TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN (2025)

VILLAGE OF SOLOMON

TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN

FY25-FY30

Introduction .............................................................................................................................3

Geography ...............................................................................................................................3

History .....................................................................................................................................3

Present Day..............................................................................................................................4

Vision Statement ......................................................................................................................4

Environmental Issues ...............................................................................................................4

Environmental Department .......................................................................................................5

Ongoing Projects ......................................................................................................................6

Completed Environmental Projects to Date ...............................................................................8

TRIBAL PROGRAMS & PRIORITIES ...............................................................................................10

REGULATED ENTITES OF INTEREST ............................................................................................14

MUTUAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES .........................................................................................14

Introduction

The Village of Solomon’s (VOS) a federally recognized Tribe under the Indian

Reorganization Act of 1993. The Solomon Traditional Council is the governing body of the

Village of Solomon. The primary purpose of the Village of Solomon is to design and

implement programs to increase the quality of life and well-being of its family and Tribal

Members who reside in Nome and Anchorage permanently and Solomon seasonally. In

2010, the Tribal Members and Traditional Council completed their first Local Economic

Development Plan (LEDP) with the help of Solomon Native Corporation (SNC) and

Kawerak, INC. VOS is currently in the process of completing their 4th LEDP to serve

through 2030. With this plan, the Solomon Traditional Council created a list of priorities

that will be addressed and revised every five years. VOS’ Environmental Plan was created

to assist the Tribe of Solomon,

Environmental Coordinator,

Kawerak, Solomon Native

Corporation and other various

entities to better identify and find

solutions, as well as to build

capacity to start addressing the

Environmental Issues in and

around Solomon, AK.

Geography

Solomon is located on the west

bank of the Solomon River, one mile north of the Norton Sound, 34 miles east of Nome on

the Nome-Council Highway. It lies at 64.560830 North Latitude and -164.43917 West

Longitude. Solomon is in the Cape Nome Recording District. The climate is both

continental and maritime. Summers are short, wet and mild. Winters are cold and windy.

The temperatures range from -30 to 56 degrees. There's also a 1,150 ft. long and 35 ft. wide

dirt/gravel airstrip which is not useable as a runway and was abandoned.

History

The Village of Solomon was originally settled by Eskimos of the Fish River Tribe and was

noted on the map as "Erok" in 1900. The original site was at the mouth of the Solomon River

Delta, where it became a miner’s camp and later moved to the present location on

Jerusalem Hill. The gold rush of 1899-1900 brought thousands of people to the Solomon

area. By 1904 Solomon had seven Saloon's, a Post Office, a ferry dock, and between 3 and

7 big land dredges along the Solomon River. It was also the terminus of the Council City

and Solomon River Railroad that serviced miners from Solomon to Council. In 1913 the

Railroad was washed out by storms and in 1918 the flu epidemic struck. In 1940 Bureau of

Indian Affairs (BIA) built a school until the shut down in 1956. The Post Office shut down in

1958. Families relocated to Nome or Anchorage so their kids can continue their education.

Pete Curran operated the Roadhouse until the 1970's, it served as a checkpoint for the

Iditarod Sled Dog Race, during its first several years.

Present Day

Solomon had year-round residents until 2004 when the surviving original residents

relocated to Nome. Solomon is an abandoned Village but comes alive in the summer

months when tourists and subsistence campers occupy the Village. Solomon has a

Community Center that is operated out of the 2006 renovated B.I.A schoolhouse. Currently

there are over 177 Tribal members enrolled in the Village of Solomon. 50 percent of the

Tribal Members presently reside in the Nome area. Fishing, hunting for waterfowl, and

picking berries are the most common ways Tribal members gather subsistence in

Solomon. When the Community Center is open, Tribal members can utilize the restrooms,

kitchen, laundry facilities and common areas. When the Community Center is closed, the

potable water tank is available for tribal member use. In the winter months the potable

water tank is emptied, tribal members must haul water and access to the restrooms in the

community center are not an option, the outhouses are the primary source for restrooms

during that time.

