TOP STORIES

NTAA partnered with the Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center’s Steering Committee and the National Tribal Caucus to comment on EPA’s proposed $50 million for air quality monitoring from the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan. Click here to read the letter sent on August 24, 2021. 

NTAA recently published a fact sheet for Tribes to better understand EPA’s Strategic Plan. EPA’s Strategic Planning process is used to move EPA’s policy priorities into action. Click here to view the NTAA fact sheet and check back for updates when EPA releases the draft plan for public comment.

Click here to view NTAA’s latest Monthly Update Video from Craig Kreman in Region 6 ! Each month, EC members provide updates from their region and from NTAA for Tribes. Check out previous NTAA Monthly Video Updates here !

 

On behalf of the late Bill Thompson, NTAA EC Member for Region 1, his son is seeking donations to help build a home for their mother—a dream that she and Bill shared before his unexpected passing. He writes :

My father took good care of my mother. He always worked hard, and eventually found his path in the protection and betterment of the environment, specifically air quality. He was deeply committed to this work and contributed to this field on a national level, serving in many capacities for both the Tribal and Federal government.

One of the commitments that Bill made to my mother was to build her a new home on their family lot on Oak Hill, where my father grew up. They were forced to leave that home when we were younger due to the state of disrepair that the house was in. It was sad for them to leave and it has always been their dream to return. In addition to losing her soulmate on July 25th, my mother has also lost many of the dreams that the two of them had for their lives together. This is the one dream that I do not want her to lose. Returning to the family land meant so much to them both, and to the rest of our family. 

My hope is that we can all come together and make that dream come true for them. 

You may donate at this link https://gofund.me/c7c041c6. If you could please take the time to read the story and consider donating. If you are unable to donate, please share with your friends. If folks would rather donate directly they can contact me at kapol.paul@gmail.com. We have a savings account designated for this fundraiser. Thank you!

 

Ambient Air Quality/EPA/NTAA/Tribes

Politico – Schumer: Infrastructure bills would curb emissions 45 percent

Indian Country Today – Indian Country is on fire

AP – Why it takes months to subdue some wildfires

Minneapolis Star Tribune – Greenwood fire doubles, grows to 30 square miles

Eos – The Health and Climate Benefits of Reducing Air Pollution

High Country News – Living Water: Three generations of Apsáalooke revive a river

National Association of Clean Air Agencies – Washington Update

Climate Change/Energy

The Hill – Greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea levels hit record highs in 2020: NOAA

Grist – Welcome to the Pyrocene

NY Times – A Tidal Wave of Water and at Least 21 Deaths as Floodwaters Ravage Rural Tennessee

Bloomberg Green – Western U.S. Bakes and East Is Deluged in a Summer of Extremes

Axios – U.S. clean power sees record growth

Democracy Now! – Lawmakers Call on Biden to halt Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline as Police Step Up Attacks on Protesters

E&E News – Line 3 is about to come online. What will Biden do?

The Guardian – A billion children at ‘extreme risk’ from climate impacts

Grist – Good news: The media is getting the facts right on climate change

The Atlantic – All These Simultaneous Disasters Are Messing With Our Brains

Bloomberg – California to Build Temporary Gas Plants to Avoid Blackouts

Navajo Times – Lake Powell sees decreasing levels as drought continues

BIC Magazine – U.S. Department of Energy announces $24MM to capture carbon emissions directly from air

Toxics/Mobile Sources

The Hill – Fracking linked to surface water quality for first time in new study

The Hill – Biden EPA loosens Trump rule limiting states’ ability to reject pipelines

E&E – Research shows gaps in how EPA, oil industry measure methane

Grist – The EPA may finally reckon with aviation’s dirty secret: leaded fuel

Utility Dive – Electrifying 97% of the federal fleet by 2031 could save billions

S&P Global – Senators seek biofuel-blending compliance relief for US oil refineries

Indoor Air Quality

Portland State University – Improving Indoor Aur Quality During Wildfire Smoke Events

Hotel Business – Survey: Indoor air quality a concern for North Americans

Be sure to subscribe to EPA’s IAQ Bulletins