United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA New England
at work for you
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ei
enuironmental
snow
content
introduction 1
cleaning our air 3
cleaning our water 7
enforcing the law 8
working together for healthy communities.... 11
eliminating toxics 12
science works for environmental justice 15
funding for communities 18
tools & resources 23
websites & contacts.... ....28
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envlroimental
Community education and involvement is key
to creating cleaner, healthier neighborhoods.
" We must take special pains to connect with
those who have been historically underrepre-
sented in EPA decision making, including the
disenfranchised in our cities and rural areas,
communities of color, native Americans, people
disproportionately impacted by pollution, and
small businesses, cities and towns working to
meet their environmental responsibilities. Like
all Americans, they deserve an EPA with an open
mind, a big heart and a willingness to listen."
- EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson
ifltpoductiofl
ril residents of New England are
entitled to clean air, land and
water in their homes, schools, offices
and outdoor environments. The US
Environmental Protection Agency
works to protect all people, regard-
less of race, color, national origin or income,
the burden of pollution and environmental
degradation and to involve all citizens in
making decisions that affect the environ-
ment in which they live, work and play.
Minority and low-income communities are often
disproportionately exposed to the impacts of pollu-
tion. EPA New England's Environmental Justice
program is designed to protect these communities
by eliminating and preventing the impacts of pollu-
tion from factories, bus depots and other sources.
Our goals at EPA range from cleaning the air and
water to making better use of our region's land and
buildings, whether these properties are vacant and
contaminated or filled with toxic chemicals. These
efforts help reduce the rates of lead poisoning and
asthma in New England and create healthier and
safer communities for all New England residents.
The stories in this brochure highlight ways EPA
has already improved the environment and
public health by working with communities
and local, state and federal agencies. Through
joint efforts, EPA New England is ensuring the
region's communities take a stronger role in the
future of their environment and create a healthier
New England. The brochure also provides infor-
mation about EPA's funding sources and techni-
cal and program assistance.
page | 1
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Community representatives with Lisa Jackson
at EPA's cleanup facility in New Bedford.
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson
visits New Bedford, Mass.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has made it
clear since the day she stepped into her job
that "environmental protection is about human
protection." While she was in New Bedford, she
announced EPA was giving between $25 and
$35 million to the cleanup of the New Bedford
Harbor Superfund site.
This money, from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009, will provide a tremen-
dous boost to the cleanup of New Bedford Harbor
and is expected to significantly speed progress
made on removing PCB-contaminated sediment
and return a clean harbor back to the community
- one of the poorest in New England.
New Bedford is among the dozens of urban
communities across New England receiving
support from the $460 million channeled into
this region from the Recovery Act.
Before making the announcement in New Bedford,
Jackson sat with community members to hear
their concerns and make sure they have a voice
at the table as we move forward on the cleanup.
Jackson's meeting exemplified how strong Jack-
son feels about EPA being a "listening ear" to
all communities - and especially disadvantaged
communities.
Congress appropriated a total of $600 million in
Recovery Act funds to EPA's Superfund program
to clean some of the most contaminated waste
sites in the country. Many of these sites, like New
Bedford, are in the industrial areas hardest hit by
the recession.
According to Jackson, environmental justice
"is not an issue we can afford to relegate to the
margins. It has to be part of our thinking in every
decision we make."
envlroimental
Schools in Hamden,
Conn., reported a
50 percent decline in
asthma-related visits to
the nurse a year after the
district began using EPA's
Tools for Schools indoor
air quality program.
cleaaini our air
sthma is a serious, sometimes life-
threatening respiratory disease that
affects the quality of life for millions
of Americans. The air we breathe
can be contaminated with harm-
ful pollutants from factories, power
plants, motor vehicles, cleaning prod-
ucts and many other sources. EPA New
England's work to reduce air toxics helps
reduce asthma and is part of the agency's
larger commitment to protecting the envi-
ronment and public health.
Tools for Schools
Indoor Air Quality program
Schools in Hamden, Conn., reported a 50
percent decline in asthma-related visits to
the nurse a year after the district began using
EPA's Tools for Schools indoor air qual-
ity program. Hartford, Conn, reported a 21
percent drop in asthma-related visits to the
nurse. These school systems are representa-
tive of urban New England school systems.
More than 1,300 schools in the region now
use Tools for Schools. About 25 percent of
these school districts are urban and another
25 percent are rural, areas more likely to
shoulder an unfair burden of environmental
problems. Connecticut is the national leader
in using Tools for Schools, with more than 900
schools using the program. New Hampshire
is following Connecticut's lead by forming a
statewide Tools for Schools network.
Cleaner school
buses in Connecticut
More than 80 school buses in Mansfield and
Newtown, Conn, were retrofitted with advanced
pollution control technologies using 2007
Clean School Bus USA funding. In addition, 25
school buses in Hamden, Conn, were retrofit-
ted through this program, which was launched
in 2003 and has awarded more than 15 grants
across New England for diesel retrofits, vehicle
replacements and the use of cleaner diesel fuel
in school buses. Other states also received
Clean School Bus funding. The Vermont Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation has retrofit
school buses with idle reduction technology
and advanced pollution control technology.
page j 3
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EPA scientist from Chelmsford Laboratory
uses data to help understand environmental
health issues.
clHiln nr ilr (cum
Diesel retrofits at
Rl Airport Corp.
Diesel-powered equipment operated by the Rl
Airport Corporation will be retrofitted using part
of the nearly $200,000 awarded to the Rl Depart-
ment of Environmental Management through
the State Clean Diesel program. EPA allocated
approximately $1.5 million in 2008 to the six New
England states for State Clean Diesel projects. The
Airport Corp. project will protect air quality and
human health in this state, where asthma rates in
children are estimated at 13.9 percent.
