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Navajo
Nation Environmental Protection Agency - Water Quality Program
Navajo Nation EPA
Water Quality Program
P.O. Box 339
Window Rock, Arizona 86515
"Protecting Mother Earth For Future Generations"
Telephone
(520) 871-7690
Fax
(520) 871-7599
Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA)
The Navajo Environmental Protection Commission was established in
1972. In 1995, legislation made the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection
Agency (NNEPA) a separate regulatory branch of the Navajo National
government and charged it with protecting human health, welfare, and
the environment of the Navajo Nation.
In April 1995, the Navajo Nation Council passed a resolution establishing
the NNEPA and approved adoption of the Navajo Nation Environmental
Policy Act. This Act provides guidance for , the NNEPA in addition
to recognizing that a clean environment contributes to maintaining
harmony and balance on the Navajo Nation.
The mission of the NNEPA is as follows: `With respect for Dine' values,
protect, preserve, and enhance public health, welfare and the environment
for present and future generations by developing, implementing, and
enforcing strong environmental laws; to foster public awareness and
cooperation through education and motivation."
Water Quality Program
The NNEPA Water Quality Program began operation in 1993 with funding
from the U.S. EPA under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act .
The mission of the Water Quality Program is to ensure the "waters
of the Navajo Nation" attain, support, and maintain designated uses
of these waters. The designated uses include domestic water supplies,
recreation, fish and wildlife, livestock watering, and agricultural
irrigation.
Objectives
Complete an assessment of the quality of the "waters of the Navajo
Nation" to determine a baseline on the condition of the waters on
the Nation.
Determine the attainable uses of waters throughout the Navajo Nation,
such as; domestic water supplies, human contact, fisheries, livestock,
and wildlife watering, irrigation, and others.
Develop a water quality management plan to maintain or improve water
for present or additional uses.
Provide Clean Water Act Sections 401 and 404 information regarding
permits to all entities doing construction activities that effect
waters of the Navajo Nation to ensure compliance.
Provide education to the public, tribal officials, federal agencies,
and industry related to factors affecting water quality and the values
and function of wetlands.
Accomplishments
Attained authority from U.S. EPA to establish a Navajo Nation Water
Quality Program.
Participated in reconnaissance and evaluation of watersheds throughout
the Navajo Nation.
Drafted surface water designated uses, Navajo Nation Water Quality
Standards, and Navajo Nation Water Quality Code.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Plan,
Key Issues
Program support by the Navajo Nation government and the Navajo people
is important so that a combined effort can be made to ensure that
water quality is not impaired for present and future generations.
Program success is based upon cooperation from everybody.
Improper grazing of livestock on the Navajo Nation is a major contributor
to land degradation, this leads to soil erosion which allows additional
sediments to enter water bodies. Increased sediments contribute to
a reduction in water quality and reduced holding capacity of Navajo
Nation lakes. Improper or unmanaged livestock grazing also introduces
pathogenic bacteria and additional nutrients to surface waters, further
degrading the water quality.
Improper land and water use/reclamation such as" off-road vehicle
traffic, techniques, and lack reclamation measures to lands are also
key issues.
Floodplain management improper irrigation of proper land restore disturbed
is an important aspect of watershed protection. Housing construction
and other developments within floodplains should be avoided due to
problems of access, human safety, property loss, and disruption of
natural flooding processes. Environmental assessments must take all
these factors into consideration.
Education on factors affecting water quality and the values and functions
of wetlands is a major component of the Water Quality Program. Through
education, the value of conservation, restoration, and protection
of the Navajo Nation watersheds can be realized for our children and
their future.
We have a firm belief that only through education will the Navajo
Nation come out ahead in the many challenges we face today and tomorrow.
Wetlands
When the term "wetlands" is heard, we immediately think of wastelands-sources
of mosquitoes, flies, and unpleasant odors. Our first response is
to avoid, or better `yet, eliminate them. With this negative view,
more than half of America's original wetlands were destroyed. They
have been drained and converted to farmland, filled for housing developments
and industrial facilities, or used as household or hazardous waste
receptacles.
Wetlands are not wastelands. They are valuable natural resources that
improve water quality, recharge groundwater, provide natural flood
control, and support a wide variety of fish, wildlife, and plants.
As jointly defined by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, wetlands are those areas inundated or saturated
by surface groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support,
and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation
typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands
include the ever-so-obvious swamps and marshes, but also include the
infrequently flooded and seasonally vegetated wetlands. On the arid,
seemingly dry Navajo Nation, wetlands exist near washes, streams,
lakes, ponds, and the many other places where water is allowed to
accumulate. The many plants growing in wetlands serve many purposes,
such as filters to improve water quality, forage for animals, and
as sources of plants important to our culture. These areas also serve
as watering points for numerous livestock and wildlife. Because of
the importance of these areas we need to treat them with the concern
dictated by our traditional upbringing of respect for the land and
water.
Wet Meadows
Wet meadows form because of abundant moisture in soils. This moisture
comes mainly from snowmelt during spring runoff, Wet . meadows can
also occur as a result of springs. The water from melting snow slowly
saturates the soils by spreading out across the meadows. If the meadow
is cut by a gully, the water is unable to spread out and fully wet
the soils of the meadow. The water which was stored in the ground
in the past now increases the amount of water flowing downstream.
