CARE 

Mail Code 8001A 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW 

Washington, DC 20460 

Phone: 1-877-CARE-909 

Inside This Edition: 

 CARE Communities in Action...... p. 2-3 

 CARE Conference Highlights........p. 4 

 Partnering with Public Health.......p. 4 http://www.epa.gov/care 

Community Action for a Renewed Environment 

CAR E Program

Quarterly Highlights — November 2006

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program helps communities 

address risks from various sources of toxic pollutants in their local environment. 

USEPA Administrator Johnson Announces New CARE Grantees 

2006 CARE Level I Grantees & 

Communities: 

1. Nuestras Raices, Holyoke, MA 

2. Harambee House, Savannah, GA 

3. The City of Rock Hill, Rock Hill, SC 

4. SW Detroit Environmental Vision, SW 

Detroit, MI 

5. St. Bernard Parish Government, St. 

Bernard Parish, LA 

6. Cherokee Nation Tribal Government, 

The Cherokee Nation, OK 

7. Cerro Gordo County Department of 

Public Health, Cerro Gordo County, IA 

8. Citizens for Clean Air & Water in 

Pueblo/S. Colorado, Pueblo, CO 

9. Nunakauyak Traditional Council, Nelson Island, AK 

10. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Pierce County, WA 

U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson participated in the 2nd Annual 

CARE Training Workshop held in Seattle, Washington, November 14 –17, 

2006. Administrator Johnson announced the 2006 Level I and Level II 

CARE grant recipients and congratulated 2005 grantees for their success. 

“Through CARE ,” he said, “we are putting communities in the driver’s 

seat to deliver their residents real environmental results.” 

The workshop provided technical support, scientific expertise, and networking opportunities to the 29 CARE communities. Many of the CARE 

communities helped with planning the workshop and made presentations. 

1. Boston Public Health Commission, 

Boston, MA 

2. Clean Air Communities, Camden, NJ 

3. Penn State University, Philadelphia, 

PA 

4. The Central Lake Superior Watershed 

Partnership, Marquette, MI 

5. Rocky Mountain College, Montana 

Indian County, MT 

6. Sonora Environment Research Institute, Tucson, AZ 

7. The Pacific Institute, West Oakland, 

CA 

2006 CARE Level II Grantees & Communities:

Administrator Johnson (center-front) & 

EPA Region 10 Administrator Elin Miller 

(far left-top) with members of Nunakauyak 

Traditional Council (AK), & EPA staff. CARE Communities

Tacoma-Pierce County, WA

Seattle, WA

Montana Indian 

Country, MT

West Oakland, CA

Pacoima, CA

Gallup, NM

Tucson, AZ

Denver, Co

Pueblo, CO

Cherokee Nation, OK

St. Bernard’s Parish, LA

Cerro Gordo County, IA

St. Louis, MO

Marquette, MI

Muskegon, MI

SW Detroit, 

MI

Decatur, GA

Savannah, GA

City of Rock Hill, SC

Gardner, NH

.Boston, MA

Utica, NY

Holyoke, MA

New Haven, 

CT

Camden, NJ

Rochester, NY

Port of 

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA

Level I Grant

Level II Grant

2005 Grants

Level I Grant

Level II Grant

2006 Grants

Nunakauyak

Traditional 

Council, AK
CARE Communities in Action: 

Page 2 U.S. EPA CARE Program: Quarterly Highlights - November 2006

JOINING TOGETHER 

The Mid-Atlantic Clean Ports Workshop (Philadelphia, 

Pennsylvania) was a success and the Clean Air Council fostered relationships with both national and local maritime industry leaders, such as the Delaware River Stevedores and South Jersey Port corporation and Port of Wilmington as well as the Philadelphia Regional Port authority. 

Camden Iron and metal, Donaldson and Caterpillar are stakeholders that helped sponsor the Clean Ports Workshop. 

The Council is developing a “Green Ports” website, including resources that should help other port projects. The 

project’s three subcommittees are focusing on their goals of completing a water quality report, expanding diesel port 

cargo, handling equipment retrofits and working with United Communities of southeast Philadelphia as the organization links youth groups and land use. 

The Rochester City School District in Rochester, New 

York, partnered with the District’s Director of Arts 

Education to conduct an art design contest for District 

elementary school students to increase awareness of 

the importance of retrofitting vehicles with a diesel 

particulate filter in order to reduce toxic air emissions. 

The students were encouraged to create pictures of 

their personal experience with pollution in their 

neighborhood. Over 50 drawings were submitted. 

The next phase of this educational outreach effort is 

creating large scale depictions of selected student art 

to be placed on the seven retrofitted refrigerated 

school buses that service the Rochester City School 

District.

IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 

Using the NACCHO PACE tool to gain community consensus on environmental risks, the Oneida County Health Department (NY) is proceeding on subcommittee work with its 111 organizations in the CARE partnership. In addition, 

the Department mailed letters to the county’s mayors and town supervisors and published an article in the Observer 

Dispatch to generate interest in Brownfields. 

Similarly, in order to build interest for a major CARE meeting, the DeKalb County (GA) Community Action for a Renewed Environment held smaller community involvement presentations at the DeKalb branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Dekalb CARE also visited with businesses, put out a press release 

on Sagal Radio, and hung banners along the streets to generate interest. This groundwork paid off in a major turnout of over 70 community members, 2 state legislators, 2 county commissioners, the city mayor and council members attending the Clarkston community town hall meeting at Georgia Perimeter College. Participants provided their 

input on evaluating community environmental risks. Over 70% in attendance indicated that the forum was helpful for 

raising awareness about community environmental issues. Issues of greatest concern were recycling and water 

quality, and water conservation. 

The Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments faces several challenges in dealing with a population of 

225,000 dispersed over 15,000 miles. Several of these challenges were raised in three county forums held by the 

Council. The environmental concerns ranged from air quality related to the San Juan County power plants to water 

quality and health risks from resumption of uranium mining in McKinley and Cibola Counties. Common themes were 

the tension between activities related to the energy economy and the associated environmental impacts and environmental injustice. This CARE project is continuing to work towards developing and maintaining the widely dispersed counties’ partners and to delve more deeply into the area’s environmental concerns.

School Children Bring Air-Quality Issues to Life in Art in Rochester, NY 

“CARE has the potential to take us to the next level of environmental protection...with community 

partnerships being the source of the kind of synergy we need to move forward.” 

Jim Gulliford, Assistant Administrator, EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances

There are four steps in the CARE process: joining together, identifying problems & solutions, implementing 

solutions & reducing risks, and becoming selfsustaining. 
Implementing Solutions & Reducing Risks 

Partners of Pacoima Beautiful (CA) identified residential 

areas in the community where trucks stop and idle while 

waiting to be loaded. These areas will be targeted for an 

anti-idling campaign. Residents will be provided with information on how to either repair or retire their older cars 

that are not passing smog checks in order to reduce air 

pollution. In a previously identified area with concentrated auto disassembling facilities, the wastewater will be 

tested and evaluated to determine if exposure is a risk to 

children playing in the water. 

In order to address the concerns of a community in Fair 

Haven burdened by a large number of junk yards, scrap metal and auto recycling facilities, Green New Haven (CT) 

developed an Environmental Best Practices Checklist for Auto Recyclers, with the CT Dept of Environmental Protection guide and assistance. The new environmental engineer, funded by CARE, provided on-site assistance to 

these facilities. A facility whose past operations created fires that impacted neighborhood businesses and residents 

is now putting in fire breaks and is handling hazardous materials properly. 

The lead remediation program headed by The NeighborWorks Rochester (Rochester, New York) created a total of 

31 Action Plans to address lead hazards. Of the 31 Action Plans, 13 were for owner-occupied units and18 were for 

rental units. Toxics reduction action can include referring participants to lead safe work practice workshops, to 

available rehab programs and health services, including lead testing for children. Participants are also given information on the common household sources of lead poisoning and advised to undertake the appropriate cleaning 

methods to help reduce the presence of lead dust. They are also working with the Rochester Green Business Network to conduct outreach and education to local small businesses on how they can save money by using pollution 

prevention methods to reduce air pollution. 

The International District Housing Alliance (Seattle, WA) is expanding its reach, by coordinating individual building 

meetings with residents who were unable to attend community meetings, reaching over 200 additional individuals. 

The highest priority concerns of the residents were indoor and outdoor air quality, which led to indoor air workshops 

and in-home assessments for 95 residents. A workshop for home care and outreach nurses was also held. During 

the International District's Summer Festival, an EcoVillage attracted over 400 visitors who participated in environmental educational activities. 

The Clean Air Partnership (St. Louis, MO) hosted its first Air Quality Stakeholders meeting in May and began to 

network and provide information on EPA's Performance Track Program to several facilities such as the Metropolitan 

Sewer District on potential voluntary pollution prevention actions for 6 pollutants of concern. A preliminary inventory 

of area sources is being undertaken with the assistance of the City Department of Air Pollution. Another focus is to 

continue its successful collaboration with the St. Louis Community Air Project on reducing idling. After a meeting 

with the St. Louis Public School Director of Public Transport, several projects were initiated such as establishing a 

“no-idling zone” and a parental outreach at “Back to School” fairs held at several schools. 

