COUNCIL of ENERGY RESOURCE TRIBES Final Report for DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC03-95SF20807 Period of September 1,1995, to August 3 1,1999
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COUNCIL OF ENERGY RESOURCE TRIBES Final Report for DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC03-95SF20807 Period of September 1,1995, to August 3 1,1999 I. Projects funded by Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management There were three major projects undertaken at the outset of the DOE/EM 22 Cooperative Agreement back in September 1995. There was a project relating to Tribal oral histories. Another project of the Cooperative Agreement related to technology and Tribal values and needs. This project by analogy could apply to issues of technology, environmental cleanup and other indigenous peoples internationally. (How can Indian Tribes participate in defining the need for technology development rather than merely learning to adapt themselves and their situations and values to technology developed by others with differing needs, values and economic resources?) And the third project was the placement of a Tribal intern in EM-22. The history of the Cooperative Agreement is not documented in this final report. But it should be noted at the outset of this report that the changes in management within CERT and the events leading up to the relocation of the administration from Oakland to Morgantown had a major impact on the course of the project. Although the goals and objectives were accomplished, they were done so not always as planned or anticipated. If the proof of the pudding is in tasting, then not only were the goals of the Cooperative Agreement between DOE and CERT achieved but the objectives of the projects as well. Perhaps of greater importance is the fact that the Cooperative Agreement became a vehicle for an even greater degree of cooperation between CERT, 50 energy Tribes, and the Department and the Administration for Native Americans. Exploring the relatively uncharted waters of federal-Tribal relations in an era in which federal policy supports Tribal self-governance was one of the major reasons why DOE and CERT decided to enter into a Cooperative Agreement. The projects themselves have helped to map the terrain of federal-Tribal relations. But the experience of managing the Cooperative Agreement has deepened CERT’s understanding of the challenges facing both parties to this unique American experiment, the challenge of intergovernmental relations in a system of shared governmental responsibility and authority. A. History Project 1. Annotated Bibliography a. Project Objective To create a comprehensive bibliography that would support future research conducted by Tribes and other interested parties. Of particular importance to this project was to develop a resource that would complement the development of additional Tribal oral histories. b. Project Methods The methods used by the CERT historian were based upon accepted practices. To search libraries for references of Indians, Tribes, lands, lifestyles, etc., that related to the development of the nuclear weapons complex. Published, as well as unpublished sources, were identified, reviewed and summarized in the final product of the project that was completed. c. Project Results The completed Annotated Bibliography is an outstanding new tool for historic research. It provides a comprehensive base for a historian to find what has already been researched and written concerning the development of nuclear weapons and the impact on Indian Tribes’ land, resources, and communities. The completed annotated bibliography is included in the attachments (see Attachment A). d. EvaluationRecommendations The final document is evidence that the project was completed and meets the high expectations of the Department of Energy, the Council of Energy Resource Tribes and our shared Tribal constituents. It is recommended that this project be continued in two ways. First, it is recommended that an Indian graduate school student or recent college graduate be placed with the Department’s Historian. This placement would be to support and assist in the development of specific Tribal histories. It is recommended that emphasis be placed on oral histories from the communities affected by the establishment of federal nuclear weapons facilities. Second, it is recommended that a training and technical support component be implemented and maintained that would work with Tribes in the development of Tribal histories. The technical support component could be coordinated through the Historian’s office by the intern. Workshops on how to organize, conduct and document oral histories, as well as a network of Tribal historians, could keep costs low and results high. 2. Video a. Project Objective: The video was produced as a means to document a Tribal oral history. b. Project Methods Council of Energy Resource Tribes 2 This project was not originally part of our history project but was suggested to us by the Wanapum Band or Tribe of the Yakama Nation. The Wanapum people historically held the lands that are now a part of the Hanford nuclear facility in southeastern Washington. The Band wanted their story recorded on video so that this important part of their history could be documented using visual media and so that it could be used as yet another method to teach their children and others about these events and their impact. The Department concurred? approved an expanded scope of work, and provided a modest supplement to the budget. Because CERT was not expert in video production, we were not expected to supervise the project from a technical point of view. But CERT was asked to empower the Tribe to record their story by acting as a pass-through for the funding that allowed the video to be produced. b. Project Results It was anticipated that the video would be completed within the time frame of the Cooperative Agreement. But the technical and logistical aspects of the project caused the filmmakers to overrun the time limit imposed by the agreement. The video project tasks included the development of a script, the recording of the oral histories on-site and the editing of the entire project into an educational video. Given ideal circumstances the project might have been completed as projected. But coordinating of recording sessions for the community elders and the video crew was a complexity not foreseen and there were a number of technical problems that required a second attempt at video recording some of the informants. A substantial part of the work is done, but the video is not complete as of the end of this Cooperative Agreement. c. EvaluatiodRecommendation The project cannot yet be evaluated on the quality of the final product. In terms of the effort to date, it might be said that by virtue of having to be carried over, the video project lacked sufficient oversight. It must be noted, however, that at no time did CERT act as a project manager by the insistence of the Wanapum Band and of the video production team- and with the concurrence of the Department. CERT was designated to be the pass-hrough mechanism by which the costs of the videotaped oral history could be paid. It is recommended that the project and any unused hds intended for the video be carried over into the next Cooperative Agreement. It is expected that the video will be completed within the first or second quarter of the follow-on Cooperative Agreement. B. Internship Council of Energy Resource Tribes 3 1. Project Objectives a. To provide a unique one-year professional experience in governmental operations, environmental programs and issues and policies to a recently graduated American Indian student or one enrolled in graduate school; and, b. To provide an opportunity for federal employees in a federal program to interact and learn about Indian communities and issues from the intern working with them. 2. Project Method CERT would conduct a search for an intern and propose the placement for DOE concurrence, Once a candidate was selected the placement in Washington, DC, would be made. CERT would provide for the relocation costs of the intern and cover the other program costs. DOE would provide the intern with professional- level job assignments, supervision and direction. 3. Project Results The program works well. The satisfaction of the three parties serves as the yardstick. The interns credit the program with helping them find direction for their career path while gaining invaluable experience at the higher levels of federal program and policy management (see Attachment B). They also find that the exposure to the Tribes and the issues important to the Tribal constituencies is of great value in career and personal terms. DOE reports that the CERT Intern program gives them exposure and dialogue on Indian and Tribal values and issues in a way that formal dialogue with Tribal delegates cannot. CERT’s satisfaction is gained by the fact that we have identified the interns and through them we serve Tribal interests. 4. Evaluatioflecommendations The CERT-DOE Environmental lntern program is working so well as to suggest that it could be used as a model not only for DOE’S other programs with significant Indian interface, but for other federal agencies across a broad spectrum. At a minimum, we would recommend that the CERT-DOE Intern program be expanded to include the offices of Intergovernmental Affairs, Fossil Fuels, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Grants & Contracts Management, and the Department’s Controllers office. C. Tribal Interface with DOE federal technology development initiatives. 1. Project Objective Council of Energy Resource Tribes 4 To use CERT’s facilitated participatory methods to develop an interface design between Tribes and technology development. 2. Project Methods Using CERT-developed participatory methods, CERT assembled a team of Tribal representatives fi-om a broad geographic and cultural spectrum to develop the protocols of intergovernmental and cross-cultural interface. 3. Project Results The barriers that exist between Indian Tribes and the federal government were adequately exposed. Communication and understanding proved to be a continuing challenge. Words intended to convey information became suspect of intending manipulation or confusion.