Vision Statement

The Village of Solomon (VOS) visions working with the Solomon Native Corporation (SNC)

for capacity building, to create new projects together, enhance the local economy while

staying true to subsistence traditions, to be empowered, and as a community- to increase

cultural awareness and promote the well-being of our tribal members while protecting our

environment.

Environmental Issues

The VOS tribe would like to address the following Environmental concerns from the Tribal

Environmental Plan. The Traditional Council wants to sustain an Environmental Program,

that can respond to a wide range of issues, including Water Quality Monitoring, Salmon

Enhancement, Alternative Energy and Tribal membership involvement.

Tribal members gathered and shared their environmental concerns which includes but are

not limited to climate change impacts on subsistence lifestyle, ice conditions for hunting

and fishing, pollutants and/or contaminants caused by human activity, natural disaster

response (emergency

response plan), and

invasive species.

VOS would like to

continue to educate and

actively engage

community outreach for

tribal membership. The

idea is to instill a new

Reducing, Reusing,

Recycling, Upcycling

lifestyle to not only

become role models

within our own displaced

community, but as well as

a role model in the Bering Strait Region.

The Village of Solomon seeks to improve the quality of the environment to eventually

become a sustainable healthy community to live in year-round.

Environmental Department

VOS has been awarded consecutive IGAP grants since 2012 from EPA. With limited

capacity, the Environmental Department is still able to successfully assess the tribe’s

environmental concerns through assessments, outreach, and project completion.

The Environmental Department and Council members have attended environmental and

IGAP training/conferences. VOS acknowledges that to have a successful program, we

must all engage ourselves and contribute to the program in unity. Trainings/conferences

include ATCEM, AFE, Water Quality Phases I & II courses, Solid Waste conference, Bering

Strait Regional Conference, and ANTHC Effective IGAP Management.

The Village of Solomon has not had any trouble with the grant or any corrective actions

against the IGAP grant. The Council strategically manages the environmental programs by

developing a teleworking policy to ensure sustainability with environmental staff. VOS

plans to continue to build capacity by applying for appropriate grant programs.

Ongoing Projects

The community identifies these long-term goals as ongoing efforts to being

environmentally sound with a vision of having a sustainable healthy community to occupy

year-round. Ongoing projects follow in no order.

Water Quality Monitoring began in FY15, VOS would like to maintain a water quality

monitoring program for a minimum of 10 years to establish an effective baseline data set.

VOS acknowledges the importance of a clean, healthy watershed and would like to

continue to address this concern in the IGAP grant program as a component like previous

years. The purpose is to have readily available baseline data that can be used for

comparison analysis for potential mining operations and climate change effects on the

watershed. The ongoing water quality monitoring will benefit the tribe with an established

data set, it will also promote the efforts of salmon enhancement along with testing of

natural water sources in hopes of utilizing those naturally occurring water sources as a

drinking water source.

The Village of Solomon Tribe has been working with the Solomon Native Corporation in

addressing the Salmon Enhancement Issue, SNC is working with Alaska Department of

Fish and Game and Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation on counting the

salmon runs and rehabilitation, the VOS Tribe would like to contribute by conducting

appropriate water sampling and providing accurate data.

Identifying alternative renewable energy sources remains a priority for VOS as it continues

its efforts to have community electricity available year-round. VOS has an approved

Renewable Energy Plan (REP) and continues its research in the feasibility of a community

center power generation and consumption for year-round use. VOS continues to seek

funding to implement renewable energy in Solomon for all tribal member access.

VOS must continue the Recycling, Reducing, and Reusing efforts, by finding creative ways

to provide to tribal members, tips, tricks, and best practices for continued implementation

of the recycling program. A spring swap drive event to be held each year when there is

capacity, to encourage the continuance of reducing our waste that goes to landfills and to

give everyday items a longer life by swapping clothing, shoes, household items, etc. VOS

also will continue to host a region wide event around recycling, such as an upcycle event,

to not only share and teach how we can repurpose everyday items around our homes but

also inspire other communities to get engaged and involved with their own recycling

programs in their communities. Vos previously hosted an Environmental Educational

Youth summit which was a great opportunity to be an example to other communities as

well as our own. VOS would like to create a shed near the office to promote and increase

recycling efforts amongst VOS tribal members and staff. Focusing more on youth

involvement and leadership by allowing them to take ownership in the recycling program

efforts and act as role models within their homes and amongst their families. VOS will

continue to create new environmentally friendly campaign each Earth Day to raise

awareness i.e. say no to straws, beach clean ups, pledge campaigns to not use

disposables for a day, carpool and or ride a bike program.

