Program on the Environment

Environmental justice frameworks underscore the importance of participatory governance in achieving effective environmental policy implementation. This is relevant for Tribal communities in the U.S., where systemic inequities have created challenges in developing and maintaining physical and social infrastructure to address environmental harms. While federal policy and regulations work to mitigate environmental health issues, they do little to improve health if they are not accepted by the impacted communities. Addressing Tribal environmental health disparities requires community inclusion to motivate local action and ensure equitable outcomes when implementing policy. My work explores the critical role of localized implementation in translating federal environmental regulations into tangible community health benefits, using the EPA’s Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) as a case study. To accomplish this, I interned with the EPA’s Region 10 Tribal Air Team to work on implementing the FARR’s wood stove curtailment rule for the Colville and Nez Perce Tribes. The research identifies barriers and proposes actionable solutions for effective rule adoption. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with air quality experts, Tribal representatives, and a systematic review on outreach strategies for rural Tribal communities, the study reveals five key barriers. These include education gaps, communication gaps, effective messaging, wood stove prevalence, and resource limitations. The findings emphasize a community-driven approach to address these challenges, advocating for public awareness, trusted local partnerships, and multi-channel outreach strategies. The findings demonstrate that aligning federal regulations with the unique needs of local Tribal communities enhances collaboration, fosters trust, and improves environmental and public health outcomes.