Air Quality

Protecting the air, we breathe

The Air Quality Program (AQP) works to protect the air across the Colville Indian Reservation to ensure clean, safe air for all people, plants, and animals.

AQP operates within the Office of Environmental Trust and is funded through an EPA Clean Air Act Section 105 grant. The program follows federal air quality regulations known as the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR), created in 2005 to close gaps in Clean Air Act protections for tribal lands.

What We Do

The AQP is responsible for a wide range of activities to protect and improve air quality, including:

Advising tribal leadership on air quality laws and potential adoption or delegation of federal regulations
Running and maintaining air monitoring stations to track air quality across the Reservation
Working with EPA and other partners to build tribal capacity and implement new air quality regulations
Developing and managing annual work plans, grants, and contracts with EPA and others
Collecting and analyzing air quality data through inventories and assessments
Providing outreach and education, including social media and community resources
Managing a permit system for open burning and working closely with Fire Control on smoke and fire-related air quality issues
Maintaining an air quality website with up-to-date information for the Colville Reservation