NTAA works to better the condition of the air inside Tribal homes and other buildings by providing members with tools, information and policy actions to address indoor air quality issues. Indoor air covers all living spaces, from the attic to the basement, and also extends to areas around buildings. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a growing concern for Native American Tribal communities as the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. As Native Americans are more likely to have compromised health due to asthma and other respiratory ailments, good IAQ practices are critical to protecting public health in Tribal communities. On this page you find information about NTAA’s IAQ Work Group and Resources for Tribes to address Healthy Homes, Wood Stoves, Radon and other issues.
The NTAA used to operate an Indoor Air Quality Work Group that strived to improve IAQ in Indian Country by developing policy actions on IAQ issues and by providing resources for Tribes, including recorded webinars and presentations. The work of the Indoor Air Quality Work Group has since been taken over by ITEP’s Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities (IAQTC) program. The IAQTC program hosts an “Indoor Air Quality Office Hours” webinar and Q&A series, taking place the third Thursday of every month at 11am Pacific. Find more information on ITEP’s IAQTC webpage.
NTAA is proud to present the 2020 Tribal Healthy Homes Guides published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. These four new guides provide information and action steps on health-related impacts for Tribal families, Tribal leadership, as well as medical and housing professionals. These guides were based on extensive inputs from the National Tribal Air Association’s Indoor Air Quality Work Group. They are aimed at preventing disease and injury by improving Tribal home environments.
DOWNLOAD THE GUIDELINES HERE:
Tribal Healthy Homes Guidelines
On March 6, 2019 the NTAA IAQ Work Group hosted an informational webinar on tools tribes can use to improve the air quality of homes. The webinar included stories from Tribes around Indian Country as well as an introduction to the EPA Tribal Green Building website and funding sources.
WEBINARS
Policy Tools to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Homes
ITEP Video Library Tribal Indoor Air Quality
REPORT
Department of Energy’s Tribal Greenbuilding 101:
How Tribes Can Build Homes with Sustainability in Mind
The NTAA Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Work Group hosted a webinar on how the use and production of methamphetamine impacts tribes on Thursday, Oct 19, 2017. We invite you to join and learn more about this ongoing problem in tribal communities and the sensitive challenges it presents for families across Indian Country.
WEBINAR
Meth Awareness
Indoor pests can be a nuisance and impact the occupant’s health and comfort in a home. Integrated pest management is important to manage a wide array of pests including, lice, bed bugs, fleas, rodents, and cockroaches. Integrated pest management (IPM), or integrated pest control, often used in agriculture, can also be used in indoor settings such as homes, schools, workplaces, or other environments that may be affected by pests. IPM is a sustainable, science-based practice that utilizes biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools to identify, manage and reduce risk from pests and pest management tools and strategies in a way that minimizes overall economic, health and environmental risks. IPM reduces pesticide exposure, improves housing conditions, and improves health outcomes. The Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC), the Tribal Healthy Homes Network (THHN), and EPA have numerous resources to implement the most effective pesticide management practices for your community.
Tribal Healthy Home Resources includes healthy home topics such as “Green Cleaning,” “Home Maintenance,” “Integrated Pest Management,” and more, all of which can improve your home’s comfort and indoor environment
Lice
EPA – About Lice and Their Control
Bed Bug Resources
TPPC Bed Bug Resources
EPA – Bed Bugs: A Public Health Issue
ITEP – Integrated Pest Management for Bedbug Control
Fleas, Rodents, and Cockroaches
EPA – Managing Common Indoor Pests
An emerging health concern across Indian Country is the growing use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products such as marijuana extracts. On June 26, 2019, the NTAA Indoor Air Quality Work Group presented a webinar that explored vaping and e-cigarettes and how Tribes can create and utilize policy tools to reduce the threats to indoor air quality. The 1½ hour-long webinar included speakers from the National Native Network and the California Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Control Program (CDPH).
WEBINAR
Policy Tools to Address Vaping and E-Cigarettes in Tribal Communities – Northern Arizona University
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals known for their heat resistance and insulating properties. It is often found in insulation, flooring, and even talcum powder. Exposure to asbestos fibers poses serious health risks, including lung disease and cancer. Exposure to asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma, a serious and fatal disease.
Moisture and mold are pervasive indoor air quality issues in homes, especially in areas prone to flooding. To prevent mold from growing or continuing to grow, the source of the moisture must be found and dealt with before cleanup occurs, otherwise, the moisture and mold will continue to be a problem. The Tribal Healthy Homes Network has resources on a variety of healthy home topics, including “Mold and Moisture.” The EPA Mold and Moisture Booklet provides essential information and guidance for homeowners and renters on how to clean up residential mold problems and prevent mold growth.
Other Resources
EPA – A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
ITEP – Building Science
Air Matters Toolkit Videos – Surface Mold Removal Kit
Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas and comes from the natural gas breakdown of uranium, is the number one cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. It is an odorless, invisible gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted and there are no immediate symptoms that will alert you to the presence of radon. Testing is the only way to know your home’s radon levels.
In 2016, NTAA signed onto the National Radon Action Plan to assist in the effort in reducing radon risk in 5 million homes and saving 3,200 lives annually by 2020. Radon, an invisible and odorless gas, can cause lung cancer.
