202R00001
US EPAs
ational
Hispanic
Outreach
w
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A Message From The EPA Administrator .1
Introduction , 2
National Hispanic Outreach Strategy , 4
Crosscutting Initiatives: Addressing Environmental Challenges Through Community Action 6
Community Partnerships
Background, Goals, And Guidance 8
Translations: The Language of Understanding 11
Profile: EPA Channels Funding And Safe Water To Colonias .Y..,'. 13
j: EPA Program Provides Access And Slpport For Border%5mmunities 14
Ensuring A Brighter future Through Sustainable Development 15
' " fiffifi^^l
Economic Opportunities
Background, Goals, And Guidance 18
Profile: NuStats-A Decade Of Contracting With EPA 21
Profile: From Borderline To Bottom Line, WasteWise Makes A Difference 22
srspective From The F eld: Building Bridges, Crossing Borders 24
Table: Summary OfiTs. EPA Cornminity Grant Programs 26
Crosscutting Initiatives: Lead—Raising Awareness, Reducing Risks 28
Education Pipeline
Background, Goals, And Guidance 30
icouraging Youth Leadership In Texas 33
Jentoring By Word Of Mouth In Philadelphia Schools 34
Crossclifng Initiatives: Reaching Out To Children And Youth 36
Employment And Professional Advancement
Background, Goals, And Guidance 38
Profile: Denver Cleanups Provide On-The-Job Training 43
Profile: Alternate Avenues To Federal Employment 44
Crosscutting Initiatives: Pesticides—Protecting Farmworkers And Their Families 46
EPA National Hispanic Stakeholder Consultation Participants 48
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A Message From The EPA Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we have dedicated ourselves to the
eal that the federal government should reflect the diversity of all this country's citizens.
Through such diversity, we can better meet the expectations of the American public and
our employees.
A few years ago, I called on each of EPA's program and regional offices to develop Diversity
Action Plans. The plans were part of a broader effort to ensure equitable treatment for all employ-
ees, regardless of race, gender, physical or mental disabilities, or sexual orientation. In the process,
we learned that special challenges exist in encouraging Hispanic Americans to participate in EPA's
programs and its workforce. For this reason, we took the additional step of developing the National
Hispanic Outreach Strategy.
EPA's objectives with this outreach strategy are fourfold. We intend to build partnerships with
Hispanic communities and strengthen our relationships with Hispanic-serving educational institu-
tions. The Agency is also committed to providing Hispanic organizations and Hispanic-owned busi-
nesses sufficient information and technical assistance to compete effectively for funding. Finally, to
enhance service and to promote understanding and communication with individuals in all commu-
nities within our diverse nation, it is vital that the Agency increase Hispanic representation in its
own workforce.
This outreach strategy represents an important milestone in EPA's efforts to provide all American
families with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to confront
environmental and public health challenges, today and in the future.
Carol M. Browner
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/
Introduction
EPA Is committed to forging strong and dynamic partnerships with
the nation's Hispanic community. This will help us to improve the
Agency's programs and services and allow us to be more respon-
sive to the public health and environmental priorities of the
fastest growing segment of the U.S. population.
- Romulo L. Diaz, Jr.
EPA Assistant Administrator
for Administration and Resources Management
EPA's National Hispanic Outreach Strategy creates a comprehensive framework to:
• Strengthen the Agency's relationship with the nation's Hispanic community.
• Ensure that EPA responds efFectively to the environmental and public health needs of Latinos.
• Enhance the diversity and professional opportunities within our own workplace.
This strategy serves several purposes. First, it outlines key goals for all interested stakeholders—
both inside and outside the Agency. Second, the strategy offers specific guidance to Agency man-
agers and other key decision-makers responsible for achieving its goals. Finally, this document
records the progress made to date toward achieving these goals. It is intended as a living document
that will evolve and adapt to the changing needs, issues, and concerns of the Hispanic community.
EPA engaged in an innovative process to develop the National Hispanic Outreach Strategy.
This process included unprecedented levels of participation from internal and external stake-
holders. As an initial step, EPA convened a National Hispanic Stakeholder Consultation
August 18 to 19, 1999, in
San Diego, California.
Representatives from a wide
range of Hispanic organiza-
tions participated, including
community-based groups,
national nongovernmental
organizations, academic
institutions, and businesses.
(A list of participating
Representatives of Hispanic organizations and businesses gather in San Diego
for EPA's first National Hispanic Stakeholder Consultation in August 1999.
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organizations appears at the end of this document.) After learning more about the Agency,
these stakeholders participated in facilitated sessions and shared ideas for improving the
Hispanic community's access to and involvement in EPA programs and services.
The results of the stakeholder consultation framed the discussion for the Hispanic Outreach Internet
Conference, EPA's first public access, online conference. This conference, held August 25 to September
3, 1999, was hosted on the Agency's new National Hispanic Outreach Strategy Web site at
. The Internet conference allowed consultation participants to continue
the dialogue started in San Diego and afforded individuals unable to attend the consultation an oppor-
tunity to participate in the outreach strategy's development.
The result of these discussions is a strategy intended to
provide a flexible, yet comprehensive framework on which
the Agency's program and regional offices can build individ-
ualized outreach efforts. The strategy rests on four pillars:
• Community Partnerships
• Economic Opportunities
• Education Pipeline
• Employment and Professional Advancement
"The [Consultation] exceeded my expecta-
tions. I learned a lot and left with important
information....The success of [the National
Hispanic Outreach Strategy] will depend on
the constant and continuous support of those
who were, and are, part of this process of
dialogue, discussion, and exchange."
— Angela Zavala
Publisher, Hispanic Yearbook
Although each area has a specific focus and distinct
goals, each is also meant to be mutually reinforcing.
Once the strategy was formally launched by the EPA Administrator during the Agency's com-
memoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month in October 1999, a work group of EPA program
and regional office representatives was convened. This group created detailed guidance to help
Agency managers and decision-makers implement the outreach strategy. The detailed steps to imple-
ment the Agency's goals are included in subsequent chapters of this document as a means of giving
the reader a better understanding of what EPA's managers are being asked to implement.
Each section contains profiles of projects, programs, and initiatives that demonstrate the current
depth and breadth of EPA's relationship with our nation's Hispanic community. The profiles share
elements that have made these efforts successful: articulating clearly defined goals, incorporating
effective mechanisms for community involvement, and establishing verifiable measurements of suc-
cess. While EPA managers responsible for developing implementation efforts can learn from these
examples, the profiles are intended to be illustrative rather than prescriptive approaches to imple-
menting the outreach strategy.
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National Hispanic Outreach Strategy
Community Partnerships
Goals:
1. Build effective partnerships with Hispanic organizations and communities to raise their envi-
ronmental awareness and to increase EPA's responsiveness to their environmental and public
health priorities.
2. Effectively promote EPA program objectives and accomplishments by making widespread
use of Spanish-language documents and Hispanic media outlets.
Economic Opportunities
EPA staff and guests fill the Agency's auditorium for the
launching of the National Hispanic Outreach Strategy in
October 1999.
Goals:
1. Broaden access to EPA financial and
technical assistance for community
groups and other nongovernmental
organizations serving the Hispanic
community.
2. Increase outreach efforts to Hispanic-
owned firms to expand their awareness
of EPA contracting opportunities.
3. Develop tracking systems that monitor
financial resources going to Hispanic
concerns, and identify any barriers to
awarding contracts and grants.
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Education Pipeline
Goals:
1. Increase the percentage of EPA funding to institutions and
programs serving Hispanic American students at all education-
al levels through appropriate means.
2. Improve the abilities of Hispanic Serving Institutions of Higher
Education (HSIs) and Hispanic-serving educational institutions
(HSEIs) to compete for EPA grant programs.
3. Develop automated systems for the Agency to track its funding performance of Hispanic
Serving Institutions of Higher Education.
EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner
unveils the National Hispanic
Outreach Strategy.
Employment and Professional Advancement
Goals:
1. Demonstrate that EPA, as a federal agency deeply involved in addressing issues of critical
importance to the Hispanic community, is an employer of choice that is committed to fair
and equal employment opportunity.
2. Remove barriers to Hispanic American employee participation in professional development
programs.
3. Adopt policies and procedures making EPA managers and supervisors accountable for
upholding equal employment opportunity and fairness guidelines.
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tiatives
Addressing Environmental Challenges
Through Community Action
EPA has partnered with community groups, nonprofit organizations, and other federal, local, and state agencies to foster
increased involvement of Hispanics in preventing and resolving environmental issues at the local level.
At the same time, the Agency has invested substantial resources in reaching out to the Spanish-speaking population, both
directly and through existing Hispanic organizations such as the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. Working closely with
these organizations, EPA has provided a wide range of information, education, and training on human health and environ-
mental subjects to Latinos.
The following activities highlight a few of the ways EPA is enhancing Hispanic access to Agency services and promoting
community involvement in addressing environmental problems:
O In San Antonio, a Hispanic citizens' group addressed concerns about a proposed drinking water tieatment plant with
help from EPA. Agency staff facilitated meetings between group members and the state peimittmg agency to ensure
the new plant met Safe Drinking Water Act standards.
