Tribal air programs work

For the past four years, many of us have been reading in the news of how the Northeast states and environmental groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bush administration for their continued weakening of the Clean Air Act rules. Recognizing that improvements in the quality of air in and around our tribal lands are not always a priority of the state or federal governments, the tribes within Maine are either implementing full air programs or are in the early stages of developing them. Here at the Penobscot Nation, the Air Quality Program is in its sixth year of answering the challenge of fighting for better ambient air conditions in this region.

The Penobscot Nation has one of the more expansive tribal air monitoring networks located strategically around the tribe’s reservation and trust lands. This distribution is done in cooperation with the Maine Air Bureau and the USEPA. We currently monitor many pollutants and toxics from Particulate Matter and Ozone to Sulfur Dioxide and Elemental Carbons.

Our monitors are covering gaps from the Carrabassett Valley-Alder Stream Township area to the Mattagamon-Katahdin and the Down East Lakeville area. While at the nation we use this data primarily for our own concerns, we rightfully share information with other interested groups to meet the challenge of pollution reduction, enforcement, and compliance.

On the policy side of air quality, we compile reports and submit comments that generally parallel the goals of many other groups. We do this from our developing technical capacity to evaluate and analyze the necessary parameters of air quality sources emissions, monitors, and impact models. Again, in cooperation with state, federal and environmental group professionals, we make incremental advances by identifying where more pollution controls can be implemented or regulations enforced.

The tribe produces deliverables that are part and parcel of air quality management. We have begun generating our own emissions inventory for future control considerations in economic development. We also plan to implement rules that will control the expansion of emissions from this development.

The nation was recently elected the chair of the Mid-Atlantic Northeast Visibility Union (MANE-VU). MANE-VU is a regional planning organization consisting of 14 states and 2 tribal governments (Penobscot Nation and St. Regis Mohawk) that implement the regional haze rule. This law seeks to upgrade the visibility conditions around the Class 1 National Parks and Wildlife Refuges in the country. This collaboration is one of mutual respect for the unique abilities that each stakeholder brings to the group to protect our most scenic vistas.

The nation is also involved with national tribal organizations that fulfill needs in air quality around Indian Country. We participate nationally to encourage promulgation of rules that protect tribal air sheds, comparable to the protections implemented by the states, while striving for parallel enforcement.

Many of the differences about environmental regulatory authority between the tribes and state are left aside while we share the common goal of better air quality. Guided by the Federal Trust Responsibility, tribal environmental programs work with a vision towards the future, for all people and our shared natural resources. If we all look into the future together, we’ll all benefit with better air to breathe.

Eric Nicolar is the air quality manager for the Penobscot Indian Nation.