This agreement provides funding for the operation of the kickapoo tribe's continuing environmental programs while giving IT greater flexibility to address its highest environmental priorities, improve…

The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma received $340,672 in funding under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6's Performance Partnership Grants program (CFDA 66.605) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This formula grant consolidates funding from multiple eligible environmental grant programs into a single agreement, enabling the tribe to address its highest environmental priorities with greater operational flexibility. The award supports the tribe's continuing environmental programs focused on protecting surface water, drinking water, air quality, solid waste management, underground storage tanks, hazardous waste, emergency response, environmental justice, pesticides, and environmental planning.

Key deliverables under this award include conducting environmental site assessments on tribal trust lands and allotment lands with multiple landowners, including pre-purchase property evaluations and Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) with limited Phase 2 ESA follow-up as needed. The funding also supports ongoing water and data quality protection activities and strengthens the tribe's capacity to administer environmental programs on Indian lands. The Kickapoo Tribe's Environmental Department will coordinate with tribal leadership to identify properties requiring environmental review and site assessment, with program outputs and outcomes tracked through a consolidated workplan designed to enhance the partnership between the tribe and EPA while streamlining administrative requirements across multiple environmental program areas.

This agreement provides funding for the operation of the kickapoo tribe's continuing environmental programs while giving IT greater flexibility to address its highest environmental priorities, improve environmental performance, achieve savings and strengthen the partnership between recipient and EPA. This agreement funds tribal continuing environmental programs for providing effective environmental programs that promote the protection of the environment and human health with respect to surface water, drinking water, air, solid waste, underground storage tanks, hazardous waste, emergency response, environmental justice, pesticides, and environmental planning projects; assessing properties either as pre-purchase property suspected of a hazardous contaminant or following up with phase 1 environmental site assessment (ESA) properties with a limited phase 2 ESA (if needed) on trust lands and allotment lands with multiple landowners; cooperation between kickapoo tribe executive director and business committee members and the environmental director on potential sites with a request for a phase 1 ESA or environmental site review; including outputs and outcomes associated with managing continuing environmental programs which include activities to protect and maintain water and data quality. This agreement provides assistance to the tribe to build its capacity to administer environmental programs on indian lands. Activities:the activities to be performed include [PO must add specifics from the workplan]. With the addition of a 128(a) program, kdep will be able to assess properties either as pre-purchase property suspected of a hazardous contaminant or following up with phase 1 environmental site assessment (ESA) properties with a limited phase 2 ESA (if needed) on trust lands and allotment lands with multiple landowners. The kickapoo tribe executive director and business committee members work with the environmental director on potential sites with a request for a phase 1 ESA or environmental site review. Specifically, the recipient will build capacity of office staff, expand solid/hazardous waste capacities, water program planning and development, and build capacity to reduce gas emissions by minimizing food waste. The activities to be performed include collecting water quality data at three sites on tributaries to the north canadian river, and one site on a tributary to quapaw creek in the deep fork watershed. The recipient will conduct surface water quality sampling, submit data to the water quality exchange (WQX) database and submit an assessment of its surface water quality. The recipient will conduct training and planning activities and will rehabilitate and map failing septic systems in the tribe's watersheds, as well as the locations and extent of livestock exclusion fencing. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include two (2) brownfields phase 1 environmental site assessments; quarterly progress reports, annual federal financial report (FFR), quality management plan (QMP), and geographic information system/global positioning system quality assurance project plan (GIS/GPS qapp), as well as a water quality monitoring quality assurance project plan (qapp); submit surface water quality data to the water quality exchange (WQX) database and submit an assessment of its surface water quality. The tribe will submit reports documenting livestock exclusion fencing, septic tank rehabilitation and education interviews with homeowners, and will include maps showing the location of these activities. The expected outcomes from this agreement are raising awareness of the 128(a) program can help tribal members and business committee members better understand the value of clean, safe land and how environmental screening plays a key role in identifying and addressing potential hazards (the more informed our community is, the stronger our efforts WIL