A primarily Hispanic community near Cheyenne, Wyoming, was adversely affected by
drinking water contaminated by cleaning chemicals discharged from a nearby Air
Force base over a period of several years. EPA staff advised residents of the health
concerns in Spanish and assisted military personnel in developing a timely and
appropriate response.
O EPA launched a Spanish language Web site, located at ,
that contains data on air and water quality, toxic releases, drinking water safety, and
waste management for each U.S. state, county, and territory. EPA tested the proto-
type Web site with several Hispanic organizations and 100 Spanish speakers from
across the country.
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O Hispanic residents of Val Verde in Pacoima, California, founded Lucha Ambiental
de la Communidad Hispanica to address concerns about potentially adverse
health effects from a landfill in their community. An EPA grant will provide infor-
mation and training to this grassroots citizens' group and will help fund publica-
tion of a bilingual environmental newsletter.
© Hispanic citizens in South Durango, Colorado, sought help to address a nearby
railroad's environmental impacts on their community. An EPA grant to the Air
Quality Advisory Council is helping to identify residents' concerns, organize pub-
lic meetings, and provide air and water quality data and analysis to assist these
citizens.
O In Sioux City, Iowa, an EPA Environmental Justice grant is helping consumers,
the fire and rescue department, La Casa Latina Center, and the media to pre-
vent carbon monoxide poisoning among Spanish speakers. The Warning Against
Toxic Carbon Monoxide for Hispanics program (WATCH) provides bilingual educa-
tion about carbon monoxide dangers generated by commonly used household
appliances and equipment.
Lorena Lopez, director of the San
Diego Border Office, and Clarice
Gaylord. the Border Office's
environmental justice coordinator.
visit an underpass transformed
into a neighborhood park in the
Barrio Logan area of San Diego.
grant from EPA. BorderVisions is
an hour-long documentary that
examines the many challenges
faced by border communities as
they struggle to find the right
balance between promoting
economic development, ensur-
ing public health, and protecting
the environment.
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V
Background
of EPA's goals is to make access to environmental data more readily accessible to
communities. This means engaging community leaders, using appropriate
media channels to disseminate information, and making information available at com-
munity centers and public libraries. This effort also includes translation and use of bilingual edu-
cational materials.
EPA is also strengthening its relationships with organizations and
community groups that have established credibility within local Hispanic
communities. By establishing these partnerships, EPA can play a more
effective role in providing environmental education and encouraging
public participation in environmental decision-making.
Perhaps most importantly, EPA
must listen to and address specific
issues facing individual Hispanic
communities. When members of
these communities see that EPA is
responsive to their needs, it will open
doors to even more effective outreach
efforts. Once this level of trust is
established, the Agency can truly empower Hispanic neighborhoods by
helping them make informed decisions and embrace sound environmen-
tal stewardship, leading to improved public health.
Partnerships
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^ I iki— •«. Build effective partnerships
VJOol iNO. with Hispanic organizations and
communities to raise their envi-
ronmental awareness and to
increase EPA's responsiveness
to their environmental and pub-
lic health priorities.
Implementation Guidance:
• Establish communications channels with com-
munity leaders and Hispanic organizations.
Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Inviting Hispanic leaders and
organizations to periodic presentations and
briefings about EPA activities.
Example 2: Supporting newsletters that inform
Hispanic stakeholder communities of EPA
activities.
Al Rocha, right, chairman of National Image, and
Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., EPA assistant administrator for
Administration and Resources Management, begin
a new era of cooperation between the organiza-
tions by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
Example 3: Supporting periodic stakeholder workshops with special emphasis on Latino
communities.
Example 4: Cosponsoring established community-focused activities or events.
Implement a systematic approach for determining the environmental and public health
needs of Hispanic stakeholder communities. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Designing and distributing bilingual surveys.
Example 2: Engaging in dialogue with key community leaders and appropriate experts.
Example 3: Identifying and analyzing relevant studies and reports.
Review existing programs, activities, and initiatives to determine if the efforts should be
redesigned, reinvigorated, or refocused. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Developing specific indicators to measure Hispanic public health and environ-
mental improvements resulting from EPA activities and programs.
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Translations
The Language Of Understanding
According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Spanish was the primary language spoken in U.S. homes
in 1990 by more than 17.3 million people ages 5 and older. Of that number, 26 percent—or more than 4.5 million
people-characterized their abilities to speak and/or read English as either "not well" or "not at all." Based on
recent data, that number has likely grown significantly. The Census Bureau estimates that the United States'
Hispanic population grew 44.1 percent to almost 32.3 million people between April 1990 and May 2000. As an
anization committed to serving all people, EPA recognizes the need to reach this community throu
ments, correspondence, and outreach materials written in Spanish.
The Agency is developing a protocol for ensuring that its translations
are of high quality, are culturally and linguistically appropriate, and
form to applicable international standards, such as those set by the
Organization of American States and the Pan-American Health
Organization. This protocol will help ensure that all Latinos will be
able to understand the environmental issues facing their commu-
nities, express their concerns, and get their questions resolved.
At present, EPA's National Service Center for Environmental
Publications lists more than 130 documents and videos available in
Spanish. Topics include environmental justice, safe drinking water, pesticides,
indoor air quality, carbon monoxide, lead poisoning, secondhand smoke, radon, f.tnt
household hazardous waste, Superfunds, marine debris, and environmental edu-
cation activities for children.
For a selection of EPA publications written in Spanish, visit the Environmental Publications Web site at
. You can submit orders online, or call 800 490-8190.
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Example 2: Designing customer satisfaction feedback mechanisms and incorporating them
into projects and initiatives.
Example 3: Determining if initiatives need additional resources or should be discontinued
based on their effectiveness.
Effectively promote EPA program objectives and accomplishments by
making widespread use of Spanish-language documents and Hispanic
media outlets.
Implementation Guidance:
• Learn about effective communication channels used by Hispanic stakeholder communities
to receive information. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Researching Hispanic media outlets, including radio programs, television networks,
magazines, and community newspapers, that carry information to the Latino community.
Example 2: Raising awareness by making environmental
information available through community centers, pub-
lic libraries, churches, and other groups serving the
Hispanic community.
• Develop a comprehensive communications strategy
sensitive to the priorities of the nation's Hispanic
community. Specific activities could include:
Example I: Forming a work group to create and
implement a specific program or regional communica-
tions strategy.
Example 2: Assigning responsibility for overseeing
a communications strategy to an individual
or office.
EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner, right, and
Bibi Lobo, vice president of the National Latino
Children's Institute, discuss the special chal-
lenges Hispanic youth face.
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PROFILE
EPA Channels Funding And Safe Water To Colonias
In Texas and New Mexico, hundreds of thousands of people are finally
gaining access to safe drinking water and sanitary sewer facilities, thanks
in part to EPA funding for border water infrastructure projects.
Along the Mexican border areas of Texas and New Mexico, there are
more than 1,200 colonias—unincorporated subdivisions populated predomi-
nantly by low-income Latinos. These colonias are characterized by substan-
dard housing, inadequate plumbing and sewage systems, and limited access
to clean water. These poor health conditions often cause residents to con-
tract hepatitis, gastrointestinal problems, and other diseases.
For years, addressing colonias infrastructure needs was difficult. As unin-
corporated subdivisions, they were not political entities eligible for funding. During the past 10
years, however, Texas and New Mexico have passed laws and Congress has allocated funds to address
colonias' basic infrastructure needs.
EPA is assisting colonias in Texas and New Mexico by providing funding to state agencies to con-
struct wastewater infrastructure and drinking water facilities. From 1993 to 1998, EPA made $320
million in grants available to Texas and New Mexico to provide for wastewater facilities. During that
time, Texas undertook 48 construction projects totaling nearly $300 million; New Mexico commit-
ted $14 million to 13 projects.
Since 1998, EPA has continued funding programs in colonias through the Texas Water
Development Board and the New Mexico Environment Department, which provide matching
grants. The programs provide loans and grants supporting local governments to develop sewers and
wastewater treatment facilities; residents of colonias in Texas can also receive low-interest loans for
their basic plumbing facilities. Overall, EPA funding has contributed to projects that have helped
ensure safe water and sewer facilities for approximately half of the 300,000 people living in colonias.
For more information about water infrastructure improvements in colonias, contact EPAs Office
of Wastewater Management at 202 260-5850.
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ft
PROFILE
EPA Program Provides Access And Support For Border Communities
The U.S.-Mexico border region is home to nearly 11 million residents. Because so many of the
natural resource, environmental, and public health issues in this region are transnational,
EPA's innovative U.S.-Mexico Border XXI Program brings federal, state, tribal, and local enti-
ties from both countries together to address these concerns.
With a main goal of promoting sustainable development, the Border XXI Program seeks a bal-
ance between social and economic factors and environmental protection in border communities and
natural areas. This is accomplished by:
• Ensuring public involvement.
• Building individual and institutional capacity and decentralizing
environmental decision-making.
• Ensuring interagency cooperation.