Tribal Healthy Homes Network
Education and Outreach Materials
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
Radon Training Videos
Air Matters Toolkit Videos
Radon Gas Detection Kit
Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure is a significant public health concern as it is the leading cause of fatal poisoning in the U.S. Carbon monoxide has no odor, taste, or color and comes from burning fuels, including gasoline, wood, propane or charcoal. When appliances and engines are not vented properly, carbon monoxide can build up to dangerous levels, especially in tightly enclosed spaces. Carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in the red blood cells which can lead to serious tissue damage or even death.
EPA – What is carbon monoxide?
Air Matters – Carbon Monoxide
Air Matters Toolkit Videos – Carbon Monoxide Detector
ead exposure in the home can occur through pain, dust, soil, plumbing, and certain household items. It poses serious health risks, especially for children and pregnant women. Homes built before 1978 are likely to contain lead paint usually on windows, doors, and walls. Peeling, chipping, or sanding these surfaces can release lead dust, which can be easily ingested. Lead dust can accumulate on floors, windowsills, and other surfaces from deteriorating paint. Lead can leech from old pipes, solder, or brass fixtures, especially in homes built before the 1980s. Imported goods can contain lead such as ceramics, toys, and jewelry.”
EPA – Lead
Tribal Healthy Home Network – Lead
Air Matters Toolkit Videos – Lead Awareness
In 2015, the Indoor Air Quality Work Group concluded that a better understanding of IAQ in Tribal communities was needed in order for the group to properly begin its work. A decision was reached to conduct a national needs assessment that was prepared and released to all federally recognized Tribes that year. The first ever national needs assessment for IAQ in Tribal Communities involved 109 representatives from federally recognized Tribes and took 14 months to complete. An update and revised report was released in May of 2017.
2017 National Indoor Air Quality Needs Assessment for Indian Country: Updated and Revised Edition
The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) maintains a program to address IAQ in Tribal Communities. The goal of ITEP’s Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities (IAQTC) project is to assist Tribal communities to reduce the environmental health risks posed by contaminants in indoor environments. Visit ITEP.
ITEP PRESENTATIONS & TRAININGS
Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities
Air Quality Training Program Professional Development Schedule
Request For Technical Assistance
VIDEOS
The Aleknagik Traditional Council in Alaska produced two videos that show simple, low-cost home improvements that improve indoor air quality and create a healthier home environment.
Let’s Clear the Air: Simple Steps To A Healthier Home
Let’s Clear the Air: How To Take Care Of Your HRV
The mission of the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) is to protect the public and the environment from the risks of radiation and indoor air pollution. The office coordinates across the agency and with other federal, state, Tribal, and non-governmental organizations to carry out its mission. ORIA develops criteria, standards, guidance, policies, and programs to limit unnecessary radiation exposure and control exposure to indoor air pollutants. The Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities program, managed by ORIA, aims to reduce the percentage of Native American and Tribal populations exposed to indoor environmental pollutants. The program invites indoor air quality (IAQ) champions working with Tribal communities to share innovative approaches, network with others across the nation, and learn about IAQ information and Tribal-specific materials.
Visit the EPA site to stay informed of the latest IA issues.
EPA
The Tribal Indoor Air Quality Training and Resource Directory is a comprehensive resource designed to assist Tribes in developing or expanding their indoor air quality (IAQ) programs. This directory consolidates various resources, including training webinars, materials, and toolkits, to address a wide range of IAQ topics such as asthma, mold, radon, and healthy homes.
State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) Program A Fact Sheet for Tribes
REPORT
The Tribal Indoor and Radiation Strategy and Plan, published in 2013, is a collaborative effort by the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) and the Office of Radiation & Indoor Air (ORIA) to address the unique needs of Native American Tribes. This strategy and plan is considered a “living document.” The plan aims to improve indoor air quality and radiation safely in Tribal communities.
WEBSITES
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Creating Healthy Indoor Air Quality in Schools
In 1992, Congress passed the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act. This act authorized EPA to provide General Assistance Program (GAP) grants to federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia for planning, developing and establishing environmental protection programs in Indian country, and for developing and implementing solid and hazardous waste programs on tribal lands.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers various grant programs aimed at addressing environmental issues, promoting public health, and supporting community initiatives.
The Multipurpose Grants (MPGs) program, which was intended to be used at state and tribal discretion for high-priority activities to complement activities funded under established environmental statutes, faced a significant change in FY2024. Congress did not appropriate funds for the MPGs program in FY22, FY23, and FY24. This decision has raised concerns among stakeholders regarding the future availability and use of these grants.
Intertribal consortia are collaborative groups formed by two or more federally recognized Indian tribes to achieve common goals, often related to governance, resource management, and grant applications.
State and Tribal radon programs are critical to the Agency’s national goal of minimizing and preventing radon-related lung cancer. States and tribes receive grant funds from EPA that help finance their radon risk reduction programs; recipients must provide a minimum of 40% in matching funds. By law, these State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG) funds are not available to individuals or homeowners.
The mission of Go Green is to protect children’s health from environmental toxins and conserve natural resources for future generations. Funds will go to improving indoor air quality in schools and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in low-income and Tribal school districts throughout all fifty states and U.S. Territories.