1. REGULATE YOUR AIR CONDITIONING WITH SMART TECHNOLOGY

According to the polling site Five Thirty Eight, America’s energy consumption balloons in the summer, reaching some 33 percent higher than in the spring or fall. And the number-one driver of this peak use is air conditioners. But thanks to modern technology, controlling your AC use is as easy as the touch of a button. With a programmable smart thermostat, you can set your air conditioner to turn off while you’re at work, at play, or on vacation, then turn on shortly before you arrive home. And with a desktop or mobile app, you can adjust your set-tings from wherever you are – and even earn reward points from your energy company.

2. MAKE A PLEDGE TO STOP USING PLASTIC PARTY SUPPLIES

There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned summer barbeque. But while you can always count on at least one guest asking you to hold the relish, here’s something else it would be great to hold: plastic party supplies. Americans use some 40 billion (that’s right, billion) plas-tic utensils every year, most for five minutes or less. Add to that the 780,000 tons of plastic and Styrofoam cups we toss casually away and we’re talking some serious waste, especially since recycling is often more complicated than we think. An alternative is to stock up on an extra set of dishware and cutlery from a secondhand store; a little bit of extra washing, sure, but a big savings for the environment – and your wallet.

3. USE REEF-SAFE SUNBLOCK

Protecting yourself from the harmful effects of the sun is important. Unfortunately, according to The New York Times, about 14,000 tons of sunscreen wind up in our oceans every year, with the most damage being done to fragile coral reefs in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Fortu-nately, there are a variety of alternatives on the market, called mineral or physical sun blocks, that do not contain the coral-bleaching chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. That’s good news for your skin – and even better news for the oceans.

5 Easy Ways to Make Your Summer More Environmentally Friendly

Round Valley Indian Tribes Tribal Environmental Department

Round Valley Indian Tribes, 77826 Covelo Road, Covelo Ca 95428 (707) 983-8204

Summer Newsletter 2018

Inside this

issue:

EPA News

Illegal

Dumping

Water

Assoc

Reality

Dept

106

319 .

319 Comp

Recycling

4. PRACTICE CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING

Simply put, catch-and-release is the practice of letting your fish go once you’ve caught it. When done cor-rectly, with rods and reels that do not exhaust the fish together with the use of barbless hooks, survival rates can be as high as 90 percent or more. Like anything else, catch-and-release is a technique that must be learned, but you’ll be doing your part to protect native species without having to give up the fun of fishing.

5. ORGANIZE A STAYCATION

Although the weather may be on your side, summer may in fact be one of the worst times to travel – as any-one who’s ever sat in a Sunday-night traffic jam to get back into the city can attest. And while we’d never ad-vocate giving up the joys of travel, there’s also a great deal to be said for getting reacquainted with yourself, your home, and your local area. And with air travel making up 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emis-sions and long-distance car travel not far behind, stay-cations are amongst the single most environmentally friendly things you can do with your summer free time.

Every issue EPA prints our department encounters more and more illegal dumping sites. Illegal dumping is an ongoing issue and is getting worse. Please be kind to our environment and RECY-CLE, REUSE, DISPOSE of your waste correctly. If you need any information about recycling, please don’t hesitate to call our office. (707) 983-8204, M-F, 8-5PM

If you encounter anyone disposing illegally please call our office with any information or evidence that pertains to the situation and or call Tribal Police at (707) 983-8227 or Epa Office at (707) 983-8204

ILLEGAL DUMPING ON TRIBAL LANDS

Please be responsible and try to conserve when you can. Tips for

water conservation can be found online or call the Tribal EPA and

Water office at 983-8204 for some ideas.

\

For

Tribal Residential Land

1. Make request by form, letter, phone call or email.

2. Request is added to a monthly spreadsheet that is attached to an Agenda Item Request (AIR) form for the next

Council meeting.

