Final Report — Shinnecock Nation Indigenous Environmental Planning May 10, 2024 Team Members: Anushree Chaudhuri, Milan Chuttani, Yvette Kleinbock, Saynab Maalin, Keili Tucker, Sanjana Paul Shinnecock Nation Collaborators: Phillip Brown, Shavonne Smith
Introduction This report presents the collaborative work between our team and the Shinnecock Nation to support the Tribe’s climate action planning and land use initiatives. Through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, we assisted the Nation in developing foundational resources, such as the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, the Priority Climate Action Plan, and interactive community storytelling, land use, and scenario visioning maps. Additionally, we facilitated participatory mapping workshops and developed a comprehensive, adaptable mapping toolkit to support the Shinnecock Nation in their journey toward sustainability, sovereignty, cultural preservation, and effective collaboration with partners and stakeholders. Throughout this process, we emphasized community engagement and capacity sharing to elevate the values and priorities of the Shinnecock Nation in climate action and land use planning. By listening and learning, we gained valuable insights into the complexities of navigating diverse perspectives within Indigenous communities. Our goal is to ensure that this collaboration leaves the Shinnecock Nation with practical tools to continue their visioning, advocacy, and action toward a sustainable future.
Problem Statement In collaboration with Shinnecock Nation’s Environmental and Housing departments, we identified two primary areas of focus for the project: 1) the submission of a Priority Climate Action Plan and other grant deliverables for the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, and 2) an increase in documentation and participatory mapping workshops/online tools to support all departments in the Nation with implementation of their 2021 Land Use Plan. Based on our site visit takeaways, background research, and conversations with Shinnecock leaders, our main goals were to: 1. Assist with the EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant application by an April 1st deadline, including supporting these application components: a complete draft of the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), a preliminary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory, and a complete draft of a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP). 2. Document methodology and steps taken to complete the GHG emissions inventory and consolidate data collected for future use by the Nation in a comprehensive documentation and resources toolkit. 1