PLUMMER - The Coeur d'Alene Tribe has received $165,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for environmental programs.

The funding helps tribes develop protection programs and make informed decisions about issues that affect the health of their people and the quality of their environment.

"The funds have been used for energy efficiency programs, recycling programs and have been used to help us write grants for projects such as wetlands planning and household hazardous waste," said Heather Keen, the Tribe's spokeswoman. "We're pleased and grateful to receive the funding."

The Tribe has received such funds since 1997.

The EPA awarded a total of $31.8 million in funding in the region for the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program grants to tribes.

Since its inception, the program has played a role in achieving environmental progress and facilitating government-to-government relationships between tribes and the EPA.

Tribes and tribal consortia in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest will use the funding for a wide variety of projects including community and open dump cleanups, documenting climate change, emergency response planning, identifying invasive species, recycling, watershed protection, youth environmental education and research and education on mining impacts.

Tribes also use GAP funding for training and staff development, seeking technical assistance, creating environmental plans, leveraging resources from and developing partnerships with other entities and community outreach and education.

Almost half - 271 - of the federally recognized tribes in the nation are in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

"(GAP) is absolutely critical for these tribes to build their capacity and develop programs to protect public health and the environment on their lands," said David Allnutt, director of the EPA Region 10 Office of Ecosystems, Tribes and Public Affairs.

There are 566 federally recognized tribes in the nation, including 229 in Alaska, four in Idaho, nine in Oregon and 29 in Washington.

In Region 10, 202 tribes and 20 tribal consortia received GAP grants for the upcoming fiscal year.

The GAP program was created by Congress in 1992.