T R I B A L C O M M U N I T I E S A T R I S K

The report finds that Native American communities are more likely to live within a half-mile of oil and gas facilities than the general population of their encompassing states, leading to disproportionate exposure to methane, volatile organic compounds, and toxic air pollutants. This impact is exacerbated by high poverty rates and lack of health insurance, which limit housing options and access to medical care for conditions like asthma. Specifically, the analysis highlights the Navajo Nation, the Northern Ute (Uintah-Ouray), and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation as areas of significant risk.

• Native American communities on tribal lands are disproportionately exposed to oil and gas facilities compared to the general population of the states they are located in. For example, members of the Northern Ute (Uintah-Ouray) are 42 times more likely to live within a half-mile of such a facility, while those in the Navajo Nation (Utah and New Mexico only) and the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation are 2 times more likely.
• Oil and gas operations on tribal lands release significant amounts of pollutants, including 18.4 billion cubic feet of methane. Other emissions include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which create ozone smog, as well as toxic air pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
• The U.S. EPA has listed the Uinta Basin in Utah, home to the Northern Ute, as "nonattainment" regarding health-based standards for ground level ozone pollution, a condition directly linked to local oil and gas development.
• Socioeconomic factors, specifically high poverty rates and a lack of health insurance, exacerbate the health burdens of air pollution for Native American individuals. These factors restrict housing choices and limit the ability to manage chronic conditions like asthma, increasing the likelihood of emergency room visits.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). T R I B A L C O M M U N I T I E S A T R I S K. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/21094517/Tribal_Communities_At_Risk.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. T R I B A L C O M M U N I T I E S A T R I S K. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/21094517/Tribal_Communities_At_Risk.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=T R I B A L C O M M U N I T I E S A T R I S K |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/21094517/Tribal_Communities_At_Risk.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcend, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{T R I B A L C O M M U N I T I E S A T R I S K}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/21094517/Tribal_Communities_At_Risk.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }