The Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP) is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded grant to assist tribes and tribal consortia in developing their environmental protection programs and developing and implementing solid and hazardous waste programs on tribal lands.

CRNA implemented its IGAP Program in 2011 and coordinated with the Regional IGAP coordinators to address environmental issues and increase environmental awareness through outreach and education.

CRNA IGAP promotes recycling! CRNA recycles within its organization and works with the Regional IGAP programs to support recycling throughout the region to reduce waste that goes into the local landfill and improve the health of our environment. If there are any questions about what or where to recycle, please contact the IGAP Program at CRNA.

There is an annual white goods backhaul in the summer when CRNA works with the Regional IGAP programs to remove and recycle refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, and other large household appliances from the region. Please contact the Tribal Office in your area for more information about this event.

CRNA IGAP partners with Recycling Our Area’s Resources, ROAR, in Glennallen to recycle aluminum cans, mixed paper, office paper, newspaper, and shredded paper throughout the Copper River region. CRNA also supports Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, VCRS, in Palmer to recycle plastics and cardboard from CRNA and the regional villages.

CRNA IGAP works with Regional IGAP Programs to educate community members about air quality to increase human and environmental health throughout the region. This includes participating in and hosting training related to air quality, hosting presentations on air quality and healthy homes, and distributing Healthy Homes kits with supplies and information to raise awareness and actively improve indoor air quality for community members.

CRNA IGAP Coordinator can also do virtual in-home Healthy Home Assessments for community members. Discuss concerns about indoor air quality, ideas about how to keep a healthy home, and do a virtual walk-through of your house to identify any vulnerabilities and come up with simple, easy, in-home solutions.

Improving water quality throughout the Copper River region is another critical IGAP goal. Our rivers provide drinking water, and our salmon depend on clean water. CRNA IGAP developed a Water Quality Quality Assurance Project Plan, or Water Quality QAPP, to protect our waters and fish from pollution. Under this QAPP, CRNA IGAP staff will work with other regional IGAP Programs to conduct water quality sampling in all major rivers to obtain baseline water data to assess the water pollution level further. This data will raise public awareness about pollution and water quality and improve human and environmental health in the long term.