American Indian Policy Institute JATAP Joint Air Toxics Assessment Project A Successful...

American Indian Policy Institute

JATAPJATAP

Joint Air Toxics Assessment Project Joint Air Toxics Assessment Project

A Successful Multi-Jurisdictional Research PartnershipA Successful Multi-Jurisdictional Research Partnership

National Congress of American Indians National Congress of American Indians

Mid-Year ConventionMid-Year Convention

Policy Research Center Tribal Leader/Scholar ForumPolicy Research Center Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum

June 16, 2009June 16, 2009

Niagara Falls, NYNiagara Falls, NY


Presented by:Presented by:

Ondrea Barber Ondrea Barber Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Environmental Protection and Natural Resources

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

Margaret Cook Margaret Cook Department of Environmental QualityDepartment of Environmental Quality

Gila River Indian CommunityGila River Indian Community

Patricia MariellaPatricia Mariella American Indian Policy InstituteAmerican Indian Policy Institute

Arizona State UniversityArizona State University


Joint Air Toxics Assessment Project Joint Air Toxics Assessment Project (JATAP)(JATAP)

• Collaboration between tribal, state, county Collaboration between tribal, state, county and federal governments to:and federal governments to:

-determine the types, distribution and -determine the types, distribution and

sources of air toxics in central Arizona sources of air toxics in central Arizona

(Phoenix area) airshed (Phoenix area) airshed

-understand and reduce the health risks -understand and reduce the health risks

from air toxics in the airshed from air toxics in the airshed


Air Pollution does not recognize Air Pollution does not recognize political boundaries.political boundaries.

Are air toxics coming onto tribal lands Are air toxics coming onto tribal lands

from neighboring urban areas?from neighboring urban areas?

What air toxics are being emitted from What air toxics are being emitted from freeways on tribal lands?freeways on tribal lands?


JATAP is a Complex ProjectJATAP is a Complex Project

• Multi-jurisdictional Steering CommitteeMulti-jurisdictional Steering Committee for for planning and coordination of joint activities; planning and coordination of joint activities; consensus decision-making consensus decision-making

• Coordination, Logistical and Technical Coordination, Logistical and Technical SupportSupport: ASU American Indian Policy : ASU American Indian Policy Institute Institute (ITEP for the first phase) (ITEP for the first phase)

• FundingFunding: EPA Grants; EPA scientist on : EPA Grants; EPA scientist on special detail (Intergovernmental special detail (Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement/IPA) Personnel Agreement/IPA)


JATAP ParticipantsJATAP Participants

• Agencies with Monitoring Sites:Agencies with Monitoring Sites:Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community EPNR Gila River Indian Community DEQArizona DEQ

• Other participating agencies:Other participating agencies: Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation

Maricopa County Air Quality Pinal County Air Quality Control District EPA Region 9 and Office of Air Quality Planning and

Standards City of Phoenix


ADEQ Tribal Governments PolicyADEQ Tribal Governments Policyestablished in 1995established in 1995

ADEQ recognizes the sovereignty of Tribal governments and their jurisdiction over lands within Indian Country as defined by federal law [18 U.S.C.A. §1151]. ADEQ will not assert authority over Indian Country.

ADEQ recognizes that the federal government has the primary responsibility for assisting Tribes to regulate and manage the environment within Indian Country.

ADEQ supports the strengthening of Tribal capacity for environmental management and regulation. ADEQ support to Tribes will be provided in the interest of the State and will not be used as the basis for assertion of State authority within Indian Country.

ADEQ is committed to developing cooperative relationships with Tribes, and will respect the environmental concerns of Tribes. ADEQ requests that Tribes show similar respect for the environmental concerns of the State of Arizona.

Without Tribal consent, ADEQ will not solicit and asserts no claim to EPA resources that would otherwise be provided directly to Tribes.


Modeling Domain

Monitoring Area

Pilot Study

JATAP Project AreaJATAP Project Area


Accomplishments of JATAPAccomplishments of JATAP2005-2009 2005-2009

• Continuous involvement of multi-jurisdictional Continuous involvement of multi-jurisdictional agencies (airshed)agencies (airshed)

• High quality micro and neighborhood scale data High quality micro and neighborhood scale data and analysis (enhances regional and national data) and analysis (enhances regional and national data)

• Significantly improved understanding of Significantly improved understanding of distribution and sources of air toxics in Phoenixdistribution and sources of air toxics in Phoenix

Area AirshedArea Airshed


TRANSITIONS: TRANSITIONS: from Monitoring to Outreach from Monitoring to Outreach from Data to Policy and Actionfrom Data to Policy and Action

• Need Outreach Messages; include Need Outreach Messages; include ‘action plan’ for risk reduction‘action plan’ for risk reduction

• Modeling and risk assessment (air Modeling and risk assessment (air toxics differ from ‘criteria pollutants’)toxics differ from ‘criteria pollutants’)

• Salt River and Gila River conducted Salt River and Gila River conducted micro-scale emissions inventoriesmicro-scale emissions inventories


Geographical and Trend PerspectivesGeographical and Trend PerspectivesPart of ‘Message’Part of ‘Message’

