About Us - What's New Archive:
November, 2006
New online training:
DMTS (DMTS), these courses have been developed to assist tribes who are currently collecting air monitoring data by enhancing their understanding of the requirements and processes associated with successfully managing air quality data. It may also be useful to tribes who are in the planning stages of an air monitoring program so that they have a better understanding of the entire data management process and the types of information they will have to be collecting and thus managing.
 Go to SITE.
April, 2006
New ITEPer's:
Lisa Begaye, Senior Assistant Accounting
Susan Rose, Instructional Specialist Coordinator
March, 2006
EPA's/TAMS Learning Center renamed Virgil Masayesva Environmental Learning Center:
Virgil Masayesva spent his professional life working with Native American tribes on issues related to education, the environment, health, and economic development.
Masayesva, who passed away in March 2005, was co-founder with professor William Auberle of Northern Arizona University's Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals. He was honored last week by the Environmental Protection Agency with the dedication of the Virgil Masayesva Environmental Learning Center in Las Vegas, NV.
The Masayesva family and ITEP also were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Learning Center is part of NAU and EPA's Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center, which was established in 1999 as part of ITEP's mission to support environmental protection of Native American natural resources.
"If you knew Virgil, you know he'd be embarrassed by the whole thing. He didn't like to draw attention to himself," said Mehrdad Khatibi, ITEP interim director. "But the dedication and all of the honors are well deserved because of the leadership that Virgil provided on tribal environmental issues, and the good work that's been done by ITEP for 10-plus years. In that spirit we are plugging away and continuing to follow through with Virgil's vision and spirit to strengthen tribal environmental management capacity by providing effective education and training services."
A graduate of the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, Masayesva earned national and international recognition for his leadership and outstanding contributions to Native peoples and the protection of indigenous cultures. He was actively involved in the development of tribal air quality and other environmental training programs.
Born in 1948 in Hotevilla, Arizona, Masayesva was a member of the Hopi Tribe and a decorated Vietnam veteran. From 1990 to 1992, he served as special assistant to then-NAU President Eugene Hughes.
Among those present at the March 22 ceremony were Aurberle, Khatibi, David Camacho, special assistant to NAU President John Haeger; Laurence Gishey, director of the Institute for Native Americans; and Jed Harrison, director of EPA's Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory, tribal representatives from across the country, and several members of the Masayesva family, including Virgil's father Victor, son Brett and sisters Arlene and Laverne.
March, 2006
EEOP Mentorship Program:
The primary purpose of mentorship is learning and sharing. Mentorship is a reciprocal and collaborative learning relationship between a mentor and a mentee. Mentoring combines the impact of learning with the compelling human need for connection. Go to SITE.
March, 2006
Air Quality in Alaska Native Villages training:
ITEP, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 10 office, is committed to supporting tribal air quality program development and tribal capacity-building in Alaska Native villages. Air quality training courses have been developed in collaboration with Alaskan representatives including native village environmental staff, EPA, and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to specifically address air quality issues in Alaska. Go to SITE.
January, 2006
Trajectory Modeling:
A Powerful Tool for Identifying Air Pollution Sources. Glenn Gehring (TAMS Technology Specialist II) has created an effective step-by-step guide on using the HYSPLIT program to generate a simple backward trajectory and integrate it into a GIS program. There is also a guide to downloading emission inventory data from EPA's AirData website and integrating the data into a GIS program.
Plugging-in data and examining pollution sources, prevailing wind direction, meteorological conditions, backward trajectories and dispersion plumes during poor air quality events can give a tribal air professional a solid understanding of area sources and pollutants impacting the reservation. Trajectory Modeling.
March 16, 2005
VIRGIL MASAYESVA TRUST FUND has been changed to…"The Virgil Masayesva Native American Environmental Education Scholarship Fund"
Mr. Virgil Masayesva, Hopi tribal member and Director for the Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP), Northern Arizona University (NAU), Flagstaff, AZ, underwent emergency hospitalization on December 10, 2004 while attending and representing NAU at a conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Spending close to two months in intensive and after care, Virgil finally arrived home in early February.
On the morning of March 16, 2005, Virgil Masayesva passed away at the Flagstaff Medical Center. He was surrounded by his family and friends. He was laid to rest the same day in a private family ceremony at Hopi.