El Paso and San Diego Border Liaison Offices, established in 1994, are the
principal vehicles for providing Border XXI Program outreach. These offices also
facilitate access to environmental information in border communities. A satellite
office was established in Brownsville, Texas, in 1997 to perform similar functions
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Border Office staff respond to community needs and concerns; provide environmental information
and EPA grant announcements; and conduct public meetings and open house events to inform com-
munities of environmental activities and encourage discussion of local issues. Border Offices are also
responsible for implementing the Border Environmental Education Strategy, as well as other projects.
The public has electronic access to environmental information about border regions via:
• Computer workstations at the El Paso and San Diego Border Liaison Offices
• The EcoWeb Internet site, which provides links to existing border information
• EPA's Border XXI Web site at
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Crosscutting
Initiatives
Ensuring A Brighter Future Through
Sustainable Development
In 1996, the President's Council on Sustainable Development described sustainable communities as
places where "natural and historic resources are preserved, jobs are available, sprawl is contained, neigh-
borhoods are secure, education is lifelong, transportation and health care is accessible, and all citizens
have opportunities to improve the quality of their lives."
Revitalizing brownfields will help the citizens of
America's cities rebuild their own communities
on a new foundation of hope."
Vice President Al Gore,
announcing the Brownfields National Partnership
EPA encourages all citizens to work individually and joint-
ly to create sustainable communities that balance economic
growth with environmental stewardship and social equity.
Latinos are developing sustainable solutions to environmen-
tal challenges with the help of EPA and many other federal
agencies.
For example, a citizen group in Westside, an established
Mexican-American neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, is
using an EPA grant to develop an environmentally sound, sustainable community planning process.
Communities along the Rio Grande River formed the Consortium of the Rio Grande (CoRio) to ensure stew-
ardship of the nation's second longest river, assist bordering communities with forming strategic alliances,
and secure resources to help reach their objectives. Thanks to CoRio's efforts, the river was designated as
one of 14 American Heritage Rivers—an initiative to recognize outstanding stretches of the country's rivers
and provide federal resources toward their protection. EPA is one of the federal agencies working with CoRio
on local planning projects in Texas, including riverfront development in Laredo, revitalization of downtown
Brownsville, construction of a riverwalk and mission trail in El Paso, and wastewater services in Presidio.
Many community efforts are focusing on revitalizing abandoned industrial sites called brownfields.
These sites often are located in close proximity to economically distressed communities with ethnically
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diverse populations. When such properties are cleaned up and redeveloped, they can be catalysts for eco
revitalization within a community.
In 1996, the Brownfields National Partnership was launched to build partnerships among public and private
organizations to clean up brownfields. The partners called for the selection of Showcase Communities to
demonstrate the benefits of rnultiagency collaboration in developing local, sustainable solutions to brownfields.
Impressive efforts are under way in the following Showcase Communities (see page 17), whose populations include
a large percentage of Latinos:
Other EPA Brownfields Efforts
EPA also is encouraging brownfields redevelopment through other initiatives in Hispanic communities,
including the following:
O In San Diego, a pilot is underway to stimulate economic development and enhance the public health
and environmental quality of Barrio Logan. Several chemical manufacturing/storage facilities and
metal plating facilities pose risks to Barrio residents who live close to the sites. The city plans to con-
duct workshops and discussions in English and Spanish with residents, community leaders, industry
representatives, and technical experts to overcome redevelopment challenges.
© In Houston, a pilot in the East End and Palm Center communities will provide job training to local
residents. The East End is composed almost entirely of Hispanic residents, while Palm Center is pre-
dominately African-American. Houston Community College plans to recruit individuals from these
communities to receive training as environmental technicians. The college intends to train 100 stu-
dents, achieve a 75 percent job placement rate, and track graduates for 1 year after training.
© With funding from EPA, the New Jersey Environmental Law Center, through Rutgers Law Clinic and
La Casa de Don Pedro, will educate Hispanic residents in Newark, New Jersey, about Superfund site
remediation and brownfields issues in their neighborhoods.
© Bilbao, Spain, has garnered worldwide attention with construction of the architecturally striking
Guggenheim Museum on an abandoned industrial site. This project has become a model for water-
front redevelopment. In July, 2000, as part of an ongoing partnership between EPA and the city's
regional and municipal authorities, the Agency sent a technical assistance team to Bilbao. The team
promoted use of performance-based contracting so a new round of brownfields redevelopment in
Bilbao will be environmentally efficient in addition to architecturally remarkable.
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More than one third of East Palo Alto, California's population is
Latino. Although surrounded by the affluent and high-powered
Silicon Valley, East Palo Alto has not experienced similar pros-
perity. Three brownfields are targeted for cleanup; restoration of
one industrial area will employ nearly 4,000 workers. One of
the most significant accomplishments to date is the creation of
the Brownfields Environmental Job Training
giving local residents access to new job opportunities. The
training is the first of its kind in the nation.
Since 1993, more than $300 million has been invested in the
Eastward Ho! Corridor in southeast Florida. Spanning approxi-
mately 115 miles along the eastern portions of Palm Beach,
Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, the corridor is home to
more than 2 million people, some of whom experience the
most severe poverty in the country. More than 2,100 known
contaminated sites are located within the corridor. Highlights of
redevelopment in the region include receiving a developer's
commitment to create businesses in the low-income Wynwood
neighborhood, which will create new jobs; investment in clean-
ing up the 30-acre Poinciana Industrial Center; and establishment
involvement in brownfields projects.
What Are
Brownfields?
Brownfields are industrial or
commercial properties that
were once thriving economical-
ly, but now lie abandoned, idle,
or underused. Expansion or
redevelopment of these proper-
ties is complicated by actual or
perceived contamination from
past uses. Examples of brown-
fields include abandoned facto-
ries, gasoline stations, and dry
cleaning stores.
to ensure community
More than 200 brownfields are located in Dallas, and brownfields redevelopment is currently focusing on the
low-income, minority-populated section of West Dallas. The city has remediated and redeveloped 1,244 acres
of brownfields, creating more than 1,700 jobs. In addition, a bilingual guidance manual and other reports
developed by the city are now being requested by other communities across the nation.
An initiative in Chicago targets 26 sites for redevelopment. Remediation is currently focusing on four industri-
al park areas; three of these sites include communities that are predominately populated by minorities,
including Hispanics. Through the project, hundreds of jobs have been retained or created for area residents.
A Brownfields Institute was also established to educate community development organizations about brown-
fields issues and opportunities.
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V
Background
committed to enhancing economic opportunities for Hispanics as
its mission to protect public health and the environment. EPA can accomplish this, in
part, by becoming better acquainted with community groups and organizations serving
Hispanics, and by encouraging these groups and Hispanic-owned firms to pursue financial assistance
and contracting opportunities with the Agency.
Making grants and contracting opportunities available is not enough in itself. Many Hispanic
organizations and Hispanic-owned businesses don't know such opportunities exist or don't under-
stand how to take advantage of these economic benefits. EPA is committed to more effectively pro-
moting the availability of these benefits and providing the technical assistance necessary for Hispanic
organizations and businesses to access these opportunities. EPA also plans to track and review its
distribution of funding to identify potential obstacles.
Opportunities
Through efforts such as the Office of Environmental
Justice Small Grants Program, EPA's Mentor-Protege
Program for business development, and Hispanic Business
Counseling Day, the Agency will continue to provide eco-
nomic support and education.
Goal No. 1:
Broaden access to EPA financial and technical assistance for commu-
nity groups and other nongovernmental organizations serving the
Hispanic community.
Implementation Guidance:
• Develop, for use by Agency employees, a comprehensive list of community groups and other non-
governmental organizations serving the Hispanic community. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Working with EPA program, region, and state offices to compile the list.
Example 2: Utilizing publications such as the Hispanic Yearbook and the National Directory
of Hispanic Organizations to develop the list.
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Develop a local communications strategy to convey information about
financial and technical assistance to groups on the list. Specific activi-
ties could include:
Example 1: Providing materials on how to identify and access
assistance resources. EPA program and region offices and the
Office of Grants and Debarment can assist with these efforts.
Example 2: Holding forums in heavily populated Hispanic areas
to explain the assistance access process, discuss potential
opportunities, and showcase programs benefitting Hispanic communities. EPA program
offices and the Office of Grants and Debarment can assist with these efforts.
*)• Increase outreach efforts to Hispanic-owned firms to expand their
* ^* awareness of EPA contracting opportunities.
Implementation Guidance:
• Work to increase contracting opportunities for Hispanic-owned businesses by strengthening
partnerships and improving collaborative procurement planning with EPA's Office of
Acquisition Management and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, the
Agency's primary liaison to the small business community. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Working with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, U.S. -Mexico
Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. -Spain Council, among others, to promote contracting
opportunities for Hispanic-owned firms.
Example 2: Seeking EPA program and regional office support in identifying contracting
opportunities, and encouraging program and regional offices to create small business
opportunities.
Example 3: Encouraging Hispanic organizations to work with EPA's prime contractors to
foster business development and contracting opportunities in the environmental arena
through the Mentor-Protege program.
Example 4: Participating in contractor forums sponsored by the Office of Acquisition
Management.
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^% I |k|/% ». Develop tracking systems
VjOal FNO. 3. that monitor financial
resources going to Hispanic
concerns, and identify any
barriers to awarding con-
tracts and grants.
