The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 awarded $133,680 to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska on October 1, 2025, under the Training, Investigations, and Special Purpose Activities of Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes Consistent with the Clean Air Act (CFDA 66.038) program. The award funds air quality monitoring and community education initiatives designed to protect tribal member health through improved air quality awareness and assessment. Specific deliverables include quality-assured data collected through operation and maintenance of meteorological monitoring equipment, mercury wet deposition monitoring systems, particulate matter (PM2.5) equipment, air quality index light sensors, and Purple Air monitors. The award also supports establishment of a second air monitoring site equipped with PM equipment to expand geographic coverage across the Winnebago Reservation.
Complementing the technical monitoring activities, the award funds tribal community outreach and education efforts aimed at increasing air quality awareness and building a historic air quality database. Deliverables include community outreach events, work group meetings, staff training, and educational programming to help tribal members understand air quality issues and avoid negative health outcomes from adverse air quality events. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement, and the project is scheduled for completion by September 30, 2026. The intended beneficiaries are members of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.