• What are the national and regional What are the national and regional trends for air toxics? (Benzene risks in trends for air toxics? (Benzene risks in all urban areas; trend is down)all urban areas; trend is down)

[Studies predict significant reductions [Studies predict significant reductions in pollution from high traffic roadways in pollution from high traffic roadways from new federal diesel fuel and engine from new federal diesel fuel and engine rules]rules]


California Case Study:California Case Study:Unintended ConsequencesUnintended Consequences

• South Coast CA Air Toxics Study (Multiple Air Toxics South Coast CA Air Toxics Study (Multiple Air Toxics Study 1999)Study 1999)

• Ban on new schools or expansion of schools near Ban on new schools or expansion of schools near

freewaysfreeways

• School over-crowdingSchool over-crowding

• Do we know how many schools, day care centers, Do we know how many schools, day care centers, health facilities, other sensitive facilities are near health facilities, other sensitive facilities are near freeways in the Valley?freeways in the Valley?


Gila River Indian CommunityGila River Indian CommunityJATAP Message for Policy MakersJATAP Message for Policy Makers

• The Gila River Indian Community’s air quality is good The Gila River Indian Community’s air quality is good (particularly from a regional perspective)(particularly from a regional perspective)

• Data indicates essentially no health risk near monitor Data indicates essentially no health risk near monitor of air toxics from industriesof air toxics from industries

• There is a low level increase in air toxics (benzene) There is a low level increase in air toxics (benzene) from vehicles; benzene is distributed though the from vehicles; benzene is distributed though the whole Valley; at Gila River the levels are lower than whole Valley; at Gila River the levels are lower than at Salt River and only slightly higher than at Queen at Salt River and only slightly higher than at Queen Valley (a remote site)Valley (a remote site)


Gila River Indian CommunityGila River Indian CommunityJATAP Message for Policy Makers JATAP Message for Policy Makers

(continued)(continued)

• The primary health risk from air toxics is an The primary health risk from air toxics is an increased risk of cancer (leukemia); urban areas in increased risk of cancer (leukemia); urban areas in the U.S. have levels of air toxics that pose some the U.S. have levels of air toxics that pose some increased cancer risk increased cancer risk

• Freeways increase near-by air pollution; air pollution Freeways increase near-by air pollution; air pollution declines 60% at 320 feet from the roadway and drops declines 60% at 320 feet from the roadway and drops to background levels at 650 feetto background levels at 650 feet

• JATAP is working in the Community to reduce air JATAP is working in the Community to reduce air toxics, particularly at schools toxics, particularly at schools


WHAT ACTIONS MITIGATE RISKS FROM WHAT ACTIONS MITIGATE RISKS FROM AIR TOXICS?AIR TOXICS?

FacilitiesFacilities: regulatory/non-regulatory: regulatory/non-regulatory

Mobile SourcesMobile Sources: (freeways): (freeways)

-roadway design-roadway design

-trees and vegetation-trees and vegetation

-buffer zones (land use planning)-buffer zones (land use planning)

-filters in near roadway buildings-filters in near roadway buildings

-targeted reduction in outdoor activities-targeted reduction in outdoor activities

-school bus anti-idling and retrofit-school bus anti-idling and retrofit


Tribal Planning ImplicationsTribal Planning Implications

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian CommunityCommunity

Existing Freeways: Existing Freeways:

-adjacent land use commercial-adjacent land use commercial

Gila River Indian CommunityGila River Indian Community

Potential Freeways:Potential Freeways:

-costs and benefits-costs and benefits


Reasons for SuccessReasons for Success

• Multi jurisdictional collaboration with an Multi jurisdictional collaboration with an overarching set of goals with immediate overarching set of goals with immediate significancesignificance

• EPA funding available; each jurisdiction had EPA funding available; each jurisdiction had its own grant funding its own grant funding

• Coordination through university programs Coordination through university programs with tribal and state partnerships with tribal and state partnerships

• Excellent quality data – reassessment by all Excellent quality data – reassessment by all partners after pilot project; dedicated and partners after pilot project; dedicated and highly-trained technical staff committed to highly-trained technical staff committed to collaborationcollaboration


Challenges Common to all PartnersChallenges Common to all Partners

• There are no national ambient standards for There are no national ambient standards for air toxics; understanding health risks air toxics; understanding health risks requires risk assessments and modelingrequires risk assessments and modeling

• EPA primarily funds monitoring; harder to EPA primarily funds monitoring; harder to

find funding for risk assessment and almost find funding for risk assessment and almost impossible to find funding for outreachimpossible to find funding for outreach

• Technical staff need support in developing Technical staff need support in developing effective outreach messages for policy-effective outreach messages for policy-makers and publicmakers and public


THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

For More Information:For More Information:

Ondrea Barber (480) 850-8000Ondrea Barber (480) [email protected]@SRPMIC-nsn.gov

Margaret Cook (520) 562-2234Margaret Cook (520) [email protected]@gric.nsn.us

Patricia Mariella, Ph.D. (480) 965-9005Patricia Mariella, Ph.D. (480) [email protected]@asu.edu

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