Cherokee is a sovereign nation, meaning it has its own laws, elections, government, institutions, and the like. Though it certainly has relationships with the United States federal government and the North Carolina state government that are vitally important, students and the general population may be interested to know that the Cherokees are self-governed and autonomous.

Located in Cherokee, North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were once part of a much larger Cherokee Nation population. However, when the Trail of Tears was mandated, and forced removal and relocation were directed by the US government and then President Andrew Jackson, the Cherokee Tribe became divided into what is known today as the Cherokee Nation and United Kituwah Band, located in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band, made up of those who remained and rebuilt within North Carolina’s Qualla Boundary (sometimes called the Cherokee Indian Reservation).

Clean air quality contributes to a healthy environment and healthy people

The air shed of the EBCI Reservation receives trans-boundary ozone and it’s precursors from upwind sources. This, combined with a general degradation of air quality, lends us to commit significant resources in monitoring our air conditions. As a Sovereign Nation, education, awareness, prevention, and mitigation of air pollution are critical to the EBCI culture.

Our goal is to maintain clean and healthy air quality for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Reservation.  The Air Quality Program started monitoring in 1999 and currently consists of two employees who are dedicated to EBCI air quality issues. We are funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under section 105 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).