The Chittenden
Solid Waste District
The Chittenden Solid Waste District is replac-
ing three older diesel waste haulers with new
compressed natural gas models, thanks to more
than $200,000 provided by the Northeast Diesel
Collaborative. The collaborative also gave $50,000
to the Conn. Department of Environmental Protec-
tion to retrofit maintenance vehicles in the state
fleet. The city of New Haven, Conn, received near-
ly $115,000 in 2007 from the Northeast Diesel
Collaborative, to install advanced pollution control
technology on construction equipment operating
at a school construction site.
Fighting asthma in
Springfield, Mass.
More than 40 health workers in Springfield, where
schools report a 20 percent asthma rate among
students, were trained to help residents reduce
environmental asthma triggers in their home and
childcare providers to reduce triggers in their
facilities. EPA and the state Department of Public
Health are supporting this effort by the Pioneer
Valley Asthma Coalition, a community group
founded to fight asthma. EPA is also working with
Springfield schools to improve indoor air quality
and to reduce school bus idling. EPA's Asthma
Team has adopted similar approaches for fight-
ing asthma in communities in New England with
high asthma rates. Another Springfield project is
aimed at reducing health hazards and risks from
pesticides for families living in public housing.
The "What's Bugging You?" project, created by
the Spanish American Union with $20,000 from
EPA's EJ Small Grants Program, will help resi-
dents reduce exposure to pesticides, encourages
safe ways to control insects and reduces asthma
triggers for families most at risk.
page j 4
Construction equipment and i
buses are retrofitted with cl
engines to reduce poll
Projects reduce diesel pollution
diesel engines
operating in New England have been, or are be-
ing, replaced with cleaner models or equipped
with advanced pollution control technology. This
is a huge step for a healthier New England since
exhaust from diesel engines contains significant
levels of small particles, or particulate matter.
In fact, these engines create the third largest
groups, schools, transit agencies, shuttle bus
companies and others that operate in urban and
potential environmental justice areas to promote
strategies for reducing diesel emissions.
In 2008, the Northeast Diesel Collaborative
(NEDC) awarded $2 million to projects in New
England that will reduce diesel emissions and
•Jl
human-made source of fine particles. Fine par-
ticles in the air are a serious public health prob-
lem. They pose a significant health risk because
they can pass through the nose and throat and
lodge themselves in the lungs.
EPA has taken steps to ensure tomorrow's diesel
engines are much cleaner than those operating,
but existing diesel engines may be used for years
to come, posing potential health risks. As a re-
sult, EPA is promoting strategies to reduce pol-
lution from existing fleets, including switching to
cleaner fuels; retrofitting engines with advanced
pollution control technologies and encouraging
idle controls. EPA also supports replacing or re-
powering old engines with new, cleaner engines.
EPA's New England office works with community
improve public health across the region. The
collaborative works to reduce diesel emissions
through pilot projects, laws, voluntary measures
and mandatory programs. The collaborative
is made up of representatives from EPA New
England and Region 2 offices, the state air
agencies of the eight northeastern states, and
the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use
Management (NESCAUM), a regional non-profit
clean air association.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
has allocated more than $10 million to the six
New England states for Clean Diesel Projects that
reduce harmful diesel emissions, maximize job
creation, and promote economic recovery through
a variety of diesel emissions reduction strategies.
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envlroimental
New England faces challenge
of high asthma rate
New England has the highest rate of adult asthma
in the nation - 9.7 percent compared to 7.1 percent
national ly. Of the seven states with the highest rates
of adult asthma in the country, five of them are in
New England where nearly a million adults are
reported with asthma and 14 percent of children
have suffered from asthma in their lifetime. These
figures were reported by the Asthma Regional
Council, a coalition
of health, housing,
education, and envi-
ronmental organiza-
tions co-founded by
EPA New England to
reduce the impact of
asthma across New
England.
The Asthma Regional
Council works to
address the environ-
mental factors that
contribute to asthma.
Indoors, tobacco
smoke, dust mites,
pest and pet allergens can exacerbate asthma
symptoms. Outdoors, fine particles or soot have
been associated with respiratory problems. The
group has focused on homes and schools and the
disproportionate impact of asthma on populations
at greatest risk.
Within New England, Black and Hispanic commu-
nities had higher than average rates of asthma,
according to the report. Children exposed to envi-
ronmental tobacco smoke had higher asthma rates,
as did people of lower incomes, the report found.
Current Asthma Rates by Age, Children <18 Years
New England Region and Rest of US Compared
11.8
10.7
The rate of asthma among people living below
poverty level was 15.6 percent, compared to 7.6
percent among people earning three times the
poverty level.
Children in urban areas are particularly at risk for
asthma. For example, the heaviest burden of asth-
ma hospitalization is borne by children under 5,
according to the Boston
Public Health Commis-
sion. In 2004, the young-
est Boston children had
7.7 hospitalizations per
1,000 population, which
is more than 3 times the
rate for Boston overall, the
commission reported.
< 5 years 5-12 years 13-17 years
i~i New England
Rest of US
Only the rotes among 13-17 ysar olds are significantly highar In New England,
Rait of US Include* ^ Btalet & DC.
Source: NaKwt Survey of CMdmri Health, 2003
Working with the Asth-
ma Regional Council,
Connecticut, Massachu-
setts and New Hampshire
have signed anti-idling
agreements with school
transportation associa-
tions. Rhode Island has put in place a clean green
school bus awareness program and is developing
anti-idling legislation. Vermont has a newsletter for
superintendents on school bus idling.
Nationally, asthma is responsible for more than
$12.7 billion a year in health care costs and lost
productivity. It is also the leading cause of missed
school days. Each year, this disease is respon-
sible for 10.1 million lost school days; 15 million
missed or lost work days; 423,000 hospitalizations
and 5,000 deaths.
Youth working with Groundwork Lawrence
get involved with monitoring water
quality in their own backyards.
cleaning our water
Irom dirty wells to sewer overflows to
mercury in fish, pollution in our drinking
water and our water resources unevenly
affects minority, low income and other
at risk residents. From northern Maine
to suburban Connecticut, urban rivers
carry more than their share of pollution.
