Calif. Tribes Receive EPA Grants to Clean Up Waste Management

Located on a stretch of land alongside the Klamath River in northern California, the Karuk and Yurok Tribes have seen their share of polluted water conditions over the past couple of years.

In fact, more than 200 tons of solid and hazardous waste and 400 vehicles have been removed from the Klamath River watershed, according to the EPA. Because of the polluted river and illegal dumping, the EPA gave a $38,553 grant to the Yurok Tribe and $47,798 to the Karuk Tribe to improve their current waste management system.

According to the EPA, The Yurok, Hoopa and Karuk Tribes have worked for over a decade to address their solid waste issues. Photo: Flickr/prentz

In September 2008, 18 Yurok members were HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response) certified to work on sites with hazardous materials, according to the EPA.

The tribes’ official cleanup efforts began in October 2008, resulting in a significant reduction of health threats caused by illegal dumping along the Klamath and Trinity Rivers.

According to Jeff Scott, director of the Waste Management Division for the Pacific Southwest region, this partnership will benefit the tribes, the state and the surrounding ecosystem.

“This collaboration between tribes, state and federal agencies and local organizations is leading to significant improvements in the Klamath Watershed,” Scott said. “These cleanup efforts have benefited the tribe and Humboldt County residents, and improved critical habitat for threatened species, such as Chinook salmon and the Northern Spotted Owl. The EPA’s new grants will build on these successes.”

The Klamath River Basin covers 10.5 million acres in southern Oregon and northern California and is home to six federally-recognized tribes and several refuges, parks and forests.