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Environmental
OUR COMMITMENT
Environment Preservation and Community Safety
The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho Environmental Department is responsible for projects related to environmental health throughout Kootenai aboriginal territory. These projects include monitoring air and water quality, reducing pesticide exposure, and improving solid waste management.
The Department works to build cooperative relationships with the community, state and federal agencies, as well as organizations committed to environmental advocacy projects.
Making A Difference Together
The Tribe aims to create a sustainable and thriving environment that benefits all. This work is supported by financial assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as the coordination and cooperation of other governments and nongovernmental organizations in the Territory.
Areas of Focus
Of particular concern is the negative impacts the extensive mining in the Elk Valley is having on the downstream Kootenai/y River ecosystem. The Kootenai Tribe is dedicated to robust, defensible, large scale, and long-term monitoring and providing meaningful data that will guide the science and management decisions that will positively impact our waters.
“We continue to see impacts of coal mining more than a hundred kilometers downstream of these coal mines,” Gary Aitken Jr., Vice-Chairman, said. “We see our fish populations declining despite our own hatchery efforts to sustain them. We see our waters becoming worse. While pollution loads continue to increase, we see less than 20% of the selenium load being removed.
Exposure to unhealthy air due to smoke, dust, and engine combustion is of significant concern to the Tribe. Kootenai Tribe has a meteorological platform that houses components to measure PM2.5 (particulate matter from smoke and pollution), barometric pressure, temperature, wind and windspeed, and precipitation.
Information about air quality in our area is available at any time for Tribal citizens and the general public at AirNow. The Kootenai Tribe follows the Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR). Learn more about FARR here.
Kootenai Tribe of Idaho elders pass down the history of the beginning of time, which tells that the Ktunaxa people were created by Kwiǂqa Nupika, the Supreme Being, and placed on earth to keep the Creator-Spirit’s Covenant-to guard and keep the land forever. The Kootenai Tribe has never lost sight of its original purpose as guardian of the land.
Developing knowledge and adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change specific to the region is important, especially when combined with the Tribe’s local and traditional knowledge. The Tribe secured funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2024 to help assess vulnerabilities and prepare adaptation options.
Food waste has a big impact on the environment, contributing to greenhouse gases, climate change, and harming water, soil, and air quality. The Kootenai Tribe is working to boost recycling and start a food waste diversion program with financial assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This project shows the Tribe’s commitment to protecting and improving the environment. Tribal citizens will enjoy a cleaner, more resilient environment, and the new recycling and composting efforts will reduce the environmental and social impacts on the Kootenai Indian Reservation and surrounding areas.