Implementation Guidance:
• EPA's Office of Acquisition Management is
developing a tracking system to monitor con-
tracting dollars going to Hispanic-owned firms
and other businesses (see "Enhanced Financial
Resources Tracking"). While the tracking sys-
tem is under development, EPA will continue
participating in business fairs and contractor
forums to provide outreach and to identify
potential barriers to awarding contracts.
Enhanced Financial
Resources Tracking
EPA's Office of Acquisition Management will complete
implementation of the new tracking system in fiscal year
2001. Primary implementation steps included:
© Developing language for all Agency contracts
exceeding $100,000 that asks contractors if their
companies are owned by a Hispanic, Latino, or
other minority group.
© Publishing the proposed language in the Federal
Register to allow for public comment. U.
approval, EPA could start collecting this informa-
tion by the second quarter of fiscal year 2001.
PROFILE
NuStats: A Decade Of Contracting With EPA
NuStats is a Hispanic-owned survey research and consulting company. It provides consumer atti-
tude/behavior analysis and forecasting to corporations and public agencies throughout the United
States and Mexico. An EPA contractor for nearly 10 years, the firm was founded by Dr. Carlos Arce,
who at age 14 immigrated with his family from Mexico to the United States.
Dr. Arce attributes his firm's 14 years of success to technical proficiency, diversification into special-
ized fields, and customized approaches to projects. The company has proven its ability to perform main-
stream consultation, market research, and analysis while also specializing in Hispanic issues.
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Helping Small
Businesses Prosper
The Small Business Administration
provides developing companies with a wide
array of helpful resources, including numer-
ous loan, financing, and procurement assis-
tance programs. The Office of Government
Contracting Web site, located at
, provides links
to other federal agencies. EPA's Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
serves as an advocate, counselor, trainer, and
liaison to the small business community.
Services are administered through participa-
tion in outreach activities, including intera-
gency-sponsored conferences, one-on-one
counseling, and group training seminars.
For further information about the direct pro-
curement and grants programs, write to EPA-
OSBDU, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
(1230A) Washington, DC, 20460; call 202 564-
4100; or visit
Dr. Arce encourages other Hispanic contractors wishing to
enter the federal market to take advantage of the wealth of infor-
mation and opportunities available from virtually every major
federal agency. He says federal agencies earmark certain solicita-
tions as "small or disadvantaged business set-asides." This assists
small, disadvantaged, and minority- and women-owned business-
es in receiving government contracts and affords them opportu-
nities to grow and prosper.
Targeting such opportunities is a sound business strategy, but
greater long-term success is achievable by shifting a firm's mar-
keting focus toward fully competitive procurements. For that,
companies—Hispanic-owned, or not—must be very competent.
"That's the bottom line—competence," Dr. Arce says.
NuStats currently employs 40 professional staff in its research
and consulting offices, plus an additional 120 people in two sep-
arately operated data collection units. Approximately 50 percent
of the staff are Hispanic.
PROFILE
From Borderline To Bottom Line,
WasteWise Makes A Difference
Through a binational, public/private partnership, EPA has helped businesses and students in the
San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan region realize the environmental and economic benefits of waste
reduction and recycling. The Border WasteWise Project demonstrates the commitment of the
region's industries to improve their bottom lines and the environment along the United States-
Mexico border.
WasteWise is a free, voluntary EPA program that helps businesses and organizations prevent
waste, recycle, and manufacture and buy recycled-content products. Through business assistance,
22
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training, outreach, and information resources, EPA provides manufacturers and other organizations
with needed tools to reduce their solid waste and increase their cost-competitiveness. Border
WasteWise focused on maquiladora plants, located in Mexico, but owned by foreign companies.
"We're trying to reduce the environmental impact that this heavy industrial sector has on the border
communities," says Chris Reiner of EPA Region 9, which includes California, Arizona, Nevada,
Hawaii, and the territories of Guam and American Samoa.
In the San Diego-Tijuana area, Border WasteWise initially helped 27 large and medium-sized
manufacturers in the electronics, transportation, plastic injection molding, and furniture industries
identify methods and technologies to reduce waste in product design, manufacturing, and packag-
ing. Companies including Sony, Sanyo, Honeywell, Hasbro, and Kodak made commitments to par-
ticipate. EPA provided onsite technical assistance to the manufacturers by conducting solid waste
reduction assessments, training, and implementation assistance.
Program success was due in part to the industry part-
ners' commitment and willingness to share their success
stories with other companies. One company, for example,
reduced its disposal costs and solid waste by seven tons
per year just by replacing paper towels with hand dryers.
A small electronics manufacturer cut its solid waste gener-
ation 30 percent by implementing WasteWise suggestions
that included training employees in recycling. Another
company used profits from the sale of its recyclables to
create a recreation fund for employees.
In addition to helping businesses directly, EPA trained
students and educators in waste reduction at the
Autonomous University of Baja California in Mexico and
at San Diego State University. Through the program, dozens of Mexican and American students
learned important environmental concepts and made future career contacts while conducting waste
assessments for course credit. The Agency also gathered waste generation data in the region to sup-
port binational waste management planning and developed waste reduction information resources
for border industries, government agencies, and other organizations.
Because the WasteWise effort was so successful, EPA has decided to broaden the program to
encompass other aspects of pollution prevention, including solid and hazardous waste, soil, waste
water, water conservation, and energy conservation. For more information about Border WasteWise,
contact EPA Region 9 at 415 744-2096.
23
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A Perspective
From The Field
Juilding Bridges, Crossing Borders
EPA Reaches Out to Hispanic-Owned Businesses.
Today, minority-owned businesses have options of where to take their services. EPA is competing with other fed-
eral, state, and local government entities for this increasingly important component of our national economy.
To provide contracting opportunities to Hispanic businesses, the Agency must conduct a sustained and mean-
ingful outreach effort. As an organization serious about building bridges to this community and committed to mak-
ing Hispanic business leaders feel valued, EPA could employ some or all of the following strategies:
O Advertise to Hispanic firms through concerted efforts in the print media. These notices should
indicate EPA's desire to include Hispanic-owned firms among its contractors. The Agency could also consult
the National Association of Hispanic Publications and Hispanic Businesses, Inc., to determine how to best
inform the diverse Hispanic business sector about contracting opportunities with EPA.
O Provide training on doing business with EPA to various Hispanic trade
and professional groups. These include the Hispanic Contractors of America
and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. EPA should make this training
available nationwide at locations where large populations of Hispanics reside.
Training should include information about opportunities provided by EPA, includ-
ing financial assistance programs and contracts awarded through the Agency's
various buying operations. Special attention should also be paid to the e-com-
merce aspects of these opportunities. This training will welcome diversity and
encourage Hispanic business leaders to seriously consider EPA as a marketplace
O Monitor Hispanic firms' participation in contract opportunities with
EPA. This will ensure that reasonable progress is made in improving inclusion of the Hispanic business sec-
tor. EPA also should develop a "feedback loop" that consistently allows it to hear Hispanic business leaders'
comments about the effectiveness of the Agency's outreach and educational efforts.
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Charles Vela, chairman
of the Center for the
Advancement of
Hispanics in Science and
Engineering Education,
has worked with EPA's
Office of Acquisition
Management to develop
innovative contracting
opportunities for
Hispanic-owned
businesses.
O Build on past EPA successes to guide outreach efforts. During the early
1990s, EPA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, in coopera-
tion with the National Association of Minority Contractors, launched a national
outreach and educational effort aimed at minority firms. Nationwide training was
offered on topics such as Superfund Construction Management: Costing,
Scheduling, and Claims; Superfund Safety and Health Techniques; Underground
Storage Tanks; Radon Containment; and Asbestos Abatement. Participants,
including Hispanic business leaders, received certification for successfully com-
pleting the training courses.
O Educate minority firms about opportunities with existing EPA initia-
tives. For example, the Construction Grants and State Revolving Fund Programs
have dispensed more monetary support to American communities than all other
EPA programs combined. These programs have been a key mechanism for
building the infrastructure our nation needs. But to date, few Hispanic- or other
minority-owned firms have realized the benefits of these programs. In most
regions, minority-owned businesses have received only a small number of
prime contracts.
Only when all types of businesses are competing effectively in EPA's procurement
process can the Agency rest secure in knowing that no business sector has been inad-
vertently neglected, overlooked, or excluded. To achieve this goal, EPA must develop bet-
ter ways to inform Hispanic-owned companies of economic opportunities with the
Agency and provide education about how to secure these opportunities.
- Maurice Velasquez is a 20-year
veteran of the Agency and coordinates
Region 8's minority- and women-owned
business program.
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Summary of U.S. EPA
Grant Program
Purpose
E?l*dMB£hi*K
Eligible
Applicants
Award Amounts
Fiscal Year 2000
Approximate
Application Period
Fiscal Year 2001
Contact
Information
Innovative
Community
Partnership Grants
To catalyze and encour-
age integrated commu-
nity planning and com-
munity-based redevel-
opment and revitaliza-
tion by providing seed
money to leverage pri-
vate and public sector
investment in commu-
nities and larger geo-
graphic areas such as
watersheds and air-
sheds.
