Environmental Health News quotes Ranco in article on tribal water sources
Darren Ranco, an anthropology professor and director of Native American Research at the University of Maine, was quoted in an Environmental Health News article about health violations at tribal water treatment plants. A new analysis conducted by Texas A&M University found tribal drinking water utilities and wastewater treatment plants are far less likely to be federally inspected or receive enforcement despite more violations than non-tribal facilities, the article states. The article is part of a series looking into Native American struggles — and successes — to protect culturally significant water sources on and off the reservation, according to EHN. Ranco cautioned against conflating the lack of enforcement on reservations with indifference. “The EPA as an agency has done a lot of work to be pro-tribal, recognizing the [tribes’] limited resources,” he said, adding some of the inspection and enforcement snags might stem from poor coordination with the EPA and tribal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the Indian Health Services, the article states.