Environmental Protection

Mission

Maintain the Quinault Indian Nation and its lands as a social, cultural, political, and economic unit for the continuing benefit and prosperity of the members of QIN. We are to protect the natural resources of the Quinault lands and its Usual and Accustomed (U&A) area through the administration of the QIN's natural resource laws and regulations.

Responsibilities

The Quinault Environmental Protection (EP) Department has broad responsibilities related to environmental and cultural issues within the Quinault Indian Reservation and within the Quinault Usual and Accustomed (U&A) hunting and fishing areas. The Quinault Environmental Protection Department oversees implementation of Title 61 (Natural Resources Management Act) within the Quinault Indian Nation and issues permits for work in or near water and for forest management activities such as cedar salvage. EP provides technical expertise on wildlife, fish habitat, water and air quality and invasive species.

Sections

Quinault Environmental Protection has four sections:

• Fish Habitat- To protect habitat on-reservation and off-reservation for treaty-reserved fish and wildlife within the Quinault U&A through co-management with Washington State and Federal land managers. This Section issues permits for Hydraulic Projects within the Quinault Indian Reservation.
• Cultural Resources - To protect Quinault cultural resources within the Quinault Indian Reservation and Quinault area of interest through co-management with Washington State and with landowners. The Section includes staff in the Historic Preservation Office.
• Wildlife - To manage the wildlife resources on the Quinault Indian Nation and within the hunting areas in a manner that best serves the needs of the Quinault Indian Nation. This Section issues permits for Forest Practice activities within the Quinault Indian Reservation.
• Environmental Quality - To manage and implement Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants successfully, in order to monitor and protect air, water, and land resources on the Quinault Indian Reservation. This Section has 4 focuses:
  • Air Quality 
  • Water Quality
  • Wetlands
  • Invasive Species

Climate Change

Climate change foretells many challenges that could threaten the very existence of the Quinault Indian Nation because of its location on the coast of Washington and its dependence on natural resources.

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes have contributed little to the causes of climate change, and yet face disproportionate risks. Tribes have unique rights, cultures, and economies that are, or could be, vulnerable to climate change impacts. For indigenous peoples, the environmental impacts of climate change and some of the proposed solutions threaten ways of life, subsistence, lands rights, future growth, cultural survivability, and financial resources.

The natural environment and its resources are deeply intertwined with the culture and economy of the Quinault. The traditional tribal worldview is that the people are a part of nature, not apart from nature. "Place-based" people have developed an intimate relationship with their specific natural environment through history. Their physical, mental, social and spiritual health is directly and uniquely related to the health of the ecosystems of the lands and waters they inhabit.

Impacts of Climate Change

Impacts on indigenous people, and Washington's Olympic Peninsula, include:

• Terrestrial Ecosystems and Wildfire: Warmer temperatures and declining snowpack/water will increase stress on forests resulting in increased risk of wildfire and new insect/disease outbreaks. Ecosystems will change as species shift ranges.
• Coastal Ecosystems: Ocean acidification severely impacts shellfish as well as pteropods that make up a significant percentage of the salmon diet. QIN culture was built around salmon which have already declined to mere remnants of their historic remarkable abundances.

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• Food Security, Subsistence and First Foods: Traditional hunting and gathering areas will be impacted. Changes in species composition and habitats are likely. Impacts are likely on salmon and other fish, shellfish, big game animals, berries, roots, medicinal plants.
• Community Relocation: Storm surge, coastal erosion and sea level inundation will force relocation of communities such as reservation villages of Taholah and Queets and will force changes in livelihoods and diets. Risk of losing traditional lands and burial grounds.
• Water: Increased winter precipitation will not make up for summer flows drastically reduced by lack of glaciers and snow pack. Warmer water will impact salmon habitat. Flooding is expected and will result in loss of 50% of salmon habitat over the next 40 to 80 years. Safe drinking water and sanitation systems may be jeopardized.

Climate change is being incorporated into many Quinault Indian Nation policies and programs related to the environment, infrastructure, culture and economy. We want to ensure a healthy, resilient environment and a community of Elders, families and children with the capacity to adapt to climate change with flexible management options, economic opportunities and Quinault cultural continuity.