Detailed Agenda

This presentation will share information about mold prevention.  Mold is a moisture issue, so reducing mold problems involves managing moisture.  The presenter will share several instruments that can enhance moisture investigations, including an infared camera and various moisture meters.  There will be a raffle to give away 5 meters that measure relative humidity.  The presenter will also share mold clean-up techniques for small infestations.

Capacity

This 60-minute training will be split into two 30-minute sessions: a presentation covering ambient PurpleAir sensor setup, operation, and data analysis methods, followed by a round-table discussion for attendees to discuss their PurpleAir experiences with one another and provide feedback to EPA. The presentation will place particular emphasis on methods to collect and analyze PurpleAir data, including the PurpleAir Map, air quality index graphs, and microSD card loggers. The discussion following the presentation will be an opportunity for attendees to both advise the group on PurpleAir best practices and troubleshoot with the group regarding PurpleAir technical issues they have been experiencing. During the discussion, EPA staff will note any unresolved technical issues to elevate and circle back to attendees on. EPA staff will also collect and elevate feedback regarding how EPA can better support Tribal PurpleAir programs.

Please note that this training is not intended to endorse or promote PurpleAir products. It is only intended to provide information on these commonly used sensors.

Other

Over the past several years, in partnership with Tribal Healthy Homes Network, the Tulalip Tribes has developed an air monitoring network consisting of 19 Purple Air monitors across 8 buildings; 7 are outdoors and 12 are indoors. We will describe the practical challenges we have encountered over the years, and how we developed creative solutions to mitigate the issues. We will also discuss goals for continued expansion of this network. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own Purple Air questions and challenges for troubleshooting as a group.

Other

Building effective partnerships is essential to advancing meaningful air quality outreach in Tribal Communities. This presentation highlights practical strategies for creating and sustaining collaborative relationships among Tribal governments, community members, educational institutions, and technical partners. Drawing from real world outreach experiences, it will demonstrate how culturally grounded engagement strengthens trust, relevance and long term impact. Participants will learn approaches for aligning outreach efforts with community priorities, capacity building and data informed decision making. This session will also address common challenges in partnership development and share lessons learned for overcoming them. Attendees will leave with actionable tools and ideas to support successful, community driven air quality initiatives that are all tailored to Tribal Communities.  

Technical

Encompassing over 1.4 million acres and spanning two Frontier One counties (less than 20 people per square mile) the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR) is the largest in Washington state. Due to the Reservation’s mountainous terrain, over 20% of this acreage does not have internet access or cellular service, making education and outreach communications to residents in those areas challenging. Additionally, the CTCR is home to twelve Tribes, has four political Districts and six school districts, and many Tribal members live in communities adjacent to the Reservation. The CTCR Air Quality Program (CTCR AQP) blends newer, widely accepted technologies with older forms of communication to reach all Tribal members and Reservation residents by creating tailored education and outreach materials that address the unique needs of target audiences – from toddlers to elders – on and off the Reservation.  

Technical

The course will introduce the audience to the three major areas of radon measurement activities; current measurement technology, single-family/small scale residential measurement protocols and multi-family/large building measurement protocols.  The course will also review applicability to the HUD radon evaluation requirements.

AQ Regs

Office of Air and Radiation has reorganized in 2026, if you aren't aware of offices like OSAP, OCAP or OAPS, come and attend this update on who is working on what at OAR to serve Tribal Air Programs.

AQ Regs

Air quality considerations often surface early for tribal environmental programs, sometimes before staffing, funding, or technical capacity are fully in place. This session shares lessons learned from launching a new tribal natural resources program and navigating early decisions around air monitoring readiness. The presentation focuses on the pressure to address air quality quickly, the realities of cost, training, placement, and long-term maintenance, and how decision paralysis can emerge when programs feel unprepared to pursue large, complex systems. Using a real-world example, the session discusses intentionally starting small with accessible tools, prioritizing foundational learning, and aligning monitoring approaches with existing capacity. This session is intended for tribes in early or exploratory stages of air quality work, as well as established programs reflecting on readiness, sequencing, and sustainable program growth.

Capacity

In partnership with Tribal Healthy Homes Network, Aileen Gagney and the Tulalip Tribes have developed easy and low-cost solutions to improve the indoor air for the home. This hands-on session will provide participants with the opportunity to build DIY interior storm window inserts as well as other DIY solutions, including, but not limited to air cleaners (Corsi-Rosenthal, etc.). 

Other

Being in a storm and seeing clear skies ahead is uplifting and invigorating and can give you the courage to push forward.  The same can be said about being buried in projects and seeing the near future where those projects are completed.  Join me for a delightful summary of the projects recently completed or nearing completion by the Gila River Indian Community’s Air Quality Program.  This presentation has something for everyone’s search tags…DERA, CPRG, CCAP, emission inventory, air monitoring, SOPs, databases, GIS, agency cooperation, permitting, inspections, grants management, and…PRIZES.

