The United Keetoowah Band Environmental Department was initiated in 1999 by way of a General Assistance Program (GAP) grant, provided by the Region VI U.S. EPA. This initial GAP grant funded two full-time positions, an Environmental Director and a Secretarial Assistant. The Department has expanded over the years to include an Environmental Technician, three Water Resources Technicians, a Field Assistant and a Data Coordinator. The Department, starting from meager beginnings with no projects, has now grown to be a productive department that is performing water quality monitoring activities, cultural assessment on surrounding communities, GIS/GPS mapping and illegal dumpsite cleanups on restricted Keetoowah properties. The Department is very active in national organizations to include the Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC), Central Regional Air Planning Association (CENRAP), Oklahoma Intertribal Emergency Management Coalition, Oklahoma Tribal Water Advisory Council and the Tribal Environmental Coaltion of Oklahoma (TECO). At the current time, this department is 100% federally funded and does not receive any Tribal funding. We rely on the federal funding that is received from the U.S. EPA and the regional BIA office.