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# OFFICE OF AIR & RADIATION ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTION PLAN INITIATIVES (Descriptive Summaries)

### www .epa.gov /air 

### Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)

FY 2009 EJ Action Plan Initiatives OAQPS Robust, Results - Oriented Activity – Collision Repair Campaign 

### • Is sue – Many

m inority and low - income communities are adversely a ffected by

e missions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from auto body s hops in their neighborhoods. Many s hops are small businesses with limited resources and knowledge about the emissions they g enerate, applicable regulations, and options for pollution prevention.  Ty pe of Project – Outreach and education, compliance assistance  Summary – The Collision Repair Campaign (CRC) is a voluntary p rogram that is designed to help local communities reduce and eliminate harmful HAPs from collision repair or auto body s hops. The program provides free training, technical assistance, and community o utreach to local collision repair shops. The program’s goal is to help shop owners reduce paint, solvent, and related hazardous waste disposal costs. It also aims to achieve early c ompliance with OAQPS’s rule on Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources by reducing pollutants early

and to levels beyond those required by the rule. L eadership for the program is shifting to the EPA regions and state and local agencies as the compliance date approaches for the EPA auto body s hop rule that the campaign supports. This item will be deleted from OAR's EJ action plan for FY 2011.  Message or Lesson Learned – Programs aimed at voluntary e missions reductions that also reduce business costs are a cost - effective and productive form of compliance assistance. To this end, the CRC focuses on meaningful risk reduction in the Collision Repair source sector to complement our ongoing community

air toxics work and attain reductions at a faster rate. The CRC has trained over 5,114 people, representing close to 2,000 repair shops and leveraged over $2 million. The CRC regional teams have conducted 5 webinars with approximately 7 00 participants. Of the shops that participated in the training workshops, 50% are estimated to be implementing best practices. This has saved an estimated 59 tons of material and reduced an estimated 40 tons of PM and 31 tons of VOC emissions. The CRC team developed an award winning training and outreach DVD (featuring Jeff Gordon) to help further their mission and reach more shops. The CRC team has distributed approximately 2 0,000 DVDs and posters .  Project Completion Date – Program is being transferred to the Regions.  Partners – In dustry

groups, state and local agencies, trade associations, EPA media offices, paint companies, community

c olleges, EPA regional offices.  EPA Point of Contact – Holly W ilson (Outreach and Information Division), wilson.holly@epa.gov , (919) 541 - 5624 2

### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Tr ibal New Sour ce Review Rulemaking  Is sue – There is no permitting mechanism in Indian country f or issuing permits under two of the three parts of the New Source Review (NSR) preconstruction permit program. This regulatory gap does not ensure environmental protection, creates uncertainty f or and an uneven playing field for sources, and impacts economic development.  Ty pe of Project – Rulemaking  Summary – OAQPS issued a proposed rule that would close the regulatory g ap in Indian country b y providing a permitting mechanism and permit programs for minor stationary s ources located in Indian country

and for major sources located in areas of Indian country n ot attaining the National Ambient Air Quality S tandards (NAAQS). The rule is expected to be finalized in December 2010. Subsequent to proposal, OAQPS completed an EJ review of the proposed Tribal/New Source Review (NSR) rule using the Agency’ s Standard Setting and Rulemaking/Regulatory Development protocol. A fter promulgation, OAQPS, among other things, will: (1) coordinate training for permit writers, tribal environmental professionals, and other stakeholders; (2) conduct outreach to the regulated community ; and (3) develop delegation regulatory

l anguage to facilitate delegation of the federal program to tribes.  Message or Lesson Learned – Due to low priority a ssigned to this rule, it is now a teenager. Nonetheless, T

ribes have had substantial involvement and input in the rulemaking process.  Project Completion Date – December 2010  Partners –Regional Of fices, National T

ribal Air Association, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals  EP

A Point of Contact – Jessica Montanez, (Air Quality P olicy D ivision), montanez.jessica@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 3407

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Develop and Refine Analytical Tools for Performing EJ Analysis  Is sue – OAQPS rule writers should be performing EJ related screening or analysis in all rulemakings. There is no Agency

guidance that answers the most relevant questions on how to perform such analyses.  Ty pe of Project – Tool development for rulemakings  Summary – OAQPS has selected five rules to pilot the development of improved environmental justice analysis, including improvement to distributional analyses. To date, proximity analyses are complete on two rules, and analysis for two other selected rules is underway ( Transport Rule, PM NAAQS). Analy tical work on the Utility

MACT has not started. Experience from the pilot effort will guide future analyses for other OAQPS rules.  Message or Lesson Learned – Each analysis will be different depending on the ty pe, and timing of the rule, availability

o f information, and the role of the analysis in the decision making. Proximity analysis is useful for sector - based rules (e.g., MACT), but we need to move beyond quantitative/qualitative is useful for sector rules (e.g., MACT), but we need to move bey quantitative/qualitative statements that characterize impacted populations. Simple analyses can be done in - house, reducing dependency

o n contractors. Analyses for area sources and criteria pollutants will require more refined or smaller scale data. Exposure and health risk analysis is useful for rules with national scope and high transport elements (e.g., NAAQS revisions, Ozone, PM2.5, Transport rule, etc.)  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  EPA Point of Contact – Laura McKelvey ( Outreach and Information Division), mckelvey .laura@epa.gov , (919) 541 - 5497

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Wo odsmoke Initiative  Is sue - PM and air toxics emissions from wood smoke contribute to health problems inside homes and in non - attainment areas. W ood smoke was the primary reason most of the areas out west (e.g., Oakridge, OR; Fairbanks, AK; Sacramento, CA) were designated nonattainment for the PM2.5 24 hour standard in 2009. Approximately h alf of the households with wood stoves make less than $40K/year and are often located in rural economically depressed communities (e.g., tribal lands). Nearly 3 5% of all Native American households heat their home with wood, some at much higher rates. Asthma is twice as prevalent in Native American communities compared to the rest of the U.S. A University

o f Montana study

h as shown changing out an old stove with a properly i nstalled EP

A certified wood stove can reduce indoor PM2.5 by 7 0%. Currently

there is no federal program funded to facilitate the change - out or upgrading of these old technology w ood stoves. Without near full funding ($3,000) low income households are unlikely t o upgrade their stoves for many years. In addition, how and what people burn in their wood - burning appliance is critical to reducing emissions.  Ty pe of Project – Education, outreach and incentive based  Summary – OAQPS is partnered with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), the Summary is partnered with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), the American Lung Association (ALA), and others to help local agencies replace inef ficient wood stoves and fireplaces with cleaner- burning technologies like gas, wood pellet, and EP A - certified wood stoves. More recently we launched EP A’ s “Burn Wise” outreach campaign. The combination of wood stove change - outs and improved burning practices can effectively reduce indoor fine particle (PM2.5) pollution and air toxics by 7 0% and help bring areas into attainment with the national PM2.5 health standard. The ef

fort is focusing on areas with PM2.5 challenges due to wood smoke and low income and/or tribal communities.  Lessons Learned and Message – Cash incentives are critical to motivating homeowners to encourage wood stove change - outs. Change - outs alone may n ot significantly

reduce emissions without proper wood - burning practices. Our Burn Wise message is “Burn the right wood, the right way , in the right appliance”. T

o date, over 13,000 wood stoves and fireplaces have been changed out in more than 45 communities, approximately 2 48 tons of PM reduced/year, resulting in an estimated $84 million/year of health benefits.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  EP

A Point of Contact – Larry Brockman (Outreach and Information Division), brockman.larry@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5398  External Point of Contact – John Crouch, Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, (916) 536 - 2390. 5

### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Identify Non -Attainment Ar eas/Designation Issue  Is sue – In dian country i s often grouped with county d esignations, even though sources in Indian country typ ically do not contribute significantly t o non - attainment problems. This tends to impede economic development in Indian country . EP A needs to work with tribes and provide them with educational information and assistance in order for tribes to participate effectively in decisions regarding designations of non - attainment areas.  Ty pe of Project – Rulemaking and guidance development  Summary – OAQPS of fered consultation with tribal leaders and requested designations recommendations. There is pending work on the designation of Indian country . W e also brief and hold conference calls for tribal environmental staf f on the standards and on designation issues. A working group with tribal staf f has been established to discuss designations and implementation issues, and the agendas are developed by the tribes. In addition, we have developed a database to track the non - attainment areas within Indian country and generate quarterly

reports that identify newly d esignated areas within Indian country . esignated within I country  Message or Lesson Learned – As tribes become more technically capable and engaged with the designations process, we can expect them to request designations for their own land.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Tribes, regional of fices  EP

A Point of Contact – Angel McCormack (Outreach and Information Division), mccormack.angel@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 3588

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Support Tr ibal Governments in Effectively Participating in Development of SIPs  Is sue – Tribal members and others living in Indian country c an be adversely affected by e missions from of f - reservation sources. To protect their citizens, tribal governments are encouraged to participate in the SIP process of neighboring states. It is essential to educate the tribes and states on collaboration in the SIP process.  Ty pe of Project – Training, capacity building, guidance  Summary – OAQPS has presented several tribal trainings to improve the tribes’technical capacity to assess of

f - reservation sources and impacts and to discuss how to engage with the states in SIP development and implementation. W e are developing guidance for the tribes on developing Tribal Implementation Plans. Another training is planned for the coming ye ar.  Message or Lesson Learned – As part of EP A’ s trust responsibility

t o tribes, EP

A should assure that SIP’ s are developed in a way that is respectful of tribal sovereignty . Collaboration is a key

e lement in the process and should be included in training that EP A sponsors.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Regional of fices, In stitute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, state air programs, tribes  EP

A Point of Contact – Angel McCormack (Outreach and Information Division), mccormack.angel@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 3588

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Internal Capacity for Responding Appropriately to EJ Issues  Is sue – Addressing EJ issues requires that HQ staf f and managers understand issues from the community

p erspective and establish good working relationships with community m embers.  Ty pe of Project – Outreach and education  Summary – OAQPS has begun a speaker series to keep staf f informed about EJ issues from the community ’s p erspective. OAQPS will hold quarterly c onference calls with community members to seek their input on regulations and programs as well as provide a forum for them to share with EP

A and other community

m embers their experiences and ideas.  Message or Lesson Learned – Interaction with community m embers about EJ issues has been critical to educating and motivating OAQPS staf f to integrate EJ into their work, and staf f needs a regular means of maintaining contact and relationships with community m embers. The OAQPS EJ Speakers Series, which featured several EJ activists, provided an excellent opportunity

f or participants to hear upfront the real - life stories of people who were and are still being directly

a ffected by

the injustice in their communities.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Regional of fices, community

m embers  EP

A Point of Contact – Lena Epps - Price (Outreach and Information Division), epps - price.lena@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5573

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Capacity Building and Outr each to EJ Communities  Is sue – The Agency's standard modes of communication do not always reach community members, some of who need targeted outreach and communication that is appropriate to their circumstances.  Ty pe of Project – Outreach and education  Summary – OAQPS has several programs designed to engage communities in our programs.

• In2010, OAQPS hosted a successful conference, which drew more than 500 participants, for community m embers and others on EJ and air issues. A similar conference is planned for 201 1. • OAQPS encouraged partners in a voluntary p rogram (Sustainable Skylines) to address overburdened communities. This program is in transition and OAQPS will continue to implement the SSIprogram with current communities until projects are complete. • OAQPS maintains and updates OAR’ s website for communities (EJAir). • OAQPS is exploring the development of a community l earning center for environmental justice communities, which would ef ficiently address the information and training needs of communities, particularly those that do not have the capacity to become EP

A grantees. The learning center could be modeled after the successful In stitute for Tribal Environmental Professionals located at Northern Arizona University , which provides training and professional development for Tribal environmental staf f, primarily o n air issues and which is currently s upported by

O AR.  Message or Lesson Learned – Outreach and capacity building for communities is critical because EP

A needs to leverage the expertise in communities in order to make our programs successful and ef

fective. Proven winners (such as our 2010 conference and EJ Air website) need to be continued while we develop other means of reaching out to and building capacity o f more communities.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Regional of fices, communities  EP

A Point of Contact – EJ Conference: L ena Epps - Price (Outreach and Information Division), epps - price.lena@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5573 EJAir Website: T

om L ink (Air Quality

P olicy D ivision), l link.tom@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5456 EJ Community

L earning Center: Candace Carraway (Outreach and Information Division), carraway .candace@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 3189 9

### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Implement a Risk- based Air T oxics Standard for

Stationary Sources  Is sue –The Agency recognizes an opportunity i n setting risk based standards to ameliorate present disproportional impacts of stationary s ources on communities with environmental justice concerns.  Ty pe of Project – Rulemaking  Summary – OAQPS continues to promulgate area source rules and residual risk rules, which reduce exposures in overburdened communities. Wehave completed all area source rules. We have initiated EJ analyses for some key r ules of particular interest to communities (i.e., CI SWI , boilers, cement, and utilities). EJ was one of the criteria considered for the prioritization of Risk and T

echnology Review (R

TR) rules, and will continue to be used in the prioritization of other stationary

s ource rulemakings. W

e anticipate approximately 1 0 residual risk rulemakings over the next year, and will look at demographic information across each of those R TR categories. A s part of the ef fort to consider EJ for other stationary s ource rulemaking efforts, census block groups with the highest cumulative risk (from multiple sources) will be analy zed to see which stationary

s ources are contributing to the risk, and what percentage of the risk can be allocated to those sources. This ef fort will also help illuminate opportunities to address EJ within the rulemaking context.  Message or Lesson Learned – In itial EJ analysis or screenings need to be simple enough to be done with limited resources. In instances where the initial analysis indicates a potential EJ concern, more detailed and resource intensive analysis can be performed.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  EP

A Point of Contact – Li sa Conner (Sector Policies and Programs Division), conner.lisa@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5060

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Encourage Air Quality Management Plan Pilot Ar eas to Develop Strategies for

A ddr essing EJ Concerns  Is sue – EP

A grantees should be encouraged to include provisions for addressing environmental justice issues in their jurisdictions.  Ty pe of Project – Outreach and education  Summary – OAQPS developed a summary o f several activities to encourage emissions reductions that could be implemented in EJ communities and provided this to grantees involved in the air quality m anagement grant program.  Message or Lesson Learned – Providing suggestions on how to address EJ issues does increase the chance that grantees will have programs to address this important issue. Of the three grantees, one (St. L ouis) has submitted an air quality m anagement plan that has an environmental justice component. St Louis staf f has: (1) identified which parts of their jurisdiction are EJ areas; (2) developed health indicators that they p lan to communicate to EJ jurisdiction are EJ areas; (2) developed indicators that they lan to communicate communities; and (3) plan to prioritize future ef forts to address air quality i n these EJ communities. Another grantee (New Yo rk) has said they w ill be submitting EJ component soon.  Project Completion Date – December 201 1  Partners – Air quality p lanning organizations for St. L ouis, New Yo rk, and North Carolina  EP

A Point of Contact – Nancy M ayer (Outreach and Information Division), mayer.nancy@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5390

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### www .epa.gov /air OAQPS EJ Initiative - Implement Memorandum of Understanding with North Carolina Agricultural and Te chnical State University (NC A&T SU)  Is sue – Minorities are substantially underrepresented among OAQPS employees and among environmental professionals.  Ty pe of Project – Education and internships  Summary – Through this MOU with a historically African American University , OAQPS provides students with information about careers at EP A, provides support to the university staf f, and provides learning opportunities to students through the annual intern program. This program has been in ef

fect for 18 years and OAQPS/EP A has hired several employees as a result of the EP

A/A&T relationship. In addition, several former interns have procured positions in EP

A/HQ in DC. On an average, OAQPS has 3 to 5 interns, per summer, from A&T.  Message or Lesson Learned – Internship programs not only h elp the Agency

i n a substantive way , but also improve the diversity o f its workforce, which is particularly important as the , but also improve the diversity f its workforce, which is particularly important as the Agency re - emphasizes its focus on environmental justice.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – NC A&T SU  EP

