Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program
Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages
 TRI Facilities in Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages |
Quick Facts for 2010:
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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's policy is to work 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 2010 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data relating to federally recognized tribes in the lower 48 states and Alaska Native Villages as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau's Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas (ANVSA).
According to EPA data, there were 40 TRI facilities located on 14 Indian country lands and ANVSAs in 2010. Total disposal or other releases from these facilities was 9.2 million pounds. Two electric utilities located on the Navajo Nation Reservation accounted for almost two-thirds (64%) of the total releases on Indian country and Alaska. 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 2010, with 15 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 2010 due to one metal mine that reported a one-time remedial activity for 2008, and did not report for 2009 or 2010. From 2001 to 2010, 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 14 Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages that had one or more TRI facilities reporting for 2010 - more than half of which had just one facility. The Puyallup Reservation in Washington State had the most with 15 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 Tribes and Alaska Native Villages | 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 | 2 | 5,820,161 | Electric Utilities (100%) | Barium and its compounds (67%) |
| Uintah and Ouray Reservation | Utah | 1 | 1,858,120 | Electric Utilities (100%) | Barium and its compounds (83%) |
| Puyallup Reservation | Washington | 15 | 1,331,423 | Paper Products (87%) | Hydrochloric acid/Methanol (71%) |
| Yakama Reservation | Washington | 3 | 129,670 | Plastics/Rubber (100%) | Styrene (100%) |
| Coeur d'Alene Reservation | Idaho | 2 | 30,532 | Wood Products (100%) | Manganese and its compounds (98%) |
| Wind River Reservation | Wyoming | 1 | 9,240 | Chemicals (100%) | Sulfuric acid (100%) |
| Rincon Reservation | California | 1 | 4,838 | Transportation Equipment (100%) | Styrene (100%) |
| Isabella Reservation | Michigan | 1 | 1,121 | Machinery (100%) | Chromium and its compounds (61%) |
| Tulalip Reservation | Washington | 1 | 1,030 | Primary Metals (100%) | Chromium/Nickel and compounds (100%) |
| Gila River Reservation | Arizona | 7 | 533 | Primary Metals (100%) | Copper and its compounds (98%) |
| Oneida Reservation | Wisconsin | 3 | 512 | Chemicals (99.6%) | Methanol (98%) |
| Colorado River Reservation | Arizona | 1 | 20 | Hazardous Waste Management (100%) | Benzene/Styrene (100%) |
| Morongo Reservation | California | 1 | 3 | Stone/Clay/Glass (100%) | Lead and its compounds (100%) |
| Omaha Reservation | Nebraska | 1 | 0 | Fabricated Metals (100%) | No disposal or other releases |
| Total | 40 | 9,187,202 |
In 2010, for the 40 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
Indian Country and Alaska Native Villages, 2010
To conduct your own analysis of TRI data associated with Indian country and ANVSAs, use TRI Explorer or TRI.NET (www.epa.gov/tri/tridata/). 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 www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html.