Tribes play an important role in protecting the nation’s air quality and are recognized as co-regulators along with states and the EPA. Tribal citizens are often disproportionately affected by air pollution, while their governments play an increasingly valuable role in controlling and reducing pollution and its adverse health effects.
On this page you’ll find resources for Tribal air professionals, what various Tribes are doing to improve local air quality, how Tribes and the EPA work together, and youth education materials.
ITEP: COVID-19 Resource Page for Tribes
ITEP has created a COVID-19 Resource Page for Tribes to use to access federal and other resources to help Tribes respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
NTAA: Treatment as a State (TAS)
This page contains resources from NTAA and EPA to help Tribes understand and apply for Treatment as a State (TAS) status under the Tribal Authority Rule (TAR) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). TAS provides that Tribes will be treated in the same manner as states for virtually all CAA programs.
NTAA: Air Quality Monitoring Sites
Locate and view data about thousands of air quality monitoring sites in the US.
NTAA: Energy Development and Transport Sites
Locate and view data about coal fired power plants, natural gas production, pipelines, railroads and other sites involved in the production and transportation of the US energy supply.
NTAA and the EPA maintain the above interactive map sites to assist Tribes with air quality programs and monitoring. Be patient as some of these maps need time to load thousands of data points.
ITEP: AIAQTP: American Indian Air Quality Training Program
ITEP’s American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP) provides training and educational outreach for Tribal environmental staff all over the United States, including Alaska.
ITEP: VW Settlement
Learn about the VW Settlement and how to access funds to pay for projects to replace eligible diesel vehicles and improve the air quality on your Tribal homelands.
ITEP: IAQTC: Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical issue facing many Tribes throughout the country. Improving indoor air quality can result in significant improvements in health thereby decreasing medical costs and improving quality of life.
This section is intended to highlight the amazing work done by Tribal Air Programs from across the Nation. From tiny 1-person offices to programs with dozens of staff, Tribal air programs all share a commitment to protecting the health of their people and their ecosystems.
The Aleknagik Traditional Council worked with Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and partners to create several educational videos on Indoor Air Quality.
Rural Alaska Healthy Homes Checklist
This checklist is a rapid healthy homes assessment tool developed by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC)-Environmental Health Consultation group. It can be used by an environmental worker, clinic personnel, homeowners, or anybody who may be requested to do a home assessment in rural Alaska. The guiding principles of this checklist were adopted from the National Center for Healthy Housing’s Seven Principles of a Healthy Home and modified for use in rural Alaska.
Tribal Air Summit
In September 2019, NTAA hosted a Tribal Air Summit at Alaska Pacific University’s Rasmuson Hall. Links to the various presentations are included here.
The Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee Tools for Tribes page provides newsletters, Webinars, Tribal Comment Letters and technical information that may be valuable to other Tribes in Indian Country.
The Tribal Air Resources Journal was started by Tribes in EPA Region 5 to better publicize Tribal Air Quality Program achievements, progression, and struggles to their Tribal communities as well as in Indian Country. The Journal provides Tribes with a platform to promote their accomplishments and successes along with sharing obstacles and setbacks encountered along the way.
Additional Regional Tribal Organizations
EPA: Our Nation’s Air: Status and Trends
An introduction to the issues of air quality in the US, along with tables and maps showing long term trends.
EPA: EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool
EJSCREEN is an environmental justice mapping and screening tool. It provides a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic indicators down to the local level.
Consultations with Tribes
The EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes establishes clear EPA standards for the consultation process. It defines when and how consultation takes place, designates EPA consultation contacts to promote consistency and coordination of the process, and establishes management oversight and reporting to ensure accountability and transparency.
The EPA was one of the first federal agencies with a formal policy specifying how it would interact with Tribal governments and consider Tribal interests in carrying out its programs to protect human health and the environment. The EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations, signed in 1984, remains the cornerstone for EPA’s Indian program.
The Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS) publicizes upcoming and current EPA consultation opportunities for Tribal governments. TCOTS allows users to view and sort information, and to submit comments on a Tribal consultation.
Environmental Justice
EPA’s Environmental Justice Policy describes how agency works with federally recognized Tribes and indigenous peoples throughout the United States, and with others living in Indian country. The seventeen principles of the Policy help EPA protect the environment and public health and address environmental justice concerns in Indian country.
The Policy focuses on EPA’s work with federally recognized Tribes, state recognized Tribes, Tribal members, indigenous community-based/grassroots organizations, Native Hawaiians, individual Native Americans, and others living in Indian country. The Policy also discusses EPA’s work with other federal agencies, state agencies, and other interested groups.
Tribal Air Monitoring Center (TAMS)
The Tribal Air Monitoring (TAMS) Center was created through a partnership between Tribes, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) and the EPA. It is the first technical training center designed specifically to meet the needs of Tribes involved in air quality management and offers an array of training and support services to Tribal air professionals.
The TAMS Center provides technical training of Tribal environmental professionals and technical assistance in obtaining and analyzing air quality data. The TAMS Center also provides gravimetric laboratory service for Tribes conducting particulate sampling. Filters and the gravimetric analysis are provided to the Tribes by the TAMS Center.
For more information about training and other TAMS services please contact:
Christopher Lee, TAMS Co-Director
702-784-8278
Christopher.Lee@nau.edu
PurpleAir Sensors
The PurpleAir program provides Tribes and other interested parties with affordable new generation laser particle counters to provide real time measurement of particulate matter pollution. PurpleAir sensors are easy to install, requiring a power outlet and WiFi. They use WiFi to report in real time to the PurpleAir Map.
EPA Regional Resources
EPA and NTAA partner with Tribes on a regional level through ten Regional Tribal Operations Committees.