Becoming Self-Sustaining 

Muskegon County (MI) Environmental Coordinating Council is joining forces with ongoing coalitions and organizations that are fixtures in the County and combining information to get better results with the CARE funds. This enhanced network has successfully launched the following campaigns: (a) assisted in locating residents most in need 

of services with the Lead Safe Coalition, (b) supported funding from the MI Department of Environmental Quality 

for a West Michigan Shoreline K-12 Chemical Management Project for the Annis Water Resources Institute’s 

school program, (c) worked to reduce the sale and use of fertilizers containing phosphorus to protect the Mona 

Lake Watershed, and (d) initiated conversations with the Muskegon County Chamber of Commerce on the State 

Clean Corporate Citizen Program to help local businesses become more environmentally friendly. 

Groundwork Denver (Healthy Air for NE Denver) and Consensus Building Institute helped facilitate the Healthy Air 

for Northeast Denver (CO): Helping Achieve a New Direction in Environmental Management (HAND in Hand) -- an 

introduction of a new operating protocol that encourages representation from community, business, nonprofits and 

agencies. Review of the formal organizing documents is underway through pro bono assistance from Brownstein, 

Hyatt and Farber law firm. Over 306 homes have been provided in-home toxic reduction information, such as 

Smoke Outside pledges, by neighborhood promotoras. 

U.S EPA CARE Program: Quarterly Highlights - November 2006 Page 3 

Pacoima Beautiful’s Logo, linking residents & their environment 
Page 4 U.S. EPA CARE Program: Quarterly Highlights - November 2006

http://www.epa.gov/care 

Building Partnerships in the Public Health Arena 

Upcoming Events:

• Early 2007 – 2007 CARE Request for Proposals Announcement 

• Jan/Feb 2007 – Three Web-casts for prospective CARE grantees 

• December 15, 2006 – Abstracts due for speakers at June 19-22 

EPA Community Involvement Conference (Jacksonville, FL) 

Words Delivered at CARE 2nd 

Annual Conference 

I see how my community struggles to overcome bad situations...

I see our youth making our community a 

healthier place to live... 

I see a work-in-progress becoming a beautiful thing... 

I see future generations starting to make a 

positive change in the world... 

I can make my community a better place to 

live... 

I can organize people in my community...

I can change my community and world with 

the knowledge that I know... 

I will help others learn about their community... 

I will stand tall... 

I will spread the power of words into my 

community... 

I hope our community becomes beautiful... 

I hope that not just this community, but the 

whole world will become a safe and healthy 

place to live in... 

I am the future of my community... 

I am the dreams of many others... 

I am willing to give my all and make a 

change... 

I am the future of my community... 

I am a leader... 

I am a tool needed to fix my community... 

I am well aware that unity among our community can make a difference... 

I am and an up and coming power in my 

community... 

I am proud of my community... 

I am what I am, no one will dictate my destiny... 

I dream of a better tomorrow... 

I dream of a community where we become 

the leaders we wish to see... 

Pacoima Beautiful Environmental Justice Institute 

San Fernando High School Students – Fall 2006 

Highlights from the CARE Conference 

At the 2nd Annual Training Workshop for CARE Program over 142 participants from 29 CARE communities, academia, industry, state/local/ 

tribal government and EPA worked together to build understanding over 

concerns communities are facing today. Compared to the 2005 CARE 

First Annual Training, this year’s workshop grew – by participants (from 

70 – 142), by training sessions (from 7 to 12) and by substance (from 

general sessions to specific solutions). The training’s collaborative planning process engaged a diverse EPA technical team and various community partners throughout each step. 

Participants especially enjoyed a tailored walking tour and community 

dinner in Seattle’s International District, hosted by CARE’s Level I International District Housing Alliance.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) held its 134th Annual Meeting in Boston, November 4-8, 2006, where over 13,000 public health professionals from around the world gathered to discuss 

pressing issues in public health and human rights. CARE was very 

visible at this meeting. Program members hosted an exhibit booth and 

participated on an Environmental Health and Community Based Participatory Research panel. The panel included an overview of the 

CARE program and presentations by two CARE communities. 

In addition, CARE and CDC’s National Center for Environmental 

Health (NCEH) met October 31, 2006 in Atlanta to form a collaboration to improve support for communities. This collaboration will enable 

CARE and NCEH to leverage resources and expand their support for 

community-based environmental health initiatives. Representatives 

from two CARE communities, Dr. Mildred McClain from Harambee 

House in Savannah, GA, and Rob Blake from the Dekalb County (GA) 

Health Department, participated in the meeting to help ensure that the 

collaboration meets community needs. Ideas, such as the establishment of a national environmental health academy for community leaders, are being contemplated for this new partnership. All participants 

at the meeting in Atlanta agreed that the collaboration has the potential to significantly improve support for communities.