Delaware Tribe of Oklahoma

Site Overview

Site Location

Anadarko, Oklahoma

Site Description

The Delaware Tribal Environmental Program has worked with federal, state and local agencies, as well as the Wichita and Caddo Tribes to identify solid waste issues, illegal dump sites, land erosion, recycling, herbicides/pesticides and other potential media contaminant issues. Two major areas of concern were identified by the Delaware Tribe Executive Committee as environmental priorities. Clean water considerations were initially emphasized, as the Delaware Tribal Environmental Program was given authority through the Wichita, Caddo, Delaware Confederation to actively pursue investigation of water quality, preservation of native plants and wetland areas, and testing of surface water and individual water wells. Issues pertaining to the use of herbicides/pesticides, illegal dumping and solid waste management were also given priority. Integration of an air quality management program, Brownfields investigations, and development and operation of Tribal household waste recycling center were later included in Delaware Tribal Environmental Program efforts.

Assistance was sought with technical aspects and training requirements for water and wastewater tribal regulations and procedures. Tribal officials obtained a grant to develop regulations that apply to potential contaminant impacts to water from industrial sites outside the reservation. Lead and radon issues were also investigated.

Organization Requesting Assistance

Delaware Nation Environmental Program (DNEP)

Beginning Date of Assistance

July 1998

Summary of TOSNAC Assistance

TOSNAC provided technical support to the Delaware Tribe Executive Committee and Environmental Program staff related to fundamental science information on new topics; clarifying regulatory processes in general as they relate to contaminant issues; addressing specific contaminant concerns, including contaminant dynamics, exposure and health considerations, and potential remediation technologies. Delaware Tribal Environmental staff attended a number of technical training sessions at Haskell Indian Nations University. These include the EPA's Technical Innovation Office Training sessions, Field-Based Site Characterization Technologies Workshop, and Strategies for Field-Based Analytical and Sampling Technologies courses, June 21-25, 1999, as well as Inter-Tribal Wetlands Workshop, sponsored by the Prairie Band Potawatomie Tribe, September 9-11, 1998.

TOSNAC coordinator and Delaware Environmental Staff at Haskell workshop