3. Upon approval/direction of the Council, the members name is added to the waiting list.

4. The member is then sent a letter informing them of the results from the Council meeting for their record.

5. Members will be sent an annually notice/letter asking the members if they are still interested in remaining on the

waiting list. In the notice/letter the member will be given 30-days to respond or their name will be taken off the

waiting list and will need to begin the request process again.

6. Once a home site becomes available, the members whose name appears at the top of the waiting list will be noti-

fied of the availability of residential land. An intake packet will be sent along with this notification. They will be

given 30-days to respond.

7. Once the members’ information is received, an AIR may be submitted for Council’s approval (by resolution) for

the lease. A draft resolution will be attached to the AIR.

8. Once approved, the member will be notified of the AIR decision.

9. Once resolution is finalized, a copy of the resolution will be provided to the member for their records.

10. A lease will be processed, once the member’s signature and lease payment for the first year, including filing fee has

been received at the Tribal Real Estate Office, the President’s signature along with the needed witnesses will then

be acquired. After final review of the lease packet, the lease packet will be forward to Bureau of Indian Affairs

(BIA) Central California Agency Real Estate Services for processing. Once the Secretary of the Interior signature

of approval has been acquired, the lease will ten be processed through the BIA’s database and recorded with Land

Titles and Record.

11. Once the finalized (official) lease is returned, a copy will be provided to the tribal member.

12. If at any time, after approval of a home site, a member chooses to exchange the location of the home site, they

will need to reapply and begin the request process again.

Approved 4.28.15

Practice of Protocol (Realty Department)

Why does foam form on lakes, rivers, and streams?

Surface waters naturally contain dissolved organic compounds. Some of these are surface-active

agents or Surfactants as they are commonly called. Like soap, surfactants lessen the surface tension of

water. Diminished surface tension allows air bubbles to persist at the water’s surface. Vigorous mixing

of surface water by waves, water currents, rapids and even boating activity generates bubbles that per-

sist and build up as foam. In lakes, reservoirs and ponds, foam collects along windward shores or may

form long, evenly-spaced lines, called ‘windrows’, in open water areas resulting from water currents. In

rivers and streams, foam is often found downstream of rapids, in back-currents (eddies) or below water

falls and dams.

Where do surfactants come from?

Plants and algae inhabiting watersheds and surface waters produce many organic compounds, some of

which have surfactant properties. Natural surfactants include carboxylic fatty acids derived from plant

lipids and lignin's from wood, to name a few. These are released into water and contribute to a large va-

riety of soluble organic material collectively referred to as dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Though some

DOC is produced within surface waters, the primary source is usually from the surrounding watershed.

High DOC concentrations in lakes, wetlands and streams can impart a ‘tea’ color to the water. Brown-

water lakes, ponds and streams occur throughout much of Alberta, but are most prevalent in areas domi-

nated by peat or muskeg, such as in northern Alberta. While mostly natural, some foam is caused by

synthetically produced surfactants released to surface waters. Surfactants are widely used in household

cleaning products (detergents), cosmetics and personal care products (shampoo and toothpaste for exam-

ple). Early detergents contained branch-chained alkyl benzene suffocate surfactants, which are non-

biodegradable and resulted in extremely persistent foam accumulating below sewage treatment plants

and other wastewater outfalls. Moreover, these also contained phosphate softeners to enhance the effec-

tiveness of surfactants by reducing water hardness. Unfortunately, phosphates ultimately contributed to

nutrient enrichment of surface waters (eutrophication) and the proliferation of cyan bacterial (blue-

green algal) blooms and aquatic plants (macrophytes). To solve these problems, modern-day detergents

were modified to limit or exclude phosphates and contain biodegradable linear alkyl benzene sulfonate

surfactants, such as sodium or ammonium laureth or lauryl sulfate. Surfactants are also used by many

industries as wetting agents, dispersants, defoamers, de-inkers, antistatic agents, and in paint and pro-

tective coatings, pesticides, leather processing, plastics and elastomer manufacturing, and oil extraction

and production. Unlike modern-day detergent surfactants, many of these are very persistent in the envi-

ronment, can ‘bio’accumulate in organisms and humans and have various biological consequences. Alkyl

phenol ethoxylates for example, which continue to be widely used by industry, have been shown to have

estrogenic properties eliciting reproductive effects in fish and other organisms. Similarly, perfluorooc-

tanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, which were commonly used in the production of stain resis-

tant and nonstick coatings including Scotchguard and Teflon, also have estrogenic and carcinogenic

properties. Regardless of the formulations, synthetic surfactants usually cause foam to accumulate near

the source and not over large distances, and generally not in relation to rainstorms or windy conditions.