VOS continues to work on building capacity to develop and administer environmental

programs, working well with local entities, formed great working relationships which has

been a positive resource in moving forward with the EPA IGAP grant work plans. VOS

strives to secure grand funds as they become available to maintain and continue building

capacity.

VOS is in the process of working with multiple funding sources to construct a local

Community Hall/office building to provide adequate space for the growing VOS

Environmental Department and other VOS programs to operate out of. As VOS continues

its efforts to build capacity, additional office space is required to house all programs and

staff.

Bi-annual clean-ups, together as a community, allowing Tribal Members along with VOS

staff to engage and work together on seeing out activities within the Tribal Environmental

Plan. A spring and fall clean-up will be coordinated by the Environmental Department staff.

Clean-up supplies will be purchased and provided to those who participate in the events.

VOS would like to implement

cleanups in Nome during the

winter months, when Solomon is

not an active community.

VOS will continue to assess the

effects of climate change. River

flooding and climate change have

caused changes to the Solomon

that range from road damage to

coastal erosion. Photo to the right

is erosion after Typhoon Merbok

Sept. 2022

VOS has completed a handful of home energy audits for

tribal members homes and will continue to conduct more

home energy audits to provide weatherization retrofits for

tribal homes meanwhile decreasing our greenhouse gas

emissions carbon footprint. Summer of 2025 VOS will

leverage multiple grant sources to begin retro fits on

homes for the homes that have completed the energy

audit assessments already. It is the goal of the VOS

Environmental Department to distribute weatherization

kits to all tribal homes. Photo on the left is a blower door

test in a tribal members home, Feb. 2025

VOS continues to promote the ride a bike program and

the share a ride program to decrease consumption of

fossil fuels meanwhile encouraging healthy physical and

social activities for tribal members.

Completed Environmental Projects to Date

VOS to date have completed the following projects, not listed in any particular order.

Seasonal Solomon residents do not have access

to community electricity; therefore, VOS has

turned to alternative renewable sources for

current and future demands. The tribe has

completed a feasibility study on alternative

energy for the Community Center and

neighboring campsites for wind and solar

sources. VOS installed a meteorological tower

for solar and wind data collection. 2018-2020.

In 2021 VOS installed a 7-kW rooftop solar panel

system to the top of the Community Center

located in Solomon, with the funding assistance

of the Tribal Solar Accelerator fund. Solomon

tribal members and staff participated in the

installation of and as well as upkeep

maintenance of the system. Photo on the right is

rooftop solar array installation at the

B&B/Community Center in July 2021.

The IGAP program has been able to assist VOS in accomplishing the following approved

plans: Solid Waste Management Plan, Quality Assurance Project Plan, Tribal

Environmental Plan and a Renewable Energy Plan, Priority Climate Action Plan with

partners.

Through the establishment of the Solid Waste Management Plan, VOS has been able to set

up a mobile communal trailer in Solomon for trash disposal, distribute 5 Bear Safe Trash

Can’s with signed User Policy’s, have provided solid waste educational outreach through

various methods.

VOS began Water Quality Monitoring for collection of baseline data within the Solomon

Watershed, which is an ongoing priority for the tribe. The water quality monitoring efforts

have also been written into the existing approved QAPP.

In 2021, the Environmental Coordinator learned of a complementing research habitual

study within the watershed partnering with the United States Army Corp of Engineers,

Alaska Division. With this partnership, the data collected from the corresponding 4 focal

points of the watershed, will complement the existing and future water qualify data

conducted within our IGAP water monitoring component.

