For New Airheads

For New Airheads

If you are recently hired by a Tribe to do air quality work, this page is for you!

As an Air Quality Specialist, GAP Coordinator, or other position within your Tribe, NTAA created this page to help you navigate your new position and get to the resources you need.

To help advance air quality in Tribal communities, you will need to know about the Clean Air Act, how EPA, states and Tribes work together to advance air quality; get to Training Resources and help with air monitoring equipment. NTAA can help you get in touch with the people who can most be most helpful to you.

NTAA’s Introductory
Information on Air Quality 
STAY IN TOUCH

Carolyn Kelly
NTAA Program Manager
Carolyn.Kelly@nau.edu

NTAA’s Introductory Information on Air Quality

NTAA: Two-Page Infographic on Tribal Air Programs

NTAA: A White Paper Detailing the Science and Connections between Air Pollution, Tribes, and Public Health

NTAA: Status of Tribal Air Report

NTAA: Fact Sheet on Tribal Treatment as a State

Clean Air Act

EPA: Overview of the Clean Air Act and Air Pollution

EPA: The Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act

EPA: Treatment as a State

Several federal environmental laws authorize EPA to treat eligible federally recognized Indian Tribes as a state (TAS) for the purpose of implementing and managing certain environmental programs and functions, and for grant funding. The charts below identify the federally recognized Indian Tribes that have received TAS approvals for specific environmental regulatory programs, administrative functions, and grant programs. Tribes must apply for and receive EPA approval for each specific program or function.

EPA: Tribal Authority Rule (TAR) Under the Clean Air Act

The Tribal Authority Rule implements the provisions of section 301(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) authorizing eligible Tribes to implement their own Tribal air programs.

Providing comments from your Tribe to EPA and other federal agencies

To learn more how to track air quality and climate change policy actions and provide meaningful comments on draft rules/proposals/guidance from EPA and/or engage in meaningful consultation, please visit NTAA’s Policy Resource Kit page here to find links and helpful resources.

Air Quality
Training Resources

Air Quality Training Resources

EPA collaborates with the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) at Northern Arizona University to assist in the professional development and exchange of information for Tribal staff in order to enhance the operations and performance outcomes of environmental management. ITEP strives to achieve this by providing training in relevant and current topics by accomplished trainers who also understand the cultural aspects of Tribes throughout the United States.

ITEP: Air Quality In-Person Training Schedule and Registration

ITEP: On-line Training Courses

ITEP: Self-Paced Online Training: All materials that ITEP places online for self-paced instruction will be available for participants to access and complete at their convenience. Self-paced online training includes:

ITEP: Archived Webinars – These webinars are intended for the public to access information that was presented by live webinar and recorded.

ITEP: Instructional Videos – These videos are available online at any time and provide short, specific guidance on various topics. Instructional videos may exist as a group of videos on one topic; however, they are not intended as replacement for full classroom or web-based courses. In many cases, self-paced tutorials as well as instructor-led online courses will reference the same instructional videos that are available for viewing as stand-alone single-topic videos.

ITEP: Self-Paced Tutorials – Training material that is intended to be worked through sequentially and may or may not include video instruction.

Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center (TAMS Center)

The TAMS Center offers different training courses that focus on a variety of topics related to ambient and indoor air quality monitoring. To date, over 1,900 Tribal professionals have been trained by the TAMS Center, representing 298 Tribes. The TAMS Center also maintains a collection of well maintained and calibrated, EPA-owned monitors available on loan to Tribal air programs.

TAMS: Online Resources – Webinars, Software & Tools

TAMS: Equipment Loan Program

NTAA Resources

NTAA Resources

STAR

Budget Analysis

The National Tribal Forum on Air Quality

NTAA: NTFAQ

NTAA: NTFAQ Travel Tips

NTAA Work Groups

NTAA creates work groups to focus on various air quality issues. The current work groups focusing on Ambient Air Quality include the Mobile Sources Work Group and the Wood Smoke Work Group. 

NTAA: Indoor Air Quality Work Group

NTAA: Mobile Sources Work Group

NTAA: Wood Smoke Work Group

NTAA Library

EPA & Other
Resources

EPA & Other Resources

What is Tribal Consultation? The EPA prepared a slide show at an information webinar for Alaskan Tribes that you can view here. You can sign up for tribal consultation notifications from EPA here. You can learn more about EPA consultation here.

EPA: Tribal Air and Climate Resources

EPA: Resources for Environmental Protection in Indian Country

EPA: Environmental Programs and Technical Assistance on Tribal Lands

EPA: Organization Chart for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation

EPA: Tribal Air Coordinators:

This link provides contacts in EPA’s Headquarters and Regional Offices specifically trained on tribal air quality issues.

Tribal Authority Rule (TAR) Under the Clean Air Act

The Tribal Authority Rule implements the provisions of section 301(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) authorizing eligible Tribes to implement their own Tribal air programs.

Clean Air Act Advisory Committee

The Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) is a senior-level policy committee established in 1990 to advise the U.S. EPA on issues related to implementing the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The committee meets two times a year, normally in Washington, D.C. The Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation determines the committee agenda, and the CAAAC provides advice to the Agency on critical air quality policy issues during face-to-face meetings and through specific workgroup reports.

Important Air Quality Organizations

American Lung Association

National Association of Clean Air Agencies

California Air Resources Board

Mom’s Clean Air Force

Clean Air Task Force

Center for Clean Air Policy

Air & Waste Management Association

Western Regional Air Partnership

Important Tribal Organizations

National Congress of American Indians

NCAI maintains a list with web links to Tribal Organizations.

NCAI: Regional Intertribal Organizations

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD
TOP STORIES & HEADLINES
CALLS/WEBINARS/EVENTS
RESOURCES & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES