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Tribal Development of Air Program Capacity

Learn how the Big Pine Paiute Tribe boosted air program capacity through GAP funding, outreach, and partnerships at the EPA conference. Explore needs assessment, monitoring equipment, and Clean Air Act grant application steps.

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Tribal Development of Air Program Capacity

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  1. Tribal Development of Air Program Capacity Tribal EPA 26th Annual Conference October 31, 2018 Lauren Maghran, Marisol Anaya, Willard Chin, US EPA Cindy Duriscoe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley

  2. Is air a priority for the tribe? • Before applying for Clean Air Act funds, consider the tribe’s priorities and needs • Funded activities: air quality studies, identification and investigation of air pollution sources, air quality monitoring studies, training, and community education and outreach. Clean Air act activities (Funding Announcement)

  3. Big Pine Paiute Tribal use of GAP First steps: Evaluate need for an air program Assess Tribal concerns about Reservation air quality Evaluate regional concerns and air pollution sources Determine (with support from Tribal community) that you will pursue a Tribal Air Program

  4. PRELIMINARY Reasons Tribe desired air program Potential for harmful PM10 from Owens Lake (50 miles south of Reservation) Concern over residential burning, both outdoor and indoor (woodstoves) within Big Pine community Smoke from wildfires: Is it a concern?

  5. Tribe USED GAP TO BUILD CAPACITY Become informed about and involved in regional issues. Give Tribe a voice in Owens Lake dust control, and attend meetings of Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District. Acquire equipment for pilot studies: Tribe acquired meteorological instruments and a tower, and prepared a QAPP for monitoring weather data. Env. Dept. staff received training. Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) has excellent courses, and they provide some funding/scholarships! Prepare an Emissions Inventory. GAP covered expenses for this work. What are potential sources of air pollution? For Big Pine: residential burning, traffic along Highway, potential for wind-borne particulate matter. Prepare a Needs Assessment. OK, you are too busy to do all this, so have GAP help by hiring an assistant or Environmental Technician so he or she can delve into Air topics. Big Pine ended up hiring a very motivated ET!

  6. Tribe USED GAP TO BUILD CAPACITY Needs Assessment and all above activities pointed to a “gap” in air monitoring for the Big Pine section of Owens Valley.

  7. Looking out the back door on a dusty day VERSUS a clear day.

  8. Big Pine

  9. Tribe USED GAP TO BUILD CAPACITY Needs Assessment and all above activities pointed to a “gap” in air monitoring for the Big Pine section of Owens Valley. Do Outreach! GAP helped Tribe reach out on air-related topics (and climate change) to educate K-8 students. We also wrote articles for Tribal newsletters. And, we applied for and acquired ITEP student interns for three consecutive summers. Acquire equipment for pilot studies. ET recommended a portable air pollution monitoring device, E-BAM, to assist with assessing particulate matter in Reservation air. Continue to be engaged in regional issues: Meet people, ask for assistance, etc.

  10. Parking Lot Demo: Introduce E-BAM to Tribal leaders!

  11. Tribe APPLIED FOR EPA TRIBAL AIR FUNDING First submitted proposal for FY 2014-15. Third time was the charm. Tribe awarded funding for FY 2016-17!

  12. There are different resources for air work with EPA: • EPA General Assistance Program (GAP) • Clean Air Act Grants • Other resources: i.e. “Tools for Schools”, Radon Grants, Tribal DERA Grants, Healthy Homes Network An Overview of EPA Air Grants

  13. GAP Tribal Air Program CAA

  14. GAP can help answer the question if air funding is needed for the tribe • Can support some defined tasks in the Air arena • Supports environmental programs, but no implementation • Can fund staff to develop Tribal ambient air, indoor air and climate change programs. • Some air activities that are supported: emissions inventory, training to learn about air pollution, air outreach work, pilot projects, analysis of tribal priorities- is there a larger priority than air • Review your EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan or ETEP before • Air work under GAP is suggested before applying for a Clean Air Act grant Air Work Under GAP

  15. Participate in regional initiatives Air Program needs assessment Training Investigate impacts Acquire existing air quality (neighbors) Community Outreach and Education GAP Develop an emissions inventory Develop Tribal codes and ordinances Draft Monitoring Plan CAA 103 proposal

  16. Regional Clean Air Act Funds

  17. Can include work under GAP as well • Ambient Air Monitoring • Regulatory Program Development • Air Quality Outreach, Participation, and Collaboration • Indoor Air Quality Work • Past Performance • Environmental Results- include information about specifics of results (ie. How many people were educated? How many homes were assessed for Indoor Air Quality?) Funding Criteria for Air Grants: Current Air Quality Program Activities

  18. We assess proposals for Clean Air Act Grants based on a number of Funding Factors Air Quality Issues and Environmental Risk • Non-attainment areas • Title V sources • Other sources of air pollution (within tribal land and outside) Funding Factors for Clean Air Act Grants

  19. Education and Outreach • Monitoring • Indoor Air Quality Work • Identification of air pollution sources Highlights: Current Work with CAA Grants

  20. Clean Air Act Grants: Funding Timeline

  21. Developing an ongoing air monitoring program Developing air regulations (e.g. TAS and TIP) Developing inspection and enforcement program. CAA All activities mentioned above under GAP are also allowable under CAA.

  22. As resources to fund air activities become increasingly limited under both GAP and the CAA, it is vital that tribes work together to leverage resources and share information with each other. Some ideas include: •  Exchange air quality data and emission inventories. • Share the cost of training by consultants, when needed. • Become trained to audit other tribes’ monitoring equipment and to review data for Quality Assurance purposes. • Join or develop local coalitions of tribes for support and to discuss issues. • Share portable monitors, where feasible. How tribes can work together

  23. Tribal DERA • National competition, but not guaranteed to be every year • Funding supports programs that reduce diesel emission retrofits • Radon grants, Healthy Homes grants • Tools for Schools supports indoor air quality assessments and work • No direct funding, but there are kits available for school flag programs, information about IAQ at schools etc. • Investigate state funding, such as CARB Community Projects grant (Calif. AB617) • Tribal IAQ working group, contact Priyanka Pathak • TAMS • ITEP Other EPA/Funding Resources

  24. Do you have questions? Please ask us! • GAP Project Officers: • Contact your GAP Project Officer • Jeremy Bauer, Tribal Section Air Liaisons, Bauer.Jeremy@epa.gov • Willard Chin, Tribal Climate Change Liaison, Chin.Willard@epa.gov • Contact Information: • Lauren Maghran, Tribal Air Coordinator Maghran.Lauren@epa.gov Resources for Information

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