The Santee Sioux Nation—descendants of the Mdewakantonwan, Wahpeton, Sisseton, and Wahpekute bands—has long been recognized as one of the “frontier guardians” of the Sioux Nation, also known as the Isanti Oyate. That commitment to caring for the land continues today through the Santee Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) community air monitoring project, with the goal of improving community health and wellness under the U.S. EPA Clean Air Act of 1963.
Located in northeast Nebraska along the Missouri River, the Santee Sioux Nation faces a range of environmental influences that shape local air quality. On the Santee reservation, air quality is shaped by a mix of agricultural activity, fossil fuel use, natural sources, climate patterns, and wildfire smoke; access to reliable, local air quality data is helping the community understand changing conditions and respond in ways that protect both health and the environment.
The U.S. EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) provides a clear framework for interpreting air quality data and understanding potential health impacts. However, that guidance is most effective when paired with localized, real-time monitoring that reflects conditions specific to the community.
In 2024, Santee Environmental Coordinator Jerome Proctor received an IQAir AirVisual Outdoor Monitor. The monitor strengthens the Nation’s ability to track local air quality conditions, support environmental stewardship, and make air quality information accessible for everyday decision-making.
Santee Sioux Nation air quality challenges
The program began reviewing historical and current air pollution data and trends on the Santee reservation. In 2023, during the summer, Santee experienced higher concentrations of PM2.5—particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter—and tropospheric ozone. A series of intense Canadian wildfires also contributed to poor air quality in the region.
To support consistent monitoring and long-term sustainability, the program established a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
- Collecting historical and real-time air quality and barometric data.
- Comparing and analyzing daily, monthly, and quarterly air quality, dominant pollutants, and environmental conditions.
- Reporting air quality conditions to the tribe, including tribal elders and students, regional tribal nations, U.S. EPA, and the global community.
The data collected by Santee Sioux Nation’s air quality monitoring station can be accessed on the Santee Sioux Nation website and through the AQI color-coded flag adjacent to the Santee Office of Environmental Protection.
These efforts raise environmental awareness and provide air pollution data for the tribal government and community, helping improve air quality understanding on the Santee reservation.
Improving reliability in challenging weather conditions
Maintaining reliable air quality monitoring in the Great Plains comes with unique logistical challenges. The program focused on ensuring that air quality monitoring could continue reliably in all conditions. In the Great Plains region of the United States—often referred to as “Tornado Alley”—severe winter weather at times made access to the original air monitoring site difficult. To address this challenge, the team relocated the Santee station to a location adjacent to the Santee Office of Environmental Protection.
With funding and technical guidance from the U.S. EPA, the project team completed the Santee air quality monitoring station relocation within 30 days. The quality improvement reduced equipment downtime, lowered travel costs, and improved the reliability of air pollution data.
With standardized monitoring processes and tools in place, the program expanded efforts to ensure local air quality data is accessible and useful to the community. These activities include:
- Creating public awareness of outdoor air quality conditions on the Santee Sioux Nation website.
- Monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual air quality reporting to the community, tribal programs, tribal elders, and students.
- Implementation of the U.S. EPA AQI flag program, establishing environmental awareness and air quality literacy across the community.
The air quality monitoring process and tools support a proactive approach to the tribal community health and wellness. U.S. EPA AQI guidance helps people understand outdoor air quality conditions so they can continue to get plenty of physical activity, while protecting their health from poor air quality using the mobile app.
Seasonal air pollution patterns and guidance
From 2023 to 2025, data showed that particulate matter concentrations increased during the spring and summer months. This trend was driven in part by higher travel volumes, which led to increased vehicle exhaust. Seasonal events, such as Fourth of July fireworks, also contributed to short-term spikes in air pollution.
Weather conditions in the Great Plains can further amplify these seasonal air quality patterns. Hot, dry summer conditions can bring periods of low wind and stagnant air, which allow pollutants to build up rather than disperse. Moderate drought conditions may loosen dirt and soil, making particulate matter more likely to become airborne through wind, vehicle traffic, and everyday activity—contributing to higher PM2.5 levels.
Additional sources, including prescribed fires used for land management and smoke from Canadian wildfires, also affect air quality on the Santee reservation. Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds or even thousands of miles, creating hazy conditions and degrading air quality in the region.
Because air quality can change quickly during these seasonal conditions, the Santee community is encouraged to check the local Air Quality Index in the same way they check the temperature. This information helps individuals plan or adjust daily activities based on current air conditions.
From data to daily decisions
Air quality data plays an important role in protecting community health—especially for those most vulnerable to poor air quality, including individuals with asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. Wildfire smoke, agricultural activity, and seasonal allergens can all increase health risks during certain times of the year.
By combining real-time air pollutant data with weather conditions such as wind, temperature, and humidity, the Santee Sioux Nation can issue timely health advisories through the Santee Sioux website. These air quality advisories and recommendations provide guidance to community members on planning or modifying their outdoor activities.
The program also emphasizes community engagement by involving tribal elders and students in outreach and education efforts. Through this approach, the Santee Sioux Nation supports environmental awareness across generations and encourages community members to take an active role as environmental stewards.
The takeaway
Through its outdoor air quality monitoring efforts, the Santee Sioux Nation is increasing awareness of air quality and communicating the impacts of air pollution on both health and the environment. With the addition of an IQAir AirVisual Outdoor monitor, the Santee Air Quality Monitoring Program has improved its ability to monitor local environmental conditions, share information, and help the community make informed decisions on their outdoor activities.
These environmental strategies have also advanced tribal air quality science. The Santee Sioux Nation was recently selected as a monitoring site for the NASA Pandora Project. As part of NASA’s Pandora Global Network (PGN)—a ground-based spectrometer system that uses ultraviolet light from the sun to measure atmospheric pollutants such as ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and formaldehyde (HCHO)—the program will collaborate with federal agencies to expand scientific understanding of air pollution.
In addition, the Santee Sioux Nation was chosen as a PFAS monitoring site, supporting research efforts to collect wet deposition samples and analyze per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that pose risks to people and the environment.
Together, these initiatives reflect the Santee Sioux Nation’s proactive, data-driven approach to protecting the land, strengthening environmental stewardship, and improving the long-term health and wellness of the Isanti Oyate people.
