# TRIBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN (2025) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Avillage_solomon%3A6ea8718c57fa55a8 ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text 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 --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Avillage_solomon%3A6ea8718c57fa55a8. Public record. Not legal advice.