UPCOMING CALLS/EVENTS/NOTICES

Ambient Air Quality/EPA/NTAA/Tribes

 Tribal Webinar: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

December 16, 2021 – 3 p.m. ET

Jane Nishida, the Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of International and Tribal Affairs, invites you to an informational webinar on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The aim of this webinar is to provide an overview of EPA’s infrastructure funding and explain what resources will be made available to Tribes and Tribal Communities. We will be joined by representatives from EPA’s Offices of Water, Air and Radiation, Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, and Land and Emergency Management to provide an overview on resources available and to answer questions. With EPA receiving an unprecedented level of funding directed towards infrastructure, the Office of International and Tribal Affairs and the American Indian Environmental Office are committed to communicating with Tribes and Tribal Communities who have historically been underserved by federal resources.            Join the Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer or mobile app: Click here to join the meetingOr call in (audio only): +1 202-991-0477,,288639738# United States, Washington DC Phone Conference ID: 288 639 738# Find a local number.

EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: Community and Citizen Science: Making Your Data Count

December 15, 2021 – 3 p.m. ET | Register Here

This webinar will showcase community-oriented projects and share ideas from the workshop. Webinar topics will include: How can we design a future that maximizes the use of community and citizen science data? How do we address the barriers that limit data use today? How can EPA serve as a catalyst to build a stronger, more inclusive collaborative network with states, tribes, local government, non-governmental organizations, academia, and other organizations?

 

Release of the Draft Policy Assessment for the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards

December 14, 2021 – Comment Period Ends; For more information on how to comment click here. Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0072

On October 8, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will make available for public comment a draft document titled, Policy Assessment for Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter, External Review Draft (Draft PA). This draft document was prepared as a part of the current reconsideration of the 2020 final decision on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (PM). When final, the PA is intended to “bridge the gap” between the scientific and technical information assessed in the 2019 Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (2019 ISA) and Supplement to the 2019 Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (ISA Supplement) and the judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether to retain or revise the existing PM NAAQS.

 

Don’t forget to fill out NTAA’s Air Quality Baseline Needs Assessment for Tribes by December 31, 2021!

The purpose of the survey is to collect information from all 574 federally recognized Tribes to enable NTAA to comprehensively describe Tribal ambient and indoor air quality needs. This information will then be used to identify the range of Tribal air quality needs and priorities and build Tribal air quality management capacity. Your participation in this survey is voluntary and you are free to decline to answer any question you do not wish to answer. The survey will take between 15 – 20 minutes to complete. If you would like to take the survey by phone, please email Sydney Janssen at sjanssen@thhnw.org to set up a time, or call 800-717-2118, Ext. 105. If you would like to familiarize yourself with air quality funding sources and concepts mentioned in the survey, please review the glossary PDF. The deadline extended to Friday, December 31, at 5:00pm PST.

TO BEGIN THE SURVEY, CLICK HERE. (If the link does not automatically open, please cut and paste this link into your browser:  

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6420470/NTAA-Baseline-Needs-Assessment)

For a Microsoft Word version of the survey, click here. Upon completing the survey, ‘save as’ and change the document name as *YOUR_NAME_BNA* and email it to: sjanssen@thhnw.org. If you have any question or difficulty completing this form, please email Sydney.

 

EPA’s Community and Tribal Programs Group has been working on a webpage with publicly facing Tribal Actions and Events calendar

This calendar includes the following information:

  • Upcoming outreach activities (e.g., rulemaking webinars, trainings)
  • National Tribal Council (NTC) monthly meetings,
  • National Tribal Air Association (NTAA) meetings,
  • Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) meetings, and
  • Upcoming regulatory dates (e.g., expected rule proposal dates).

This calendar is also linked under the “Tribal Air and Climate Resources” webpage under the “Policy and Planning” heading available at https://www.epa.gov/tribal-air.

The purpose of the calendar is to ensure that our Tribal partners are kept apprised of EPA activities that are relevant to them. If you have any questions about the calendars or any recommendations on how EPA can improve upon the calendars please do not hesitate to reach out to Toni Colon (colon.toni@epa.gov) and/or Tanya Abrahamian (abrahamian.tanya@epa.gov) with any feedback.

 

EPA releases new report on Climate Change and Social Vulnerability in the United States: A Focus on Six Impacts

EPA’s new report quantifies the degree to which four socially vulnerable populations— defined based on income, educational attainment, race and ethnicity, and age—may be more exposed to the highest impacts of climate change. The report quantifies six types of impacts: air quality and health, extreme temperature and health, extreme temperature and labor, coastal flooding and traffic, coastal flooding and property, and inland flooding and property. Access the report. To download the report’s findings related to the disproportionate risks of climate change to American Indian and Alaska Natives. To find more information about climate change: https://www.epa.gov/climate-change

 

NTAA Upcoming Calls

Contact Andy.Bessler@nau.edu if you have any questions about any call! *Registration instructions* When you register for the GoToWebinar, please remember to include your Tribe, Region, or Organization in parenthesis after your last name. This allows you to see everyone on the call and prevents us from conducting a roll-call, ultimately saving everyone’s time.