VOS has implemented a home recycling program for the community. The Environmental

Coordinator has been able to share with tribal members recycling facts, tips and ideas for

getting tribal members involved and engaged with the recycling program. Information was

shared to tribal members via social media, bi-annual newsletters, handouts at tribal

gatherings along with events hosted by VOS environmental department. Incentives were

given in quiz and contest format to encourage participation of the community’s

implementation efforts for the recycling program. VOS utilized the IGAP budget and

workplan to purchase rechargeable battery chargers to distribute to the community as they

turned in their disposable batteries for proper disposal and to promote and encourage the

initiative of Recycling, Reducing, and Reusing. Educational postcards were also sent to

tribal members with the help of an environmentally friendly company.

In the Spring of 2015, the Environmental Coordinator hosted an educational IGAP

gathering, followed by another gathering later that year in September 2015. The

Environmental Coordinator mailed out educational postcards to Tribal Members starting in

May 2015. VOS removed scrap metal located in Solomon after discovering asbestos in a

fallen down church, to improve drainage and to maintain cleaner lands for subsistence

and occupants.

VOS has maintained a 200-gallon potable water tank that was purchased through the IGAP

grant. VOS staff maintain the potable water tank by following a list of duties with respect to

the upkeep and maintains the water tank requires, along with ensuring the water tank is

filled at the beginning of the season and emptied at the end of the season. Solomon Tribal

Members feel that they can stay in Solomon for longer periods of time, knowing there is

water readily available.

Summer 2024 VOS purchased a greenhouse that is located outside of the VOS office. The

VOS Environmental Staff had Fridays as community gardening days in which VOS Interns

and staff would work with tribal members who came to the office to plant and or maintain

the garden. The first year was a great success in advancing plants and growing knowledge

as well as increased awareness around foods to prepare with what is being produced. VOS

was able to provide a handful of tribal members with fresh produce at the end of the

season, with continued disbursements upon availability of the indoor Gardyn stand. This

ongoing effort will begin preparation for the 2025 grow season with tribal members in April

of 2025.

TRIBAL PROGRAMS & PRIORITIES

Tribal Programs and Priorities (short-term & long-term)

 Manage Environmental office- President or designee will supervise the Environmental

Coordinator. The Environmental Coordinator will require predetermined qualifications and

must be able to follow the living Tribal environmental plan with minimal supervision, take

the initiative and maintain active grants (as well as apply for new opportunities).

 Revise Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) as applicable. ISWMP was written by the

Environmental Coordinator and approved by the Council on September 18, 2014.

 Build capacity to develop and administer environmental programs- Working well with local

entities, formed great relationships which has also been a great resource in moving

forward with the EPA IGAP grant work plans. Continue to build capacity by applying for

grants as they become available.

 Implement the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan for VOS – After ISWMP was

approved, implementation is the current step. To implement all activities to make solid

waste sustainable.

 Solomon plans to continue baseline data to ensure Solomon’s Watershed is protected for

the subsistence lifestyle, drinking water source and monitor the impacts of climate

change. The water quality monitor must also be trained and certified on a regular basis.

 Maintain 200-gallon potable water tank, VOS staff will follow a list of duties when

maintaining potable water tank. To ensure 200-gallon water tank is filled at the beginning of

the spring/summer season and emptied at the end of the fall season. Solomon tribal

members feel that if there is access to water, they would stay for longer periods of time out

in Solomon.

 Bi-annual community clean-ups – As an effort to include the community within the Tribal

environmental plan, a spring and fall clean-up will be hosted by VOS. Clean up supplies

were purchased. Implement clean up events within Nome during the winter when Solomon

is not an active community.

 Continue to educate Tribal members and Council on proper waste disposal, recycling and

backhaul through Community meetings, tribal gatherings, newsletter and Village of

Solomon Facebook – Environmental Coordinator has been researching fun ways to present

educational material to tribal members.

 Salmon Enhancement - VOS’ Environmental Coordinator will work closely and support

SNC’s salmon enhancement project collaborated with Norton Sound Economic

Development Corporation and Alaska Department of Fish & Game. Will also include

Salmon Enhancement through the IGAP QAPP for data baseline and seek other

opportunities to ensure improved watershed subsistence.

 Assess effects of climate change. River flooding and climate change affects the Solomon

area by causing road damage and coastal erosion.

 As one of the top 10 on the priorities list LEDP, Community Power needs to be addressed.