A Point of Contact – Phyllis W right, (Central Operations and Resources) wright.phyllis@epa.gov, (919) 541 - 5369

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### Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP) FY 2009 EJ Action Plan Initiatives OAP Robust, Results - Oriented Activity – ENERGY ST AR Residential Program  Is sue – Energy efficiency has been proven to be a very c ost ef fective strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating the problems related to global climate change, in addition to improving our energy security and reducing our energy bills. Compared to upperincome families, lower- income families often spend a disproportionate amount of their household income on utilities.  Ty pe of Project – Energy efficiency , air quality

( GHG emission reduction)  Summary – The ENERGY ST AR Residential Program forms partnerships with groups like homebuilders, finance agencies and utilities to leverage resources and provide whole - house solutions for improving the energy- ef ficiency of new and existing homes. The program also improves access to energy - eff icient homes for lower- income families.  Message or Lesson Learned - Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results (qualitative and quantitative) – More state housing finance agencies will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable component of new af fordable housing. More HUD grantees will be aware of ENERGY ST AR for homes and add ENERGY ST AR as a voluntary

c omponent to their HUD grant application requirements. More af fordable housing stakeholders such as state housing authorities and community d evelopment corporations will recognize energy efficiency as a desirable and necessary component of existing af fordable housing. More owners of af fordable housing units will have access to energy efficiency services and products, especially those who aren’ t poor enough to qualify f or weatherization services and aren’ t wealthy e nough to purchase efficiency services and products on the open market. Greater access to energy efficiency financing products for low - income homeowners and renters. More lower- income homebuyers have greater access to energy efficient homes and products.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – State housing finance agencies, HUD, Habitat for Humanity a ffiliates, housing authorities, community

d evelopment corporations, affordable housing unit owners, foundations, lenders, energy efficiency program sponsors (such as utilities, states, municipalities, and non profit organizations), and other af fordable housing stakeholders.  EP

A Point of Contact – Dale Hof fmeyer (Acting Chief, Energy Star Residential Branch), hof fmeyer.dale@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9013 13

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OAP EJ Initiative – Cooperative Agr eement to Communicate and Provide Outr each on Tr ibal Climate Change Impacts  Is sue – Need for enhanced awareness and understanding of current and projected climate change impacts in Indian Country and Alaskan Native V

illages to enable tribal entities to adapt to these impacts.  Ty pe of Project – Climate change science communication and outreach  Summary – Through a cooperative agreement with the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (I TEP) at Northern Arizona University , the grantee communicates tribal climate change impacts and potential adaptation responses to the tribal community v ia conferences, workshops, and a continually u pdated tribal climate change website. The grantee has also issued a report to EP A discussing tribal climate change impacts and making recommendations to EP A for developing tribal capacity to address climate change issues.  Message or Lesson Learned - Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results (qualitative and quantitative) – • More tribes and tribal partner organizations will become aware of current and projected climate change impacts and how they c an work to address those impacts. More tribes and tribal partner organizations will have access to the most current information tailored to tribes on climate change issues through a living website and a monthly

tribal climate change on - line newsletter. EP A will have improved understanding of the status and needs of tribal entities on understanding and preparing for climate change impacts.  Project Completion Date – December 31, 2010  Partners – In stitute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (I TEP) at Northern Arizona University

.  EP

A Point of Contact – Rona Birnbaum (Chief, Climate Science and Impacts Branch), birnbaum.rona@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9076  External Point of Contact – Mehrdad Khatibi, Mehrdad.Khatibi@nau.edu , (928) 523 - 0946 14

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OAP EJ Initiative – Acid Rain Program  Is sue – Atmospheric emissions of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide from power generation sources contribute to formation of PM2.5 and Ozone. Numerous scientific studies have linked air pollution to a variety o f health problems including: (1) aggravation of respiratory

and cardiovascular disease; (2) decreased lung function; (3) increased frequency and severity

o f respiratory

s ymptoms such as dif

ficulty b reathing and coughing; (4) increased susceptibility

t o respiratory

i nfections; (5) premature death.  Ty pe of Project – regulatory , air quality

( SO2 and NOX emission reduction)  Summary – The Acid Rain Program (ARP) was established under Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments. The ARP requires major emission reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), the primary p recursors of acid rain, from the electric power industry

. The program sets a permanent cap on the total amount of SO2 that may b e emitted by

e lectric generating units in the contiguous United States, and controls the rate of NOX emissions from those sources as well.  Message or Lesson Learned - Analysis has shown that all people, regardless of race, color, national origin or income receive health benefits from the Acid Rain Program. Continuing to implement the ARP

SO2 Program will reduce emissions of pollutants that form fine particles and cause human health problems for many c ommunities, including environmental justice communities.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Environmental organizations; State, T ribal, and Local agencies; academic researchers and Universities; af fected sources.  EP

A Point of Contact – Rick Haeuber, (202) 343 - 9250, Haeuber.richard@epa.gov .

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### www .epa.gov /air OAP EJ Initiative – Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program  Is sue – Lo cal governments and tribal governments are interested in taking action to mitigate climate change and protect their local environments while achieving multiple additional community

g oals. The Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program supports local and tribal governments with planning and implementing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Ty pe of Project – Competitive grant program with technical assistance through the terms of the grant.  Summary – EP

A launched a competitive grant program to assist local and tribal governments in establishing and implementing climate change initiatives. The overall goal of the Climate Showcase Communities (http://www.epa.gov/slclimat/local/showcase/) grant program is to create replicable models of sustainable community a ctions that generate cost - effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while improving the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a community . Throughout the grant period, grantees will receive regular technical assistance for their projects and attend an annual training workshop. Additionally , each grantee project will be showcased through the web and other outreach vehicles. Inthe first year of the grant program, 25 climate mitigation programs will be funded from the first round of funding. Of these, five local government grantees have specific environmental justice elements. Three of the 25 were awarded to tribal governments  Message or Lesson Learned – EP A will support climate mitigation projects with an environmental justice focus and will also support tribal governments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Through this grant program, EP A and grantees will participate in focused efforts to help EJ and tribal communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The lessons learned will be shared with other communities who wish to replicate or learn from grantees’ experiences.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Grant Project Of ficers include EP

A staf f from Regional Of

fices and various HQ of fices  EP

A Point of Contact – CPPD: Julie Rosenberg (Chief, State and L ocal Branch), Rosenberg.julie@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9154; Andrea Denny ( Grant Lead), denny .andrea@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9268 16

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OAP EJ Initiative – Sea Level Rise EJ Analysis  Is sue – Need for enhanced awareness and understanding of where and to what extent EJ communities may

b e disproportionately

i mpacted by

the projected effects of climate change

– in this case, sea level rise (SLR). In addition, need for better understanding of the implications of potential SLR adaptation responses for EJ communities.  Ty pe of Project – Climate change impacts and adaptation analysis  Summary – EP

A will analy

ze the EJ implications of SLR and potential adaptation responses for coastal communities in the United States. In addition, jointly w ith Region 2, EP

A will undertake a focused analysis of the SLR impacts and implications for EJ communities in the NY -NJ region. This information will help to inform current and future coastal adaptation planning in light of the vulnerability o f many E J communities to the impacts of climate change.  Message or Lesson Learned - Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results Message or Lesson Learned Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results (qualitative and quantitative) – • More EJ organizations and their partners will become aware of current and projected climate change impacts like SLR and the ty pes of potential adaptation responses. More EJ organizations and their partners will have enhanced awareness and understanding of the geographic areas that may b e disproportionately

a ffected by SLR and the implications of potential SLR adaptation responses for EJ communities in those areas.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – EP

A Region 2  EP

A Point of Contact – Rona Birnbaum (Chief, Climate Science and Impacts Branch), birnbaum.rona@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9076