Technical

The EPA has recently funded the multi-year, nationwide Creating Healthy and Efficient School Environments: Indoor Air Quality and Energy Management Initiative. This initiative supports the development of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) management plans in K-12 districts across the United States. Key organizations like the American Lung Association, the Center for Green Schools at USGBC, and the Go Green Initiative offer programs, training, and technical assistance to help schools with these plans.

This session will provide attendees with information on the resources available through this initiative, including presentations from district leaders who have successfully developed and implemented IAQ management plans. It will also explore the critical connection between school IAQ and energy efficiency. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to access and leverage various resources—such as assessment tools, best practice guides, and funding opportunities—to enhance the health and efficiency of their school or district.

Voluntary

Marking the 20th anniversary of the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR), this panel discussion features the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, the Nez Perce Tribe, and EPA R10. The FARR established a consistent Clean Air Act framework for reservations in ID, OR and WA, providing baseline air quality protections through rules on open burning, smoke management, minor-source registration, and fugitive dust. Collaboration under FARR supports public health, strengthens Tribal capacity and stewardship in air program management, and provides clarity for communities and regulated sources. This session recognizes two decades of partnership, implementation, and shared commitment to clean air across diverse geographies and communities.

AQ Regs

Ambient air quality can have an outsized influence on indoor air quality. We have limited control over ambient air, such as during wildfire events. In contrast, we have greater control over our indoor environments through ventilation, filtration, and retrofits. But how do we know which Tribal homes are the most impacted by outdoor pollutants? Until now, there have been few evidence-based tools to identify the “leakiest” Tribal homes (those with the highest risk of ambient pollutant infiltration). Since 2024, the Tribal Healthy Homes Network has been developing the Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAT). The CVAT will enable Tribes to assess and rank their housing stock’s vulnerability to impacts from outdoor air pollutants. Join us in this workshop to learn how ambient air quality impacts indoor air and learn how to apply the tool to your Tribal housing.

Capacity

Tribal communities rely on timely, trusted air quality information to protect health and guide community decisions through air quality challenges. This presentation provides an update on three key resources--the Air Quality System (AQS), AirNow, and the Unified Platform-- that help provide information on ambient air quality. For AQS, the focus is on improvements to the user experience, submitting data, and reports and access to data. For AirNow, the newly implemented reporting areas will be discussed, along with other improvements to the user interface, the mobile app, and the Fire and Smoke Map. For the Unified Platform project, an update will be given on the ambient air quality data portion of the project that includes the current status of work and the vision for the future. 

Other

Blue Lake Rancheria is a federally recognized Native American Tribe in California. In addition to local topography that intensifies air pollution issues with multi-day inversion layers, the area is frequently impacted by wildfire smoke, local industrial source emissions, and residential wood smoke. To address air quality issues, Blue Lake Rancheria has been working with Sonoma Technology to establish a particulate matter (PM) regulatory grade instrument on the Rancheria as well as a PurpleAir sensor monitoring network. Additionally, to assess air toxic concentrations, we are conducting a one-year study to measure black carbon and metals in PM2.5. Black carbon data will allow for an assessment of the impact of wood burning versus fossil fuel burning, while metals concentration data will allow for an assessment of source contributions to PM2.5. Air toxics will be compared to health benchmarks to assess risk. We will describe these efforts, discuss key outcomes, and highlight obstacles and successes.

Technical

The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) plays a vital role in assessing the impacts of atmospheric deposition on both environmental and human health. Through a collaborative national monitoring network, NADP collects and analyzes chemical concentrations in precipitation, supporting air quality assessment and informing science-based decision-making. For the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, this work is grounded in the Haudenosaunee teaching of considering the impacts of our actions on the next seven generations, reinforcing our responsibility to protect air, water, and land for those yet to come.

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe operates the NY22 NADP monitoring site, located at approximately 44.6° N latitude within the St. Lawrence River Valley, part of the Great Lakes system and north of the Adirondack Mountain Range. Akwesasne—“the land where the partridge drums”—has been cared for by the Kanien’kehá꞉ka (Mohawk) people for thousands of years. Operating this site is an extension of our long-standing role as environmental stewards and reflects the Tribe’s commitment to blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge with western scientific monitoring to better understand changes occurring across our homelands.

This high-latitude temperate location experiences a wide range of environmental conditions, including winter temperatures as low as −10 °F (−24 °C), summer highs approaching 95 °F (35 °C), prevailing southwest to northeast winds, and frequent snow, sleet, freezing rain, heavy rainfall, drought, high winds, and severe storms.  These conditions present significant operational challenges for maintaining consistent NADP monitoring, including equipment performance issues related to extreme temperatures, frost interference with measurements, and site accessibility limitations due to mud and seasonal weather variability. 

This presentation will share the Tribe’s experiences operating an NADP site under these conditions, discuss solutions and best practices developed to address these challenges, and highlight trends in atmospheric contaminants observed over multiple years of operation.

Technical

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's Environmental Protection Department invites you to explore the "AQI Globe Light project".  Funded under the CAA103 grant, this community-focused visual display utilizes color-coded illumination to communicate real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) levels based on tribal PM2.5 monitoring data, fostering greater public awareness and engagement in air quality protection.

This presentation will cover the project's inspiration from historical weather indicators, concept, planning and development steps to deployment experiences, and lessons learned—including practical improvements for replication. Attendees will gain insights into effective, low-cost strategies for tribal air quality outreach that can be adapted to your program's needs.

Voluntary

The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non-governmental, professional organization whose membership is comprised of radiation professionals in state and local government and others with an interest in radiation protection.  Within the CRCPD there are more than 70 working groups consisting of volunteer members across the country working on a variety of topics pertinent to radiation protection.   The CRCPD E-25 Committee on Radon is actively engaged in building technical capacity for radon within states and tribes.  This presentation will provide an update on current CRCPD radon initiatives in the state and tribes and inform the audience about support and resources available from the CRCPD to assist in building technical capacity for radon testing and mitigation. 

AQ Regs

An overview of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska's radon program and how positive working relationships with the EPA, local states, and national nonprofits can make any tribal radon program an important part of your air program.  The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska utilizes in-house radon analysis using electret ion chambers which allows quick test results but comes with other drawbacks.  Challenges such as mitigation funding, outreach, tribal geography, and more will be discussed. 

AQ Regs

This is a session designed to catch our breath and to talk to each other on what we are focusing on as EPA and what you would like us to focus on.  A discussion amongst co-workers leading to a better understanding of Tribal Air Programs

Capacity

Extreme weather events such as flooding, wildfires, smoke, heat and drought are increasingly linked to climate change. How can we adapt and respond to these growing challenges? In response to climate projections and ongoing environmental changes, the Tulalip Tribes are proactively identifying and implementing mitigation techniques to decrease the impact of these adverse challenges at both the community level and within individual homes. We will highlight key areas of concern and outline the actions being taken to address current and future climate-related threats.

Other

Tribes are experiencing disproportionate air quality impacts from climate change, including extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Building resilience to these impacts requires sustained investment in tribally led climate research and Indigenous knowledge systems that support culturally grounded, community-driven responses.  

Through the Tribal Research Program of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment, California is supporting tribally led climate change research initiatives to address this critical need and further support the work already underway in tribal communities. In advance to the October 2026 release of California’s Fifth Assessment, this panel will highlight tribal collaboration by bringing together members of the Tribal Advisory Group, program grantees, and report authors, who will share insights from ongoing Tribal climate research. 

Other

Tribal air quality monitoring programs increasingly rely on low-cost sensors, yet concerns about data integrity and community trust remain significant barriers to effective implementation. This interactive panel addresses the technical and programmatic foundations needed to build credible, accessible, and impactful monitoring networks.

The session begins with an audience discussion exploring participants' real-world data quality concerns and lessons. Panelists discuss technical accuracy solutions - from sensor selection, siting, QAQC processes, to calibration - engaging directly with challenges surfaced by attendees. Panelists also discuss community awareness, stakeholder engagement, and trust-building tactics, delivered both with technological solutions and effective program leadership. Participants then work collaboratively to design a simulated monitoring network that balances data quality, community trust, and collaborative implementation.

This session equips Tribal Air Quality professionals with practical frameworks for developing monitoring programs that deliver both accurate data and meaningful community engagement, essential for advancing environmental equity and public health outcomes.

Technical

Safe indoor air is essential to children’s health and development, yet many child care providers—especially in underserved and tribal communities—face resource and capacity barriers in addressing environmental concerns. Since January 2025, a national-community partnership between the Children’s Environmental Health Network’s (CEHN) Eco-Healthy Child Care® (EHCC) program and seven community partners, including the leadership of Mansel Nelson with the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) has provided training, technical assistance, mini-grants, air purifiers, and indoor air quality monitoring to 58 child care facilities in six states. Together, this initiative advances health equity and environmental justice by empowering providers with tools to improve air quality and reduce exposure risks. The session will highlight partnership strategies, preliminary indoor air quality monitoring data, and testimonials from child care providers.

