Walker River Paiute Tribe

Environmental Department

Contact Details

Phone Details

Phone: (775) 773-2306 ext. 2303
Fax: (775) 773-2585

Physical Address

Administration Building
1022 Hospital Road Schurz, NV, 89427

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Hours

Open from 8:00 – 5:00

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About Us

The WRPT Environmental Department manages the Solid Waste Program, Superfund (contaminated grounds), Brownfields, and General Assistance Program (GAP) grants.(Staff continues to work with several tribal, state, and federal agencies and partners on projects, i.e. Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cattlemen and Consultants.) *To receive trash services, you cannot have a delinquent account from prior years within the Walker River Paiute Reservation.

Our Mission

The Walker River Paiute Tribe Environmental Department was established in 1995 to protect the environment, preserve the natural resources, and maintain the community health and safety from environmental hazards (i.e. pollution, solid waste disposals, etc.) on the Walker River Paiute Reservation.

AGAI-DICCUTTA NUMU (Trout Eaters People)

The Walker River Paiute Reservation is located within three counties in rural Midwestern Nevada about 100 miles southeast of Reno, Nevada with the population of over 700 (according to the 2010 Census) residing within the boundaries of the Walker River Paiute Tribe. The land base consists of about 325,000 acres in a river valley, mostly used for grazing and some ranching. The present reservation encompasses a high desert land base and is surrounded by mountains, desert lakes, and marshland/wetlands. The current Reservation was a traditional wintering grounds for the Walker River Paiute Numu (people) due to the mild winters. The Numu (people) then migrated back to the Sierras for summer camps. The riparian areas of the Reservation have mostly been converted to farm land with alfalfa being the major crop. The only town on the Reservation is Schurz, Nevada where the intersection of U.S. Highway 95 and 95-A (major routes running north and south) meet. Fallon, Nevada is 39 miles North, Yerington, Nevada is 25 miles West and Hawthorne, Nevada is 33 miles to the South.

The Walker River Paiute Tribal Government is a federally-recognized tribe and, as such, is associated with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. The reservation was established by Executive Order on March 19, 1874 by U.S. President, Ulysses S. Grant. The Walker River Paiute people are also known as the Agai-Diccutta Band of the Northern Paiute Nation, Agai-Diccutta in our Paiute language means Trout Eaters. The Walker River Paiute Tribe is organized under the provisions of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18,1934 as amended, to exercise certain home rule and be responsible for the promotion of economic and social welfare of its member. The WRPT government is a seven-member Tribal Council that functions under Tribal Sovereignty, where land use decisions associated with the reservation must be coordinated through the Tribal Council and in concert with U.S. Federal and State Governments. The Walker River Paiute Tribe has a total of 2,349 enrolled members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see PDF attachment of the community trash routes by street name.

Saving your carbon and nitrogen waste so that it can be dumped onto compost pile and managed by the Environmental Department. If you would like to directly work with compost material, you may contact the Environmental Department for a tutorial on how to help water and stir the compost periodically.

Meat, and manure from meat-eaters are the only things that should not be used for composting sources. All other food scraps and green waste are acceptable.

Trash pick up services support the Environmental Department operations. The GAP, Superfund, and Brownfields grants are funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Please call the Environmental Department at 775-773-2306 ext. 2303 with your concerns. If it is larger than tribal jurisdiction/focus area, we can route it to the correct agencies.

To receive trash services, you cannot have a delinquent account from prior years within the Walker River Paiute Reservation.

Programs

Indian General Assistance Program (GAP):

The Walker River Paiute Tribe Environmental Department was awarded the General Assistance Program (GAP) on August 12, 2019. GAP will begin implementing a composting and recycling program, developing an air program, updating solid waste ordinances, providing outreach and education to the Walker River Paiute Tribe Community on current environmental issues, conducting a waste stream analysis, developing a plan for the cleanup of Walker Lake, and hosting an Earth Day event in conjunction with a community cleanup of the Walker River Paiute Tribal Reservation.

We strive to provide the services our clients deserve but cannot afford. We deliver these services without judgement, in a client-centered fashion through a team of highly motivated, well trained professionals. We help clients identify their needs and seek to provide seamless delivery of services designed to address the causes and consequences of their involvement with the criminal justice system.

For further inquiries please contact:

Cynthia Oseguera

Environmental Manager

Phone: (775) 773-2306 ext. 2303

Email – [email protected]

Veronica Swan

EPA Project Officer

Support Agency Cooperative Agreement (Superfund) – Anaconda Copper Mine Site:

The Walker River Paiute Tribe Environmental Department was awarded the Support Agency Cooperative Agreement – Anaconda Copper Mine Site (Superfund) on September 17, 2019. The Superfund Program will be conducting reviews and commenting of site technical documents and reports, attending and participating in community meetings, coordinating Tribal Council updates by EPA, and facilitating public outreach to Walker River Paiute Tribal members.

For further inquiries please contact:

Cynthia Oseguera

Environmental Manager

Phone: (775) 773-2306 ext. 2303

Email – [email protected]

Dante Rodriguez

EPA Project Officer

Brownfield Tribal Response Program:

Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the definition of a Brownfield is “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, petroleum products, or is mine-scarred land. Includes all “real property,” including residential, as well as commercial and industrial properties.”

The Brownfield Program is funded by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and provides support to states, communities, tribes, and nonprofits to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites.

The Walker River Paiute Tribe was awarded the Brownfield Tribal Response Program on April 27, 2017 by EPA with the objective to establish and/or enhance the Walker River Paiute Tribe’s response program that includes timely survey and inventory of brownfield sites; oversight and enforcement authorities to ensure that response actions protect human health and the environment; resources to provide meaningful public involvement; mechanisms for approval of a cleanup plan and verification of complete responses.

A site can be considered a brownfield site so long as it meets the EPA definition of a brownfield site. This may include, but is not limited to, meth labs, industrial facilities, illegal dump sites, mine-scarred lands, gas stations/convenient stores, landfills, auto shops, residential homes, and offices where contamination hinders the future redevelopment, reuse, or expansion of the site.