News Releases from Region 10

Klawock Cooperative Association Brownfields Coordinator Brian Holter, Jr. Appointed to National EPA Advisory Subcommittee

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the appointment of Klawock Cooperative Association Brownfields Coordinator Brian Holter, Jr., of Klawock, Alaska, to the Small Community Advisory Subcommittee. The 17-member subcommittee helps EPA develop strong partnerships with small communities to address environmental and public health challenges.

“EPA is committed to helping small and rural communities improve environmental and public health protections and make much-needed repairs to local infrastructure,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “I look forward to working with SCAS to enhance EPA’s efforts to assist small communities.”

“Coordinator Holter has wide experience in Brownfields management, watershed planning, and natural resource protection, all of which are of great value to his community and to this committee,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Chris Hladick. “Through his expertise and local knowledge, he will share the concerns of rural tribal communities with the committee and EPA, so that we can better assist all communities.”

Coordinator Holter is the Alaska State Representative for the National Tribal Air Association. Generations of his family have lived on Prince of Wales Island living off the land and sea. The four tribes on the island have formed the Tribal Environmental Coalition, consisting of the Craig Tribal Association, Klawock Cooperative Association, Hydaburg Cooperative Association, and Organized Village of Kasaan. Together the Coalition is working to develop the Prince of Wales Conservation District and the Prince of Wales Sea Otter Commission, as well as a Prince of Wales Watershed Plan with other agencies to protect natural resources for future generations.

Small communities with less than 10,000 people face unique challenges such as critical drinking water and water infrastructure needs, and limited administrative capacity to address environmental and public health challenges. Nearly 60 million people, or one-fifth of the U.S. population, live in small or rural communities. EPA is committed to supporting local efforts to improve public health and the environment in these small and rural communities.

The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee appointees were selected based on their demonstrated leadership experience, proven record of service to their communities, and involvement in effective environmental protection services and programs at the community, state, and federal level.

The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee was established by EPA in 1996 to advise the Administrator on environmental issues of concern to the residents of smaller communities. It is a subcommittee of the Local Government Advisory Committee, chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, to provide independent policy advice to the EPA Administrator.

The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee intends to meet in early summer to begin their work.

For more information about the Small Community Advisory Subcommittee, visit: https://www.epa.gov/ocir/small-community-advisory-subcommittee-scas.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Northwest Region 10 at: EPA Region 10.

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