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OAP EJ Initiative – Planning for Extr eme Heat Events in American Cities  Is sue – Need for enhanced awareness and understanding of where and to what extent EJ communities may

b e disproportionately

i mpacted by

the projected effects of climate change – in this case, extreme heat events. In addition, need for better understanding of potential adaptation responses for EJ communities to prepare for more frequent and intense extreme heat events likely

resulting from climate change.  Ty pe of Project – Climate change impacts and adaptation  Summary – This project will provide information and tools to help cities understand potential health risks and better prepare for and respond to extreme heat events, which disproportionately

i mpact vulnerable communities and are projected to become more frequent and intense from climate change. The information and tools produced through this project will help cities to better inform and protect vulnerable communities from extreme heat events.  Message or Lesson Learned - Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results Message or Lesson Learned Environmental and Public Health Benefits and Results (qualitative and quantitative) – • More local city

g overnments, EJ organizations, and their partners will become aware of current and projected climate change impacts like extreme heat events, as well as ty pes of potential adaptation responses. More EJ organizations and their partners will have enhanced awareness and understanding of the geographic areas that may b e disproportionately

a ffect ed by

e xtreme heat events and where there are information resources to help communities in those areas.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  EP

A Point of Contact – Rona Birnbaum (Chief, Climate Science and Impacts Branch), birnbaum.rona@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9076

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OAP EJ Initiative – Incr easing Tribal Access to Climate and Energy Information and Resources – We b Page for Tribal Audiences  Is sue – Tribal governments are interested in pursuing climate and energy mitigation projects but they m ay n ot have the resources and capacity t o research potential projects.  Ty pe of Project – In crease web access to climate and energy resources that are relevant to tribal audiences.  Summary – The State and L ocal Climate and Energy P rogram has developed a website targeting state and local governments. The program will add a web page that will specifically target tribal governments. This web page will provide links to climate change and clean energy resources specifically for tribes and will also provide info on how tribal governments can navigate through the overall web site. The tribal web page will also include examples of tribes who have completed or plan to complete climate mitigation projects and list relevant resources. For example, the web page could include an example of Smart Growth projects that tribes in the Pacific Northwest are pursuing with related resources such as the tribal subcommittee created by

the American Planning Association. subcommittee created American Planning Association.  Message or Lesson Learned - . By e stablishing a tribal web page for the web, we can help tribes consider and implement cost - effective climate mitigation and energy efficiency actions that will reap multiple benefits.  Project Completion Date – 2010  Partners – Tribal groups i.e., I TEP , T ACs  EP

A Point of Contact – CPPD: Julie Rosenberg (Chief, State and L ocal Branch), Rosenberg.julie@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9154  External Point of Contact – N/A

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### www .epa.gov /air OAP EJ Initiative – Atmospheric Mercury Network  Is sue – Human activities, such as power generation from coal - fired power plants, release mercury i nto the environment where natural processes convert mercury t o methyl mercury – a toxic pollutant that is readily a bsorbed in the digestive system of animals and magnified to high levels in the food web. Continued widespread mercury c ontamination across the United States demonstrates that mercury p ollution is a persistent, serious environmental problem. Atmospheric deposition is a major contributor of mercury t o inland water bodies. Mercury concentrations in fish and wildlife in the United States now routinely e xceed human health thresholds. State and federal fish consumption advisories blanket the nation. Tribes are particularly

i nterested in mercury

p ollution because the primary m ethod of mercury exposure is through fish consumption.  Ty pe of Project – Atmospheric monitoring; data access (mercury)  Summary – EP

A collaborated with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) with membership including federal agencies, States, T ribes, and other organizations, and the broader mercury research community t o establish an atmospheric mercury m onitoring broader mercury research community o establish an atmospheric mercury onitoring network. As part of this ef fort, EP A and NADP

are collaborating with the Cherokee Nation to operate a mercury

m onitoring site on tribal lands.  Message or Lesson Learned – The NADP Atmospheric Mercury

N etwork (AMNet) provides high quality

, high resolution monitoring data from over 20 locations around the country . Establishing atmospheric mercury monitoring sites on tribal lands enhances tribes’ability t o develop and run their own environmental programs and provides information that helps to protect their communities and environment.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – NADP

members (Federal agencies, States, T ribes, Environment Canada, Universities), communities and the general public; environmental organizations; academic researchers and Universities.  EP

A Point of Contact – Rick Haeuber, (202) 343 - 9250, Haeuber.richard@epa.gov.

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### www .epa.gov /air OAP EJ Initiative – On - Line Resources for Community Aw areness  Is sue – Atmospheric emissions of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide from power generation sources contribute to formation of PM2.5 and Ozone. Numerous scientific studies have linked air pollution to a variety o f health problems including: (1) aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease; (2) decreased lung function; (3) increased frequency and severity o f respiratory

s ymptoms such as dif

ficulty b reathing and coughing; (4) increased susceptibility t o respiratory infections; (5) premature death.  Ty pe of Project – Data and mapping of air quality and emissions sources (SO2 and NOX)  Summary – The Clean Air Markets Divisions website is a publicly a ccessible portal to a variety o f data including national power plant information, air quality and acid deposition data, and emissions sources and levels. Through the Data and Maps W ebsite and Databases, users can access data to better understand pollution sources and levels, both geographically and over time. With the Google Earth Interactive Mapping T ool, web users can see emissions and air quality d ata in an interactive 3 - D platform. This tool web users can see emissions and air quality ata in an interactive D platform. This tool enables the public to see information on maps that provide a direct, graphic link to their communities. Both Data and Maps and the Google Earth Interactive Mapping T ool are free, accessible on the internet, and empower all people to better understand the air quality and emissions data that af fect their communities.  Message or Lesson Learned – The public has a right to transparent, accessible data regarding pollution sources, emissions levels, and air quality and other environmental issues. Access to CAMD data will enable the public to see how EP A programs have improved the environment where they l ive, as well as the remaining environmental issues af fecting their communities. Such knowledge will empower communities to be more active participants in the continuing environmental protection dialogue.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Communities, stakeholders and the general public; Environmental organizations; State, T

ribal, and Local agencies; academic researchers and Universities; affected sources.  EP

A Point of Contact – Rick Haeuber, (202) 343 - 9250, Haeuber.richard@epa.gov. 21

### www .epa.gov /air OAP EJ Initiative – Responsible Appliance Disposal  Is sue – EP

A estimates that 9 million refrigerators/freezers, 4.5 million air- conditioning units, and 800,000 dehumidifiers are disposed of in the United States annually . Because these appliances contain ozone - depleting substances (ODS), greenhouse gases (GHGs), hazardous substances, and recyclable materials, their proper disposal is critical for environmental and human health protection.  Ty pe of Project – Air quality ( stratospheric ozone protection, climate protection), Energyefficiency , and Proper disposal and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes  Summary – EP

A encourages proper disposal of old, inef ficient refrigerant - containing appliances through the RAD Program. Refrigerators are one of the largest energy- consuming appliances in the household. Replacing an old inef ficient unit with a new ef ficient model will save a household ener

gy and money

o n their utility

b ill, and proper disposal of the old unit is key f or protecting the environment and human health. Old refrigerant - containing appliances may c ontain CFCs that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to climate change. They also may c ontain mercury

, PCBs, and used oil, as well as durable components that should be properly m anaged at end of life. EP A is reaching out to low - income households to encourage them to properly

dispose of old refrigerant - containing appliances, resulting in reduced energy demand, emissions of ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases.  Message or Lesson Learned – In2008 alone, the RAD Program’ s 16 partners collected and processed a total of 505,956 refrigerant - containing appliances, including:  418,223 refrigerators/freezers;  81,592 stand - alone freezers;  5,608 air- conditioning units; and  533 dehumidifiers. Joining RAD helps get old refrigerators of f the grid, and in the process, RAD partners have helped protect the ozone layer, reduce GHG emissions, reduce energy use, and increase recycling. 30 partners are currently i n the program.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Utilities, retailers, manufacturers, state and local governments, universities, and other eligible entities.  EP

A Point of Contact – Cindy N ewberg (Chief, Alternatives and Emissions Reduction Branch), newberg.cindy@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9729 22

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OAP EJ Initiative – Final n - Propyl Bromide Rule – SNAP Program  Is sue – n - Propyl Bromide (nPB) is a nonflammable organic solvent with a strong odor used in degreasing and spray a dhesives. In2003, EP