In contrast to natural foam, fresh detergent foam will be white and may have a contrast to natural foam,

fresh detergent foam will be white and may have a noticeable sweet or perfume scent. In waters receiv-

ing a range of treated wastewaters, such as downstream of our major cities and industries, both syn-

thetic and natural compounds may be present that can contribute to the formation of foam.

How do surfactants affect the surface tension of water?

FOAM ON SURFACE WATERS (106 Program)

Surface tension is an important property of water. It results from cohesion – the attraction of water

molecules for one another. Cohesion gives water the ability to bead up or form droplets and contributes

to the formation of waves and currents, which play an important role in the distribution of temperature,

dissolved gases, nutrients, microorganisms and plankton. At the surface of a body of water (i.e. the air-

water interface), cohesion creates a thin ‘film’ or tension. This allows insects like water striders to walk

on water and forms a special habitat for some aquatic organisms adapted to living on this surface film

(mosquito larvae for example). Surfactants are amphipathic molecules, that is, they contain both hydro-

philic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) components. The hydrophilic components can

form bonds with water and competes with other water molecules as they attract one another. In this

manner, surfactants reduce the overall attraction between water molecules, thus diminishing surface

tension. Lower surface tension causes water to become more fluid or elastic, and when air is vigorously

mixed in, the resulting bubbles can persist for some time. This phenomenon is easily demonstrated by

running tap water into a sink or tub. The tap water and air mix vigorously, creating bubbles that last

only moments before bursting. Now add soap, a surfactant, to the tub and, instead of bursting immedi-

ately, the bubbles persist and build up as foam.

How is foam produced?

A reduced surface tension due to the presence of surfactants is only one half of the recipe for the produc-

tion of foam. Equally important is the incorporation of air to form bubbles. In lakes, ponds and reser-

voirs, wind-induced currents and waves cause turbulent mixing of air and water. Boating activity may

also contribute to this turbulence. In these environments, foam will often collect on windward shores and

coves where wavs break. In open water, foam may form along a series of helical currents called Lang-

muir Circulations. Langmuir circulations typically run parallel with the wind, and result in evenly-

spaced and repetitive streaks, or windrows. Like shoreline foam, these usually occur during extended

windy periods. In streams and rivers foam tends to collect at the end of rapids, in backwater eddies or

below waterfalls and dams. Foaming will often increase during runoff from snow melt or rainstorms that

transport the surfactants to surface waters. Natural foam has a somewhat earthly or fishy aroma and at

first can be white, bur generally turns off-white or brown over time. Foam can persist for some time and

may accumulate locally, such as downstream of beaver dams.

What is the influence of water hardness on foaming?

Water Hardness may influence the amount of foam that results from water turbulence. People with hard

domestic water are well aware of the ineffectiveness or foaming ability of household soaps and deter-

gents under these circumstances. Water hardness is a result of the presence of certain minerals in water,

principally calcium and magnesium (and iron and manganese, to a lesser extent). Dissolved in water,

calcium and magnesium exist as positively charged ions. These out-compete water molecules for binding

to negatively charged surfactants (carboxylic fatty acids for example). The harder the water, the more

likely the surfactant will be bound up by calcium or magnesium and, consequently, the less likely sur-

face tension will be reduced. Most of Alberta’s rivers and many of the central Alberta lakes have moder-

ately hard to very hard waters, meaning they have high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. As a

result, foaming is not usually excessive in these waters. Lakes in the North, as well as many sodium-

dominated prairie lakes in the province, often have low amounts of calcium and magnesium and, hence,

reduced hardness. In these softer waters, foam may occur more frequently. For more information call toll

-free (310-0000) to a regional office of Alberta Environment, or the Environmental Monitoring and

Evaluation Branch.

