Students at Fort Berthold Community College (FBCC) have spent their entire lives hearing about the environmental issues facing the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara). Located on the high plains of northwestern North Dakota, the area contains rich coal and oil resources, the development of which can damage air and water quality. Many tribal members hunt and fish and care deeply about wildlife. Development in some places has destroyed wildlife habitat as well as the native plants that tribal members use for medicine and ceremonies. Currently, oil development is exploding. Dozens of oil wells in the vicinity flare natural gas into the air, treating it as a waste product. In the most recent controversy, oil companies have proposed off-shore drilling in Lake Sakakawea, the giant reservoir that splits the Fort Berthold Reservation in two. The conflicts create opportunities for scientists, who must monitor water wells, write environmental impact statements, search for endangered species, restore native plants, and test the reservoir fish populations. For 27 years, Kerry Hartman, Ph.D., has devoted his life to preparing residents of the reservation for careers in science. In the early '90s, he spearheaded efforts that developed several two-year degrees at the college--Environmental Science, Science, and Math. Student interest and the escalating environmental problems made it obvious the time was right to offer a four-year degree in Environmental Science. This article describes how Hartman is spearheading the development of an innovative four-year Environmental Science degree at FBCC.