All incorporated non-
profit entities and pub-
lic agencies (state,
county, regional, tribal,
or local).
Up to $250,000
per project
Varies
Lynn Desautels,
Office of the
Administrator,
202 260-6812
US-Mexico
Border Grants
To provide financial
assistance to eligible
border organizations
and institutions to sup-
port and advance the
objectives of the
Border XXI program.
Educational institu-
tions, Indian tribes,
local governments, and
501(C)3 organizations.
$25,000 per award
February to March
Sarah Sowell, Office of
Western Hemisphere
and Bilateral Affairs,
202 564-0145
Environmental
Justice Small
Grants
To provide financial
assistance to eligible
community groups
and federally recog-
nized tribal govern-
ments that are work-
ing on or plan to
carry out projects
that address environ-
mental justice
issues.
Any affected com-
munity group, non-
profit organization,
university, or tribal
government.
Organizations must
be incorporated to
receive funds.
Up to $20,000 each
Varies
Mustafa All, Office of
Environmental Justice,
202 564-2606
Solid Waste
Management
Assistance
To promote use of
integrated solid
waste management
systems to solve
municipal solid
waste generations
and management
problems at the
local, regional, and
national levels.
Nonprofit entities,
government agen-
cies, and Indian
tribes.
$5,000 to $250,000
Varies
Linda Kutcher,
Office of
Solid Waste,
703 308-6114
Pollution
Prevention
Incentives for
States
To support state, trib-
al, and regional pro-
grams addressing the
reduction or elimina-
tion of pollution
across all environ-
mental media: air,
land, and water.
State agencies, state
instrumentalities
such as universities,
federally recognized
tribes, and U.S. terri-
tories and posses-
sions. States are
encouraged to form
partnerships with
nonprofit organiza-
tions and/or local
governments.
$20,000 to $200,000
October to February
Christopher Kent,
Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics,
202 260-3480
Superfund
Technical
Assistance
Grants
To enable groups of
individuals affected
by Superfund
National Priorities
List (NPL) sites to
obtain technical
assistance in inter-
preting site informa-
tion.
Groups affected by
an NPL site. All
groups must be
incorporated as
nonprofit organiza-
tions.
Up to $50,000
Varies
Lois Gartner,
Superfund Community
Outreach Center,
703 6033889
26
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Community Grant Programs
Brownfields Job Training
and Development
Demonstration Pilots
To facilitate cleanup of brown-
fields sites contaminated with
hazardous substances and pre-
pare trainees for future employ-
ment in the environmental field.
The pilot projects must prepare
trainees in activities that can be
usefully applied to a cleanup
employing an alternative or inno-
vative technology.
Colleges, universities, nonprofits,
training centers, community-
based job training organizations,
states, cities, towns, counties,
U.S. territories, and federally rec-
ognized Indian tribes. Generally,
entities with experience in provid-
ing job training and placement
programs are invited to apply.
Up to $200,000 over 2 years
Varies
Myra Blakely, Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency
Response,
202 260-4527
Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilots
To help communities revitalize
brownfields properties both envi-
ronmentally and economically, mit-
igate potential health risks, and
restore economic vitality. EPA's
Brownfields Assessment
Demonstration Pilots are directed
toward environmental activities
preliminary to cleanup, such as
site assessment, site identification,
site characterization, and site
response or cleanup planning.
States (U.S. territories), political
subdivisions (including cities,
towns, counties), and federally rec-
ognized Indian tribes.
Up to $200,000 for 2 years
Varies
Becky Brooks, Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response,
202 260-8474
Environmental
Protection:
Consolidated
Research
To support environmen-
tal research based on
excellent science as
determined through
peer review by experts
drawn from the national
scientific community.
States, local govern-
ments, federally recog-
nized Indian tribes,
territories and posses-
sions, public and private
universities and col-
leges, hospitals, labora-
tories, public and pri-
vate nonprofit institu-
tions, and highly quali-
fied individuals.
$6,000 to $1,500,000
Varies per specific
research program
National Center for
Environmental Research,
800 490-9194
Environmental
Education
To provide financial
support for projects
that design, demon-
strate, or disseminate
environmental educa-
tion practices, meth-
ods, or techniques.
Local, tribal, or state
education agencies;
colleges and universi-
ties; nonprofit organi-
zations; state environ-
mental agencies; and
noncommercial edu-
cational broadcasting
agencies.
Approximately $1,000
to $100,000
September to
November
Diane Berger, Office
of Environmental
Education,
202 260-8619
National Estuary
Program
To promote the devel-
opment of comprehen-
sive conservation and
management plans for
designated estuaries.
State, interstate, and
regional agencies, non-
profit organizations
and institutions, and
qualified individuals.
$10,000 to $795,000
November to May
Darrell Brown, Office of
Wetlands, Oceans, and
Watersheds Protection,
202 260-6502
Children's Health
Protection
To support community-
based and regional
projects that enhance
public outreach and
communication; to
assist families in evalu-
ating risks to children
and in making
informed consumer
choices.
Community groups,
public nonprofit organi-
zations, tribal govern-
ments, and munici-
pal/local governments.
$35,000 to $135,000
Varies
Ramona Trovato, Office
of Children's Health,
202 260-7778
27
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siting
tives
Lead: Raising Awareness, Reducing Risks
Lead is a major environmental health hazard, especially for Latino children, a disproportionate percent-
age of whom live in older or distressed housing. About 75 percent of U.S. homes built before 1978, an
estimated 64 million dwellings, contain some lead paint, today's principal source of lead exposure in the
United States. Children living in older homes are threatened by chipping or peeling lead paint and by lead-
contaminated dust resulting from paint removal during remodeling.
Children also can be exposed to lead through drinking water tainted by
lead plumbing, lead-glazed pottery, and some home remedies (e.g., Greta
and Azarcon). Lead exposure can cause a variety of health problems,
including brain damage, lower IQ, and behavioral problems. Lead can
also cause abnormal fetal development in pregnant women. An estimated
1.7 million children have blood-lead levels above established standards,
mostly because of exposure to lead-containing materials. In adults, lead
exposure contributes to hypertension and substantially increases the risk
of heart attack and stroke, particularly for men ages 35 to 50.
In 1996, in response to the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard
Reduction Act's mandatory disclosure requirements, EPA and the
Consumer Products Safety Commission released a booklet in English and
Spanish explaining how to prevent and reduce exposure to lead hazards in
the home. This booklet, developed in consultation with Hispanic focus groups in Miami and Los Angeles,
is distributed to millions of Americans who buy, rent, lease, or renovate pre-1978 housing each year.
EPA, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, also currently funds the National Lead Information Center. The center
provides information about lead hazards and how to prevent them. The center runs a clearinghouse; a toll-
-------
free hot line at 800 424-LEAD; and a Web site at
.
In 1999, the Agency funded the National Latino Lead
Education Campaign. Sponsored in cooperation with the
National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center and
with assistance from the National Council of La Raza, the pub-
lic awareness campaign featured the first lead poisoning public
service announcement to air on the three major Spanish-Ian- Sjfciufc-:. 4
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V
Background
Pipeline
In the new "knowledge economy," technical skills and
educatS^ are more vital than ever to economic survival
and prosperity. Yet Hispanics, the fastest growing segment
of the U.S. population, are dropping out of schools in
alarming numbers. In 1999, a Hispanic high school student
had only a 60 percent chance of making it to graduation.
And the percentage of Hispanic high school graduates
enrolled in institutions of higher learning has remained vir-
tually unchanged since the early 1980s. Only 11 percent of
Hispanics earn at least a bachelor's degree.
EPA pledges to do its part to help close the Hispanic
educational attainment gap. One way of achieving this goal
is to increase the participation of Hispanic Serving
Institutions of Higher Education (HSIs) in EPA's research
grants and fellowship awards. Progress was made in both these areas between fiscal years 1998 and
1999. In 1999, EPA awarded 28 research grants to HSIs totaling approximately
$7 million, a 123 percent increase over the past year. EPA also awarded 12 fel-
lowships totaling approximately $293,000 to students of HSIs in 1999.
EPA is committed to working with educational institutions at all levels to
strengthen the "Education Pipeline." The Agency also recognizes and values the
flow of potential talent this pipeline will eventually provide for EPA's workforce.
Defining HSIs and HSEIs
For the purposes of EPA's National Hispanic
Outreach Strategy, the term Hispanic-serving educa-
tional institutions (HSEIs) encompasses all organiza-
tions such as community centers, nonprofit organiza-
tions, and primary and secondary schools that offer
educational services to the Hispanic community.
The more common term, Hispanic Serving
Institutions of Higher Education (HSIs), refers to
community colleges, junior colleges, and 4-year col-
leges and universities with Hispanic enrollments of
at least 25 percent, which is the regulatory thresh-
old established by the Department of Education.
*!• Increase the percentage of EPA funding to institutions and
programs serving Hispanic American students at all educational
levels through appropriate means.
Implementation Guidance:
• Examine all competitive and noncompetitive grant processes to eliminate barriers and facilitate par-
ticipation of institutions or programs serving Hispanic students. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Translating grant solicitation documents into Spanish and providing technical
assistance to increase participation in grant programs.
