FACT SHEET
EPA SCHOOLS MONITORING INITIATIVE
STEVENS CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
10300 Ainsworth Drive
Cupertino, CA950I4
What Is EPA's School Monitoring Initiative?
On March 31, 2009, EPA released a list of priority schools for outdoor air quality monitoring, as part of an
initiative to understand whether outdoor toxic air pollution poses health concerns to school children. EPA,
with the support of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, will:
• Collect samples of outdoor air near selected schools over 60 days,
• Analyze those samples for selected air toxics,
• Report to the community on levels of air toxics found,
• Evaluate actions that may be needed to reduce levels of pollutants of concern.
The schools selected for monitoring include schools near large industries that are sources of air toxics and
schools in urban areas, where emissions of air toxics come from a mix of large and small industries, cars, truck,
buses and other sources.
Why Is EPA Monitoring The Air At My School?
Over the past year, a few air quality management agencies have monitored the outdoor air near cement plants
in other areas of California. Some of the results show elevated levels of the metal chromium VI (hexavalent
chromium) in the outdoor air near cement plants. Air and health agencies are concerned about chromium VI
because health studies of some workers who have been exposed to high levels of chromium VI over long
periods of time have higher than normal levels of certain health effects, including lung cancer.
EPA will be working with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to monitor the outdoor air at Stevens
Creek Elementary School for chromium VI as part of this school monitoring initiative. While we do not
anticipate finding levels of chromium VI that would result in potential health risks to children, we want to make
sure, which is why we are doing this monitoring initiative.
What Are The Next Steps?
A date to begin monitoring at Stevens Creek Elementary School has not yet been established, however, we
anticipate that monitoring will begin within the next three months. Monitors will be in place for about 60 days.
We will keep the community informed of the results and what they mean. EPA is committed to protecting
public health. If we find unsafe levels of chromium VI, we will keep the community informed and will work with
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and school district to find solutions.
Where Can I Go For More Information*?
EPA has created a national website for the schools monitoring initiative, where anyone can go to obtain
additional information on the initiative, next steps, and results: http://www.epa.gov/schoolair/. Additionally, you
can find information about resources for healthy school environments, such as EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools
for Schools, at: http://epa.gov/schools/index.html.
Phone calls can be directed to Mike Bandrowski, Chief of the Air Toxics, Radiation, and Indoor Air Office at
EPA, Region 9 (415-947-4194), or you may email us at R9schoolmonitoring@epa.gov.
If you do not have internet access you may call us to request a copy of materials available from the website.
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