Transcript NTAA

National Tribal Air Association’s Executive Committee
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
‘To advance air quality management, policies
and programs, consistent with the needs,
interests and unique legal status of
American Indian Tribes and Alaskan
Natives’
www.ntaatribalair.org
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Sovereignty/ Self-Determination of Tribes
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Tribes have the right to know and protect the
quality of their air
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Tribes are leaders, strong partners, and coregulators
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Tribes have the legal authority to regulate under
the Tribal Authority Rule (TAR)
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As sovereign nations, Tribes should be consulted
on how best to address their community's
exposure to air pollution from off-reservation
sources, and actively engaged in the process of
eliminating harmful off-reservation pollution.
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015

Regional calls/emails by NTAA Executive
Committee Regional Representatives
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Face-to-face discussions and/or meetings with
Tribes and NTAA Executive Committee
Regional Representatives
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Documents identifying regional Tribal
priorities utilized
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NTAA EC Representatives compiled results
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
National
Tribal
Priorities
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
EPA Tribal Air Program Funding
• Static or reduced, has led to same number or
fewer Tribes funded
• Aging monitoring equipment
• Inspector credentials program greatly reduced
• Tribal capacity has stalled or been reduced
instead of more Tribes building capacity to
assume programs
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
EPA Program Regression
• Reduction and continual re-education of EPA staff
• No travel funds for education of EPA or Tribal staff
• EPA lack of mentoring, technical support; in
permitting, tracking of non-tribal project impacts
• Reduction of EPA interdepartmental coordination on
projects involving multi-media effects
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Climate Change
• Create funding for Tribes which does not
reduce other air quality program funds
• Adaptation planning
• Research - Predicted affects particularly on
traditional foods (Projections)
• Participating in the Clean Power Plan
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
•
More technical support and assistance for Tribal
staff to conduct IAQ assessments
•
Water intrusion issues: mold & relative humidity
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Radon testing in Tribal homes and communities to
determine exposure risks; Radon mitigation
•
Lack of funding for IAQ activities in Indian
Country
•
Addressing asthma disparities
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Mobile Sources
• On-road emissions: diesel exhaust, PM
• Other: Construction equipment, shipping vessels (e.g.
water and rail) and recreational vehicles
Oil and Gas Development
• Hydraulic fracturing, radon, radiation, aquifer
contamination
• Permitting
• Methane Rule promulgation
• Tribal Minor NSR General Permit promulgation
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Regional Haze
• Participation in Regional Planning Organizations
(RPOs)
Ground Level Ozone Impacts
• Off Reservation source impacts
• EPA monitoring funding for Tribes effected
Tribal New Source Review
• Implementation coordination with EPA regions, lack
of communication
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
NTAA
Regional
Priorities
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Impacts of climate change in rural Alaska
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Improvement of indoor air quality (IAQ) in
Tribal homes
•
Road dust in villages
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Impacts of fugitive dust from large scale mining
•
Open burning/land fill burning
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Funding presents a major challenge to Alaska
Native Villages who are not eligible to receive
federal monies designated for Tribes with
Reservation lands
Fukushima radiation
Asian haze
Cruise ship emissions
Lead in rural airports from small airplanes
(e.g. Cessna 207)
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Funding cut 10-15% for FY2016, Tribal capacity
building stalled
EPA staffing cutbacks, in R-10 over 100 unfilled
positions in the last 10 years
Permit review and other EPA technical support
resources
FARR revision process stalled, Tribes unable to collect
fees under current program
Lack of coordination within EPA departments
Reductions in funding for the Tribal inspector program
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Radon: SIRG cut, Vegas lab closed, mitigation funding
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Indoor air quality technical support: asbestos/outreach
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Climate Change and Adaptation Planning - separate
funding stream. Increase in dust storms predicted.
