Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program
Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages
 Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages |
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Quick Facts for 2009:
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Congress has delegated authority to EPA to ensure that environmental programs designed to protect human health and the environment are carried out throughout the United States, including on tribal lands. EPA works with tribes on a government-to-government basis to protect the land, air and water in Indian country and to support tribal assumption of program authority.
This web page presents an analysis of 2009 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data relating to federally recognized tribes in the lower 48 states and Alaskan Native Villages as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Alaska native Village Statistical Areas (ANVSA).
According to EPA data, there were 49 TRI facilities located on 19 Indian country lands and ANVSAs in 2009. Total disposal or other releases from these facilities was 9.6 million pounds. Two electric utilities located on Navajo Nation Reservation accounted almost two-thirds (64%) of the total. On-site land disposal accounted for more than three-quarters (79%) of total disposal or other releases. The two electric utilities on the Navajo Nation Reservation accounted for 76% of the on-site land disposal. The Puyallup Reservation in Washington State had the most number of TRI facilities reporting in 2009, with 16 facilities. One paper facility located on the Puyallup Reservation accounted for 80% of that Reservation’s total disposal or other releases and for half (50%) of all air releases from facilities located on lands of federally recognized Indian tribes.
Total disposal or other releases from facilities located on federally recognized Indian tribes decreased by more than half (57%) from 2008 to 2009 due to one metal mine that reported a one-time remedial activity for 2008, and did not report for 2009. From 2001 to 2009, total disposal or other releases decreased by 28%. Air releases decreased by 51%; while, on-site land disposal increased by 3%.
The following table lists the 19 Indian country and Alaskan Native Villages that had one or more TRI facilities reporting for 2009 - more than half of which had just one facility. The Puyallup Reservation in Washington State had the most with 16 facilities. Facilities located on the Navajo Nation Reservation, covering land in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, reported the largest total disposal or other releases. The table shows which industry sector and which chemicals accounted for the majority of disposal or other releases in each area.
| Indian Country and Alaskan Native Village | State(s) | Number of Facilities | Total On-site and Off-site Disposal or Other Releases (lbs) | Primary Industry Sector (% of disposal or other releases) | Primary Chemical(s) (% of disposal or other releases) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo Nation Reservation | Arizona/New Mexico | 4 | 6,519,512 | Electric Utilities (94%) | Barium and its compounds (62%) |
| Uintah and Ouray Reservation | Utah | 2 | 1,604,972 | Electric Utilities (100%) | Barium and its compounds (86%) |
| Puyallup Reservation | Washington | 16 | 1,225,128 | Paper Products (83%) | Hydrochloric acid/Methanol (67%) |
| Kenaitze ANVSA | Alaska | 3 | 176,327 | Petroleum (95%) | Molybdenum trioxide/Nickel and its compounds (63%) |
| Yakama Reservation | Washington | 4 | 42,172 | Plastics/Rubber (100%) | Styrene (100%) |
| Wind River Reservation | Wyoming | 1 | 8,128 | Chemicals (100%) | Sulfuric acid (100%) |
| Pauma and Yuima Reservation | California | 1 | 4,868 | Transportation Equipment (100%) | Styrene (100%) |
| Akutan ANVSA | Alaska | 1 | 3,400 | Food/Beverages (100%) | Ammonia (100%) |
| Isabella Reservation | Michigan | 1 | 1,383 | Machinery (100%) | Chromium and its compounds (62%) |
| Tulalip Reservation | Washington | 1 | 1,030 | Primary Metals (100%) | Chromium/Nickel and compounds (100%) |
| Unalaska ANVSA | Alaska | 1 | 1,000 | Food/Beverages (100%) | Ammonia (100%) |
| Lake Traverse (Sisseton) Reservation | South Dakota | 1 | 815 | Chemicals (100%) | Toluene (61%) |
| Coeur d'Alene Reservation | Idaho | 2 | 491 | Wood Products (100%) | Lead and its compounds (99.99%) |
| Colorado River Reservation | Arizona | 1 | 10 | Hazardous Waste Mgt. (100%) | Benzene (100%) |
| Salt River Reservation | Arizona | 1 | 3 | Petroleum (100%) | Lead and its compounds (84%) |
| Soboba Reservation | California | 1 | 3 | Stone/Clay/Glass (100%) | Lead and its compounds (100%) |
| Nez Perce Reservation | Idaho | 1 | 2 | Wood Products (100%) | Lead and its compounds (100%) |
| Oneida Reservation | Wisconsin | 2 | 2 | Fabricated Metals (100%) | Chromium/copper and its compounds (100%) |
| Gila River Reservation | Arizona | 5 | 0 | Stone/Clay/Glass (100%) | Lead and its compounds (100%) |
| Total | 49 | 9,589,246 |
In 2009, for the 49 TRI facilities located on the lands of federally recognized Indian tribes, hydrochloric acid was released to air in the largest amount, primarily from one paper facility. Nitrate compounds were released to water in the largest amounts also primarily from that paper facility. Barium and its compounds disposed of in on-site landfills and other land disposal sites were primarily from electric utilities.
Top Five Chemicals by Environmental Medium, 2009
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To conduct your own analysis of TRI data associated with Indian country and ANVSAs, use TRI Explorer or TRI.NET (http://www.epa.gov/tri/tridata/). You can also gather data for multiple factors that may affect human and environmental health, including demographic, health, environmental, and facility-level data, for these communities through EJView.
The ANVSA boundary delineations for this analysis were generated using both the Indian Lands and Native Entities in the United States (IND3) file from the U.S. Geological Survey and ANVSA boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau. These boundary data are NOT for engineering work nor are they used to legally define tribal boundaries. Full metadata associated with the IND3 file are available at http://sagemap.wr.usgs.gov/ftp/regional/ind3.html. Census boundaries for ANVSAs are available at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html.