31
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Example 2: Analyzing available information about the results of funding cycles to promote
better management and equitable access.
Example 3: Determining if evaluation and decision-making processes for awarding financial
assistance erect barriers (e.g., lack of Hispanic participation in peer review) that discour-
age awards to Hispanic-serving educational institutions.
iki_
INO.
Improve the abilities of Hispanic Serving Institutions of Higher
Education (HSIs) and Hispanic-serving educational institutions (HSHs)
to compete for EPA grant programs.
Implementation Guidance:
• Develop a two-part communications strategy that informs EPA managers of opportunities to
award grants with HSIs, and make HSIs aware of grant opportunities with EPA. Specific activi-
ties could include:
Example 1: Preparing profiles of relevant HSIs and distributing the profiles to
decision-makers in EPA program and regional offices.
Example 2: Including local HSIs in all appropriate grant solicitations.
Example 3: Inviting local HSIs to make presentations to local EPA managers.
• Identify the technical assistance needs of Hispanic institutions so they can
more effectively compete for grants. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Providing assistance to train HSIs in effective grant writing.
Example 2: Organizing seminars or workshops to teach HSIs how to access federal
funding.
Example 3: Collaborating with sister federal agencies to support capacity build-
ing efforts for HSIs and HSEIs.
Example 4: Developing Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignments for HSIs to strength-
en their administrative management processes and their efforts to obtain various types of
funding.
32
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Goal No. 3:
Develop automated systems for
the Agency to track its funding
performance of Hispanic Serving
Institutions of Higher Education.
Implementation Guidance:
• EPA will complete efforts to produce an auto-
mated tracking system of funding of HSIs by
October 2001 (see "Improved Funds Tracking").
Improved Funds Tracking
EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment is enhanc-
ing the Agency's new Integrated Grants Management
System (IGMS) to facilitate tracking of funding to
Hispanic Serving Institutions of Higher Education and
other minority academic institutions. The office has
already established a data element in the system
PROFILE
specific ethnic groups. Other steps include the devel-
opment of an electronic interface between the new
automated system and the existing legacy system.
As a result of this activity, EPA will be able to gen-
erate reports on the amount of grant dollars award-
ed to Hispanic and other minority institutions.
Encouraging Youth Leadership In Texas
While EPA employs a variety of efforts to educate Hispanic farmworkers and their families
about the environmental risks and safe use of pesticides, one of the Agency's most important audi-
ences is children. For example, EPA funded the establishment of the Young Farmworkers' Academy
(YFA) in Texas.
YFA educates migrant agricultural workers and their families about pesticide risks and environ-
mental protection through afterschool classes, Saturday activities, and adult mentoring. The pro-
gram is an example of a successful partnership between EPA's Office of Pesticides, the University of
Texas at Brownsville, a local school district, and Equity Research Corp., a nonprofit education
research and consulting firm.
YFA launched a pilot project in January 2000 with 100 Hispanic elementary students, 8th
graders, and 1 Oth graders in San Benito and Donna, Texas. All students participate in two Saturday
sessions with adult mentors each month. Elementary students also attend afterschool sessions twice a
week to learn about environmental and community issues.
33
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At Saturday sessions, adult mentors use personal testimony, guest speakers, videos, worksite
tours, Internet research, and interviews with local agricultural professionals to engage students in
discussions about pesticide issues. YFA members learn about laws to protect farmworkers from pesti-
cide exposure, practical ways to protect themselves while
working in the field, and other environmental and pes-
"This project isn't just about providing youth and ticide safety issues. For example, the San Benito YFA
the community With information. It's about building visited the United Farmworkers Union and discussed
community and youth leadership to effect Change." migrant rights, pesticide awareness, and Cesar Chavez,
Marnie Brady the organization's founder. EPA representatives from the
YFA project coordinator for Donna, Texas office of Pesticides also gave students presentations on
In addition, young Latinos are learning important life lessons from their adult mentors. At both
sites, youth care for organic community gardens, which teaches them about team building in addition
to pesticide alternatives. Older students learn about college and career opportunities. For example,
1 Oth graders in the San Benito YFA visited the Texas A&M campus in College Station to learn about
careers in engineering, physics, mathematics, veterinary science, and farm and business management.
A full evaluation by teachers and administrators from participating schools is planned after May
2000. For more information about YFA, contact Marnie Brady, YFA project coordinator for Donna,
Texas, at 956 461-2250.
PROFILE
Mentoring By Word Of Mouth In Philadelphia Schools
In 1999, EPA's Mid Atlantic Region (which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia) developed a 6-week shadowing and mentor-
ing summer program for Philadelphia's Thomas Edison/John Fareira High School. The school's
population is three-quarters Hispanic. Ultimately, the student participants imparted critical informa-
tion to nearly 2,000 people about environmental issues that inner city residents face daily.
34
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EPA staff introduced eight Edison students to the work world through
assignments ranging from data management to environmental science.
EPA staff worked closely with the students, helping them acquire skills in
such areas as lead, pesticides, indoor air pollution, radon, and household
hazardous waste.
The Edison students then applied their knowledge by mentoring 36
other students from 14 middle schools in Philadelphia and Chester,
Pennsylvania. The middle school students, representing diverse racial,
economic, and cultural backgrounds, returned to their schools and com-
munities to teach others about environmental issues. The high school and middle school students
interacted with 150 EPA staff and employees from 21 different agencies.
Advancing Educational
Opportunities
On February 22, 1994, the President issued
Executive Order 12900 on Educational Excellence
for Hispanic Americans. The Executive Order created
the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence
for Hispanic Americans, which requires federal agen-
cies to advance educational opportunities for
Latinos. This includes working with individuals and
educational, business, and community groups that
serve this community.
In addition, agencies must submit and update
annual plans for improving programs or carrying out
activities that respond to Latinos' educational needs.
The National Hispanic Outreach Strategy provides a
new framework for EPA's continuing efforts to
accomplish the objectives of the Executive Order.
This EPA Region 3 mentoring pro-
gram offered a creative way to provide
both employment and educational
opportunities to Hispanic students. The
program also represents a proactive
approach for fostering partnerships with
the local Hispanic community and devel-
oping student interest in environmental
protection careers. The mentoring pro-
gram contributed significantly to EPA's
support of the goals stated in the White
House Initiative on Educational
Excellence for Hispanic Americans (see
"Advancing Educational Opportunities").
35
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Crosscutting
Initiatives
Reaching Out To Children And Youth
PA has partnered with Hispanic educational associations anc
Colleges & Universities, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Hispanic Environmental
Council, and the Hispanic National Bar Association. In addition, under the National Environmental Education Act,
EPA has sponsored development of environmental education curricula and programs in cooperation with local and
state organizations and agencies.
,h these education
O The Salton Sea in California's Imperial Valley is a major migratory bird flyway. EPA is funding development of
high school and community college curricula about water pollution and solid waste issues relevant to this
important ecosystem. Geared to the predominantly Hispanic farmworker population, the program will include
field trips and job shadowing. Students will monitor water ponding techniques and bioremediation of pollution
from agricultural runoff. The hope is that this participation will inspire students to pursue environmental man-
agement careers.
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Hispanic EPA employees are serving as role models in
Athens, Georgia, to a group of Hispanic youth who have
limited English proficiency. EPA presented slides in
Spanish describing the types of scientific fieldwork done
by the Agency and explained the various academic dis-
ciplines involved.
Hispanic EPA employees are also helping students from
the Clarke County High School system, which has a
large Hispanic enrollment, clean up a stream that feeds
the Oconee River near Athens, Georgia, and runs
through a local park.
In cooperation with Region 3's Hispanic Employment
Program, EPA gave presentations to more than 200
Clymer Elementary School students about the dangers of
lead poisoning and the importance of conserving water. At
McClure Elementary School, EPA staff taught students
about recycling, endangered species, lead poisoning, and
wetlands protection. At a Career Day at Stetson Middle
School, EPA provided information about environmental
careers and EPA's mission. Each of the schools is located
in Philadelphia and has a large Hispanic enrollment.
Latina women and youth are learning skills to gain eco-
nomic independence thanks to EPA's grant support of
Mi Casa, a community program in Denver founded in
1976. In addition to providing general employment and
educational services, Mi Casa stimulates community
involvement and leadership development around specif-
ic environmental issues.
Espanola Valley, New Mexico, is adjacent to a Superfund
site. Through an EPA grant, 20 teachers are helping to
develop environmental curricula for use in their schools.
The region is predominantly Hispanic and Native American.
EPA has actively participated in the annual United States
Hispanic Leadership Conference. In 1999, emphasis
focused on environmental health threats to children.
Forging New Educational
Partnerships
Since EPA's first National Hispanic Stakeholders
Consultation, the Agency has signed Memorandums of
Understanding with two Hispanic Serving Institutions of
Higher Education: San Diego State University and the
University of Texas at Brownsville. These memorandums
cover a range of activities focusing on recruitment, cur-
riculum development, and community outreach.
As part of these agreements, EPA installed Office of
Personnel Management Federal Employment kiosks at
the schools. The kiosks provide a direct link to the
USAJOBS database and contain up-to-date information
about employment with the federal government. The
kiosks, accessible by the general public, are valuable
community resources.