A proposed regulations for the use of nPB. Since then, new data has come to light warranting stricter use requirements.  Ty pe of Project – chemical safety , air quality

( alternative for an ozone - depleting substances (ODS)  Summary – Through its Significant New Alternatives Policy ( SNAP) Program, EP

A is proposing to allow the use of nPB as an alternative to ODS in some, but not all, end uses. The final nPB rule will af fect approximately

1 2,000 people, reducing their exposure to this harmful solvent. Most workers in these industries are low - wage hourly workers, many

o f whom are Hispanic and female.  Message or Lesson Learned – Highlights the importance of continuously reviewing and evaluating new data about chemicals.  Project Completion Date – Wi nter 2010/201 1  Partners – N/A  EP

A Point of Contact – Cindy N ewberg (Chief, Alternatives and Emissions Reduction Branch), newberg.cindy@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9729

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OAP EJ Initiative – Tr anslating Materials into Other Languages (Clean Air

Markets Division, SunWise Program, ENERGY ST AR)  Is sue – For many

Americans, particularly

s ocioeconomically - disadvantaged populations, English is not their first language. As a result, accessing environmental and public health information is more dif

ficult for them than for native English speakers.  Ty pe of Project – Access to environmental and public health information  Summary – Providing content translated into Spanish (All three sites) and Chinese (CAMD) broadens access to important environmental and health information. Specifically:  Clean Air Markets Division – Translate portions of the CAMD website, including the Acid Rain website and the cap and trade website, into Spanish. Translating informational portions of the updated website into Spanish will broaden access to the data and background on acid rain, air quality , health and ecological benefits, as well as information on cap and trade programs and current and future regulations.  SunWise Program – Continue to provide fact sheets, website, and SunWise T ool Kit in Spanish and disseminate to interested educators and families so that Spanish speakers in the U.S. will protect themselves from overexposure to UV radiation, and will therefore have fewer cases of skin cancer, cataracts, and other eye and skin conditions.  ENERGY

ST AR - Continue to support the recently l aunched Recursos en Espanol portion of the ENERGY ST AR website which provides Spanish language tools and resources for homeowners, renters, small businesses and congregations. Continue to highlight the “T ell Us How Yo u Saved” profiles of L atino families around the country who have used ENERGY ST AR tools to save energy and money

. By p roviding these resources in Spanish, more Spanish - speaking families and businesses around the country w ill be able to save energy , lower their energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing ENERGY

ST AR resources.  Message or Lesson Learned – EP A content will be made available to all populations.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – N/A  EP

A Point of Contact – CAMD: Rick Haeuber, Clean Air Markets Division, (202) 343 - 9250, Haeuber.richard@epa.gov ; SunWise: Ross Brennan (Chief, Stratospheric Program Implementation Branch), brennan.ross@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9226; ENERGY ST AR: Karen Schneider, Climate Protection Partnership Division, (202) 343 - 9752, Schneider.karen@epa.gov. 24

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OAP EJ Initiative – Skin Cancer F act Sheets for

A frican -Americans and Hispanics  Is sue – Many

African - Americans and Hispanics perceive they are not at risk for sun damage and skin cancer. While the risk for sun damage and skin cancer is lower in individuals with skin of color, the risk of cataracts is unchanged. Skin cancer is on the rise in Hispanic populations. The survival rate for African - Americans and Hispanics is also lower than that for Caucasians.  Ty pe of Project – Health and UV safety e ducation  Summary – By

p roviding these fact sheets, individuals with darker skin, who may mistakenly

think they

are not at risk, will have access to a fact sheet that describes pertinent information on skin cancer, cataracts and other health ef fects from UV

radiation. When finished, EP

A’ s SunWise program will distribute them to educators, and public health and consumer groups representing African - Americans and Hispanics, in addition to media outreach. They

w ill also be available on the SunWise website.  Message or Lesson Learned – Sun damage affects everyone, albeit not in the same way . Message or Lesson Learned Sun damage affects not in the same way Cataracts and other eye damage can occur regardless of skin ty pe, as do premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. Additionally , by t aking simple steps to prevent skin cancer and catch it early

, EP A will address the lower survival rate for individuals with skin of color through education.  Project Completion Date – Spring 201 1  Partners – Dermatologists, researchers, CDC, Henry F ord Health System  EP

A Point of Contact – Ross Brennan (Chief, Stratospheric Program Implementation Branch), brennan.ross@epa.gov, (202) 343 - 9226

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### Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) FY 2009 EJ Action Plan Initiatives ORIA Robust, Results - Oriented Activity – Asthma Program Strategy  Is sue - Asthma is a serious, sometimes life - threatening respiratory disease that af fects the quality

o f life for millions of Americans. Over 22 million people, including 6.8 million children, have asthma and prevalence is higher among families with lower incomes. African - Americans continue to have higher rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths than Caucasian - Americans. Approximately

2 million Hispanic - Americans have asthma and Puerto Ricans are disproportionately impacted. The rate is 125% higher than non - Hispanic Caucasian - Americans. Native Americans have more sy mptoms and more severe sy mptoms than other groups.  Ty pe of Project - Air quality  Summary – The EP A A sthma Program Strategy p romotes scientific understanding of environmental asthma triggers and ways to mange them. The Asthma Program collaborates with partners to support research and educate the public about asthma and ways to manage environmental triggers. Partners include government agencies, universities/research centers, the health care community , nonprofit organizations, the media, and community p rograms. Major program activities include: • National Childhood Asthma Public Service Media Campaign, a collaborative project with the National Childhood Asthma Public Service Media Campaign, a collaborative project with the Ad Council • Training health care professionals through NGO cooperative agreements (e.g. Association of Clinicians for the Underserved) • Communities in Action for Asthma Friendly Environments initiative and AsthmaCommunity

Network.org  Message or Lesson Learned - Environmental and public health benefits and results from implementing a multi - faceted program. Using state of the art technology , and meeting stakeholders’needs has put us on track to reaching our goal of mobilizing 1000 communities to deliver quality a sthma care.  Project Completion Date - Ongoing  Partners - NON - GOVERNMENT

AL O RGANIZA

TI ON (NGO) P

AR TNERS - Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, Allergy

and Asthma Networks*Mothers of Asthmatics; American College of CHEST Physicians; American Lung Association; Asthma and Allergy F oundation of America; Ad Council; National Association of School Nurses, America's Health In surance Plans; Boston Public Health Commission; Ad Council GOVERNMENT

AL P AR TNERS - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute COMMUNI TY

P AR TNERS - AsthmaCommunity Network.org is an online network of more than 450 community- based asthma programs and the organizations that support them. Programs in this national Network share ef

fective strategies to achieve positive asthma health outcomes.  EP

A Point of Contact Dave Rowson, Indoor Environments Division (IED) Te l: 202 - 343 - 9449 E - mail: rowson.david@epa.gov Alisa Smith, Indoor Environments Division Te l: 202 - 343 - 9372, E - mail: smith.alisa@epa.gov 26

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ORIA E J Initiative – Tr ibal Air Monitoring Support Center ( TAMS Center)  Is sue – The T

AMS Center is designed to build tribal capacity in air monitoring and addressing environmental concerns in tribal communities. Te chnical training and technical assistance is the vehicle that is used to build this capacity .  Ty pe of Project – Air quality  Summary – The T AMS Center delivers technical training to tribes in the areas of indoor air quality , ambient monitoring, quality a ssurance, data handling, and climate change. Furthermore, the T

AMS Center provides one - on - one training and special assistance to tribes on an as needed basis. Also, the T AMS Center provides limited equipment loans and the lab services to assist tribes in implementing new air programs.  Message or Lesson Learned – More tribal representatives will gain increased awareness in: (a) designing and implementing appropriate air monitoring networks, (b) improving data quality and, (c) improving ability t o include air data in EP

A national databases. More tribal quality nd, (c) improving ability o include air data in EP national databases. More tribal air professionals are trained in network planning, data handling, quality a ssurance, and technical implementation. The ef fort results in improved air quality i n communities by assisting the tribes to implement air monitoring networks and have access to EP A’ s air quality d atabases  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Tribal air professionals  EP