 

Mobile Sources Work Group: This monthly work group addresses all mobile source pollution issues. Attend by clicking here. Thursday, January 6,

2pm  ET
Wood Smoke Work Group: Join this work group every other month to address wood smoke issues in Indian Country. Attend by clicking here. Thursday, December 8,

2pm ET

 
EPA Policy Call: Call in to hear updates from EPA on policies, actions, and tools relevant to Indian Country and Air Quality. Attend by clicking here. Thursday, December 9,  2pm ET
STAR Work Group: Join the Status of Tribal Air work group to provide input on the report.

Attend by clicking here.

 Wednesday,

January 12,

2pm ET
Indoor Air Quality Work Group: Join this work group every other month to help support IAQ work throughout Indian Country. Attend by clicking here. Thursday, December 16, 2pm ET

 

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professional (ITEP)

Click here for ITEP’s new Tribal Environmental Management and Planning Online Courses. Sign up for a self-paced course hosted by ITEP’s Waste and Response and Tribal Air Quality programs.  New courses have been added, so check it out!

 

ITEP’s American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP) hosts the Building Performance: Improving IAQ in Cold Climates, Residential Building Science Review, Radon Fundamentals, Quality Assurance Fundamental, Writing a Quality Assurance Project Plan, Emissions Inventory Fundamentals, and Emissions Inventory Advanced.

 

AIAQTP Schedule and Registration 

 

Recorded Webinars

Looking for more information check out the Tribal Air Quality Media Space Channel. Recent webinars include an Introduction to Air Quality Programs, Emissions Inventories, Remote Professional Assistance, and Woodstoves in Indian Country. Older classics include a series on Air Quality Planning for Wildland Smoke, Tribal Air Program and Grants, Data Management, and the Clean Air Act.

 

ITEP’s Tribes and Climate Change Calendar includes conferences, trainings, webinars, and other events related to tribes and climate change.

 

Climate Change / Energy 

Roadmap to Carbon Reductions in Multifamily Housing

December 16, 2021 – 11 a.m. ET | Register Here

As more multifamily housing providers begin to develop decarbonization goals, it’s time for a conversation on strategies to break down barriers. During this webinar, take a deeper dive into the challenges and opportunities for reducing carbon in multifamily buildings, and how multifamily organizations can begin to set goals and plan strategies.

 

US EPA Announces Upcoming Climate and Energy Webinars for State, Local, and Tribal Governments

The US EPA announces there will be many webinars on climate and energy topics offered by federal agencies and others during the month of October. All webinars are free of charge, but space may be limited or require registration in advance. For more information subscribe to the US EPA’s State and Local Energy Newsletter.

 

ITEP’s Climate Change Adaptation Training Courses registration is online!

Learn more about the courses and register here.

 

Toxics/Mobile Sources

NEW! Listening Session: $5 Billion Available from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Clean School Bus Program

EPA will host a listening session about the Clean School Bus Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This program will offer $5 billion over five years to replace older school buses with clean school buses that are zero-emission or use alternative fuels. Eligible recipients for funding through this new program include: state and local governments, certain contractors, nonprofit school transportation associations, and Tribes, Tribal organizations or Tribally-controlled schools. The session will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 3:00-4:30 pm ET. To register for the listening session go to: https://usepa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_cKaIAE03SsyQs3mMSp8wuQ.

 

NRC invites comment on Draft Programmatic Agreement on protection of archaeological sites affected by proposed placement of mine waste repository on top of reclaimed Church Rock uranium mill tailings deposit: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting comment on a draft Programmatic Agreement (PA) between the NRC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Navajo Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Office (NNTHPO), New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office (NMSHPO), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and United Nuclear Corporation (UNC). The purpose of this draft PA is to resolve any adverse effects to historic properties identified during consultation for a proposed license amendment application for the UNC Mill Site.
Submit comments by January 21, 2022.
> Federal Register (TBA)
> Download: Draft Programmatic Agreement , Nov. 30, 2021 (PDF)
> Access Docket ID NRC-2019-0026 

 

Final Air Toxics Standards for Carbon Black Production. The technology review of the standards for Carbon Black production major source and area facilities did not identify any developments that would further reduce hazardous air pollutant emissions beyond the original NESHAP. More information, including a summary fact sheet and a pre-publication version of the final rule, is available here.