"Every time I'm in our library, I see students using
the kiosk," said Dr. Juliet Garcia, president of
University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas
Southmost College. "It is a wonderful feeling knowing
that [our students] have this resource at their dispos-
al. With the help of EPA, our students are in position
to take full advantage of their education by accessing
job opportunities at local and national levels."
In addition to these individual agreements, EPA joined
the Educational Consortium for Environmental Protection
in April 2000. This international consortium includes
other federal agencies and Hispanic Serving Institutions
of Higher Education from mainland United States and
Puerto Rico, as well as universities from Chile and
Mexico. The consortium's faculty will collaborate with EPA
on a variety of projects. The Agency is also establishing a
student mentoring program with consortium members.
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Employment and Professional
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V
Background
For more than 28 years, EPA has worked to protect public health and the natural environment.
The Agency's workforce has produced results apparent in the food our nation eats, the water
we drink, and the air we breathe. These successes confirm the operat-
ing principle that is central to even greater environmental achievements in
the future—hiring and supporting talented, involved, and committed pro-
fessionals who understand the Agency's mission and will help to achieve it.
This is why the outreach strategy's Employment and Professional
Advancement segment is so important to EPA. Maintaining a diverse work-
force is the best way for the Agency to get its job done.
Statistics reveal that EPA is making progress in increasing the Hispanic
component of its workforce, but the need for sustained efforts remains.
While Hispanic men constituted 4.8 percent of the civilian labor force as of
March 2000, they made up only 2.1 percent of EPA's overall workforce.
Hispanic women are better represented, making up 2.4 percent of EPA's
total workforce compared with 3.3 percent of the civilian labor force.
Several key initiatives are already underway. The Agency now serves as a
member of the Industrial Partnership Council of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and
offers leadership in providing educational grants to college and university students. EPA's intern pro-
gram also offers a vehicle for recruiting entry level staff in a range of occupational groups. While
selections were yet to be made at this strategy's publishing, a
number of superb Hispanic candidates were in the running
for this year's intern class.
Advancement
Despite these positive developments, Hispanics remain
underrepresented in a significant number of job series in
EPA's workforce and—of particular concern—in EPA's high-
er grade levels. The strategy's Employment and Professional
Advancement portion provides guidance in evaluating EPA's diversity profile and determining how
best to address instances of Hispanic underrepresentation. In no small measure, accomplishing the
Agency's mission depends on continued improvements in these areas.
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Goal No. 1:
Demonstrate that EPA, as a federal agency deeply involved in addressing
issues of critical importance to the Hispanic community, is an employer of
choice that is committed to fair and equal employment opportunity.
Implementation Guidance:
• Develop effective outreach strategies ensuring young Hispanic professionals will consider public
service a viable employment option. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Developing a program with local schools that puts students in contact with
positive role models working in the environmental field.
Revamping EPA's National Recruitment Program
The National Recruitment Program helps EPA locate and hire the most qualified applicants, a
boost representation of minorities, women, and people with disabilities in the Agency's workforc
accomplished by:
nts, as well as
O Establishing an Agency network of trained recruiters. To help identify and hire talented and
diverse candidates, EPA recruiters (supervisors, special emphasis program managers, and human
resource specialists) are receiving information and materials to supplement their knowledge of the
Agency's programs and luring needs. Recruitment coordinators are helping them prepare for and par
ticipate in local and national recruitment events.
O Participating in career fairs and major recruiting events. To help EPA become an
"employer of choice," the Agency is reestablishing its piescnce in the competitive recruitment mai
ket. EPA is designing state-of-the ait recruitment booths and recruitment materials that reflect the
Agency's varied and challenging work, as well as its family-friendly work environment. Recruiters
will represent EPA at all nationally recognized recruiting events. In some cases, EPA will provide
keynote speakers or panel participants.
Strengthening partnerships with communities, high schools, and colleges.
>s with high
schools with large
Agency's
to students with diverse b
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Example 2: Working with local schools to develop environmental
curricula or environmental education study materials.
The Office of Human Resources and Organizational Services is cur-
rently leading an effort to modify EPA's National Recruitment Program
(see "Revamping EPA's National Recruitment Program" on page 40).
This action will ensure an effective EPA presence at a wide variety of
recruitment opportunities, including Hispanic-serving conferences and
events. When revamping is complete, specific activities could include:
Example 1: Coordinating local recruitment efforts with EPA's
national program and other Agency offices.
Example 2: Examining how the Student Career Experience
Program and EPA Professional Intern Program can be used to
address recruitment needs more effectively.
Emphasize recruitment of Hispanic applicants for EPA's summer intern program and similar
entry level trainee positions. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Developing local recruiting schedules.
Example 2: Optimizing use of Memorandums of Understanding with educational
institutions and Hispanic organizations.
Example 3: Engaging local Hispanic organizations in recruitment efforts.
A "Hispanic Tool Kit" was distributed informing EPA supervisors and managers of available
recruitment tools and hiring authorities that can help them consider Hispanic American appli-
cants. Additional activities could include:
Example 1: Ensuring managers and supervisors are fully briefed about the tool kit and
capable of using the tools to recruit Hispanic employees.
Example 2: Individualizing the tool kit to address the specific needs of particular EPA offices.
Example 3: Making the tool kit available Agency-wide via the EPA Intranet.
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Mr\ 0* Remove barriers to Hispanic American employee participation in profes-
**** ^* sional development programs.
Implementation Guidance:
• Ensure criteria for promotions, awards, career development activities, and training are clear and
widely disseminated. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Conducting how-to seminars on career development/advancement and federal
job application.
Example 2: Utilizing multiple communications vehicles, including pamphlets, Web site
postings, and announcements on in-house TV monitors, to ensure awareness of criteria.
• Review local Diversity Action Plans to ensure equal access to development opportunities. Specific
activities could include:
Example 1: Adding specific elements about development to Diversity Action Plans.
Example 2: Examining Diversity Action Plans to ensure that adequate steps are taken to
provide equal and fair competition for all positions, including supervisors and managers.
Mr\ \* Adopt policies and procedures making EPA managers and supervi-
sors accountable for upholding equal employment opportunity and
fairness guidelines.
Implementation Guidance:
• Ensure EPA managers and supervisors are fully aware of equal employment opportunity, diversity
objectives, and the National Hispanic Outreach Strategy. Specific activities could include:
Example 1: Considering Hispanic underrepresentation when developing innovative
approaches to implement the senior executive service accountability model.
Example 2: Evaluating manager and supervisor performance in using tools authorized by
the Affirmative Employment Program Plan and Diversity Action Plan.
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.*-'.:
PROFILE
Denver Cleanups Provide On-The-Job Training
Hispanic community members in Denver are learning valuable employment skills while helping
to clean up their neighborhoods as part of EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI).
SuperJTI is a national grant program EPA designed to provide job training opportunities to people
living in communities affected by Superfund sites, particularly those in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
A Superfund site is an area contaminated by hazardous waste that EPA has designated for cleanup.
From technical skills, such as lead and asbestos abatement, to life skills, such as computer knowledge
and English language, individuals receive needed training to pursue high-paying employment opportu-
nities in environmental remediation. "This approach is successful because it achieves more effective
cleanups and empowers local residents in the process," says Ted Fellman of EPA Region 8, which rep-
resents Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
In Denver, the SuperJTI effort encompasses three communities in the northern section
of the city: Elyria, Swansea, and Globesville. In these residential communities, where 72
percent of the population is Latino, there are several large industrial facilities, four oil
refineries, a coal-generated public utility plant, and multiple Superfund sites. At the begin-
ning of the 1990s, EPA identified these neighborhoods as one of Colorado's most polluted
areas. This low-income area also has a higher-than-average rate of unemployment.
Thanks to the SuperJTI program, local residents have helped clean up some of the
Superfund sites and received 40 hours of OSHA HazMat training they can use at future
jobs. The program combined intensive classroom instruction with hands-on work experi-
ence to provide training to 38 area residents, most of whom were Latino. Programs took
place in September 1998 and April 1999.
Much of the program's success resulted from establishing effective partnerships within
the community. In Denver, the Colorado People's Economic and Environmental Network
(COPEEN) coordinated, recruited, and trained residents in conjunction with the Oil, Chemical,
and Atomic Workers Union. Job placement for the trainees is challenging, but these organizations
have learned from experience that program publicity is a key to securing future jobs for participants
For more information on the Denver SuperJTI program, contact EPA Region 8 at 303 312-6119.
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T
PROFILE
Alternate Avenues To Federal Employment
here are a number of alternatives for interested candidates to enter federal service besides the
traditional method of appointment through the competitive examining process.
The Student Educational Employment Program offers students temporary employment, ranging
from summer jobs to year-round jobs with flexible schedules. It also provides positions in work
study (student career experience) programs that can lead to permanent employment after complet-
ing educational and work requirements. The Student Volunteer Program offers students education-
ally related work assignments on a nonpay basis.
The Outstanding Scholar Program offers GS-5 and GS-7
level jobs to college graduates who earn a minimum grade
point average of 3.5 or who are in the upper 10 percent of a
baccalaureate graduating class or major university subdivision,
such as the school of business. The EPA (Professional) Intern
Program uses the Outstanding Scholar Program to recruit and
nurture EPA's next generation of leaders through a comprehen-
sive entry level, career development program.
