OPPTS Tribal Subsistence Lifestyle Assessment Program

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OPPTS Tribal Subsistence Lifestyle Assessment
Program

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• International Institute for Indigenous Resource
  Managements Risk- Based Decision- Making in
  Indian Country Workshop
• Philip E. Robinson
• Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, EPA
• 202 260-3910 robinson.phil_at_epa.gov

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Briefing Overview

• Rationale for Program
• Subsistence Program Objectives
• Characteristics of Proposed Guideline
• Strategy and Program Components
• Next Steps

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OPPTS Subsistence Lifestyle Program - Rationale

• Subsistence Identified as High Priority by TOC
  and other Tribal Organizations
• No holistic Federal Effort
• Falls within OPPTS Mandates in Strategic Plan
• Integration with PBTi Agency-wide Activities

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Subsistence Lifestyle Program Objectives

• Promote Tribal Capacity Building
• Guideline Development by Tribes for the Tribes
• Focus on Exposure and Risk Assessment including
  food sources and cultural practices
• Incorporate Risk Communication and Tribal
  Technical Assistance
• Tribal Consultation is critical
• Directed toward Tribal risk management actions
• Provide feedback to EPA on some results
• Partner within EPA and with other Federal
  Agencies - ATSDR

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Characteristics of Guideline

• Acceptable by Tribes
• Efficient/Affordable
• Maximum Advantage of Tribal Knowledge
• Consider Cultural and Religious Practices
• Form of Guideline (???)

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OPPTS Subsistence Lifestyle Program Components

• Strategic Plan
• Traditional Knowledge Program
• PBT Screening Tool
• Methods Assessment
• Case Studies
• Outreach and Consultation with Tribes and Tribal
  Organizations
• Subsistence Summit
• Risk Communication Workshop
• Tribally Developed Guideline

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Traditional Knowledge Project

• Examine Contaminants in Subsistence Food Chain in
  Alaska (Region 10)
• Compare Traditional Knowledge with Scientific
  Data
• Tribal observations include fewer seals, hairless
  seals and ineffective seal blubbers
• Tribal knowledge generated through talking
  circles
• Compare with Arctic Research Agenda
• Database being developed

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PBT Screening Tool

• OPPT (PBTi) Provided Support to Region 10 in FY
  99
• Design and Field Testing of a Prototype PBT
  Screening Tool in selected species
• Analysis of the Prevalence and Distribution of
  PBT Contaminants in Alaska
• Provides valuable input for PBT Strategy in EPA
• Affordable Screening Tool for Subsistence
  Evaluations

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Methods Assessment

• Sampling and Analysis
• Exposure and Risk Assessment
• Consumption Models
• Preparation Methods
• Special Risk Factors

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Case Studies

• OPPT looking to identify
• Tribes which have conducted subsistence screening
  and assessments
• Methodology used
• Whether methods adequately addressed their
  issues
• Internal risk communication methods
• Tribes to document what they did, plus gaps they
  identified
• Basis for developing guideline
• Use by Tribes for developing risk management
  strategies
• EPA to Increase Consideration of Subsistence
  Issues in decision making

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Outreach Efforts - ATSDR

• Risk Methods
• Other Federal Program Activities
• Literature Search
• Environmental Health Curricula
• Support Federal Strategy

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Next Steps

• Develop Agency-wide subsistence strategy
• Continue to identify external interest and input
  for the subsistence lifestyle program
• Identify additional resource-leveraging
  opportunities
• Develop Guideline and Pilot Test