Voluntary

The Navajo Nation EPA has developed a Minor Source Program to permit minor sources like oil and gas operations, gas stations, and other key sources of air pollution. This presentation will focus on the development and initial rollout of that program. Panelists will discuss the history of the program, the minor sources on the Navajo Nation, the decision to focus on developing a minor source program, and the process of obtaining a delegation from EPA. They will also discuss the rollout and initial implementation for the program, including the plan for conducting inspections and working with the regulated community to encourage compliance with upcoming minor source permitting deadlines. Finally, panelists from NNEPA will discuss the process of building support for the Minor Source Program within the Navajo Nation and the ongoing air emissions inventory on the Nation that will provide a key benchmark to understand program success. 

AQ Regs

Indigenous communities face disproportionate air pollution and climate impacts rooted in extractive development, inadequate consultation, and a legacy of environmental injustice. This session centers Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous leadership, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) as essential to protecting air and community health. Presenters will share how Moms Clean Air Force works to build understanding among mothers and allies that clean air advocacy is inseparable from Indigenous rights, treaty protections, and cultural survival. The presentation will demonstrate how advocacy, education, and ally mobilization can help address environmental and climate injustices impacting Tribal Nations, elevate Indigenous voices, and advance equity-centered air and climate policy. The session will conclude with opportunities for connection and resource sharing, including a sign-up sheet and QR codes linking to Tribal air resources and fact sheets.

Capacity

Tribal Nations and Native communities lead on climate preparedness and environmental justice yet are often under recognized for their leadership. Art appreciation will be weaved through this two-part session. The goal of this session is to have a dialogue and consider ways to support those more impacted by Environmental Justice, learning about the Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) map, and opportunities for feedback. During the first part of our session, I will facilitate a discussion around environmental wellbeing and Environmental Justice leadership within our experience with an emphasis on Tribal and Native communities’ experiences emphasizing air. The last portion of the workshop focuses on background and an overview on Washington Tracking Network’s Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) map, an interactive tool that shows the cumulative impacts of health and environmental indicators. A draft of version 3.0 of EHD map is scheduled for release this winter 2026, with updated information that transitioned to GIS, seven new health indicators including wildfire smoke, water quality, air-quality respiratory diseases, and other attributes based upon Tribal and community feedback, and availability of corresponding data. The Healthy Environments for All Act (HEAL), a Washington law, references the EHD map as a tool to support state agencies in identifying where environmental and health disparities exist, engaging further with communities, and helping allocate funding and resources. We anticipate making updates as we are able, some of the Environmental Health Indicators are difficult to adjust, but other adjustments can be made as potentially increased into future iterations for items beyond our current resourcing using Indigenous and western methodologies.   

Other

Two professionals who have just over two years of experience and no prior air quality background, share their journey entering one of the nation's most well-established Tribal Air Quality Program. This session offers lessons from Gila River Indian Community's newest "air heads," Lorrie and Mariah. It will explore the face-paced learning curve, overlooked details, and the strengths of tribal regulatory work. Attendees will follow their growth and gain practical insight into thriving in an established air quality program. 

Other

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 Tribal Air Team delivers a daily Air Quality and Ventilation Forecast to  Idaho, Oregon, and Washington Reservations. EPA will describe forecast contents, including specific meteorological information and projected AQI for each Reservation. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR) has four major air sheds in its 1.4 million acres. The CTCR Air Quality Program (AQP) uses the forecast in conjunction with prescribed fire schedules, AirNow.gov data, and GIS to develop daily notices for residents in each airshed regarding expected changes in air quality.  The detail and daily availability of information provides Air Quality staff the means to help Reservation residents proactively protect themselves from the effects of air pollution. The Quinault Nation AQP likewise utilizes the forecast, as its ventilation projections help anticipate or even plan against poor air quality conditions during prescribed burning and stagnation events.

Technical

Understanding how outdoor air moves into and out of the home is a key part of understanding and addressing indoor air quality issues. Similarly, understanding where and how air is unable to move through a house is important, as this affects the concentration of indoor pollutants. In this session, we'll explore the movement of air and pollutants into and inside a home. This in turn can help us identify whether, for example, crawl spaces might be making someone sick in a home, or how airflow might be contributing to mold growth. These concepts from the fields of air quality and building science help us understand infiltration, the uncontrolled leakage of outdoor air and pollutants into the home.

Voluntary

This presentation will share information about reducing risk of viral infections (COVID, RSV, Flu) though ventilation, filtration, and cleaning.  There are effective ways to reduce transfer of infections that also help Indoor Air Quality.  Additionally there will be a demonstration of using low-cost sensors to check the effectiveness of ventilation and filtration.  There will be a raffle to give away a low-cost sensor.  The first 30 participants will get a microfiber cloth which will be used in a cleaning demonstration.

Voluntary