The Masayesva family would like to express their thanks and deep appreciation to everyone who has contributed to the trust fund. At this point in time the family has decided to establish an environmental educational scholarship fund in Virgil's name to promote the ongoing scholarship of Native American students in the fields of environmental studies, sciences, engineering and tribal government.
Contributions made to the Trust Fund will continue to be accepted and will automatically be transferred to the Scholarship Fund. We anticipate to have the Scholarship Fund established at Northern Arizona University before May 1, 2005. Additional information and updates regarding the NEW Virgil Masayesva Native American Environmental Education Scholarship Fund will be posted on the ITEP web site.
Thus a "VIRGIL MASAYESVA TRUST FUND" has been set up as follows:
"Virgil Masayesva Trust Fund #415411"
Arizona Central Credit Union (ACCU)
2521 North West Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Account Administrators:
Arlene Honanie (sister) (928) 734-9358
Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma (first cousin) (928) 734-9572
ACCU Contact:
Ms. Ena Valdez, Service Representative (928) 774-8534
Contributions can be taken directly to the credit union (located one street south of Coconino High School) or you can mail contributions to:
Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma
P.O. Box 921
Hotevilla, AZ 86030
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Please direct specific questions to Ms. Honie and/or Mr. Kuwanwisiwma, thank you.
» Virgil Masayesva Memorial website.
October 13, 2005
Mercury Sources and Tribal Lands Map. A pdf map that shows sources of Mercury (Hg) emissions in the United States (lower 48) in relation to Native American reservation lands. Also associated with the map is an MS Word document which provides some background and the purpose of the map. Air Pollution Maps.
October 1, 2005
EEOP will begin collecting applications for the 2006 Summer Internship Program beginning October 1, 2005. There will be an on-line application posted on EEOP Internship Opportunities website.
For any additional information concerning other internship opportunities or for being a partner in offering student internships, please contact Matthew Zierenberg at Matthew.Zierenberg@nau.edu or 928/523-8864.
May 24, 2004
Administrator Mike Leavitt's visit to the EPA in Las Vegas: Mike Leavitt,
the U.S. EPA Administrator, visited the EPA in Las Vegas on Monday,
May 24. He conducted an All Hands meeting that lasted for approximately
one hour. He gave a brief background on himself and his family, discussed
his environmental philosophies and visions concerning his position
with the EPA, then fielded questions from the audience.
Prior to the meeting, he was given an overview of the TAMS Air Monitoring platform in front of the EPA Executive Center. Farshid Farsi and George Dilbeck (Tams Co-Directors) gave an excellent briefing of all of the various instruments that are used in our training classes at TAMS. Since Mr. Leavitt has a strong air background, he understood what the various instruments were used for and was quite impressed with the vast array of training equipment possessed by TAMS. The tribal tour was the only operational unit that he requested to see during his visit. A letter of thanks was sent by Farshid and George to the Administrator on May 26.
May 2004
ITEP Director Virgil Masayesva and NAU Professor Bill Auberle serve on the national advisory board for a Canadian environmental group called Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry (CCHREI). CCHREI is the official national group, and Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources (BEAHR) is a program under this national program to develop partnership with professional organizations within the environmental sector in Canada. Also involved in the BEAHR project is the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada (AHRDCC).
In addition to upgrading their website (www.beahr.com), BEAHR is in the process of adding several new, and exciting, programs. One of these programs, the BEAHR Employers Guide, serves as a resource for the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal people in environmental careers. A second new program is the Aboriginal EnviroCareers, which is aimed at increasing awareness of the many Aboriginal people working in the environment sector. NAU recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement to work with BEAHR on environmental training.
April 21, 2004
Our Salute to Dr. Norman Richards, 2004 Michael J. Frost Award Recipient
Back row: David Conrad; NTEC Executive Director, Fred Corey; Aroostook Band of Mic Macs
Front row: Virgil Frazier; Southern Ute Tribe, Dr. Richards, Virgil Masayesva; ITEP Director |
This is an excerpt from Dr. Richards acceptance speech as the 2004 Michael J. Frost award winner, Myrtle Beach, S.C., April 21, 2004:
"Credit for the honor of my receiving the Michael J. Frost award goes in large part to the outstanding background training that ITEP provided during the formative years of the Mohegan Air Quality Program. Development of such a tribal program is an extremely complex and difficult technical undertaking -- even for experienced consulting firms. Tribal programs not only have limited fiscal resources and staff, but very few model tribal air programs and legal precedents to use for forming a new program. In many cases ITEP's training programs are the only tribally relevant source of the critically needed technical and legal information. ITEP's outstanding teachers have obviously been carefully selected and are capable of presenting rigorous information so that it is directly applicable to the development of tribal air programs.
