemicals in three media (air, soil, and, water). This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• USEPA Munitions Response Training by Andy Schwartz, USEPA. This entry-level course, is designed to provide an overview of key environmental issues associated with munitions cleanup. Participants will be introduced to terminology, munitions identification and safety concerns, regulatory requirements, conventional and innovative technology, site characterization, and remediation. It will provide introductory background on key munitions cleanup issues relevant to regulators, federal environmental program managers, and community stakeholders. Course instructors will combine lecture, case studies, and class participation to provide an interesting and interactive training experience. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• Emergency Response Planning for Tribes by John Wheaton, Nez Perce Tribe and Nick Nichols, USEPA. Some tribes have already completed or are in the process of completing such Emergency Response plans. The purpose of this training is to help attendees understand their needs and how to craft emergency response plans relevant to their communities. This training will be a time to share examples from various tribes, as well as discussing emergency planning guidance materials from multiple USEPA Regions. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• Communicating Sustainability Through Tribal Environmental Programs by Sarah Diefendorf, EFCWest and Cynthia Naha, Santo Domingo Tribe. This workshop is designed to:
  
  
  1. improve participant's ability to turn dry numbers and facts into a compelling story, and
  2. help students create the key elements of an effective messaging campaign so they can build their story and take it to the Tribal Community and Council.
  
  The workshop will be broken into the three following sessions.
  
  
  1. Connecting with Others Through Story: What makes an effective story? Why is story important to moving your audience and how does it trigger action? How can digital story be used by Tribal Utility and Environmental Programs to aid in telling a better story and delivering a stronger message to their communities?
  2. Crafting a Presentation That Inspires: Learn what you have been doing wrong all these years and how you can make a more effective and powerful electronic presentations.
  3. Framing Your Message: Learn techniques to develop a strong and persuasive message, framed for your audience.
  
  Build on the techniques above to create a message that will motivate your community. In addition, Cynthia Naha will share her digital story, focused on solid waste and tribal communities. She will highlight the process she went through to create a message utilizing photos, music and narration to connect to her audience. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• Strengthening Tribal Self-Determination and Self-Governance by Administering Environmental Protection Programs: The Continuing Relevance of EPA’s 1984 Indian Policy & 1992 GAP Statute by Professor James Grijalva, Director Northern Plains Indian Law Center’s Tribal Environmental Law Project, University of North Dakota School of Law. The 1984 “EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations” and the 1992 "Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act" (GAP) are based on the notion that tribal governments are the appropriate non-Federal parties for carrying out environmental program implementation responsibilities for Indian country. These documents continue to guide EPA in its work with tribes and help EPA fulfill its mission in a manner that promotes tribal "self-government." This training session will cover the history and content of the 1984 Indian Policy and the 1992 GAP statute. Participants will learn: (1) The legal basis for EPA’s tribal program as expressed through the 1984 Indian Policy; (2) The authority to fund tribal capacity to administer environmental protection programs under the GAP statute; and (3) How these foundational documents continue to support tribal self-governance today. This training will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.

Field Trips on Tuesday, August 15, 2017

There are limited seats available and participants will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Please bring a water bottle on all field trips and be prepared for the summer temperatures.

• A tour of multiple sustainability projects run by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Participants on this tour will visit a series of special projects undertaken by MCN, including energy-efficient tribal homes, renewable energy projects at the tribal college, buildings constructed with recycled and repurposed materials, composting and garden projects, and other environmentally friendly initiatives rooted in the Nation’s culture and values. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• A visit to the UST Containment Solutions factory in Tulsa. This large-scale production facility will afford attendees the opportunity to see how a variety of sizes of USTs are constructed. Participants will get a walk-through tour of the factory and have the opportunity to take with onsite staff about the latest developments in USTs. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday.
  
  
• A tour of the Lower Bird Creek Wastewater plant in northeast Tulsa is being offered as part of the Water & Wastewater Utility Operations training that begins on Monday. This plant won a Platinum Peake Performance Award in 2015, and attendees will be able to see their operations and equipment, as well as talk with staff. This field trip will take place 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday. While the tour is included in the Water & Wastewater Utility Operation, Maintenance and Management Training, it is open to those not participating in the training, space permitting.

Agenda

Please click HERE to view draft agenda. [pdf]

Past TLEFs:

2016 TLEF: Mohegan Sun Resort
Uncasville, CN
August 15-18, 2016
    Click HERE for Presentations.

    Click HERE for Conference Booklet.

    Click HERE for Attendee Networking list.

2015 TLEF: Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, MN
August 17-20, 2015
    Click HERE for Presentations.

    Click HERE for Conference Booklet.

    Click HERE for Attendee Networking List.

2013 TLEF: Hyatt Regency Tamaya
Pueblo of Santa Ana
August 19-22, 2013
    Click HERE for Presentations.

    Click HERE for Conference Booklet.

    Click HERE for Attendee Networking List.

2012 TLEF: Mill Casino and Hotel, Coquille Indian Tribe
Coos Bay, OR
August 20-23, 2012
    Click HERE for Presentations.

    Click HERE for Attendee Networking List. [pdf]

    Click HERE for Presenter Bios. [pdf]

    Click HERE for Agenda Booklet. [pdf]

2011 TLEF: Radisson Hotel and Conference Center
Oneida/Green Bay, WI
August 23-25, 2011
    Click HERE for Presentations.

2010 TLEF: US Grant Hotel
San Diego, CA
August 24-26, 2010
    Click HERE for Presentations.