Cleaning the Mystic River
Due to an announcement in 2008 that the
Mystic River watershed received a 'D' for
water quality, EPA and many organizations
and government groups with an interest in the
river came together to work on a coordinated
approach to cleaning the polluted waterway.
The Mystic River Watershed Initiative Steer-
ing Committee first met in March 2009 with
federal, state, and local participants exchang-
ing information and establishing goals for
the watershed. Members of a Water Quality
Science Committee have met as well to share
monitoring and scientific findings. EPA New
England is working to ensure that the princi-
ples of environmental justice remain a focus
of the committee's actions and goals.
Volunteers in Lawrence, Mass.
Youth from the Lawrence area in 2006 sampled
the Shawsheen, Spicket, and Merrimack rivers
using equipment from EPA New England's new
volunteer monitoring equipment loan program.
The data collected by youth from the Ground-
work Lawrence Green Team helped EPA deter-
mine pollution levels in the community's rivers,
which led to improved water quality and human
health.
The Metropolitan District
Commission in Hartford, Conn.
The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC)
in Hartford, Conn.: agreed in 2006 to control
sanitary sewer overflows into the Connecti-
cut River and its tributaries, and to pay a
$850,000 penalty for past discharge viola-
tions. In the five years before that, the MDC
discharged approximately 120 million gallons
of untreated sewage from eight unpermitted
overflow points in the Hartford area. The MDC
is also working with the Conn. Department of
Environmental Protection to reduce overflows
from the "combined" portions of their waste-
water collection system, which convey both
sewage and storm water.
Brockton, Mass.
Brockton, Mass, agreed in 2006 to invest $86
million to improve its sewage treatment and
collection system and pay a $120,000 fine for
violating its discharge limits for phosphorous,
chlorine, fecal coliform and ammonia. The city
also agreed to spend $180,000 to assess water
quality in the Salisbury Plain River after the treat-
ment plant gets upgraded: to investigate regional
alternatives for wastewater treatment, and to put
in place a pilot program testing for lead in drink-
ing water at local public schools.
page | 7
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In addition to wasting fuel,
emitting greenhouse gases
and degrading air quality,
unnecessary engine idling
can burn up to a gallon
of fuel per hour
enforcing tte law
Since the same laws apply to compa-
nies and people across New England,
these laws should be enforced and
applied equally. EPA's enforcement
program strives to ensure all compa-
nies are held accountable, regard-
less of where they are located. Enforcement
of these regulations can go a long way
towards creating a cleaner environment.
Allied Waste Inc.
Allied Waste Inc., a waste disposal company
based in Phoenix, Ariz., agreed to pay a $195,000
penalty for illegal idling in various inner city
locations, including Brockton, Fall River and
Quincy. These Allied Waste inspections were
among 75 diesel idling violations in Massachu-
setts and Rhode Island done in 2008 by EPA New
England. Many of the inspections were in areas
of high concern, including Worcester, Provi-
dence, Pawtucket, Johnston and Boston.
Capitol Waste Services
This eastern Massachusetts waste hauler
paid a $107,300 penalty to EPA for exceed-
ing state idling limits in a lot near a residential
area in Revere. EPA's effort to enforce idling
laws includes technical assistance to help fleet
operators find alternatives to idling. In addi-
tion to wasting fuel, emitting greenhouse gases
and degrading air quality, unnecessary engine
idling can burn up to a gallon of fuel per hour
and create significantly more wear and tear on an
engine than driving.
Lead abatement in Boston
Mayo Group Development of Boston agreed to
pay a $28,301 penalty and spend $152,420 to
replace 157 windows in two buildings in Lynn,
Mass., for failing to provide renters with infor-
mation about the presence of lead in the hous-
ing. Mayo Group and its affiliates develop, own
and manage apartment buildings in Massachu-
setts. Federal law requires landlords, property
managers and realtors to provide information
about lead-based paint and to notify tenants and
purchasers that their homes may contain danger-
ous amounts of lead. Mayo Group is among the
landlords and managers in violation who has
been ordered to pay penalties and remove the
lead threat. In 2008, EPA New England ordered
violators to provide $600,000 in window replace-
ments and abatement projects, thus reducing the
risks of lead poisoning for pregnant women and
children.
Cleaner trains in Boston
The 55 commuter trains that serve the Greater
Boston area have been using cleaner low
sulfur diesel fuel since 2004, as a result of two
enforcement settlements completed by EPA New
England. Some trains run through Dorchester
and Chinatown, two of the poorest neighbor-
hoods in the city. These areas have high asthma
rates and bear a disproportionate share of nega-
tive environmental consequences. As a result
of the settlements, 76 fewer tons of particulate
matter and 687 fewer tons of sulfur dioxide were
emitted into the air over a 3-year period.
page | 8
Working together reduces
lead poisoning in Boston
The reduction of elevated blood lead levels in
Boston children from 1,123 cases in 2001 to 362
cases in 2007 was the result of many people and
organizations in both government and the private
sector work-
ing together
for a common
purpose and
resulted in one
The Elimination of Childhood Lead Poisoning
in Boston, MA
1,200
1,000
Children with
Elevated Blood
Lead Levels
{10 ug/dl or higher]
800
600
400
200
2001
neighborhood
with zero lead-
poisoned chil-
dren.
Childhood
lead poisoning
is one of the
most serious
environmental
health problems in New England, especially in
low-income, diverse environmental justice areas.
In Boston, childhood lead poisoning dispropor-
tionately affects the lowest income, most diverse
communities, Although the overall trend in lead
poisoning has decreased, certain areas of the city
have not experienced such success.
The Lead Action Collaborative Boston Blueprint to
End Childhood Lead Poisoning targets communi-
ties in Boston that are burdened with the high-
est concentrations of elevated blood lead levels
in children under 7. An elevated blood level is
defined as a person having more than 10 micro-
grams per deci-
liter (>10ug/
dl). More than
60 percent of
the population
in these target
neighborhoods
is African Amer-
ican, Caribbean
American, Latino
or Asian/Pacific
Islander. The
communities
live in Boston's
poorest neigh-
borhoods, demonstrating a direct correlation
between lead poisoning rates and poverty levels.
