Latest Developments from the Environmental Protection Agency 10/23/2003
From: John Millett of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 202-564-7842; e-mail: millett.john@epa.gov web: http://www.epa.gov/newsroom WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 -- Following are some Agency developments which may interest you. If you need more information on any of these subjects, call the appropriate contact: EPA To Seek Comment On Two Approaches To Classify Ozone Nonattainment Areas Contact: John Millett 202-564-7842 / millett.john@epa.gov On Oct. 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency posted a pre-publication copy of a Federal Register notice that will seek public comment on additional approaches for classifying nonattainment areas for the 8-hour ozone standard. Upon publication, there will be a 15-day public comment period. Nonattainment classifications reflect the severity of an area's ozone problem, establish requirements that nonattainment areas need to meet, and set deadlines for areas to meet the ozone standard. EPA is also considering its original proposals for classifying nonattainment areas. For additional information on the proposed implementation of the 8-hour ozone standard, go to: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/ramain.html For additional information on ozone designations, go to: http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/glo/designations/index.htm --- EPA to Hold Five National Dialogues for Public Comment on the "Draft Report on the Environment" Contact: Suzanne Ackerman 202-564-7819 / ackerman.suzanne@epa.gov EPA's Office of Environmental Information, Office of Research and Development and EPA' regional offices will conduct five national dialogue sessions with stakeholders to solicit feedback on the "Draft Report on the Environment," issued June 23. This report is the first national picture of U.S. environmental conditions and health across five key areas: air, water, land, human health and ecosystems. EPA will invite representatives from federal, state and local government, tribes, academia, non-governmental organizations and private industry. Interested citizens will have an opportunity to provide comments during each meeting. The five sessions will be held: Nov. 6 - Chicago - Region 5; Nov. 13 - Atlanta - Region 4; Nov. 18 - San Francisco - Region 9; Nov. 20 - Seattle - Region 10; and Dec. 12 - Dallas - Region 6. For more information, go to the Federal Register notice at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont03.html and click on Oct. 15th. To obtain a copy of the report or to submit comments online, go to: EPA's Indicators website at: http://www.epa.gov/indicators/ --- Partnering with Ports for a Better Environment Contact: Judy Pino 202-564-7338 / pino.judy@epa.gov Most deep water ports around the country are growing rapidly, with the industry projecting that collective investments in new capacity will reach $10 billion for 2001 - 2005. Based on the industry's interest in environmental stewardship, 11 deep water coastal ports will participate in an Environmental Management System (EMS) assistance project to show leadership in environmental protection, reduce costs and improve efficiency, increase staff involvement and morale and integrate other objectives, such as safety and security, with environmental activities. The selected ports are: Port of Houston; Virginia Port Authority; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port of Portland, Ore.; Port of Vancouver, Wash.; Port of Corpus Christi; Port of Los Angeles; Port of New Orleans; Port Everglades, the U.S. Maritime Administration's James River, Virginia facility; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland, Ore., facility. EPA's Sector Strategies Program, the American Association of Port Authorities and the Global Environmental and Technology Foundation selected these ports based on senior management support for EMS activities to provide resources for EMS training and implementation and development of performance measures and results sharing with stakeholders and other interested parties. Over the two-year project time frame, each port will receive workshop training to be proficient with EMS's. Upon completion, each port will be ready to pursue ISO 14001 certification, an international EMS standard, as well as membership in EPA's National Environmental Performance Track program, which includes a high quality EMS among the criteria for acceptance. For more information, go to: http://www.epa.gov/sectors/shipbuilding/index.html --- RN Prescription for an Environmentally Healthy Home Contact: Wanda Loving 202-564-7822 / loving.wanda@epa.gov During Children's Health Month in October, nurses can learn how to create environmentally healthy homes and communities by using the Medscape website at: http://www.medscape.com/viewprogram/2660 Nurses have understood the importance of the environment since the time of Florence Nightingale but their formal education teaches them little about the modern-day environment and its potential impact on children's health. "Children's Health and the Environment: Environmentally Healthy Homes and Communities" will help nurses identify, prevent and manage environmental health risks to children where they live and play. This continuing education module was developed by the American Nurses Foundation in partnership with the University of Maryland School of Nurses under a cooperative agreement with EPA. Different training opportunities often require nurses to pay a fee for continuous education contact hours; but in this case, nurses can earn free education contact hours through December 2004 by completing this particular module. To learn more about EPA efforts to educate health care providers about environmental health risks to children, go to: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/Whatwe_educat.htm#3 --- The "Handbook" on Economic and Environmental Risk to Children Contact: Judy Pino 202-564-7338 / pino.judy@epa.gov The "Children's Health Valuation Handbook" is a valuable reference tool for people conducting economic analysis of EPA policies that affect children's health. The handbook, released by EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) and the Office of Children's Health Protection (OCHP), is a companion document to "EPA's Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analysis" (2000), and provides information on ways to incorporate the unique environmental risks to youth. It will also describe EPA's criteria for valuing children's health effects and will encourage research among economists and other experts. To obtain a copy of the handbook, go to: http://www.epa.gov/economics --- "America's Children and the Environment" Online Contact: Judy Pino 202-564-7338 / pino.judy@epa.gov A new resource for researchers, policymakers and concerned citizens on children's environmental health is now online at: http://www.epa.gov/envirohealth/children The "America's Children and the Environment" website presents data and discussion on environmental contaminants and children's health, based on EPA's report "America's Children and the Environment: Measures of Contaminants, Body Burdens and Illnesses" (2003). The America's Children and the Environment website presents trends for levels of environmental contaminants in air, water, food and soil; concentrations of contaminants measured in the bodies of women and children; and childhood illnesses that may be influenced by environmental contaminants. The website features a background summary for each issue, graphs, data explanations and data sources with on-line links where available. --- Stop-sale Order Issued to Atlanta Company Contact: Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov EPA has ordered ZEP Manufacturing Co., Atlanta, Ga., to stop selling misbranded pesticides, ZEP Amine A and ZEP Attack-A. The labels claim that the pesticides are hospital disinfectants effective against the pathogenic organism, pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both products failed government lab tests on efficacy requirements for a hospital disinfectant. Products claiming to prevent, destroy or repel pests including microorganisms, are considered pesticides under the Fungicide, Insecticide, and Rodenticide Act, the Federal pesticide law, and are subject to truthful labeling requirements. EPA has requested that the company conduct a voluntary recall and the Agency will monitor compliance with the stop-sale order and the recall. |