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Alaska tribal village receives nearly $95,000 to reduce exposure to toxics

Release Date: 11/04/2010
Contact Information: Sally Hanft, EPA’s Region 10 CARE Program (206) 553-1207, [email protected]; Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1203, [email protected]

(Seattle - Nov. 4, 2010)  The Native Village of Eyak tribal members will have greater protection from toxic chemicals thanks to a nearly $95,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The tribe is located in the eastern Gulf of Alaska.

Eyak was awarded the Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant to help reduce exposure to environmental contamination. This grant will help create a healthier environment and a healthier population for the entire community of Cordova, Alaska, where most Eyak tribal members reside.
Some of the known environmental concerns include lingering oil contamination from the Exxon Valdez, stormwater pollution contamination, solid waste and open burning concerns.
 
Eyak is a unified group made up of many Alaska Native backgrounds. It is the largest tribe on the Copper River with approximately 525 members. The City of Cordova has an estimated population of 2,126 with Alaska Natives comprising about 15 percent.

“The CARE Program is intended to empower communities to protect themselves against environmental dangers,” said Marcia Combes, EPA’s Director of Alaska Operations in Anchorage. “Eyak has already begun identifying risks from toxic chemicals and this grant will help them take their work to the next level.”
 
The CARE project will help the tribe:

• Build relationships among community organizations and formalize partnerships
• Identify pollution sources
• Prioritize risks
• Map hazardous sites
• Educate the community about the contamination and pollution prevention measures
• Create a sustainable community