The U.S. Census Bureau is hosting a 2025 Indigenous Data Sovereignty Symposium on February 12, 2025, that will showcase world-renowned Indigenous scholars and researchers to speak on the topics of Indigenous Tribal Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance. The Census Bureau will also inform participants on our tribal consultation practices—ensuring tribal sovereignty is recognized upfront in our work in improving the collection of tribal data, creating new data sources, and producing new data-driven research projects with tribes.

Project WET (Water Education Today) works to solve critical environmental challenges by teaching the world about water by providing hands-on, science-based water education resources to educators around the world. The Project Wet Conference will be held in person in Lexington, KY.

• Register. Early bird registration ends Jan. 24.

The Alaska Marine Science Symposium brings together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and interested members of the public to discuss the latest marine research being conducted in Alaskan waters. Research topics range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge. The event will be held in person in Anchorage.

• Register

ASHRAE Guideline 44, “Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events,” released in December, recommends building measures to minimize occupant health impacts from wildfire and prescribed burn smoke events. It is the first guideline of its kind to provide recommendations to help owners and managers of commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential buildings prepare for and respond to smoke. It includes:

• Detailed information about the impacts of smoke on indoor air quality and human health.
• Best practices in building design and operation to reduce the impact of prolonged smoke events on indoor air quality.
• Ways to reduce occupants’ exposure to wildland fire smoke and protect their health and wellbeing.
  
  • Obtain a free version through Feb. 11.
  • Purchase a copy

The ASHRAE Journal podcast episode, “Where There’s Smoke, There’s HVAC,” discusses the ASHRAE Guideline and how wildfire smoke impacts buildings, people and public health

Native Climate, a project that supports climate adaptation efforts in Native American communities of the Southwest and Northern Plains, compiled local climate projections for 633 tribally controlled areas in the United States, including Alaska Native Villages. The data are based on the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections dataset.

• Download the data and explore the interactive map

On December 23, EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights released the agency’s Environmental Justice Strategic Plan. The plan lays out three goals for agency:

1. Promote environmental justice and civil rights at the federal, Tribal, state, local, and community levels
2. Embed environmental justice and external civil rights into EPA’s programs, policies, and activities
3. Strengthen external civil rights enforcement to protect access to a healthy environment for all people

n its FY2022-2026 Strategic Plan, EPA committed to assembling a set of indicators of disparities in environmental and public health conditions relevant to the agency’s work, consistent with the broader effort to advance environmental justice. EPA has now released the pilot Indicators of Environmental Health Disparities. The six indicators include:   

• Blood Lead Levels 
• Population in Monitored Counties Meeting PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
• Age-adjusted Hypertension 
• Adverse Birth Outcomes 
• Childhood Asthma Prevalence 
• Life Expectancy  

Each indicator represents an environmental health concern or potential health impact that is shaped by a wide range of factors. EPA is working to help mitigate environmental contributions to these health outcomes and disparities, in alignment with its mission to protect human health and the environment.

Through E-Enterprise for the Environment, EPA, states, and Tribes are working together to improve environmental program management by streamlining processes and modernizing technology. It is governed by three goals:

1. Early and meaningful dialogue with partners who make decisions together
2. Streamlining and simplifying processes
3. Leveraging technology, where it makes sense, to optimize effectiveness.

Learn more:

• Read the fact sheet.
• Watch a video.
• Subscribe to the E-Enterprise Bulletin.
• Join E-Enterprise Connect

On Jan. 3, EPA announced the addition of 9 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to the list of chemicals covered by the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). TRI data is reported to EPA annually by industrial and federal facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use TRI-listed chemicals above set quantities. Information collected through TRI allows communities to learn how facilities in their area are managing listed chemicals. Reporting is now required for these nine additional PFAS, bringing the total PFAS subject to TRI reporting to 205.

• Read the press release

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Carbon monoxide symptoms can be flu-like or may look like other health problems. At high levels, carbon monoxide can be deadly. Share this excellent fact sheet with your community.  

EPA Region 10 is updating its web page, Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities for Tribes in Region 10. If you have other opportunities you think we should include, please email Susan Conbere at Conbere.Susan@epa.gov.

In the meantime, take a gander at a wide range of administrative and environmental trainings – including online training, webinars, workshops, conferences, and college courses – to help you manage grants and address environmental issues. We recently added the Tribal Exchange Network (entry 66!). 

Pathways to Science compiles research and funding opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Some of these opportunities are in federal agencies, including EPA.

• Paid Summer 2025 Undergraduate Research Placements
• Fellowships and graduate programs
• Tips on applying and associated resources
• Opportunities specifically in the Ocean Sciences
• Opportunities specifically in Engineering

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Indigenous Climate Internship Program will support up to 8 Indigenous climate interns who are current college or university students: two during the academic school year and up to six interns for the summer. Summer cohorts of Indigenous interns work directly with host organizations from across the country to work on projects specifically benefiting Tribal climate resilience efforts. This 10-week summer internship may have a research, technical, educational or policy focus. ITEP provides each student intern with a $8,000 stipend and there are travel and housing stipends for those that relocate for the internship.

• Apply

Students across the Northwest are encouraged to raise public awareness of radon hazards by participating in the 2025 Northwest Radon Poster Contest. Youth between the ages of 9 and 14 living in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are eligible. First, second, and third place winners (with prize amounts of $100, $75, and $50, respectively) will be selected from each state (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). A $300 regional grand prize will be selected from the winning submissions. First-place posters from each state will be submitted to the next National Radon Poster Contest. All participating students will learn about radon and how to reduce their risk of exposure.

The Northwest Radon Poster Contest is sponsored by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Nez Perce Tribe, Oregon Health Authority, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Washington State Department of Health in collaboration with the Northwest Radon Coalition and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10. A flyer that you can use to advertise the contest is attached.

• Learn more

EPA recently published updates to the agency’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing, which help federal government purchasers and other buyers select products that are more sustainable and contain safer chemical ingredients. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that EPA has comprehensively evaluated private-sector standards and ecolabels, expanding its recommendations at the same time.

• Learn more

• Brownfields 101: Tribal Funding Panel: A presentation from EPA given at the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council Conference.
• Brownfields 101 Practical Ways to Navigate Cleanup and Redevelopment: A presentation from the Washington Department of Ecology, EPA, CCLR, and Commerce, also given at the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council Conference.
• Equitable Development Resource Hub: A hub from Groundwork USA with tools like “Brownfield Curious,” a webinar series that breaks down jargon and helps people launch their land reuse journey.  

EPA has posted fish graphics that show parts of a fish that should not be eaten because of possible exposure to chemicals. This is particularly true for sensitive populations (e.g., pregnant people, children) and people who are subsistence fish consumers.

• Download the images and share them with your community.  

This report presents the results of an EPA analysis of blood mercury and fish consumption data for 1999 through 2020 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for U.S. women 16-49 years of age. A key finding is that while the estimated amount of fish reported eaten in 2013-2020 was higher than in 1999-2010, the mercury concentrations in blood and estimated mercury intake from fish consumption was lower in 2013-2020 when compared to 1999-2010. This finding suggests that women of childbearing age are choosing to eat types of fish known to typically contain less mercury, leading to lower estimates of mercury intake per unit body weight in 2013-2020 when compared to the results from 1999-2010.

• Read the report.