This is just some information about how foam is produced in streams

that I had received from a friend. It is for your information

As more people are driving through our restoration site we have came up with the idea of mak-

ing signs so the community will know that we have a project going on. Well we thought will they

just get tore down? Will people even look or drive right pass them? So we

went out and got some ply boards from MM Feed and some paint and made

our signs. We posted them at every site we have trees planted. Please be cau-

tious when driving out at Mill Creek as we have newly planted trees and wa-

ter line.

With most of our trees planted and being watered daily our green

house was starting to look a little empty so we started focusing on

cleaning up. Some trees didn't take, some didn't get enough water.

those were pulled and took to our new compost site at Hidden Oaks.

We weeded pulled weeds and continued to water the last surviving

trees. And along with watering the trees out at all 4 sites. If you hap-

pened to be out at Mill Creek ( Dump Area) go and check out the hard

work our restoration crew had done, see how our little trees are look-

ing, everything worked out so good and I cant believe we are almost to

the end of our project. Cant wait to start again this coming fall. So just

a FYI we are always looking for Cottonwood since we have been doing

this project for a few years the cottonwood is getting harder and

harder to find.

Thank you

Heather Downey

319 Water Tech

319 Program

319 Competitive Grant

RECYCLING NEWS: What is

intended within this page is

information for recycling in

your home. Websites Email ad-

dresses and other information

have been checked out by the

Tribal Environmental Depart-

ment. Round Valley Indian

Tribes does not endorse, pro-

mote or benefit financially

from any information that is

posted.

Pills are dangerous especially

if they fall in the wrong hands

or children get a hold of them,

this can be fatal. Please take

all of your old pills or any un-

known and unused pills to the

R.V Indian Health Center they

will accept and dispose of them

correctly with no questions

asked.

For more information contact:

(707) 983-6181 Round Valley

Indian Health Center Accepts

your sharps in the Biohazard

infectious waste container for

free.

Solid Waste Services:

800 My Garbage

www.solidwasteservices.net

csr@solidwasteservices.net

350 Franklin Ave, Willits, Ca 95490 or

Refuse Road Site Covelo

1-30 Gallon Can $5.00

22-50 Per Cubic Yard

Motor Oil is free for first 20 gallons a

day.

Tires depend on size $4.00-Up

Batteries– Free disposal

Cell phones and House hold batteries

free

Medals $10.00 a yard

Electronics are Free

Paint latex only limited amount

PAPER AND CARDBOARD

White & Pastel office paper

Opened Mail

Magazine & Catalogs

Newspapers & Inserts

Corrugated Cardboard, Flattened

Paper bags

File Folders

Phonebooks

Paper Egg Cartons

Blueprints

Paperback books

CONTAINERS

Empty Screw-top plastic bottles,

jugs and jars

Empty plastic tubs #1-7 (No Lids)

Aluminum, steel & tin cans ( do not

crush)

Clean, balled aluminum foil 2” or

larger and pie pans

Paper milk & Juice car-

tons

Juice boxes & drink

boxes

Metal jar lids & Steel

bottle caps

Hazardous Waste Hotline

(707) 468-9704

M&M Feed Recycles batter-

ies Please place in a bag or

a box depending on how

many. No charge for dis-

posal.

REDUCE REUSE RECY-

CLE

Please remember to recycle

this newsletter. If you do not

want to keep them toss in

you’re your paper recycling.

Thanks you for helping re-

duce solid waste in the

ground. Any questions about

items to be recycled, the

internet is a great place to

look or you may call RV In-

dian Tribes EPA and we will

assist you with any informa-

tion we can.

(707) 983-8204