FAQs - Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Environmental Protection Office

FAQs

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The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

How do I report a spill of a regulated substance such as petroleum or petroleum products?

To report a release or spill, call the Lower Brule Environmental Protection Office at 1-605-473-0163 during regular office hours (8:00 am to 4:30 pm CST). To report a release or a spill after hours please call 1-605-473-5444 (the Lower Brule Police Department).

Other useful numbers include:
The National Response Center........................................1-800-424-8802
South Dakota Department of Natural Resources (DENR)....1-605-773-3296 (after hours)...1-605-773-3231

If you have any questions concerning the reporting of releases or spills, please contact George Honeywell
at 1-605-473-0163 or e-mail George at ghoneywell@LBST-EPO.org

What actions should be taken when I find mold in my house?

If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles & carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced.

For more information please see
epa.gov/mold
A Brief Guide to Mold and Moisture in your Home.pdf

What do I do with old tires and car batteries?

Please set these items along side the dumpsters located around town.
Please call 1-605-473-0163 for more information.

Does the paint in my house contain lead and what do I need to know about lead paint?

Old lead-based paint is the most significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. today. Most homes built before 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. Some homes built as recently as 1978 may also contain lead paint. This paint could be on window frames, walls, the outside of homes, or other surfaces. Harmful exposures to lead can be created when lead-based paint is improperly removed from surfaces by dry scraping, sanding, or open-flame burning.

Our suggestion is to visit the U.S. EPA's web page on lead paint @ the following address:
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/hip-lead.html

What do I do with large bulky item like old refrigerators, freezers, sofas, chairs, and other items to big for the dumpsters?

All bulky items should be placed at the curb for the Solid Waste staff's daily rounds. Everything should be removed from the refrigerators and freezers before placing them at the curb.
The elderly can call 473-0163 for assistance with bulky items.

May I burn my residential solid waste in a burn barrel?

Backyard burning is a type of open burning that is common on Reservations. It typically involves the burning of household waste in a burn barrel or open pit. In addition to being a fire hazard, it is a source of dangerous pollutants, including dioxins, particulate matter, lead, mercury, and hexachlorobenzene. As a result, backyard burning is now the nation's largest quantified source of dioxins.

For these reasons, The Solid Waste Program recommends the using one of our 66 dumpsters located around Lower Brule and the Reservation rather than backyard burning. There are many good reasons to discontinue backyard burning. Please do your part to eliminate or discourage this dangerous practice and help keep the air clean. For more information please see:
U.S. EPA Backyard Burning home page
Hidden Hazards of Backyard Burning

What can be done about abandoned mobile homes around Lower Brule?

Mobile home are easy to buy and install, but they are often left to decay when they are no longer used. These decaying abandoned mobile homes are unsafe places for children to play, unsightly, encourage illegal dumping, and provide a place for snakes, mice, or other vermin. If the abandoned mobile homes are dismantled correctly they may provide many valuable resources. For more information, including videos on dismantling mobile homes, please click on the following link.
Abandoned Mobile Home Toolkit home page

What is Nonpoint Source Pollution?

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:

Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas;
Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;
Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding streambanks;
Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines;
Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septicsystems;

Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint source pollution.

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