This cooperative agreement between the EPA and the NEZ perce tribe enables the tribes air program to carry out direct implementation of portions of the clean air act and the federal air rules for…

This $325,000 cooperative agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 and the Nez Perce Tribe enables the tribe's air program to directly implement portions of the Clean Air Act and federal air rules on tribal reservations through activities such as burn bans, agricultural and forestry burning permit programs. The key products and services provided under the agreement include working with EPA to successfully implement a delegation agreement and inspector credentials agreement on the Nez Perce Reservation. Additionally, the agreement coordinates on-reservation smoke management programs and Federal Agreed Regional Haze Rule activities with EPA and other agencies to provide a coordinated approach to crop residue, forestry, and open burning in the Clearwater airshed that protects human health while allowing burning as a land management tool. The one-year cooperative agreement, awarded on October 1, 2021, aims to reduce impacts of smoke and other pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act through the EPA's Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements program (CFDA #66.473).

This cooperative agreement between the EPA and the NEZ perce tribe enables the tribes air program to carry out direct implementation of portions of the clean air act and the federal air rules for reservations through burn bans, agricultural, forestry and open burning permit programs, and other activities. The goal of the farr ditca is to work with EPA to successfully implement the delegation agreement and the inspector credentials agreement on the NEZ perce reservation. A second goal of the ditca is to coordinate on-reservation smoke management program (SMP) and farr activities with EPA, ideq, NEZ perce tribe forestry and fire departments, the idaho department of lands (IDL), and other agencies to provide a relatively seamless SMP for crop residue, forestry, and open burning in the clearwater airshed that protects human health and welfare while retaining burning as a management tool. The primary goal for an environmental outcome of the ditca is to protect human health and the environment on NEZ perce reservation and tribal community by reducing impacts of smoke and other pollutants regulated under the clean air act and the farr.