The air q uality on a reservation has important implications for quality of life, culture and religion, economic development and other significant areas of concern to a tribe.
Jurisdictional considerations are also important.
The Clean Air Act gives Tribes authority over all air resources within the exterior boundaries of their reservation, including those located on non-Indian owned fee lands. This is a far broader authority than is provided by the Clean Water Act and many other environmental laws, and broader than the jurisdiction tribes have over man y general regulatory and civil matters, per recent court decisions. The CAA also gives tribal governments some ability to control pollution-causing activities outside the reservation that are diminishing or could lead to the diminishing of the air quality on the reservation. For all of these reasons, tribes should give careful consideration to establish an air quality management program. EPA has technical and financial assistance programs available to tribes to assist them in developing the capability to administer a clean air program.