 

Final Air Toxics Standards for Cyanide Chemicals Manufacturing

EPA is not amending the NESHAP as a part of the technology review. However, as a part of our technology review, we did identify previously unregulated emission sources and finalized changes to the NESHAP that add standards for these sources. More information is available here.

 

Final Air Toxics Standards for Flexible Polyurethane Foam NESHAP and RTR Final Rule

EPA identified one technology-related development that is a current industry practice. Accordingly, EPA is amending the definition of “hazardous air pollutants (HAP)-based adhesive” so that major source new and existing loop slitters are prohibited from using adhesives containing one percent or more by weight of total HAP. More information is available here.

 

Final Air Toxics Standards for Refractory Products Manufacturing

EPA identified one technology-related development that reflects current industry best practices. As a result, EPA is amending the work practices that are required to minimize air toxics emissions during scheduled maintenance of control devices for continuous kilns. More information is available here.

 

Indoor Air Quality

American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) is hosting a recorded Webinar on December 14 to describe the origin, components, and features of the first-ever AARST Radon Report Card.  Each state will have an opportunity to review the report cards as well. State radon program leaders are invited to join this session to hear AARST describe the origin, components, and features of the first-ever AARST Radon Report Card and have an opportunity to review their state’s report card before AARST presents the project to the broader radon community. The session will be recorded. More details are below, including the Zoom link to join.

Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please click this URL to join. https://us02web.zoom.us/s/88157133817?pwd=aUhJaGxzZU9YNHZrTEg5eDRSdURnQT09 Passcode: 538471

Outdoor Air Affects Indoor Air, Especially During Wildfires: Take

Steps to Protect Your Indoor Air Quality!

During a wildfire, smoke can make the outdoor air unhealthy to breathe. Local officials may advise you to stay indoors during a smoke event. You should be aware that some of the smoke from outdoors can enter your home and make it unhealthy to breathe indoor air, too.
There are things you can do, such as staying indoors with the doors and windows closed and filtering the air indoors to reduce your family’s exposure to smoke. Reducing exposure to smoke is important for everyone’s health — especially children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease. See our webpage on Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) for steps you can take to reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke inside your home.

 

Resources

  1. New Research on DIY Air Cleaners to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors– also see guidance below!
  2. Wildfire Smoke Employer Training Checklistsfor employee safety in OR and WA
  3. Updated EPA webpage on Emergencies and Indoor Air Quality: Includes tips on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from weather-related and man-made emergencies and disasters that affect indoor environments, including Wildfires, Volcanic Eruptions, and Dust Storms, Power Outages, Hurricanes and Flooding, Extreme Heat, Snow and Ice, Earthquakes
  4. Two books for Indigenous Youth on COVID-19: Our Smallest Warriors, Our Strongest Medicine, developed by Tribes and partners at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (these are really well done – order copies here)
  5. New interagency hosted ed.gov website–  inventory of resources promoting healthy school environments
  6. 2021 State of Our Schools Reportfrom the 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute, and the National Council on School Facilities released
  7. Consumer warning from FDA:Consumers that use of the Max-Lux Safe-T-Lite UV WAND may expose the user or any nearby person to unsafe levels of ultraviolet-C radiation and may cause injury to the skin, eyes, or both after a few seconds of use. Consumers may use the wand to try to disinfect surfaces and kill germs in the home or similar spaces. The FDA recommends that consumers consider using safer alternative disinfection methods.

 

Improving Environmental Health in Schools White Paper

The authors of this white paper are environmental health academics who recognize the importance of in-school education. However, we also understand that infectious disease transmission in schools is an existential challenge affecting the health of local communities and ultimately, society at large. We have extensive experience implementing environmental improvements both before and during the current pandemic. We wish to persuade the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the lead Agency for protecting human health and the environment, that now is the time to revive and expand their School Integrated Pest Management (SIPM) initiative to improve environmental health in schools and document the tangible benefits that follow.

 

U.S. Department of Education Encourages Use of American Rescue Plan Funds to Improve Ventilation and IAQ in Schools

Indoor air quality is critical to reopening schools safely and keeping them open. The U.S. Department of Education has released new guidance encouraging the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to improve ventilation systems and make other indoor air quality improvements in schools to prevent the spread of COVID- 19 and tackle longstanding school ventilation improvement needs. The new Department of Education guidance highlights EPA resources to support investments in improved ventilation and indoor air quality. Use the following resources from EPA to supplement the information in the guidance:

not use air cleaners that intentionally generate ozone in occupied spaces.

 

Be sure to subscribe to CodeTalk, HUD’s Office of Native American Programs newsletter, for webinars and opportunities!