Demonstration of expertise is a pre-requisite for federal eligibility determinations. ITEP organization has developed a sequential stepped sequence of classes that provides students with the needed expertise for tribal programs. So I thank you and your staff for providing excellent training and program support over the years." |
October 17, 2003
You are invited to come and join us for golf and the festivities of Northern Arizona University Homecoming. Our 3rd Annual NAU Native American Programs golf tournament is scheduled for October 17, 2003. It will be played at the Continental Golf Course (formerly known as Elden Hill Golf Course) here in Flagstaff, Arizona.
This will be a four man scramble format with a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. At the conclusion
of the tournament there will be a reception where winners will be announced. Early registration
is highly encouraged.
The purpose of the tournament is to raise funds in support of NAU Native American students to
successfully complete their academic studies. It has been our experience that from time to time
students do fall short of paying for books, lab fees, housing deposits, or family emergencies
occur when a student must go home. It is during times like these where students need our help.
With your participation and support, we can help the students and keep them of track to graduation.
So, form your team, get your sponsors, and please feel free to let other players know about this event.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on the course.
Virgil Masayesva, Director
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
December 13, 2002
ITEP said good-bye to our Budget Manager of 5 years, De Rasser. De is starting on her well-earned retirement. We will miss her!
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De says good-bye to ITEP:
"Over the past five years ITEP has had tremendous growth in programs,
staff and how we view tribal needs. Not only are air programs growing,
but we have branched out into solid waste and water. My desk has been
covered most days by a little of each. It has been a great joy to
know such dedicated people who are working for the environment. The
future for ITEP looks bright and they will continue offering training
in all media. I will miss the day-to-day contact but look forward
to a new step in my life. Good luck to all."
- De Rasser, outgoing ITEP Budget Manager |
Virgil Masayesva, ITEP's Director:
"Mrs. Rasser is special. There are people who simply do their jobs, and there
are people who will come to your assistance, without hesitation or complaint.
She has been a model employee for both staff and students, and will be
hard to replace."
October, 2002
A group of environmental professionals from Zambia visited ITEP this fall
in an effort to gain information and ideas about environmental outreach
and management practices. Their visit to ITEP was a small part of an itinerary
that took the group to the Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona University,
and the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Their tour was sponsored by the Educational
Development Center, Inc., the Arizona Game and Fish Department and supported
by the State Dept.'s Office of Citizen Exchanges.
September 12-13, 2002
CLE International will be sponsoring the 6th Annual Conference on Natural
Resources and Environmental Law on the Reservation to be held September
12-13 at the Marriott Camelback Resort in Scottsdale, AZ. For details
on CLE International, click on www.cle.com/index.shtml or call (800) 873-7130!
September 19-20, 2002
ITEP's 10th Anniversary Celebration
Click here to view the Anniversary Celebration slides in PowerPoint format
Click here to view the Anniversary Celebration slides in htm format
March 18, 2002
The Tribal Environmental Resource Center has expanded its Air Resources.
Go to the TERC homepage and click on Air Resources. We've added an extensive list of Air Links to many helpful
air quality and tribal websites, organized by subject. There is a long
list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). These FAQs cover everything
from "Why should a tribe develop an air quality program?", to topics of
air monitoring, policy and regulations, quality assurance/quality control,
and much more. We've also included information on how to keep up to date
on the latest air quality issues and how to get free educational materials
from EPA. Check it out and let us know what you think!
February 7, 2002
We've added new links for Tribal Environmental Enforcement and Compliance to our Environmental Compliance Inspection Training page.
January 11, 2002
ITEP has been working with the Tribal Data Development Working Group of the Western Regional Air Partnership
(WRAP) since it's inception in 1999. Find out more, visit ITEP's Tribal Environmental Resource Center WRAP page.
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