Environmental Program

The Delaware Tribe Environmental Program (DTEP) is funded each year from the EPA General Assistance Program (GAP) Grant. Through this grant the department has built a recycling program to steer the tribe towards a greener and more sustainable future. Environmental Director Tristen Tucker can be found anywhere on campus but his office because he is tending the pollinator garden, community garden, gathering the recyclables or holding a workshop to teach us native plants. Tristen extends an invitation to all Tribal members to engage with him on this crucial mission. He emphasizes that sustainability is a team sport and encourages everyone to reach out with ideas, inquiries, or any input that can contribute to the Tribe’s environmental goals. Wanishi

The EPA General Assistance Program (GAP) Grant Objective and Purpose are as follows:.

The GAP grant offers a unique opportunity to the Delaware Tribe of Indians to administer its own integrated environmental program, develop the capability to manage specific programs, and establish a core program for environmental protection. Funding with this grant will be the only way the tribe can establish the program, since additional resources are not available through the general operation budget. The project goal is to develop a Delaware Tribal Environmental Office, with an initial project being the implementation of a tribal recycling program. The objective of this project is to put into action the long-held tribal value of caring for the land. We plan to do this by putting in place the staff and materials for an environmental program, increasing tribal members’ and employees’ awareness of environmental issues, and partnering with the City of Bartlesville to increase the amount of recycled materials that would otherwise go to a landfill.

In addition to Solid Waste Management (Recycling), research is being conducted by the program in the areas of E-Recycling (computers, TVs, household electronics), Energy Efficiency, and Air Quality Monitoring.

For more information or questions contact DTEP Director Tristen Tucker at (918) 337-6590 or ttucker@delawaretribe.org