Since the Boston Blueprint was created and
began working with the Urban Environmental
Program in 2001, elevated blood lead levels in
Boston children have dropped significantly. The
project has also produced its first neighborhood
with zero lead-poisoned children—the Fenway
neighborhood.
2004
2005
year
2006
2007
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envlroimental
working together for
health! communities
Urban program makes a
difference for city dwellers
New England's largest cities are home to the
greatest number of residents facing a dispropor-
tionate share of health risks from environmental
threats. City dwellers - especially children and
older residents - live with daily health hazards
from toxics, heavy metals, poor air quality inside
and outside, traffic, and limited open and green
space. EPA New England's Urban Environmen-
tal Program, formed in 1995, is the only EPA
regional program in the country dedicated to
urban environments. It was created to address
urban environmental problems by directly involv-
ing members of the community. Since then, staff
members in this program have been listening to
communities' environmental concerns, identify-
ing projects that respond to these concerns and
providing the funding, guidance and expertise
needed to address the public health problems
most important to urban residents.
The Condor Street Urban Wild In Chelsea, Mass before
and after redevelopment. This former marine industrial
site has been redeveloped into an urban wild.
Ko government agency alone can solve
a community's pollution problems.
Community members and local
officials must be involved as well.
Our EJ program operates with the
premise that residents must get the
education, knowledge and access neces-
sary so they can make a difference in their
own environments.
Brownfields Head Start
in Somerville, Mass.
A 5,265-square-foot Brownfields property was
cleaned and redeveloped by the community to
house Somerville's Head Start program, thanks
in part to EPA funding and collaborations
with federal, state and local governments and
community partners. Residents wanted to remove
contamination and redevelop this Brownfields
site in Somerville, where 12.5 percent of resi-
dents live below the poverty line, exceeding the
state average by 25 percent. Thirty-five percent
of the residents in this area, part of a state-
designated Environmental Justice Zone, speak
a language other than English. An EPA Brown-
fields Assessment Grant of $350,000 allowed
the Community Action Agency of Somerville
to buy the property and assess cleanup costs.
Another $200,000 Brownsfields grant in 2003
and a $500,000 Brownfields revolving loan in
2004 paid for the cleanup. Head Start and the
city of Somerville also paid for cleanup and
other federal agencies and private sources
helped pay for construction.
Conn, students monitor
their environment
High school students in New Haven, Conn, work-
ing with the non-profit New Haven Ecology Project,
researched local environmental problems, moni-
tored air and water quality and presented results to
residents and policymakers. The project was funded
with $25,000 from EPA's EJ Small Grants program.
Students gathered air quality data from six sites
and water quality data from seven sites in the West
River watershed. Final slide presentations to other
students, community members, policymakers,
academics and advocates incorporated data they
had collected. Students also aired their presenta-
tion on the local public access channel.
Bridgeport Cares
Bridgeport CARE, a community project educating
residents about environmental risks, identified near-
ly 40 environmental and health concerns, includ-
ing exposure to toxic pollution, increased asthma
rates, diesel truck idling and antiquated zoning laws
that allow heavy industry near homes. Bridgeport
CARE, a program of the Connecticut Coalition for
Environmental Justice funded by EPA, worked with
residents and private, government and non-profit
partners to set priorities for reducing pollution and
to devise ways to address it. Bridgeport's pover-
ty rate is more than double Connecticut's rate.
Bridgeport CARE held meetings between residents
and industry representatives to negotiate improve-
ments. The meetings led to directives to truckers
and facilities to reduce dust and noise, and to
follow a three-minute idling rule.
The Bridgeport CARE program works with
the community to address environmental
problems like the polluted Johnson Creek.
page | 11
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envlroimental
A model nail salon in Springfield, Mass.
sets an example for how nail salons
can manage chemicals safely.
eliminating toxics
Nether inside schools, on play-
ing fields or on the window sills,
toxics present a threat to the
health of teachers, students and
other residents. And in certain
neighborhoods, residents are
much more likely to be exposed to toxics.
Educating refugees in Maine
The United Somali Women of Maine, a local
non-profit, received $20,000 from EPA's EJ
Small Grant Program to educate refugees in the
Lewiston/Auburn area of central Maine on lead
hazards, the risks of pesticide application, and
basic life skills that would help them to keep
their homes clean and healthy. The "New Main-
ers Lead and Pesticides Prevention Program"
aims to reduce lead and pesticide hazards in
homes and teach the community to improve the
environments of their own homes.
A model nail salon in Springfield
A model nail salon meant to reduce serious
health risks for hundreds of Vietnamese work-
ers exposed to toxic chemicals was created with
a $100,000 EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving
cooperative agreement. A local vocational school
used the money to build a nail salon that safely
manages chemicals and that can be used to train
Vietnamese employees of nail salons. Half of the
estimated 300 salons in and around Springfield are
owned by Vietnamese residents, providing a main
source of jobs for low-income Vietnamese women.
Fall River dance studio
EPA ordered a Fall River, Mass., dance studio to
postpone its classes after lead paint contamina-
tion was found in the studio building. Samples
of paint showed high lead levels of lead in dust
caused by recent sandblasting. With help from the
building owner, the studio remained closed until
the threat was removed. The facility was made safe
for children and reopened a few months later.
High schools in Quincy
and Randolph, Mass.
Exposure to dangerous chemicals for students,
teachers and staff in Quincy and Randolph high
schools was greatly reduced after EPA employees
audited the schools and helped identify problem
areas, collected unneeded chemicals, created a
chemical inventory, and put in place a new chemi-
cal management system. The "pharmacy system"
creates a centralized location where all laboratory
chemicalsat the school are properly stored, secured,
inventoried and controlled. It is the sole location
where qualified teachers may prepare solutions and
mixtures as needed for classroom laboratory appli-
cations. The "pharmacy" itself must be adequately
designed and equipped for safety, security, ventila-
tion, lighting and emergency communication. EPA
has also provided training for science teachers on
chemical safety, hazardous waste management,
pollution prevention and Green Chemistry.