An increase in erosion and sedimentation results from greater amounts
of water entering the waterway.
Another factor which increases water in streams is the many roads
which crisscross the land. These roads have created a low spot in
the land which causes water to accumulate and follow the manmade channels.
Running water has tremendous force to erode the land, especially if
allowed to run long distances. Allowing the water to run off the land
leads to land drying up, vegetation dying, and a decrease in amount
of water available to keep our streams running year- round.
What you can do to help protect and conserve our waters:
- Don't drive vehicles off road
- Don't throw trash in watercourses or lakes
- Don't throw animal carcasses in watercourses
- Dispose of used motor oil in proper place or recycle used
motor oil
- Brush teeth with less water
- Collect rainwater and gray water for use in gardens and fields
- Plant trees in your community
- Discover your watershed and work to protect it
- Teach others the importance of water
- Report illegal dumping
NPDES Permit Program - Technical Assistance
Navajo Nation Environmental
Protection Agency
NATIONAL POLLUTANT
DISCHARGE ELIMINATION
SYSTEM (NPDES) PROGRAM
Navajo Nation EPA
NPDES Program
P.O. Box 339
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Telephone: (520) 871-7185 or 7186
Fax: (520) 871-7599
Navajo Nation EPA (MNEPA)
The Navajo Environmental Protection Commission was established
in 1972. In 1995, enabling legislation made the Navajo Nation
Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) a separate regulatory
entity within the executive branch of the Navajo Nation government.
NNEPA is charged with protecting human health, welfare, and the
environment of the Navajo Nation. In April 1995, the Navajo Nation
Council passed the Navajo Nation Environmental Policy Act which
provides guidance for NNEPA and instills Navajo philosophy regarding
the protection of Mother Earth.
The mission of NNEPA is as follows: With respect to Dine values,
protect, preserve, and enhance our Navajo environment for present
and future generations by developing laws, implementing, and enforcing
strong environmental laws; implementing, and enforcing strong
environmental laws; to foster public awareness and cooperation
through education.
U.S EPA Region 9 (San Francisco) is the lead region working with
all the NNEPA programs.
Navajo NPDES Program
The Navajo NPDES Program began in September 1992 with a federal
grant from U.S. EPA under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water
Act.
The mission of the Navajo NPDES Program is to “Protect public
health, welfare, and the environment form discharge of pollutants
into waters of the Navajo Nation and from the use and disposal
of sewage sludge on Navajo lands”
There are 35 NPDES permits for facilities that discharge of may
discharge wastewater on the Navajo Nation. These types of facilities
include: sewage treatment plants/lagoons, power plants, coal mines,
oil field tank batteries, and agricultural industry. There are
also several facilities on the Navajo Nation covered under NPDES
general permit for storm waste discharges.
Statement of Problems
Presently, the Navajo Nation must rely on U.S. EPA Region 9 to
issue NPDES permits, enforce permit compliance, and respond to
NPDES-related incidents. Due to our geographical location, Region
9 may not be able to respond to all concerns.
Numerous unpermittted NPDES activities occur on the Navajo Nation:
over-flowing sewer lagoons indiscriminate dumping of septic tank
waste; discharges of wastewater from oil field tank batteries;
unchecked storm water runoff from both industrial and construction
utility sites; as well as, unpermitted off-reservation discharges
impacting the Navajo Nation.
Program Goal
The goal of the Navajo NPDES Program is to obtain U.S. EPA-approved
authorization to operate NPDES, pretreatment, and sludge management
programs. Currently, staff are working on a program Submission
Package, and application for program authority. The Navajo Nation
will likely be the first Indian Tribe to receive NPDES program
authorization.
NPDES Program
A permit program that regulates the discharge of pollutants from
a point source to waters of the U.S. through issuance of permits
to discrete discharges of pollution. NPDES permits include effluent
limits, compliance schedules, motoring and reporting requirements,
and other necessary conditions. The Navajo NPDES Program currently
assists USEPA Region 9 in reviewing and submitting recommendations
on permit applications.
Pretreatment Program
The Navajo NPDES Program will regulate industrial discharges to
municipal, publicly-owned treatment works (POTWs). Since industry
wastes can interfere with the operation of the treatment plants
or pass thought the system untreated. States, Tribes, and local
authorities establish local limits to prohibit harmful discharges
from industry and to establish monitoring and reporting requirements.
Sludge Management Program
This portion of the Navajo NPDES Program regulates the use and
disposal of sewage sludge, which includes septic tank waste. Sludge
can be sent to a municipal land full or surface disposal site,
incinerated, or applied to land as a fertilizer. The Navajo NPDES
program will be responsible for establishing quality standards
for sewage sludge, and will require POTWs to establish adequate
management practices. All requirements will be specified in the
NPDES permits, in separate “sludge only” permits issued
to the POTWs or though regulations issued by NNEPA.
Accomplishments
In its brief existence, the Navajo NPDES Program has accomplished
the following:
- Submission of an eligibility (Treatment-AS-A State) application
to U.S EPA.
- Inventory of actual and potential point source discharges
on the Navajo Nation.
- Drafting of NPDES discharge permits for Navajo-based facilities.
- Development of a tribal NPDES code.
- Joint NNEPA-U.S. EPA compliance inspections of NPDES permitted
facilities.
- Investigation of complaints by Navajo residents and chapters
on NPDES-related incidents.
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