Training, Investigations, and Special Purpose Activities of Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes Consistent With the Clean Air Act (CAA), Tribal Sovereignty and the Protection and Management of Air Quality

 

To support Federally-recognized Indian Tribes' efforts to understand, assess and characterize air quality; design methods and plans to protect and improve air quality on tribal lands through surveys, studies, research, training, investigations, and special purpose activities. To ensure tribes have appropriate levels of support and opportunity to understand their air quality and take proactive measures to preserve, restore and protect air quality for their reservations and other lands over which they have jurisdiction through Tribal program implementation, CAA implementation, radiation protection, mobile source controls, and voluntary programs to address outdoor and indoor air and other concerns. To ensure that all Tribes have the tools they need to understand and participate in local, regional and national issues, regulatory and policy developments, and to protect their air quality from activities off the reservation that may affect or impact them. To improve the ability of tribes to understand, define, design and participate in activities that affect their air quality. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2023: EPA and Tribes, in partnership, will protect public health, the environment, and unique Tribal air resources, consistent with the CAA, its Amendments, and EPA's trust responsibilities. This program will ensure Tribes have appropriate levels of support and opportunity to understand their own air quality and take proactive measures to preserve, restore, and protect air quality for their reservations and other lands over which they have jurisdiction through CAA implementation, radiation protection, mobile source controls, and voluntary programs to address air quality, climate change and other concerns. Activities will ensure that all Tribes have the tools they need to understand and participate in local, regional, and national issues and to protect their air quality from changes off reservation that may impact them. Key activities include: (1) Training and Program Development; (2) Assessment and Monitoring; (3) Developing capacity or a plan for eligibility under the Tribal Authority Rule; (4) Delegation or Ongoing Capability Development; (5) Tribal Implementation Plan development.

Active 66.038 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 No content available. Program accomplishments of the tribes utilizing these funds can best be found in the annual Status of Tribal Air Report, which is a product of the National Tribal Air Association. According to this report there are 85 tribes operating Air monitors now, and 84 tribes with recently completed or updated Emissions inventories. 48 tribes have non regulatory Treatment in a Manner Similar to a State (TAS), while 10 tribes have moved forward with regulatory TAS.
Fiscal Year 2017 83 tribes operating air monitors, 80 tribes with emissions inventories, 49 tribes with non-regulatory TAS, 10 tribes with regulatory TAS
Fiscal Year 2018 82 tribes with section 103 grants, 85 tribes operating air monitors, 78 tribes with completed emissions inventories, 52 tribes with nonregulatory tas, 10 tribes with regulatory tas (as per STAR report).
Fiscal Year 2019 86 tribes operating air monitors, 73 tribes with emissions inventories, 53 tribes with non-regulator Treatment as a State(TAS), 10 tribes with regulatory TAS.
Fiscal Year 2023 89 tribes operating air monitors, 77 tribes with emissions inventories, 61 tribes with non-regulator Treatment as a State (TAS), 10 tribes with regulatory TAS. 55 tribes with 103 grants. Clean Air Act, Section 103, 42 U.S.C. 7403 Assistance under this program is generally available to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia, which submit applications proposing projects with significant technical merit and relevance to EPA's Office of Air and Radiation's mission. Tribal CAA 103 Project Grants have been determined by the Agency as exempt from competition under EPA Order 5700.5A1. Federally-recognized Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia. Applicants may be requested to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. EPA may ask applicants or principle investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. Preapplication coordination is required. EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts". 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Approximately 180 days. Disputes will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. None. Generally, EPA incrementally funds assistance agreements for Training, Investigations, and Special Purpose. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, availability of funds, and Agency policies. Applications and proposals are selected for funding based on factors such as relevancy to EPA's mission, technical merit as required by 2 CFR 200.205, and the likelihood of success. Tribal CAA 103 Project Grants have been determined exempt from competition under EPA Order 5700.5A1, "Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements." Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipient's allowable direct costs incident to approved Tribal air resources activities that will protect public health and the environment, plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Performance Reports: Grantees are required to perform performance monitoring in accordance with Agency policy and requirements stated the Uniform Grants Guidance 2 CFR 200. 329. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200.334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. EPA normally funds assistance agreements on a 12-month basis. However, EPA can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. EPA limits project periods to 5 years. Assistance agreements are fully funded (lump sum) or incrementally (quarterly) funded. None/Not specified. Pat Childers
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. (Mail Code: 6103A)
Washington, DC 20460 US
childers.pat@epa.gov
Phone: (202) 564-1082 https://www.epa.gov/tribal-air 68-0107-0-1-304 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$10,543,000.00; FY 23 est $11,415,000.00; FY 24 est $18,126,000.00; FY 21$9,415,000.00; FY 20$8,829,000.00; FY 19$8,556,100.00; FY 18$11,350,000.00; FY 17$11,545,000.00; FY 16$12,712,000.00; - There is no minimum amount of assistance; the maximum is $7,750,000. The general range of the amount of assistance is $25,000 to $500,000. The average is $75,000. 2 CFR 200 and 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs). Fiscal Year 2016 No content available https://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/ntaa/Resources/StatusTribalAir/
Fiscal Year 2017 For examples of funded projects for FY2017, please visit https://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/ntaa/Resources/StatusTribalAir/
Fiscal Year 2018 For examples of funded projects for FY18, please visit https://www7.nau.edu/itep/main/ntaa/Resources/StatusTribalAir/
Fiscal Year 2021 All 10 EPA regions receive funding for grants for a variety of Tribal air quality projects. A number of Tribal air quality programs are engaged in national efforts to assess air quality, including the monitoring of air quality, which is helping them to understand air pollution trends and mitigate the health impacts of these trends locally and nationally.
Fiscal Year 2023 All 10 EPA regions receive funding for grants for a variety of Tribal air quality projects. A number of Tribal air quality programs are engaged in national efforts to assess air quality, including the monitoring of air quality, which is helping them to understand air pollution trends and mitigate the health impacts of these trends locally and nationally.