Winnebago Tribe Environmental Protection Department

06/17/2026

‼️‼️‼️ If you have any information on this incident, please contact the Winnebago Police Department immediately. Thank you to our partners who responded quickly to this incident! 🙏

06/16/2026

Multiple Tribal programs and departments are joining in a day visit with US Fish and Wildlife Service on the Winnebago reservation. The tour will include various stops where various entities are working on environmental projects. We would like to thank all the individuals who took time to make this happen. We look forward to potential future collaborations!

06/15/2026

This is a great opportunity to learn more about pesticide use within Indian Country. We are also excited for Virginia Snake-Bumann, EPA Region 7's Tribal Pesticide Circuit Rider, to introduce herself to all attendees. Make sure to RSVP!

https://www.omahatribe.com/pesticide-safety-regulations-presentation/

PESTICIDE SAFETY & REGULATIONS PRESENTATION
📢 Pesticide Safety & Regulations Presentation

The Omaha Tribe Environmental Protection Department invites community members, agricultural producers, pesticide applicators, and interested individuals to attend an important presentation on pesticide safety and regulations.

Presenter: Michael Daniels, EPA Pesticides Inspector

This informative session will cover:
✅ Pesticide regulations and compliance requirements
✅ Safe pesticide handling and application practices
✅ Emergency response considerations
✅ Applicator certification information

Mr. Daniels also serves as the Indian Country Pesticide Applicator Certification Coordinator and works with tribal communities, including the Omaha Tribe Reservation and the Winnebago Reservation, conducting pesticide inspections and providing guidance on pesticide safety.

📅 Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Blackbird Bend Casino Event Center

Headcount Needed:
We are currently gathering a headcount for this event. If you plan to attend, please let us know in advance.

📞 Phone: (402) 385-8035
📧 Email: [email protected]

We encourage all interested community members to attend this valuable educational opportunity. Please share this information with anyone who may benefit from learning more about pesticide safety and regulations.

06/09/2026

We are excited to welcome two Winnebago Tribal members to our department, and we look forward to the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they will bring as we continue working to protect, preserve, and enhance the Tribe's environmental resources.

Welcome to the EPD team!🌎

06/09/2026

This article highlights the ongoing impacts that agricultural runoff and other sources of pollution can have on rivers, lakes, and waterways throughout the Midwest. The practices we implement on the land today can directly affect water quality, wildlife habitat, recreation, and downstream communities tomorrow.

Native people have served as stewards of the land and water since time immemorial. Caring for creation and protecting the natural resources that sustain our communities is a responsibility that has been passed down through generations. As we face modern environmental challenges, those teachings remain as important as ever.

Protecting our waters starts upstream and requires all of us to do our part. 🌱

06/08/2026

📣 We would like to introduce our Summer Youth workers - Tomi Li Scott and Cleveland Harden. Both are from the Winnebago Public School and are participating in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) that the Higher Education Program offers each summer. The Summer Youth workers will be helping us archive historical data, gain in-the-field experience, and help us with upcoming community engagement events.

We would like to thank the Higher Education Program for partnering with us and offering this invaluable workforce opportunity for our Native youth on the Winnebago reservation.

05/22/2026

Kurt Lyons, our Air Quality Specialist, has done an amazing job in conceptualizing, developing, and constructing the AQI Light that sits upon the Black Hawk Community Center in downtown Winnebago. This light is able to inform our Tribal community of the real-time air quality. The color of the light indicates the air quality. This is especially important for Tribal community members who may have COPD, asthma, or any other chronic health condition that is directly impacted by air quality.

Alright, this is pretty cool. The Winnebago Environmental Protection Department just launched a PM2.5 air-monitoring system on Tribal lands, thanks to EPA funding and some innovative thinking. The monitor checks the Air Quality Index hourly and lights up with colors inside a globe to show real-time air quality.

This provides individuals with immediate information about pollutant levels and allows the community to respond as necessary to hazardous conditions.

05/22/2026

🌊 Trisha Rivers, Water Resource Technician for the Tribe, was able to talk with EPA Region 7's Administrator Jim Macy about projects within the Tribe's Watershed-Based Plan such as the Kelly Projects Pond. The Watershed-Based Plan includes other bodies of water such as H-Lake and cultural springs. Ase Overfelt, Water Quality Specialist for the Tribe, has dedicated a lot of time and energy into developing the plan and coordinating with the U.S. EPA Heartland Region team in making that possible.

Thank you to US EPA for highlighting one the many projects that we are working hard on!

05/22/2026

ICYMI: Earlier this month, US EPA Region 7 Regional Administrator Jim Macy, Immediate Office Division Director Amanda Halstead, General Assistance Program Project Officer Tegan Vaughn, and Mark Hansen from the Public and Governmental Affairs Branch visited the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Our department was honored to help facilitate a Tribal Council meeting where environmental and human health priorities were discussed between EPA and the Winnebago Tribe.

Additionally, EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy signed the approval that recognizes the Tribe's continued authority to manage and protect water resources on these additional Tribal lands under federal environmental laws, supporting self-governance and future program development.

We look forward to future dialogue and continuing to reach major milestones for our Tribe's environment and human health.

05/20/2026

Have you noticed the yellow buoy-like devices floating on H-Lake and Kelly Pond lately? 👀🌊

Our Water Quality Program recently deployed two continuous data loggers to support ongoing surface water monitoring efforts. These instruments collect real time data that help us better understand changing water conditions over time.

Continuous monitoring strengthens our ability to track trends, identify potential concerns early, and support the long-term protection of our tribal waters and natural resources.