The Presidential Management Intern Program offers stu-
dents who have completed a master's or doctorate-level degree
initial 2-year appointments and the potential for permanent
employment. Students are also chosen through a competitive
nomination and selection process.
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The Bilingual/Bicultural Program offers GS-5
or GS-7 level jobs in occupations where bilingual
and/or bicultural skills are needed. Qualified appli-
cants must obtain a passing score on an exam and
must possess required levels of oral Spanish-lan-
guage proficiency and/or knowledge of Hispanic
culture.
The Veterans Readjustment Appointment offers
jobs without competition at the GS-11 level or lower
to eligible veterans. Employees are converted to com-
petitive service after 2 years of satisfactory service.
Returned Peace Corps volunteers have noncom-
petitive eligibility status for federal appointment for 1
year (or up to 3 years in limited circumstances) after
completing their service. Peace Corps employees who
have completed 36 months of satisfactory service
have noncompetitive eligibility for 3 years after end-
ing employment with the Peace Corps.
Appointing authorities such as Schedule A, 5
CFR 213.3102(t) or Schedule A, 5 CFR
213.3102(u) offer jobs to qualified people with dis-
abilities. The jobs have the potential of converting to
permanent status after 2 years of satisfactory service.
Through its Pathways to Opportunities Program,
EPA offers welfare recipients GS-1 level worker
trainee jobs, with promotion opportunities up to the GS-4 level. If candidates meet necessary
requirements, they are converted to permanent positions after 3 years of satisfactory service.
For more information, visit or .
Jose Rivera, left, president of the Society of Hispanic
Professional Engineers (SHPE), and Dave O'Connor, EPA
deputy assistant administrator for Administration and
Resources Management, sign a landmark Memorandum of
Understanding between the organizations at the 2000 SHPE
Annual Training Conference.
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Pesticides: Protecting Farmworkers And
Their Families
An estimated 3.5 million agricultural workers and pesticide handlers in the United States work with pesticides;
2.5 million of these workers are Hispanic. Because this group constitutes such a large percentage of the nation's
agricultural workforce, EPA specifically reaches out to the Spanish-speaking population with information about safe
handling and health risks of pesticides.
EPA's Worker Protection Standard was established to reduce pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultur-
al workers and pesticide handlers. The standard requires pesticide safety training, notification of pesticide applica-
tions, use of personal protective equipment, restricted entry intervals following pesticide application, decontamina-
The standard protects a population that is diverse and often highly mobile. Reaching them requires utilizing mul-
tiple languages, channels of information, and organizational networks. For this reason, all public information on the
Worker Protection Standard, in both print and electronic formats, is available in Spanish. EPA continues to exploie
ways of "getting the word out" about the Worker Protection Standard requirements to workers, pesticide handlers,
and their employers. Recent efforts specifically directed at the Hispanic community include the following:
O Working with states and industry, EPA developed pesticide safety materials and supported wide-scale train-
ing in pesticide safety. The Agency supports the National Farm Worker Environmental Education Program,
which is the nation's largest pesticide safety education program for farmworkers. The program is run by the
Association of Farm Worker Opportunity Programs in partnership with the AmeriCorps Community Service
Program. In 1996, more than 45,000 farmworkers in 12 states were trained in pesticide safety.
O With the Hispanic Radio Network, EPA broadcast 10 pesticide safety information programs that reached 120
market areas nationwide. The Agency also supported development of five noi/e//a-style radio mini-dramas in
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Spanish by the Association of Farm Worker Opportunity Programs. Public service announcements and call-in
talk shows at two pilot sites were also funded by EPA.
© EPA sponsored development of a pesticide safety workbook for students to use in English as a Second
Language courses. Created by the Association of Farm Worker Opportunity Programs, the course explains
basic pesticide hazards and safe practices.
© EPA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are funding the Sentinel Event Notification
System for Occupational Risk (SENSOR), which focuses on states with high Hispanic populations (California,
Florida, New York, and Texas). SENSOR'S goal is to identify, classify, report, and construct databases of pes-
ticides-related illnesses and injuries.
© In New Jersey, EPA is conducting a pilot project with Rutgers
University, the Farm Workers Support Committee, the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection, and the New Jersey
Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. The program
evaluates the health and environmental impacts of pesticides on farm-
workers and their families, most of whom are Hispanic.
O In Payette, Idaho, Hispanic migrant and seasonal farmworkers and
their families will receive education about environmental and human
health threats through the Valley Family Health Care project. This EPA-
funded outreach effort will cover topics such as contaminated drinking
water and the improper disposal of chemicals and sewage.
© The Spanish-Speaking Indian Council in Monterey, California, is using
an EPA grant to educate teachers and parents about pesticide use in
the workplace. The community's leading industries (tourism and agri-
culture) are significant users of pesticides and primarily employ Spanish-speaking individuals.
© Hispanic fieldworkers in the Minneapolis area will receive education about health threats associated with
exposure to agricultural chemicals and other occupational hazards. An EPA grant to the Clean Water Fund
will provide training to migrant health and legal providers about workplace and home safety issues faced by
the community's Hispanic farmworkers.
© The Clean Water Fund, with EPA assistance, is developing a bilingual training and educational outreach pro-
gram specifically for North Dakota's Hispanic farmworker population. The program is designed to prevent
pesticides exposure and other occupational hazards.
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EPA National Hispanic Stakeholder
Consultation Participants
Alianza Ecologista del Bravo
Contact. Richard Boren, Executive Director
520 294-0089
California Center for Border and Regional
Economic Studies
Contact. Kimberly Collins, Director
760768-5510
www.sci.sdsu.edu/ccbres
Center for the Advancement of Hispanics
in Science and Engineering Education
Contact. Michael Herrera, Program
Manager
202 994-6529
www.cahsee.org
GeoLogics
Contact. Fernando Arroyo, President
703 750-4000
www.geologics.com
Hispanic Association of Colleges
& Universities
Contact. Gumecindo Salas, Ph.D., Vice
President of Government Relations
210 692-3805
www.hacu.net
International Boundary and
Water Commission
Contact. John Bernal, U.S. Commissioner
915 832-4101
www.ibwc.state.gov
Las Americas Avenue Development Corp.
Contact. Hector Rodriguez, Executive
Director
202 265-9561
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
Contact. Adolf Falcon, Vice President
202 797-4341
www.hispanicheal th.org
National Association for Bilingual
Education
Contact. Dr. Josefina Tinajero, President
915747-5552
www.nabe.org
National Caucus of Hispanic School
Board Members
Contact. Harry Garewal, President
602 256-3262
www.nsba.org
National Hispanic Environmental Council
Contact. Roger Rivera, President
703 922-3429
www.nheec.org
National Image, Inc.
Contact. Alberto Rocha, Chairman
510553-2486
www.nationalimageinc.org
National Latino Children's Institute
Contact. Rebeca Barrera, President
512472-9971
www.nlci.org
National Organization for Mexican
American Rights
Contacts: Dan Solis, Chairman of the Board;
Marlow Martinez, Vice President
210520-1831
www.nomarinc.org
People Organizing to Demand
Environmental and Economic Rights
Contact. Antonio Diaz, Project Director
415431-4210
Puerto Rican Legal Defense &
Education Fund
Contact. Foster Maer, Senior Counsel
212219-3360
www.igc.org/lPR
Serf-Reliance Foundation
Contact. Maite Arce, Deputy Director
202 547-7447
www.selfreliancefoundation.org
SER Jobs For Progress, Inc.
Contact. Sal Martinez, Vice President
760 754-6500
www.sernational.org
Society of Hispanic Professional
Engineers, Inc.
Contact. Jose Rivera, President
323 725-3970
www.shpe.org
Southwest Center For Environmental
Research & Policy
Contact. Noelle Jue, Program Coordinator
619 594-0856
www.scerp.org
TIYM Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact. Angela Zavala, President
703 734-1632
www. tiy m .com
The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
Contact. Dr. Waldo Lopez-Aqueres,
Director of Economic Policy Research
909 621-8897
www.trpi.org
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M Protocioti Agmy
What's
New?
Grants and
Fellowships
Contracting
Opportunities
Employment ]
Community
Involvement ;
Notionof Hispanic Ou
,xOxxsxNw«<%iAvAM'XXHi«*v'Ms'Ni'**i
OutreacftStn
Welcome to the Environmental Protection Agency's National Hispanic Outreach Strategy home page.
This Web site is part of EPA efforts to strengthen its relationship with Hispanic Americans and better
serve the nation's growing Latino community. The National Hispanic Outreach Strategy sets forth a
comprehensive and detailed approach to promoting greater access to economic and empbyment
opportunities with the Agency, increasing EPA support for Hispanic Serving Institutions or Initiatives,
facilitating access to environmental information, and improving the delivery of programs and services
of particular importance to the Hispanic community.
See the National Hispanic Outreach Strategy's Web site at
.
Cover painting:
Diego Rivera, Motherhood, 1954,
oil on canvas, Sotheby's, New York
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