A Point of Contac t – Emilio Braganza (Las Ve gas Radiation and Indoor Environments (R&IE) National Laboratory) , braganza.emilio@epa.gov, 702 - 784 - 8280

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ORIA E J Initiative – Radnet Data Bilingual Public Information Initiative  Is sue – Spanish speaking citizens within the US do not have the capability t o see and understand Environmental Radiation information provided by the RadNet program. Prepare the public access portion of RadNet Data site (Central Data Exchange) to support a bilingual Spanish/English language format. This activity w ill target audiences with limited English proficiency .  Ty pe of Project - Air quality , radiation protection  Summary – This activity w ill provide public information access to residents with limited English proficiency a bout ambient and incident levels of airborne radioactive material. Bilingual information is available to both Spanish and English speaking citizens.  Message or Lesson Learned – Better awareness due to a higher percentage of the general public will have the capability t o be informed about potential radiation risks and educated on background radiation levels.  Project Completion Date – June 2009  Communities involved – Spanish speaking citizens.  EP

A Point of Contact – Larry Lee, National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL), T

el: 334 - 270 - 3456, E - mail: lee.larry@epa.gov

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ORIA E J Initiative – Wa ke Forest University School of Medicine Partnership  Is sue - Congress has recognized that migrant children and families are a special population needing distinct services. Migrant and seasonal Head Start was established to serve migrant farm worker families and their children. Challenges of this special population includes high mobility

, long work hours, increased exposure to secondhand smoke, and limited English - speaking skills.  Ty pe of Project - Air quality  Summary – The WFUSM Partnership is a culturally e ducational program designed to provide information to migrant farm workers about the risks associated with environmental tobacco smoke. The initiative supports a partnership with WFUSM and the East Coast Migrant Head Start Program (ECMHSP). ECMHSP Head Start centers are located in eleven states along the east coast and services approximately 8 ,500 infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Health educators are trained to work with families of migrant farm workers in order to increase their knowledge and change behavior toward reducing the impact of secondhand smoke exposure to Head Start children.  Message or Lesson Learned – The key m essage is to improve the health of children in farm worker families implementing a program that provide migrant arm workers families with knowledge of residential air pollution risks and introduce behaviors that they c an perform to reduce exposure for their families

.  Project Completion Date – The project is ongoing thru September 2010  Partners – East Coast Migrant Head Start Program, Redlands Christian Migrant Association, Inc., Community H ealth Partnership of I llinois, Parrotsville Clinic Rural Medical “Services (TN), Saint Lucie County H ealth Department (Port Saint Lucie, FL)  EP

A Point of Contact - Carmen T orrent, In door Environments Division (IED), Te l.: (202) 343 - 9056, E - mail: torrent.carmen@epa.gov  External Point of Contact - Thomas A. Arcury , PhD, Research Director, W ake Forest University

S chool of Medicine, Winston - Salem, NC 27157 - 1084, phone: (338) 716 - 9438 29

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ORIA E J Initiative – Navajo Nation Uranium/Radium Exposure Protection Initiative  Is sue – The Navajo Nation was the site of more uranium mining and milling than any o ther place in the United States during the 1950s through the 1970s. The legacy of abandoned uranium mine wastes, air, soil, and water contamination has impacted nearly e very community

o n the reservation, resulting in cancers, kidney , and other diseases creating a public health emergency

.  Ty pe of Project – Radiation protection  Summary – ORIA will be providing support to the implementation of EP A - led activities in a 5 year federal agency plan submitted to Congress designed to assist the Navajo Nation to address protection from exposures to uranium mine wastes and uranium/radium contaminated drinking water on Navajo lands. A separate effort will provide training on radiation protection for occupational workers at Navajo drinking water plants which process source water containing radionuclides above the maximum contaminant levels.  Message or Lesson Learned – ORIA is providing leadership and serves as a reliable partner to Region 9 and the Navajo Nation in of fering critical support for public health initiatives, public outreach and education, and technical advice on radiation protection issues. In FY 2009 we sponsored an annual Navajo Uranium Contamination W orkshop for the Navajo EP A and our federal partners in the 5 year plan. In addition we held radiation protection classes, and a technical session on decommissioning contaminated wells, for tribal drinking water treatment workers at three locations in Arizona and New Mexico.  Project Initiation Date – This continues ORIA - RPD ef forts begun in the 1990’ s, though the 5 ye ar federal agency plan was submitted to Congress in June 2009.  Partners – Federal and T ribal: EP A Region 9, Navajo EP

A, and Navajo Department of Natural Resources  EP

A Point of Contact – Lo ren Setlow, Radiation Protection Division, Te l: 202 - 343 - 9445, E mail: setlow.loren@epa.gov

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ORIA E J Initiative – Center

for Ecological T

echnologies Partnership - Healthy Beginnings: Improving Indoor

A ir Quality (HB: IAQ)  Is sue - Reduce the percentage of low - income and/or minority c hildren (aged 6 and under) who are regularly exposed to health risks associated with secondhand smoke in their homes.  Ty pe of Project - Air quality  Summary – HB:IAQ is collaboration among public health and environment community l eaders including: Center for Ecological Te chnology (CET), Operation Better Start/WI C, Sprout, Berkshire OB - GYN Associates, and T obacco T reatment Services (TTS). The project will help women who are either smokers or who live in smoking households to create smoke - free homes. HB:IAQ will help all pregnant women by p roviding counseling to achieve this goal. HB:IAQ will increase the number of families in Berkshire County t aking specific steps to reduce home exposures  Message or Lesson Learned – More children are no longer exposed to secondhand smoke in homes and cars. The number of children at home (birth - 6 years) represents families making the homes and cars. The number of children at home (birth represents families smoke - free home pledge. Over 1,000 households committed to establish smoke - free homes and cars thru counseling and pledges at events, including W orld Breastfeeding Day

e vents, Community

B aby S howers, Conte Community R esource Fair, W

estside Community

B lock Party , W al - Mart Health and Safety F air and the BMC Mother Baby Unit We lcome Party

. There were an increased number of healthcare providers trained and primary c are physicians educated in indoor air quality and counseling. And more than 2500 at - risk pregnant women were counseled on reducing home exposures to environmental tobacco smoke and other environmental toxicants.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing thru September 2010  Partners - Center for Ecological Te chnology , Operation Better Start (OBS)/W omen In fants and Children (WI C), Sprout, Berkshire OB - GYN Associates, and T obacco T reatment Services  EP

A Point of Contact – Sheila Brown, Indoor Environments Division (IED), Te l: (202) 343 - 9439, E - mail: brown.sheila@epa.gov  External Point of Contact - Laura Dubester, CET, 1 12 Elm Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 laurad@cetonline.org phone: 413 - 445 - 4556 ext. 13 31

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ORIA E J Initiative – Residential Indoor Radon Laboratory T

esting Support Initiative  Is sue - Radon is a cancer- causing natural radioactive gas that you can’ t see, smell or taste. It s presence in your home can pose a danger to your family's health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non - smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims about 20,000 lives annually .  Ty pe of Project - Air quality  Summary –The initiative of fers support to residents from economically - disadvantaged communities by

p roviding no - cost home radon test kits and analysis from the EP A Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory . Partnerships are formed with groups and organizations (i.e. tribes, nonprofit organizations, and coalitions) that work directly w ith local residents from low - income and/or tribal communities.  Message or Lesson Learned – Te st Yo ur Home for Radon - it's easy and inexpensive. Lung cancer risks associated with exposure to elevated radon levels are reduced through radon awareness and testing for radon in homes.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Communities Involved – Tribal communities, nonprofit organizations, disadvantaged and low - income groups.  EP

A Point of Contact – Evely n Conerly , Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory

, E - mail: conerly

.evelyn@epa.gov, T

el: 702 - 798 - 2324.