Step by Step to create a Renewable Energy Plan and seek funding opportunities to

implement the plan. Research the feasibility of solar power and Community Center power

consumption, Research costs and develop projects to gather data on wind and solar

resource. Identify partners. Expand the knowledge of the Renewable Energy world to

introduce ideas and activities to become more aware and resourceful in the community for

the Environmental Dept., Council members and tribal membership. September 2018,

through the approved Renewable Energy Plan and current partners, a meteorological tower

had been installed in Solomon to conduct a yearlong feasibility study.

 To build a mini-micro-grid in Solomon to distribute clean energy to the Community center

and existing dwellings throughout Solomon. The tribe applied for and received a Tribal

Solar Accelerator fund grant to install a 7kW rooftop solar panel system on the community

center during the summer of 2021. The tribe would like to expand the clean energy efforts

in Solomon, following the Renewable Energy Plan.

 Obtain a local Community Hall/office building for the Environmental Department and other

VOS programs to operate.

 To continue seeking funding opportunities to implement the Renewable Energy Plan

 To create a tribal membership recycling shed near the office to increase recycling efforts

 To conduct home energy audits for tribal membership. Distribute weatherization kits to all

membership households, leverage funding resources to improve all households

 To have a ride a bike program to decrease fossil fuels and encourage exercise. The tribe

can purchase some bicycles to keep at the office for bicycle check-out

 Share a ride program, to increase carpooling in a small community

 To create a Household hazardous waste program to decrease HHW in landfills

 To begin focusing more on our youth as leaders today by allowing them to take ownership

of their reduce, reuse or upcycling efforts and act as the role models within their families

 Create a new environmentally friendly campaign each Earth Day to raise awareness i.e. say

to no straws, beach clean ups, pledge to not use disposable plastics for one day,

carpool/ride a bike

 Plant a community garden and provide fresh vegetables and fruit, potatoes and such for

our elders and families with small children, as well as the community center

 Keep an Environmental Assistant on staff, especially during the busy summer season, train

assistant to bookkeeping.

 Keep an Environmental Committee active on a quarterly teleconference schedule

Tribal Energy Plan Gathering – Environmental Concerns voiced by Tribal Members

The VOS tribal members collaboratively created a list of environmental concerns while in

attendance of the Tribal Energy Plan/Environmental Party, highlighting the following

concerns in no order. VOS hopes to build relationships with SNC, Kawerak, Norton Sound

Regional Hospital, State of Alaska, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Norton Sound

Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) and any other tribal entity in implementing

such solutions.

Environmental concerns shared by tribal members in attendance:

•

•

•

•

•

Climate change effects on subsistence animals

Ice conditions, deteriorating ice conditions to subsist on in the winter months

Pollutants/contaminants of mining operations (past & present operations)

Natural disaster response (emergency response plan)

Invasive species

Tribal Energy Plan Gathering – Environmental Projects voiced by Tribal Members

The VOS tribal members collectively agreed on some projects they would like to see the

VOS Environmental Department take on, highlighting the projects not in specific order.

Environmental projects voiced by tribal members in attendance:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

IPOP – Mining education and awareness

Erosion prevention measures

Environmental educational training opportunities for tribal members

Marine Debris cleanup

Climate change education and awareness

Solar energy for tribal member homes

Solid Waste Management Program – coordinates biannual clean ups

Water Quality Monitoring

Salmon Enhancement

REGULATED ENTITES OF INTEREST

There are no regulated entities of concern.

MUTUAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Mutual Roles and Responsibilities for Tribal Program Development Milestones and

Environmental Program Implementation

The Village of Solomon will be responsible for accomplishments under the Indian

Environmental General Assistance Program work plan with EPA’s technical assistance as

needed.

EPA will monitor work plan commitment progress to ensure project completion.

EPA and VOS will ensure the current and future IGAP grants will reflect the Tribal

Environmental Plan. Each component listed in the work plan will be monitored within a

specific time frame to serve as implementation and momentum building in order for VOS

to become self-sustaining within the component.

IV.

Mutual Roles & Responsibilities

Revision on March 12, 2025. Approved by the Traditional Council on _________ of

_______________ 2025.

_____________________________________________

__________________

Signed by

Date