About
The Environmental Specialist, Sally Kniffen, manages the overall environmental program through the EPA GAP grant. Funding is used to provide for Tribal capacity building and to ensure an environmental presence on tribal land. Areas of administration include the following:
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Sustainable Development: Program areas focus on implementing a baseline strategy to address three main objectives: (1) pollution prevention, (2) energy efficiency, and (3) effective land use.
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Natural Resources Damages and Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR): Sally is the tribal representative on the Dow/Tittabawassee River dioxin contamination NRDAR case. Education and outreach to other tribes throughout the country is an important issue for this office. SCIT hosted the first national tribal NRDA conference in 2011 and again in 2015. She has been a presenter at the National NRDAR Conference in Phoenix, AZ.
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Policy issues and grants management: Sally represents the tribe on the Regional Tribal Operations Committee as one of two Michigan delegates to the EPA. Quarterly meetings with Division Directors ensure the voice of the tribe(s) is heard at a high level within the EPA's American Indian Environmental Office. The Tribe's Environmental Team is fully supported by grant funding.