Download - Case Study: Taos Pueblo Indoor Air Quality
Case Study:Taos Pueblo Indoor Air Quality
Evelyn Martinez, Air Quality Programs ManagerTaos Pueblo Environmental Office
National Tribal Forum Conference on Air QualitySan Diego, CaliforniaApril 17-19, 2007
Community Profile
• Located in Northern New Mexico along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
• Designated World Heritage Site (1992)
• Tribal Enrollment: 2,000 members
• Elevation: 7,600 ft.• 110,000 acres
Indoor Air Quality
• Radon education and remediation
Radon Grant FY 2006• Indoor Air Quality Assessments
- Student Internship Program, NAU/ITEP
- Mold
Program Implementation Components
• Conducted community education and outreach- developed materials for adults and youth
• Identified stakeholders and developed partnerships- attended meetings
• Support from tribal government- conducted workshops for tribal governor and warchief
Proclamations
• February 2006: Radon Action Month
Governor James Lujan, Sr.
• March 2007: Radon Action Month
Governor Gilbert Suazo, Sr.
What You Should Know About RADONAnd how you can protect your family
Taos Pueblo Environmental
Youth Involvement
• Classroom education
- Radon poster contest, National Safety Council
New Mexico Winner:Alyssa Bozzuto, 5th GradeTaos Pueblo Day School
NAU Student Internship Program
• Indoor Air Quality Education
- Training conducted at NAU
- Youth applied acquired skills to identify IAQ problems at local school
What Students Learned
Causes of poor indoor air quality
- inadequate ventilation, high temperature and humidity
- Radon
- use of equipment to measure CO, CO2, humidity, temperature, moisture on paper and wood.
- Hazards of toxic chemicals in cleaning solutions
- identifying contributors to asthma i.e., dust, pet dander, VOC’s
IAQ Assessments
• Taos Pueblo Day School
Based on Indoor Air Quality Essentials for Schools, students used practical approaches to identifying indoor air quality issues
- SIP students conducted a walk through of all classrooms including the exterior
- Students noted ventilation points, took room temperatures and took notes of their observations.
Observations
• moisture on the ceiling of boiler room/basement
• lack of ventilation system; inadequate circulation- Room temperatures averaged
83.3° F; outside temperature was 73° F
- No air conditioning system
• teachers storing hazardous cleaning materials
• dust mites were found in computer lab
Results
• Students attended the school board meeting to present their findings
- School board members received a report created from the notes that students took during the walk through
- Problem areas were noted by board members and requested that the school’s principal take action as necessary
Radon: Community Education
• Educate and inform tribal community members
• Encourage participation in voluntary testing
Media Approach• KTAO Solar Radio• Taos News• National Native News• Taos Mountain Wind
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Community Testing Results
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Results
piC
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Findings
• In 2006, 48 homes and buildings were tested and 34 had levels of radon greater than 4.0 pCi/L, the EPA action level.
• The homes and workplaces at Taos Pueblo have radon levels that far exceed the average levels found in homes across the nation.
Remediation Location
• Red Willow Learning Center
Education center for youth and community
Built by community volunteers: 2002-2003
2080 sq. ft.
- March 2006: 16.7 piC/L (average of 2 kits)
Short-term radon test (48 hours)
- March 2007: 10.2 piC/L overall average
Professional Radon Monitor
one hour time intervals• Readings after installation: 5.4 piC/L
Contact Information
Taos Pueblo Environmental OfficePO Box 1846
Taos, New Mexico 87571Phone · (505) 751-4601
Fax · (505) [email protected]