Less TCE in Providence, Rl
Some 19,000 pounds a year of TCE, a hazardous
cleaning solvent used by metal finishers, was elimi-
nated from use in Providence after EPA technical staff
ran a hands-on cleaning workshop exploring alterna-
tive cleaning methods to 12 companies using TCE.
This was a reduction of 75 percent of the total report-
ed TCE use, going from 26,000 pounds per year to
less than 7,000 pounds per year. Due to the success
of this project, EPA and its partners are exploring
opportunities to extend this work to other states.
Safer auto body shops
EPA New England has conducted several work-
shops for auto body shops, vocational schools,
and state compliance assistance staff to control and
reduce emissions of air pollutants from auto body
shops, which, as a group make up one of the most
widely-distributed sources of air emissions in New
England. EPA, working with states, has lists of about
5,200 auto body facilities in the region and where
they are located. Using this data, EPA has created
Geographic Information System maps to see if
these shops are in locations with high asthma rates
or high cancer health risks. EPA's first priority is to
get shops to know and follow the law, particularly in
areas where higher public health risks and potential
EJ concerns exist.
Indoor air pollution in Lowell
Residents in four low-income, mostly minority
neighborhoods, learned how to address indoor
air pollution and solid waste disposal using a
$100,000 environmental justice grant from EPA
to the Coalition for a Better Acre in Lowell. The
grant funded 12 educational sessions introducing
natural, nontoxic cleaning products and asthma-
reducing products to residents. The group also
planned eight information sessions on recycling.
Safer cleaning products
Rhode Island Legal Services is working with youth
from the Hartford Park Public Housing Project in
Providence to create videos about the health hazards
of common household cleaning products. Fifteen
students were chosen to be in the "Green Teenz
Video Learning Project," which will create two 30-
second public service announcement videos about
the health risks of some household cleaning prod-
ucts, and another 5-minute video on the correlation
between solid waste and trash and poor living and
health conditions in low-income neighborhoods.
Rhode Island Legal Services, the state's primary legal
advocate for low-income people, received $20,000
from EPA's EJ Small Grant Program for this project.
Auto body shops learn how to
reduce emissions of air pollutants.
page | 12
page | 13
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Science works for
environmental justice
Iff JIU
* •
Participants work for common goals at the
Mystic River Summit in Boston, Mass.
Public and private
work as a team
EPA New England works with many public and
private partners to create fairer environmental
policy and ensure a more equitable distribu-
tion of resources to address environmental
burdens in the region. The agency works with
all six New England states to ensure they are
committed to this goal. EPA has led EJ train-
ing for state staff, and recently held an EJ
partnership meeting so representatives from
all six states could exchange views on produc-
tive areas for future collaboration. Strong part-
nerships among states are critical for getting
communities involved in ways that go beyond
the reach of the federal government.
EPA New England holds meetings throughout
the region to engage members of the commu-
nity and local governments. At these meetings,
citizens and officials talk about environmen-
tal and public health issues important on the
local level and identify ways EPA might help,
whether through grants, technical assistance or
some other vehicle. EPA staff must have regular,
sustained contact with people in the community
if staff members are to stay aware of specific
environmental problems. Meetings and other
important information will be listed on EPA New
England's environmental justice page, www.
epa.gov/region1/ej
EPA New England's laboratory in Chelmsford,
Mass., helps EPA's efforts to achieve environ-
mental justice. Over the last few years, the labo-
ratory, also known as the Office of Environmen-
tal Measurement and Evaluation, has devoted
increasing resources to its work in EJ areas. The
lab's involvement began in 2004 with a first-of-
its-kind conference on environmental justice
science and research co-sponsored by EPA
and Boston University (BU). Community activ-
ists, academics, and environmental scientists
there discussed the need for scientific support
on environmental issues facing disadvantaged
communities. EPA's New England lab employ-
ees responded by teaming up with communities
to conduct research and do projects designed
to address problems plaguing disadvantaged
neighborhoods.
Lead safe yards
The regional laboratory gained experience work-
ing on environmental justice issues by conduct-
ing sampling and analysis of residential soil
in the Boston-based Lead Safe Yard program.
Between 1998 and 2002, nearly 100 house lots
in North Dorchester and Roxbury received lead-
safe yard improvements. Improvements included
removing contaminated soil and adding mulch
to raise the level of the ground on which children
play; adding compost to garden plots from which
previously contaminated soil had been removed;
improving bare soil areas with lawns, mulch, and
stepping stone paths; and creating gravel drive-
ways. Employees for the EPA regional laboratory
were intimately involved in the project, collect-
ing and analyzing soil samples to help determine
those methods which most effectively eliminated
likely exposures of children playing in the yard.
Water monitoring
loan program
In an effort to empower communities with the
monitoring information necessary to tackle local
water quality pollution, the EPA regional labora-
tory developed the nation's first water monitoring
equipment loan program. Under this program,
EPA New England loans community volunteer
organizations equipment used in monitoring
water flow, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature,
plankton, macroinvertebrate and habitat moni-
toring, and GPS locations. The resulting data
allows volunteers and partnering agencies to
identify water quality problems, develop strate-
gies to address those problems, and measure the
success of those strategies.
Contamination in
community gardens
Laboratory staff members recently were recog-
nized by the Boston Natural Areas Network for
their support of a project researching contami-
nation at urban public gardens. EPA's labora-
tory worked with BU and community groups to
identify chemical hazards in inner city vegetable
gardens. The laboratory built on this effort by
mapping the distribution of PAHs (polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons) and toxic metals (arse-
nic, chromium, and copper) that have leached
from timbers used in the gardens. This informa-
tion helped the community replace contaminated
soils, a concern identified at EPA's 2004 Science
of Environmental Justice conference.
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Participants learn to resolve disputes
at ADR Training in Mansfield, Mass.
