Native American/Alaska Native | General

Environmental

Traditional Indian tribal homelands have been subjected to a broad range of environmental hazards as a result of industrialization and commercial abuse, including surface and ground water contamination, illegal dumping, hazardous waste disposal, air pollution, mining wastes, habitat destruction and resultant human health risks. In recent years, governmental and tribal organizations have focused efforts on preserving and protecting the ecological, recreational, economic, aesthetic and spiritual resources of Native lands for future generations.

Native American/Alaska Native Resources

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Tribal Affairs
  Assists with tribal-specific environmental health needs resulting from exposure to hazardous waste sites and pollution.



• American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO)
  AIEO coordinates the EPA-wide effort to strengthen public health and environmental protection in Indian Country. The Web site shows all of the EPA's environmental programs available to tribes; links to laws, regulations and guidance; offers information, data, queries, maps and applications, as well as much more.



• Intertribal Council on Hanford Health Projects
  The Council is a consortium of 9 tribes providing a technical forum to "coordinate Hanford-related research and health activities, protect their sovereignty, and maintain the scientific credibility of work representing tribal members' lifestyles, dietary habits, and health status." The web site describes the work being done by the consortium.



• National Tribal Environmental Council
  The Council's mission is to enhance each tribe's ability to protect, preserve and promote the wise management of air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations.

General Resources

• ToxNet  
  TOXNET (Toxicology Data Network) is an integrated cluster of publicly available databases containing information on toxicology, hazardous chemicals and environmental health. The databases include:

  HSDB (Hazardous Substances Data Bank); TOXLINE; ChemIDplus; IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System); TRI (Toxic Chemical Release Inventory); CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information System); GENETOX (Genetic Toxicology); DART/ETIC (Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology/Environmental Teratology Information Center).

• Tox Town  
  This web site that helps the general public, including educators and children above the elementary school level, understand chemicals and the environment. The use of graphics, sounds and animation add interest to the learning. Be aware that you need Macromedia Flash player to see the site as it was intended.




• Toxicology and Environmental Health  
  This site from the National Library of Medicine includes TOXNET, Haz-Map, Household Products Database, and links to topics such as environmental justice as well as many other useful free resources on the environment and toxicology.



• National Center for Environmental Health  
  This information-rich site deals with "the health implications of the interactions between people and the built environment." Fact sheets and brochures give good information on many topics such as lead poisoning, pesticides hazards, air pollution and much more.