EPA906-N-98-001
Draft 6RA-DJ
www.epa.gov/earth6
Issues at a Glance
Volume 2-Issue 3
January 2001
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 6
1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1200
DALLAS, TX 75202-2733
Table of Contents:
January 31, 2001
Important phone
numbers
Public Involvement
Policy
Healthy
Homes.
Grant
Announcement.
TAG Grant
Information.
Mercury
Guidance.
Training 6
Arsenic
Rule 7
Green Communities
Dear Environmental Justice Partners,
As we begin a new year under a new federal
administration, I want to reaffirm the commitment of the Region 6
Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) to continue partnering with
EJ communities in our five state region to address environmental
concerns. Therefore, the theme of our third issue of the
newsletter is "EPA's partnerships with EJ communities."
During the last 1% years, our Office has successfully
partnered with communities assisting them to become more
involved in EPA's public participation processes through the
awarding of EJ grants. I am pleased to announce that we are
currently soliciting applications from community organizations for
FY 2001 EJ Grants. We are also encouraging requests for
summer intern students to work with community organizations
under the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Program.
This issue of the newsletter contains information on the
FY 2001 Grants and on other innovative ways that EPA and EJ
communities are addressing the specific needs of the diverse
communities in our Region.
I welcome your comments and thoughts on this newsletter
and on the other services provided by our Office.
Respectfully yours,
Olivia
Olivia Rodriguez Balandran
Environmental Justice
Team Leader
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Contacts and
Telephone Numbers
If you live within Region 6, the
Environmental Justice Team can be
reached by dialing 1.800.887.6063 and
requesting the extension listed below.
Environmental Justice Team
• Olivia Balandran, Ext. 7257
(OEJ Team Leader)
• Shirley Augurson, Ext. 7401
(Texas, Oklahoma, NEJAC, Training)
• Warren Arthur, Ext. 8504
(Louisiana, Technical Issues)
• Nelda Perez, Ext. 2209
(E.J. Grants, Border)
• Khanna Johnston, Ext. 2716
(Arkansas, New Mexico, Tribes,
Outreach)
• Debbie Reynolds Hazen, Ext. 2707
(Assistant)
If you do not live in the Region 6 area, you
may dial long distance by dialing 214-665-
and then entering the 4 digit extension for
the employee, or you may e-mail any EPA
employee by entering his/her:
last name, first name@epa.gov.
Hotlines
Region 6 El Paso Border Office
1-800-334-0741
Region 6 Superfund
1-800-533-3508
Region 6 Public Information Center
1-800-887-6063
National Superfund Hotline
1-800-424-9346
National Environmental Justice Hotline
1-800-962-6215
National Safe Drinking Water Hotline
1-800-426-4791
Issues at a Glance
Office of Environmental Justice
Newsletter
Editor-in-Chief
Khanna Johnston
Regional Editor
Nelda Perez
Assistant
Debbie Reynolds Hazen
Contributors
Shirley Augurson
Phillip Crocker
Arlene Gaines
Paula Flores-Gregg
Khanna Johnston
Beverly Negri
FROM THE EDITOR: Happy New Year!
Welcome to the third edition of Issues at a
Glance. The Team is working on developing
new partnerships and new initiatives. As
Olivia mentioned, the Office is currently
accepting applications for the EJ Small Grants
Program. If you have a project in mind that
you are considering, please contact us for an
application package. In order to assist you
with writing your proposal, we have developed
grant-writing modules and will also be
offering conference calls and training. The
deadline is March 9th, and is fast approaching,
so, act now!
As always, we'd like to hear what you
think about the new format! And if you have
any news, stories, or conference workshop
information you'd like for us to include in the
next edition, we'd love that too! Give us a call
at 1.800.887.6063 ext. 2716 or e-mail:
j ohnston. khanna@epa. gov.
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Comments sought on
Public Involvement Policy
Is Your Home Healthy?
New Resource Available
The Environmental Protection Agency
is revisiting its 1981 Public Participation
Policy. On December 28, 2000, the
Agency released a Draft 2000 Public
Involvement Policy for public comment.
The Draft Policy was updated to reflect
changes over the past nineteen years to
include: additional Agency
responsibilities, new regulations,
expanded public involvement, and
increased public access as a result of the
Internet. The revised Policy will provide
guidance and direction to EPA officials on
reasonable and effective means to
involve the public in its regulatory and
program decisions.
When final, the policy will apply to all
EPA programs, including such activities
as rulemaking for significant regulations,
permit issuance or modifications,
selection of methods for cleanup of
hazardous waste sites, and other
significant policy decisions. This policy
will not replace public participation
requirements established by existing
laws or regulations, but will supplement
existing requirements.
We welcome your input. You may
view the draft policy at
http://www.epa.gov/stakeholders/policy.
htm, or you may contact Loretta
Schumaker at 202.260.3096 for printed
copies. Comments will be accepted
until April 27, 2001, and may be
submitted via U.S. Mail to:
Patricia A. Bonner
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (MC-1802)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20460
Comments may be faxed to
202.260.4903 or submitted by e-mail:
bonner. patricia@epa.gov
Do you wonder if the air in your home
is healthy? Do you think your children
could be exposed to lead in your home? Is
your drinking water safe? For some
children, potential health problems may
start in their own homes. "Help Yourself
to a Healthy Home: Protect your Children's
Health" is a new resource found in the
Home*A*Syst tool kit. This booklet
explains leading health concerns and
assists parents and care-givers in making
sure their homes are a safe and healthy
place to be.
Of course, a healthy home is important
for adults. Making homes safe and healthy
for children helps protect everyone.
However, there are special reasons to
think about children:
> Because they are still growing and their
immune systems are still developing,
children's bodies are more likely to be
harmed by chemicals and toxins.
> For their size, children eat more food,
drink more liquid and breathe more air
than adults. When exposed to harmful
toxins or air they get a bigger dose than
adults do.
> Children often play and crawl on the
ground. This means they are closer to
things that may cause health problems,
like dust and some chemicals.
"Help Yourself to a Healthy Home:
Protect your Children's Health," asks you
simple questions about your home and
daily activities. By answering these
questions, you can find out if your home is
healthy, or if there are some simple steps
you may want to take to further protect
your child's health. This booklet is
available in both English and Spanish. It
can be downloaded using Adobe Acrobat
reader at http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst/
or by calling the National Home*A*Syst
office at 608.262.0024 for assistance.
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Grant Announcement
Environmental Justice Grants Available
The Environmental Protection Agency is currently accepting proposals for its
Environmental Justice Small Grants Program through March 9, 2001. The Office of
Environmental Justice (OEJ) is offering financial assistance to community groups,
organizations, and Federally recognized tribes to address Environmental Justice
issues. Application requirements, packages, and a module to assist you in writing
your grant may be accessed at www.epa.gov/EPA-General/2000/December/dav
26/g32667.htm or by calling the Office of Environmental Justice.
Small grants may be awarded for up to $15,000 for non-Superfund projects and
$20,000 for Superfund projects. Unlike some other grants, OEJ does not require
applicants to provide matching funds. These grants are highly competitive.
Preference for these awards is given to community-based grassroots organizations
that work on local solutions to local environmental justice problems.
Because the EJ Small Grants Program is competitive, the Agency is not allowed
to give preferential treatment to any single applicant. The EJ Team will host training
and conference calls during the month of February. Three conference calls have
been scheduled.
The Region is also willing to provide training workshops if there are enough
interested parties. Any training materials will be made available and accessible for
those who can not attend or if there are not enough interested in your area to justify a
workshop. Please call the Office of Environmental Justice to inquire about dates and
times for training and conference calls.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debbie Reynolds Hazen, Assistant
to Nelda Perez, Environmental Justice Small Grants Coordinator, Office of
Environmental Justice at 1.800.887.6063 ext. 2707 (or 214.665.2707, if you do not
live in Region 6) or E-Mail: reynolds.debbie@epa.gov
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Technical Assistance
Grants (TAG)
National Advice on
Mercury in Fish
The EPA believes it is important for
communities to be involved in decisions
related to nearby Superfund sites. The
Technical Assistance Grant (TAG)
Program enables communities affected by
Superfund sites to obtain assistance to
interpret technical information regarding
the site. The grant aims to promote
increased community involvement by
helping residents understand and
comment on site-related information, thus,
participating more effectively in cleanup
decisions.
An initial grant up to $50,000 is
available for any Superfund site that is on
the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) or
a site that is proposed for listing on the
NPL for which response action is
underway. The NPL list is a list of 1,200 of
the most hazardous waste sites
throughout the country.
The bulk of TAG funds are used to hire
an independent technical advisor to help
the community interpret and comment on
site-related decisions. TAG funds can also
be used to hire an administrator to
manage the grant, as well as purchase or
rent office supplies to print newsletters and
fact sheets to disseminate information.
The first step in getting a tag is submitting
a Letter of Intent to EPA.
Region 6 is recommending two new
sites be awarded TAGs: El Rio Arriba
Environmental Health Association in
Espanola, New Mexico, and the Calcasieu
League for Environmental Action Now for
in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Three
additional communities are expected to
apply for TAG assistance.
If you are interested, you may obtain
more information at:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/tools/tag/res
ource.htm or you may contact Beverly
Negri at 1.800.533.3508 (or 214.554.8157,
if you do not live in Region 6).
Mercury is a naturally occurring
element that is present throughout the
environment and in plants and animals.
Most mercury pollution is released into the
air, where it then falls onto waterways or
on land where it may be washed into the
water. When mercury reaches water,
biological processes transform it into a
highly toxic form—methylmercury.
Unfortunately, methylmercury can
accumulate in fish.
EPA is issuing a national advisory to
raise awareness of the potential harm that
high levels of methylmercury can cause to
a baby or child's developing brain and
nervous system. This advice provides
guidance on the amount of freshwater fish
caught by friends and family one should
eat to keep methylmercury from reaching
harmful levels.
The groups most vulnerable to the
effects of mercury pollution include:
women who are pregnant or may become
pregnant, nursing mothers, and young
children. For these groups, EPA is
recommending, limiting freshwater fish
consumption to one meal per week for
adults (6 ounces of cooked fish, 8 ounces
uncooked fish) and one meal per week for
young children (2 ounces cooked fish, 3
ounces uncooked fish). This advice
applies in all states to women who are
pregnant or may become pregnant,
nursing mothers, and young children.
Because some local waters may have
higher levels of mercury or other
contaminants, check with your local health
department to see if they recommend
eating less freshwater fish than this
national advice.
For more information on EPA's fish
advisory program, please visit EPA's fish
advisory web site at www.epa.gov/ost/fish/
or contact Jeff Bigler at 202.260.1305 in
Washington D.C.
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Superfund Job Training
Initiative Highlights
The EPA Superfund Jobs Training
Initiative (SuperJTI) is a positive step in
addressing concerns of communities
affected by Superfund sites. SuperJTI
focuses on job training for residents living
near Superfund sites, particularly in
disadvantaged communities. The initiative
combines extensive classroom instruction
and hands-on work experience for each
participant. Residents who take part in the
program gain valuable skills and work
experience through environmental
remediation activities in their
neighborhood. Upon completion of the
program, each participant possesses
marketable skills and work experience.
At the Many Diversified Interests, Inc.
(MDI) site in Houston, Texas, the first
SuperJTI class was developed based on
the community's interests. The EPA
worked with Laborers AGC, Houston
Works, SEARCH and Make Ready, Inc., to
recruit thirty-two students. Classes
included study skills, life skills, math skills,
lead/asbestos abatement and HAZMAT (a
chemical, health and safety course)
training. Twenty-eight students graduated
in the Summer of 1999. Graduating
students received certifications in
lead/asbestos abatement and HAZMAT.
As of September 1999, almost all of the
students had received employment offers.
In December 2000, fifteen students
graduated from the second class. Of the
fifteen graduates, thirteen to date, have
been employed.
Two communities in New Mexico and
one in Oklahoma have also expressed
interest in SuperJTI. In December 1999,
EPA was contacted by community and
members of the Santa Clara Pueblo in
Espanola, New Mexico and residents near
Questa, New Mexico, about training
classes. In Oklahoma, a community group
near Tar Creek in Ottawa County
requested EPA provide community
residents SuperJTI classes. The Region
has requested these sites be included in
the next round of training opportunities,
and negotiations are underway with
several trade unions to make training
available.
SuperJTI is a win-win program that
benefits communities, residents and
contractors. The EPA encourages
interested communities to join EPA in this
innovative effort. For more information,
please contact Beverly Negri at 1 -800-533-
3508 (or 214.665.8157, if you do not live in
Region 6).