Disputes are
solved another way
EPA New England's ADR Program is nationally
recognized as a leader in promoting the effective
use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in
the environmental context. Since the early 90s,
the regional ADR Program has helped parties
resolve environmental conflicts with assistance
from neutral facilitators and mediators.
EPA New England and its EJ Office hosted a
workshop in Mansfield, Mass., in the fall of 2007
on how to use federal environmental laws to
solve problems without litigation. The workshop,
which drew 30 environmental justice community
organizations and grassroots groups from all
six New England states, trained participants
from New England grassroots organizations
on uses of alternative dispute resolution.
Participants said their communities face
issues ranging from air pollution, transporta-
tion problems (e.g., diesel buses, ozone, and
paniculate matter), asthma rates and water
and land pollution to contamination at land-
fills and other sites. Since collaborating on
this training, EPA New England's ADR and EJ
programs are working more closely together to
be a resource for communities in the region.
All employees
will work towards a
cleaner and healthier
environment for
all people.
EJ is part of everyone's
job at EPA New England
EPA believes environmental justice concerns
inherently touch every program of the agency.
EPA New England's approach has been a national
model since regional administrators here first
began addressing the problems of environmental
inequity.
During the 1980s, community groups in New
England expressed concern that some racial,
ethnic and socioeconomic groups were suffering a
disproportionate share of environmental burdens.
EPA New England responded by forming an Envi-
ronmental Equity Council and issuing the first
Environmental Equity Policy in the nation in 1993.
In October 2001, EPA New England reaffirmed its
commitment to this issue with a revised EJ policy
that directed the agency to incorporate EJ consid-
erations into every program, and provided guide-
lines on how to do that. The policy can be found
at: www.epa.gov/region1/ej/ejpolicy.html. The
action plan created by this policy was the first of
its kind in the country.
Today, EPA New England's EJ Council, which
meets monthly, is charged with putting the policy
into practice so that all employees will work
towards a cleaner and healthier environment for
all people. The Council is chaired by the direc-
tor of Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and is made
up of the regional EJ coordinator, deputy office
directors and staff from each of the six program
and administrative offices in the region.
Training EPA New England staff on environmen-
tal justice is central to carrying out the policy.
It ensures that all staff members are familiar
with the laws and policies behind environmen-
tal justice and with case studies in New England
that illustrate real world issues and accomplish-
ments. About 95 percent of EPA New England
employees had been trained as of mid-2008.
To ensure staff continuous learning, EPA New
England hosts an environmental justice "Lunch
and Learn" series of lectures by policy makers,
academic professionals, researchers and others
who have made major contributions to the field
of environmental justice. These profession-
als share their knowledge and experiences,
giving employees valuable information on EJ
successes and providing helpful connections
between EPA staff and external partners.
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lufldiag for
nni nilino
CD in lines
1 Grant Purpose Eligible Award
Program Applicants Amount
Brownfields Grants To provide funding States, cities, towns, Between 200K-1 M
for communities & counties, U.S. depending on type
other stakeholders in Territories, Indian of grant.
economic redevelop- tribes and nonprofit
ment to work together organizations are
to assess, safely eligible to apply.
cleanup, and sustain-
able reuse Brownfields.
Community Action To provide support Local, public nonprofit Two funding levels:
for a Renewed to help communities organizations, Leve| 1 .
Environment (CARE) form collaborative Federally-recognized $75 Q00-$1 00 000
partnerships, develop tribal governments,
a comprehensive Native American Level 2:
understanding of organizations, $150,000-300,000
many sources of private nonprofit
risk from toxics organizations,
and environmental quasi-public nonprofit
pollutants, set priorities organizations
and identify and (both interstate
carry out projects to and intrastate) ,
reduce risks through local governments,
collaborative action at colleges and
the local level. universities.
Environmental To provide financial Local, tribal or state $4,000-$50,000
Education (EE) support for projects education agencies,
which design, colleges & universities,
demonstrate nonprofit organizations,
or disseminate state environmental
environmental agencies, &
education practices, non-commercial
methods or educational
techniques. broadcasting agencies.
Environmental To provide financial 501 (c)(3) non- $20,000
Justice (EJ) assistance to eligible profits; certain other
Small Grants community groups non-profits; cities,
& nonprofit tribal townships, or county
organizations to govts.; federally
work on projects recognized Native
that address American tribal govts.
environmental justice Eligible applicant
issues. must demonstrate it
has worked directly
with, or provided
services to, the
affected community.
Website 1
www.epa.gov/
brownfields/
pilot.htm
www.epa.
gov/care/
www.epa.gov/
enviroed/grants.
html
www.epa.gov/
oecaerth/
environmental
justice/grants/
ej-smgrants.html
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Grant
Program
Healthy Communities
Grant Program
Nonpoint
Source Water
Pollution Control
Purpose
To work directly
with communities to
reduce environmental
risks to protect and
improve human
health and the
quality of life.
Eligible
Applicants
State and local
governments, public
nonprofit institutions/
organizations, private
nonprofit institutions/
organizations, quasi-
public nonprofit
institutions/
organizations,
Federally Recognized
Indian Tribal
Governments, K-12
schools or school
districts; and non-
profit organizations
(e.g. grassroots
and/or community-
based organizations).
Funding will be
considered for a
college or university
to support a project
with substantial
community and/or
tribal involvement.
Award
Amount
$5,000 - $35,000
Website
www.epa.gov/
region1/eco/uep/
hcgp.html
Established under
Section 319 of
the federal Clean
Water Act, these
funds are for the
implementation of
state nonpoint source
pollution control
programs. Each state
"passes through"
a portion of these
funds to other entities
for implementing
specific nonpoint
source pollution
management
practices.
Public and private
entities including
nonprofits, local
state governments,
tribes, special
districts, educational
institutions, and
government
agencies. State WQ
agencies distribute
the applications.
Variable.
Fast awards range
from $20,000 to
$300,000
www.epa.gov/
owow/nps/cwact.
html
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liiliil fir GommuDitiGS
[Nlt'll
Grant
Program
Pesticide Environ-
mental Stewardship
Program (PESP)
Purpose
To provide funds for
research, education,
and demonstration to
reduce risk and use
of pesticides, in both
agricultural and non-
agricultural settings.
To provide funds for
research, education,
and demonstration to
reduce risk and use
of pesticides, in both
agricultural and non-
agricultural settings.
Eligible
Applicants
Award
Amount
States, Territories,
Federally-
recognized tribes
and any agency or
instrumentality of
a State including
state universities and
some commodities
groups.
Usually up to
$47,000 per
project.
Website
www.epa.gov/
oppbppdl/pesp/
regional_grants.
htm
Pollution Prevention To build and support State agencies, Up to $200,000 www.epa.gov/
Incentives (PPIS)
for States/Tribes
state pollution
prevention (P2)
capabilities and to
test, at the state
level, innovative
pollution prevention
approaches and
methodologies.
federally-recognized per grant.
tribes, Territories and
possessions. States
are encouraged to
form partnerships
with other P2
providers.
oppt/p2home/
pubs/grants/
ppis/ppis.htm
Source Reduction
Assistance
To support source
reduction and/or
pollution prevention
projects that will
provide an overall
benefit to the
environment by
preventing pollutants
at the source.
States, U.S.
territories, federally-
recognized tribes,
local governments,
independent school
district governments,
state-controlled
institutions of
higher education,
non-profits having a
501 (c)(3) status, and
private institutions of
higher education.
Typically
$25,000-$75,000
www.epa.gov/
oppt/p2home/
pubs/grants
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Grant
Program
Northeast Diesel
Collaborative
Emissions
Reduction Program
Purpose
To support diesel
emissions reduction
projects in EPA
Regions 1 and
2, which include
the states of
Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York,
Rhode Island, and
Vermont - including
tribal lands belonging
to the federally-
recognized tribes in
these regions, or the
territory of the US
Virgin Islands, or the
Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico.
Eligible
Applicants
Award
Amount
A regional, State,
local or tribal agency
or port authority with
jurisdiction over
transportation or air
quality; and a non-
profit organization or
institution that-1)
represents or provides
pollution reduction
or educational
services to persons
or organizations that
own or operate diesel
fleets; or 2) has, as
its principal purpose,
the promotion
of transportation
or air quality.
School districts,
municipalities,
metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs),
cities and counties
are all eligible entities
under this assistance
agreement program
within the extent that
they fall within the
definition above.
Typically
$100,000 to
$500,000
Website
www.northeast
diesel.org/
funding.
htm#funding
Superfund Technical
Assistance Grants
(TAGS)
To enable
communities
affected by a site
on the Superfund
National Priorities
List (NPL) to obtain
technical assistance
in interpreting
information regarding
the site.
Groups must be
located near or
affected by a site
that is either
proposed for or
on the National
Priorities List.
Groups must
incorporate
as nonprofit
organizations.
Up to $50,000 www.epa.gov/
initially; in the case Superfund/
of complex sites, community/tag
additional funds
may be available.
page | 20
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funding for enmities
(turn
Grant
Program
Targeted Grants to
Reduce Childhood
Lead Poisoning
Wetlands
Protection Grants
Purpose
To conduct activities
designed to
reduce incidences
of childhood
lead poisoning
in venerable
populations.
Eligible
Applicants
State, local
governments, US
commonwealth
and territorial
governments;
federally-recognized
tribes and tribal
consortia, non-profit
organizations, private
and state-controlled
institutions of higher
learning and non-
profit organizations
having 501 (c)(3)
status.
Award
Amount
$25,000-
$100,000
Website
www.epa.gov/
lead/pubs/
grantmap.htm
To assist state, tribal
& local government
wetlands protection
efforts under Section
104(b)(3)ofthe
Clean Water Act..
Funds can be used to
develop new wetlands
protection programs
or refine existing
protection programs.
Funds cannot be used
to fund operational
support of wetland
programs.
State and tribal
agencies, local
governments,
and conservation
districts.
Varies.
www.epa.gov/
owow/wetlands/
grantguidelines
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tools 8
resources
Environmental
Justice Materials
Environmental
Justice Small
Grants:
Emerging Tools for Local
Problem-Solving-a
snapshot of 71 small
grants awarded
www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/
publications/ej/grants/ej_smgrants_
emerging_tools_2nd_edition.pdf
Contact: EPA's Office of
Environmental Justice,
(800)962-6215
EPA's Environmental
Justice Biennial
Reports and Project
Reports
www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/
publications/ej/ej-annual-project-
reports.html
Contact: EPA's Office of
Environmental Justice,
(800)962-6215
A Citizen's Guide
to Using Federal
Environmental Laws
to Secure Environ-
mental Justice
To purchase a copy, visit
www.elistore.org/
Environmental
Justice: The Power
of Partnerships
-The Collaborative
Problem-Solving Model
atWorkinSpartanburg,
South Carolina (A DVD
Documentary)
To obtain a copy, visit www.epa.gov/
compliance/resources/publications/ej/
ejcps-dvd.html
Contact: EPA's Office of
Environmental Justice,
(800)962-6215
Communities and
Environmental Laws
(DVD)
To order a copy, call (800) 490-9198 or
go to www.epa.gov/ncepi/ordering.htm
(Search for EPA Publication
#300-C-04-001)
Working With
Lawyers: A Guide for
Community Residents
and Environmental
Justice Activists
To download or order a free copy
in English or Spanish,
visit: www.elistore.org
Community Guide
to EPA's Voluntary
Programs
www.epa.gov/care/library/guide_vol_
progs_2008.pdf
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tills 8 risiirtis
Kllfll
page | 24
Grant and
Funding Tools
Grants.gov—find
and apply for federal
government grants.
www.grants.gov
Grants.gov Contact Center:
(800)518-4726
U.S. EPA Grants-
funding opportunities,
information on how to
apply, new recipient
training, and more.