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### www .epa.gov /air ORIA E J Initiative – U.S. HHS, Office of Head Start Indoor A ir Quality Partnership  Is sue - U.S. HHS Of fice of Head Start (OHS) surveys have documented that almost half of Head Start children live in households where at least one person smoked cigarettes. Over 50 percent of Early H ead Start children were exposed to household smoking. These children had a higher rate of asthma or respiratory p roblems when compared to children who were not exposed to household smoking. Children exposed to household smoking were more likely than those who were not exposed to have ear infections. A sthma prevalence is high in the Head Start population. Unfortunately , only 5 0 percent of grantees had an asthma plan for children in their programs.  Ty pe of Project - Air quality  Summary – Head Start programs provide comprehensive child development services to nearly one million children from low - income families (including pregnant women and children up to age five). The initiative entitled “Care for their Air” provides Early H ead Start and Head Start grantees and delegate agencies with information, education, training tools, and resources to help Head Start staf

f and parents to reduce harmful health ef fects from environmental asthma triggers and secondhand smoke.  Message or Lesson Learned – While providing the Head Start Centers with secondhand smoke and asthma fact sheets and information memorandums continues, raising awareness of this issue among many

o ther required priorities of already heavily- burdened Head Start faculty and staf f has been dif

ficult. A marketing plan needs to be developed, accepted and implemented. A dding secondhand smoke education and measurement activities during Head Start in - home visits (in accordance with new requirements written by the Of fice of Head Start) is currently underway

. If approved, the new requirements should help immensely i n reducing secondhand smoke exposure levels. An additional lesson learned has been that the complex nature of Head Start Centers in combination with melding the distinct cultures and practices of two separate agencies (EP A and HHS) add to the dif ficulties of getting this health risk message into the proper hands within the Centers in a streamlined, effective manner.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – National Head Start Association  EP

A Point of Contact - Mike Holloway , In door Environments Division, Te l: (202) 343 - 9426, E mail: holloway

.mike@epa.gov  External Point of Contact – Robin Brocato, Senior Health Specialist, Of fice of Head Start, T

el: (202) 205 - 9903, E - mail: robin.brocato@acf.hhs.gov 33

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ORIA E J Initiative – Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) at Northern Arizona University  Is sue – As of 2007, the Indian Health Service has estimated that 200,000 plus Native Americans are af flicted with asthma, Currently , Native American asthma rates are twice (13%) the national average according to the Center for Disease Control. The project is designed to help reduce these numbers equal or below the overall national average of 8%.  Ty pe of Project - In door air quality  Summary – IT EP

at Northern Arizona University p rovides training and education services to American In dian and Native Alaskan tribes throughout the U.S. The project activities focus on prevention and control of indoor air contaminates, including radon, indoor asthma triggers, and indoor air quality

m anagement in schools. The Indoor Air Quality Tribal Communities project consists of four primary

areas: (1) Outreach to Tribal Nations to build program sustainability ; (2) Wo rkshop/Trainings to properly t each tribal health professionals; (3) Development and Delivery of W eb related Online Products and (4) T echnical Assistance to Existing IAQ Projects. eb related Online Products and (4) T echnical Assistance to Existing I Projects.  Message or Lesson Learned – IT EP and the T

ribal Air Monitoring Service Center are recognized leaders in the tribal training of health and technical indoor air professionals. Ef forts have expanded utilizing this recognition combined with ORIA’ s expertise in outreach, social media and messaging.  Project Completion Date – September 2014  Partners – Northern Arizona University , Native American T

ribal Stakeholder, Tribal Governments and Or

ganizations, State and Regional T ribal entities, etc.)  EP

A Point of Contact – Chris Grif fin, 202.343.9421 griffin.chris@epa.gov  External Point of Contact - Mehrdad Khatibi, 928.523.0946, Mehrdad.Khatibi@nau.edu)

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ORIA E J Initiative – Aberdeen Ar ea Tribal Chairmen’ s Health Board  Is sue – As of 2007, the Indian Health Service has estimated that 200,000 plus Native Americans are afflicted with asthma, Currently , Native American asthma rates are twice (13%) the national average according to the Center for Disease Control. The project is designed to reduce these numbers equal or below the overall national average of 8%.  Ty pe of Project - In door air quality  Summary – The goal of the project is to train and educate more tribal health professionals on reducing indoor environmental health hazards indoors specifically w ithin tribal homes and schools. This project supports the partnership with the Aberdeen Area T ribal Chairmen’ s Health Board and multiple partners within and across regional boundaries in order to provide environmental asthma trigger management education and to promote the capability and development of tribal healthcare professionals to assist their patients identify and mitigate asthma triggers in the home, and schools. Aberdeen’ s Board will implement a Tribal Asthma Prevention Campaign which provides education to a population of almost 200,000 tribal members residing on seventeen reservations and in two urban Indian service areas in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and I owa.  Message or Lesson Learned – Aberdeen is a leader among tribal nations and especially around tribal indoor air issues. Therefore, they h ave been very

i nfluential in leading efforts regarding our initial tribal indoor air webinars, Asthma 101 Course development, Asthma Certification Programs, etc. Y et, the challenge still remains within Native - American regions concerning sustainability among staf

f, program training/development and funding.  Project Completion Date – September 201 1  Partners – Native American T ribal Stakeholder, T

ribal Governments and Organizations, State and Regional Tribal entities, etc.  EP

A Point of Contact – Chris Grif fin, 202.343.9421 griffin.chris@epa.gov  External Point of Contact - Karen W orkman, 605.721.1922, Healthed@aatchb.org
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### Office of Tr ansportation and Air Quality (OT AQ) FY 2009 EJ Action Plan Initiatives OT AQ Robust, Results - Oriented Activity - National Clean Diesel Campaign/SmartWay Program  Is sue – Existing diesel engines emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and air toxics, which contribute to serious public health problems that can af fect minority and low income communities disproportionately .  Ty pe of Project – EP

A’ s National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) and SmartW ay Programs advance strategies to reduce diesel emissions and thereby reduce asthma attacks and other health impacts of diesel pollution.  Summary – National Clean Diesel and SmartW ay P rograms outline a strategy for reaching the goal of reduced asthma attacks in areas where low - income and/or minority groups are exposed disproportionately t o diesel emissions. The program provides a robust strategy , involving regulatory and voluntary e fforts and partnerships with industry , strategy involving regulatory and voluntary and partnerships with industry agencies, and communities to help achieve EP A's EJ goals and objectives including reducing the number asthma attacks, exposure to air toxics and collaborative problem solving to address environmental justice issues.  Message or Lesson Learned - The FY 2008 funding for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Program is estimated to reduce approximately 4 6,000 tons of NOX and 2,200 tons of PM2.5 by 2 031. These emission reductions translate into a signicant quantiable public health benet of approximately $ 580 million to $1.4 billion over the life of the program. The Recovery Act grants are estimated to reduce particulate matter by 5 000 tons, NOx by 120,000 tons and CO2 by 1 ,000,000 tons (roughly

9 0 million gallons of diesel saved) over the lifetime of the projects. These reductions will result in an estimated $1.2B to $2.8B in public health benefits (Pope, L aden). The competition for FY 2009 and 2010 DERA grants is closed and awards are expected during the summer of 2010.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Non - profits, local governments, state air agencies, universities, and private sector all through 7 Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives  EP

A Point of Contact – Connie Ruth ruth.connie@epa.gov (734) 761 - 8518 36

### www .epa.gov /air
OT AQ EJ Initiative - Program Outr each to Stakeholders  Is sue – Lo w - income and minority p opulations particularly impacted by diesel emissions need to be informed about clean diesel solutions and opportunities to reduce diesel emissions in their communities.  Ty pe of Project – Diesel emissions reductions  Summary – National Clean Diesel Campaign and SmartW ay P rograms are committed to an outreach effort including: • Seven regional clean diesel collaboratives provide an ideal forum for interested EJ Community

organizations to participate in a clean diesel dialogue at the regional and local level. The clean diesel collaboratives are public - private partnerships working to improve air quality

b y reducing diesel emissions through projects that use innovations in diesel engines, alternative fuels and renewable energy technologies. Wo rking together allows members to leverage funding, share technology and professional expertise. OT AQ ensures national program continuity a cross the 7 diesel collaboratives. • To ols such as the State and L ocal To olkit designed to support community l evel participation in clean diesel activities • Publication of materials including the newly released technical bulletins that provide an overview of basic diesel retrofit devices and the development of success stories that are underway . • Participation in conferences where affected community m embers have been informed about and provided demonstrations of tools and materials available for clean diesel activities. • Articles published in the Tribal Air Newsletter • Ef forts to create a map and search function for Clean Diesel projects in EJ Areas are underway . • Publication of SmartW ay t echnical bulletins that provide an overview of basic fuel efficiency and emissions reduction strategies for drayage truck operations at ports.  Message or Lesson Learned - There are many t ools and materials available to support EJ communities in clean diesel activities. The Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives are a key f orum available to community

groups where they

c an participate in the regional Clean Diesel dialogue.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Non - profits, local governments, state air agencies, universities, and private sector all through 7 Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives  EP

A Point of Contact – Connie Ruth ruth.connie@epa.gov (734) 761 - 8518 37

### www .epa.gov /air
OT AQ EJ Initiative - Idle Reduction  Is sue – Lo w - income and minority p opulations are impacted by diesel emissions from unnecessary idling of school buses and of drayage trucks.  Ty pe of Project – Diesel emissions reductions  Summary – National Clean Diesel Campaign’ s Clean School Bus USA and SmartW

ay P rograms provide information and strategies to reduce unnecessary idling. • “The Key

t o a Healthier Ride” is a public information campaign that provides a forum for children and their school bus drivers to learn about air quality and diesel emissions. The campaign provides messages and tools for school districts, bus drivers and communities to assist in idle reduction in and around the school yard. I dle - reduction campaign materials continue to be distributed to school districts nationwide (many o f them EJ areas), (fact sheet, classroom poster, bus driver information brochure with pledge card, key ring). • The SmartW

ay C lean Diesel Finance Program provides funding to help truck drivers and owner/operators in low - income and minority c ommunities obtain financing to acquire newer and cleaner trucks that emit less. A Recovery Act $9 million SmartW

ay C lean newer and cleaner trucks that emit less. Recovery Act $9 million SmartW Diesel Finance grant will provide loans for up to 200 new trucks for truck owners in the Houston - Galveston - Brazoria, Te xas region, including trucks equipped with EP A - verified and recommended fuel ef ficiency technology

. The grant leverages Te xas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) funding and helps owner- operators bridge the gap between the TERP funds and the total cost of equipment.  Message or Lesson Learned –

• Over 100,000 school bus drivers have been trained in idle reduction techniques that provide an easy

w ay t o save money

b y saving fuel, reducing wear and tear on engines, protecting drivers' health and the health of children, and improving air quality and can be implemented readily

at the community

l evel, and can cost very

l ittle. • The Houston, Galveston, Brazoria SmartW ay grant program is just beginning. Evaluation will continue as the program matures.  Project Initiation Date –The idle - reduction campaign was launched in 2007; the SmartW ay C lean Diesel financing project launched in 2008.  Partners – School districts, Non - profits, local governments, state air agencies, and private sector reinforced through 7 Regional Clean Diesel Collaborative  EP

A Point of Contact – Connie Ruth ruth.connie@epa.gov (734) 761 - 8518 38

### www .epa.gov /air OT AQ EJ Initiative - DERA Grant Funding  Is sue – Emissions from existing engines contribute to serious public health problems that can af fect EJ communities disproportionately . DERA funding supports the implementation of clean diesel activities including installation of clean diesel technologies that reduce diesel emissions.  Ty pe of Project – Diesel emissions reductions  Summary – Often referred to as DERA (for Diesel Emissions Reduction Act), this funding was authorized in 2005 by the Energy Policy

Act. The legislation prescribes that the application process occurs at the national/regional level. Coordination within the community

and leveraged funding are encouraged. Among priorities listed, extra points can be earned for projects in areas where there is a disproportionate impact of diesel emissions. Inorder to promote the application of diesel emissions reduction technologies among tribes, in 2009, an RFPwas posted for the FY 2009 - 2010 DERA

competition that included a reduced application minimum for tribes of $30K (compared to $50K - $500K for other applicants). A Tribal Review Panel was created. Eight applications were received applicants). ibal Review Panel was created. applications received representing a total request from tribes for $3.1M. Aw ards are pending. There are 78 grants for FY 2008 and Recovery

2 009 that fall within an EJ area with funding of ~ $140M. To tal emissions reductions over the lifetime of the vehicles is estimated at: NOx 81,000 tons, PM 2,900 tons, HC 6,500 tons, CO 12,700 tons, and CO2 303,000 tons. In addition, there are DERA - funded state programs, many o f which include clean diesel projects in EJ areas. The competition for FY

2009 and 2010 DERA

grants is closed and awards are expected during the summer of 2010.  Message or Lesson Learned – There is room for capacity building for clean diesel grants in EJ communities. A good model is in Minnesota where a non - profit submits and administers DERA

grants on behalf of communities disproportionately i mpacted by

diesel emissions. The Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives are an ideal venue for community groups to link with potential partners that are eligible for funding.  Project Completion Date – Ongoing  Partners – Non - profits, local governments, state air agencies, universities, and private sector all through 7 Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives  EP

A Point of Contact – Connie Ruth ruth.connie@epa.gov (734) 761 - 8518 39

### www .epa.gov /air Community Action for

A Renewed Environment (CARE) Program Providing on - the - ground technical assistance and funding to underserved communities to r educe all sources of risks  Is sue - EP

A developed the CARE program in response to community requests for help in addressing environmental concerns and in recognition of the need for a new approach to help communities develop locallyled solutions to address these concerns. While national regulatory approaches have resulted in significant reductions in toxic releases and other environmental improvements, these methods have not always been effective in addressing specific community c oncerns and cumulative risks resulting from toxic releases from multiple and often dif

fuse sources. CARE is designed to complement national regulatory approaches and meet community

n eeds by b uilding the capacity

o f communities to understand and take ef fective actions at the local level to address existing environmental concerns in all environmental media.  Ty pe of Project - Multi - media grant and technical assistance.  Summary – The Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program is a competitive grant program that of

fers communities an innovative way t o address the risks from multiple sources of environmental and health risks and concerns in their communities. Through CARE various local organizations, including non profits, businesses, schools and governments create partnerships that implement local solutions to reduce risks and minimize people’ s exposure to them. CARE educates and supports communities by h elping them assess the environmental and human health risks they f ace. EP A regional teams develop around each CARE community partnership to provide technical advice, expertise, and access to Agency p rograms to address environmental partnership to provide technical advice, expertise, and access to rograms to address environmental priorities and improve the environment through local action. CARE has provided financial assistance by funding over $12 million in cooperative agreements with communities since 2005. Aw arded projects are in the most environmentally

b urdened areas, resulting in over 90% of work being conducted in communities with EJ concerns. Most importantly , a 2009 National Academy o f Public Administration evaluation recognized the CARE Program’ s success as a solid tested framework for engaging communities in addressing multimedia toxics, empowering communities, creating a sustainable model, and breaking down EP A’ s institutional and single media stovepipes. Goals of the CARE Program 1. Reduce environmental and human health risks through collaborative action at the local level. 2. Help communities gain an understanding of all potential sources (air, land, water) of environmental and human health risks. 3. Wo rk with communities to set priorities for risk - reduction activities. 4. Create self

- sustaining, community- based partnerships that will continue to improve the local environment.  Message or Lesson Learned – CARE works well to combine Agency e xpertise with community c apacity building to deliver funding and technical assistance to address risks from all sources of toxics in underserved communities. Communities want to play an active role in reducing environmental risks in their neighborhoods. Communities are able to identify their local assets and develop local consensus - based solutions and create sustainable results. They o ften succeed when federal agencies can provide financial and technical support while allowing the community

t o lead the process.  Project Completion Date - Ongoing  Partners - CARE partners with various local organizations, non - profits, businesses, foundations, schools and governments  EP

A Point of Contact - Marva King, OAR Te l: 202 - 564 - 2599 E - mail: king.marva@epa.gov 40