Way to go Fermin Calderon
Elementary!
March will mark the one-year
anniversary for the Fermin Calderon
Elementary School nature trail project
which was completed in Del Rio, Texas,
March 31, 2000. EPA Region 6 awarded
$40,000 to Fermin Calderon Elementary
School to construct a nature trail. The
eight-foot-wide trail is used for non-
motorized activities like hiking, walking,
jogging, bicycling, equestrian and
education programs and is handicapped
accessible. One of the primary goals of
the project is to increase opportunities for
local communities and schools to interact
and experience natural and enhanced
habitats through restoration, research
studies, geology, vegetation, and protected
animal species in the area. The nature trail
is used daily (weather permitting) by the
students at Fermin Calderon and is also
used by classes from other schools.
Several out-of-state visitors have used the
trail. Congratulations Fermin Calderon!
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New Drinking Water
Standard for Arsenic
Arsenic occurs naturally in the
environment-rocks, soil, water, air, plants,
and animals. It can be released into our
surroundings through naturally occurring
activities such as volcanic activity, erosion
of rocks, forest fires, and through other
human actions. Industrial and agricultural
applications of arsenic also contribute to
arsenic releases in the environment.
Studies have linked long-term exposure
to arsenic in drinking water to various
cancers as well as other health problems.
While adverse health effects are unlikely to
occur from U.S. public water supplies that
are in compliance with the existing
standard, the EPA is aware that even
short-term exposure to high doses of
arsenic may cause adverse health effects.
Therefore, EPA is reducing the arsenic
standard for drinking water from 50 parts
per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb to protect
consumers against the effects of long-
term, chronic exposure to arsenic in
drinking water. EPA is using its
discretionary authority under the Safe
Drinking Water Act to set the standard at a
level that "maximizes health risk reduction
benefits at a cost that is justified by the
benefits."
The new standard will apply to all
54,000 community water systems. Higher
levels of arsenic tend to be found in
underground sources rather than in
surface water sources of drinking water.
Compared to the rest of the United States,
western states have more systems with
arsenic levels greater than 10 ppb, but
most systems range from 2—10 ppb. EPA
estimates that roughly five percent, or
3,000 of community water systems will
have to take corrective action to lower the
current levels of arsenic in their drinking
water.
For more information on arsenic in
drinking water you may go to the EPA
website at:
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html
or contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at 1.800.426.4791 in Washington D.C.
fdl
For current news and the
latest updates, check out
EPA's website at:
www.epa.gov
Environmental Education
on the U.S./Mexico Border
In July 1998, EPA, Region 6 awarded
$53,193 to the Environmental Institute of
Technology Transfer, a subsidiary of the
University of Texas at Arlington. Under
this grant, three workshops for teachers
on the Texas/Mexico Border were held to
assist the incorporation of environmental
education into daily curricula. The first
workshop was held in late October in
Brownsville. The next workshop was held
in Laredo, Texas in early November
1998, and the last workshop was held in
El Paso in early December.
This grant also included the
administration of an environmental survey
to Border students to assess their
understanding about the environment. In
the spring of 2000, the questionnaire was
tested in eighteen classrooms in six
schools in the El Paso and Brownsville
region. The environmental survey was
administered to a total of five schools in
Ciudad Juarez and Matamoros, Mexico,
as well, covering eight additional
classrooms. The project has been
successfully completed.
For further information, please contact
Arlene Gaines at 1.800.887.6063 ext.
7163 (or 214.665. 7163, if you do not live
in Region 6).
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Announcing Green Workshop
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Green Mountain Institute for Environmental Democracy
Announces Green Community Workshop, March 15-16, 2001
Shepherdstown, WV
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Green Mountain Institute for Environmental
Democracy is sponsoring a forum to help communities foster their human, civic, and natural
resources in such a way as to build economic progress while enhancing environmental quality. The
focus of this year's workshop will be linking economic development and environmental protection,
key aspects of Green Communities.
For more information please contact Jennifer Colby, Green Mountain Institute for Environmental
Democracy at 802.229.6078, or e-mail: jcolby@gmied.org or Susan McDowell, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency at 215.814.2739, or e-mail: mcdowell.susan@epa.gov
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