Fwd: EPA News Release (Region 7): Settlement with Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Creates Sustainable Path Forward for Tribal Utility Operations to Protect Residents and Environment

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: U.S. EPA <usaepa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Fri, Aug 29, 2014 at 12:33 PM
Subject: EPA News Release (Region 7): Settlement with Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Creates Sustainable Path Forward for Tribal Utility Operations to Protect Residents and Environment
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219   Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations   Settlement with Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Creates Sustainable Path Forward for Tribal Utility Operations to Protect Residents and Environment   Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov Environmental News   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   (Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 29, 2014) - The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, a federally recognized Native American tribe located in northeastern Nebraska, and the Tribe's Utilities Commission have reached a settlement with the United States to improve the Tribe's drinking and wastewater systems and its trash collection program.   The settlement, in the form of a judicial Consent Decree filed with the U.S. District Court of Nebraska, resolves the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's claims that the Tribe failed to comply with a 2011 EPA Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) alleging longstanding violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Water Act. The settlement requires the Tribe to implement utilities improvements valued at approximately $1 million and pay a civil penalty of $2,000.   "This settlement is designed to build the Tribe's financial, managerial and technical capacity, which will allow it to operate and maintain compliant and sustainable utilities," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks. "I commend the Tribe for working with EPA to protect the health of its residents and to ensure compliance with environmental laws."   The Consent Decree addresses utilities serving the towns of Macy and Walthill, Neb., on the Omaha Reservation; the Macy Public Water System, the Macy Public Wastewater Treatment Facility, and the solid waste collection system. Collectively, the utilities serve approximately 310 residential households and 32 commercial customers. The utilities are operated by the Omaha Tribal Utility Commission on behalf of the Omaha Tribe.   Violations of the AOC included failure to provide timely notice to the public and to EPA of numerous significant pressure losses and water outages associated with the drinking water system; failure to submit utilities budgets and operating plans; failure to perform necessary repairs and conduct required monitoring and reporting for the drinking and waste water systems; and failure to clean up the extensive open dump located at the Tribe's Mother Earth Recycling Center.   Among the requirements of the Consent Decree, the Tribe must: Create and maintain a reserve account to fund utilities emergencies and infrastructure Hire and retain certified drinking and wastewater operators Provide drinking and wastewater training to utilities staff and management Inspect and repair components of the drinking water system Complete cleanup of the recycling center dump and evaluate associated residual contamination Outsource operations of the drinking water system if the Tribe cannot meet certain requirements ensuring the continuous provision of safe drinking water # # #   Learn more about EPA's enforcement of the Clean Water Act   Learn more about EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act   Learn more about EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act   View all Region 7 news releases   Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7   You can unsubscribe or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems, please e-mail subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance.  This service is provided to you at no charge by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.    This email was sent to iammejtm@gmail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355

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Jeremy Tobias Matthews