EPA awards $110,000 in environmental funding to the Chickahominy Indian Tribe in Virginia

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EPA awards $110,000 in environmental funding to the Chickahominy Indian Tribe in Virginia

PHILADELPHIA – (November 5, 2019) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded its first grant to the Chickahominy Indian Tribe recently – $110,000 toward the tribe’s environmental program.

“EPA is pleased to make funding available to our tribal partners to strengthen their abilities to manage environmental programs in Indian Country,” said EPA Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio.  “Providing this type of funding, and our partnership with the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, is a priority for EPA.”

“Indigenous peoples have a long-standing and deep-rooted connection with Mother Earth,” said Chickahominy Chief Stephen Adkins. “This grant will provide the Chickahominy people with the framework and tools needed to protect and conserve our environment for the next seven generations.”

EPA funding assists tribes in building environmental capacity. The Chickahominy Indian Tribe will use these funds to establish the Chickahominy Environmental Protection Agency. The Agency will sponsor community events, develop environmental plans and establish priorities. The Chickahominy will also use these funds to raise tribal awareness about environmental concerns and to improve environmental conditions.

Specifically, the Tribe will work toward these objectives by:

• Conducting environmental outreach and education with the tribal community through community meetings and events;

• Developing and adopting an EPA/Tribal Environmental Plan to begin assessing the Tribe’s environmental priorities and goals in coordination with EPA.

• Establishing the Tribe’s Environmental Protection Agency, enabling staff to maintain a professional environmental presence by attending environmental trainings and meetings to further their environmental education.

In January 2018, the U.S, government recognized the Chickahominy Indian Tribe through the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2018. The Chickahominy Indian Tribe is in Charles City County.

In addition to the environmental program funding for the Chickahominy, EPA has awarded the Pamunkey Indian Tribe $110,000 to continue its progress in program development. This is the second year of EPA support. Located in the rural Tidewater region of King William County, Pamunkey is the first federally recognized Indian Tribe in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/tribal/indian-environmental-general-assistance-program-gap