www.epa.gov/ogd/
Grants and Interagency Agreements
Program: (202) 564-5315
Grants & Funding
in New England
www.epa.gov/region1/grants/index.html
Environmental
Justice Grants
www.epa.gov/oecaerth/
environmentaljustice/grants
Toxics and
Hazardous Waste Resources
Technical
Assistance Services
for Communities
(TASC)—a program to
provide educational and
technical assistance to
communities affected
by hazardous waste
sites regulated by the
Superfund and Resource
Conservation Recovery
Act (RCRA) programs.
www.epa.gov/superfund/
community/tasc
EPA's Toxics Release www.epa.gov/tri
Inventory—information
on toxic chemical releases
and waste management
activities reported annually
by certain industries
EPA's Brownfields and
Land Revitalization
Program—working to
clean up and redevelop
potentially contaminated
lands, making it easier
for such lands to become
vital, functioning parts of
their communities.
www.epa.gov/brownfields
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Air Quality
Resources
Environmental
Justice Resources
from EPA's Office of
Air and Radiation
www.epa.gov/air/ej
Strategies for
Addressing
Asthma within a
Coordinated School
Health Program
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/Asthma/
strategies.htm
Managing Asthma
in the School
Environment
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/
managingasthma.html
Resources for
Addressing Asthma
in Schools
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/Asthma/
pdf/pubs-links.pdf
Collision Repair
Campaign
—a campaign to
address health threats by
drastically reducing auto
body emissions at the
national level.
www.epa.gov/collisionrepair
Community-Based
Air Toxics Projects
—descriptions of
community-based air
toxics projects designed
to assess and address
health and environmental
issues at the local level.
www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/community
Improving Air Quality
in Your Community
—activities for
reducing both indoor
and outdoor pollution,
information about costs,
and how local commu-
nities can apply for EPA
grants to kick-start their
activities.
www.epa.gov/air/community
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tools I rtsiircK
Iciit'll
1 Pesticide
Resources
Using Pesticides
Safely— fact sheets
for consumers
Citizen's Guide to
Pest Control and
Pesticide Safety
National Pesticide
Information
Center— objective,
science-based informa-
tion about pesticides and
pesticide-related topics
I In Your
Home
The Inside Story:
A Guide to Indoor
Air Quality
www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/
safely.htm
www.epa.gov/oppfead1/Publications/
Cit_Guide/citguide.pdf
www.npic.orst.edu
www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html
Radon: The Guide to
Protecting Yourself and
Your Family from Radon
(English and Spanish)
Lead in Your Home:
A Parent's
Reference Guide
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadrev.pdf
Testing Your
Home for Lead
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadtest.pdf
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Environmental
Enforcement
Report environmen-
tal violations
or spills
www.epa.gov/epahome/violations.htm (800) 300-2193
Report a Violation
of Lead Paint Rules
in New England
www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/
leadpaint/reportviolations.html
Other
Resources
From exposure
to illness:
Community Health
Studies and
Environmental
Contamination
— sharing the experi-
ence and perspective of
public health staff who
study links between
environmental exposure
to chemicals and health
effects.
www.communityhealthstudies.com
Citizens Guide
to the National
Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA)
—a guide that explains
NEPA, how it is
implemented, and how
people outside the
federal government can
better participate in
environmental impact
assessments.
www.nepa.gov/nepa/Citizens_Guide_
Dec07.pdf
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EPA New England ej contacts
Sharon Wells
Acting Director
Office of Civil Rights & Urban Affairs
(617)918-1007
wells.sharon@epa.gov
Amy Braz
Environmental Justice Coordinator
(617)918-1346
braz.amy@epa.gov
Michael Castagna
Environmental Justice Specialist
(617)918-1033
castagna.michael@epa.gov
state ej contacts
Connecticut
Edith Pestana
Environmental Justice Administrator
Environmental Equity Program,
CT Department of Environmental Protection
(860) 424-3044
Maine
Malcolm Burson
Office of the Commissioner
ME Department of Environmental Protection
(207) 287-7755
Massachusetts
David Cash
Assistant Secretary for Policy
MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
(617)626-1164
Phil Weinberg
MA Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Justice Policy
(617)292-5972
New Hampshire
Michael Walls
Assistant Commissioner
NH Department of Environmental Services
(603)271-8806
Rhode Island
Terry Gray
Assistant Director/Air, Waste & Compliance
Rl Department of Environmental Management
(401) 222-4700 ext. 2422
Vermont
Justin Johnson
Deputy Commissioner
VT Department of Environmental Conservation
(802)241-3808
links to EPA New England
web sites
Air
www.epa.gov/ne/topics/index.html#air
Brownfields
www.epa.gov/region1/brownfields
Environmental Justice
www.epa.gov/region1/ej/
Lead-Based Paint
www.epa.gov/ne/enforcement/leadpaint
Lead Hazards
www.epa.gov/ne/topics/pollutants/lead.html
Mercury
www.epa.gov/mercury/advisories.htm
Pest Management
www.epa.gov/NE/eco/pesVgrants.html
Rivers
www.epa.gov/region01/topics/water/water-
sheds.html
Smart Growth
www.epa.gov/region01/ra/sprawl/index.html
Smoke-Free Homes
www.epa.gov/smokefree
Urban Environmental Program
www.epa.gov/region01/eco/uep
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External links disclaimer
This brochure provides links to non-EPA web sites that
contain information that may be useful and are consistent
with the purpose of this document. References in these web
sites to any specific commercial product, process, service,
manufacturer or company does not constitute its endorse-
ment or recommendation by EPA. EPA is not responsible
for the content or non-EPA web sites, and cannot attest to
their accuracy.
page | 28
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Community education and involvement is key
to creating cleaner, healthier neighborhoods.
"Our goal is to engage youth who live in public
housing and who have very little opportunity
to participate."
-Steven Fischbach
Rhode Island Legal Services
"We are just small-town people trying to help
our city come back to life..."
-Patricia Moss
Groundwork Springfield
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