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Smoke Management Coordination
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Funding & Technical Support for participation in RPOs
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Atmospheric pollutant deposition, including radiation
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COIL Export facilities and transportation, CAFOs
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Funding Air programs for all Tribes who request them &
targeted funding for mature air monitoring programs
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Streamline the designation process
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Ensure consistent relationships between Tribes, EPA R9
Air Division, and Headquarters
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Acknowledgement that the majority of poor air quality
is transported from off-Reservation sources
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Targeted emphasis and funding for Tribal indoor air
programs
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Recognition of the Tribal Authority Rule (TAR)
•
Specific guidance for Tribes on Exceptional Events
•
Additional consultation with respect to proposed
ground level ozone standard with both TAS & non-TAS
Tribes & targeted funding for Tribes affected by new
ozone standards
•
Provide resources for Tribes to develop their own
template database for utilization of all Tribes &
compatible with existing USEPA programs
(e.g. ICIS-Air)
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
QAPP approvals
• Follow turnaround schedule
• Single crosswalk
• Stronger mentoring
Responsive Tribal Assistance Program at Region
 Agency employee fallout, early retirement and
non-backfilling of positions
 No travel funds
 Stronger mentoring
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Oil and Gas Development
• Permitting of oil and gas wells
• Methane rule
• Tribal NSR general permit for Oil and Gas
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Ground-level ozone transport from power
plants and other sources
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IAQ in Tribal homes and buildings
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Concentrated animal feeding operations
(CAFOs) and agricultural emissions
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Development of Ambient Air Monitoring
programs
• Several Tribes in initial stages of program
development utilizing CAA 103 funding
• Various developed Tribal air programs are
providing technical assistance
 Cherokee Nation
 Quapaw Tribe
 Delaware Nation and others
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Indoor air quality projects and programs
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Recognition and respect of Tribes as Sovereign
Nations when it comes to air quality Issues
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Ground-level Ozone and future designations
with new proposed standard
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Funding
• New/expanding Tribal Air - 33 Tribes in TARJ
• Established Programs operating in “keep the lights on”
Monitoring - Losing ability to have regional snap shot
• Class 1 Re-designations – AQRVs: establish baseline,
determine trends and identify potential impacts
• Air Modeling/Risk Assessment
• Hg, PM, O3, toxics: production, deposition, impacts &
regulation (No dry deposition, wet deposition dispersion, few leaf litter)
Protection of Ceded Territories
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Climate Change
• Flora/Fauna shifts: moose, wild rice, tulibee, plants
• Climate Change Adaptation: air emission reductions
IAQ: Radon, Mold, Healthy Homes
• Lack of technical support
• Need solutions, leverage resources - few out there, $
Tribal mNSR - Lack of communication from Region
• Details of OK DEQ vs. EPA have impact on Tribes
Lack of notification by States & EPA on enforcement
issues on, near Reservations or within TAS areas
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Air Program Development and TAS
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Indoor Air Quality
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Climate Change research/ adaptation planning
incorporating Tribal Knowledge (TEK)
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
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Increased dust pollution from drought caused by
climate change
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Pollution from Hydraulic Fracturing
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Mercury
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Increase Tribal Participation with Region 4 EPA
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Industrial effects on Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
at Akwesasne
• Alcoa and others
Indoor Air Quality
• Environmental Justice
• New “Dioxin in the Dust”
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Mobile Sources
• Emissions from the international shipping industry;
on-road/non-road
Climate Change
Hydro-Fracking
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Particulate matter
 Our most problematic priority pollutant,
originates from both local and regional sources
Mercury emissions and deposition
 When will our fish be safe to eat?
Climate change
 Particularly with regard to predicted increases
in ozone, and its effects on human health and
damage to vegetation
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
Indoor air quality
 Mold and radon during the winter months when
the houses are all buttoned up
Diesel exhaust
 Particularly in the winter months when large
trucks and school buses are idling for long periods
Regional haze and transport of other pollutants
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015
www.ntaatribalair.org
National Tribal Forum
on Air Quality 2015