&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Incorporating Health Monitoring Activities into an EPA Brownfields Grant Health monitoring activities can help determine potential exposure pathways from on-site or off- site sources Local government recipients1 of an EPA Brownfields Grant are eligible to use up to 10% of total grant funding for health monitoring activities associated with known hazardous substances contamination at a brownfield site.2 Health monitoring activities must be conducted in direct partnership with your local, state, or tribal public health agency. Performing health monitoring activities for a hazardous substance-contaminated site wili help your community address potentially harmful exposures to residents. This public health approach will shape the planning process for assessing, cleaning up, and reusing a brownfield site. WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE SUITABLE FOR HEALTH MONITORING AT A BROWNFIELD SITE? Local government recipients may: ~ Monitor the potential exposure pathways associated with hazardous substances at a brownfield site and determine whether these exposure pathways might result in health impacts. For example, a local government recipient may map the site perimeter for proximity to drinking water, surface water, or other potential exposure pathways. It may also monitor exposures due to the site features that can lead to inhalation or ingestion of contaminated water, air, or soii. ~ Monitor individuals for exposure to a specific hazardous substance found at a brownfield site. For example, a local government recipient may review public health agency data associated with the local population's dermal exposure to the hazardous substance. Appropriate health monitoring activities will depend on the type of hazardous substances found at the brownfield site, the site assessment phase (Phase II or further site characterization), site cleanup plans, and other issues of concern to the community. 1 Local governments as defined in 2 CFR § 200.64 2 CERCLA§ 104(k)(5)(C)(i) states that local government recipients may spend up to 10% of their brownfields grant for "monitoring the health of populations exposed to one or more hazardous substances from a brownfield site." ------- WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONDUCTING HEALTH MONITORING UNDER AN EPA BROWNFIELD GRANT? ~ Limited to local government recipients. ~ Confirmed presence of one or more hazardous substances at the brownfield site. ~ Recipients must partner with their designated health agency(ies) to develop and implement appropriate projects. ~ Local health agency(ies) must lead all aspects of the health monitoring project, including project development and implementation in keeping with public health practice.3 ~ Funds for health monitoring activities may not exceed 10% of the total grant funds awarded by EPA. ~ Funds may be used for analyzing and sharing data results only. Funds may not be used for the design, distribution, or collection of surveys for grant-related activities.4 HEALTH MONITORING & BROWNFIELDS IN ACTION The Planning Department for the City of Portland, Maine worked with their local health department to conduct health monitoring activities as part of their EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant. Through enhanced collaboration between the Planning and Health offices, the city decided to extend the focus of their ongoing lead project to the same neighborhood targeted in their Brownfields Assessment Grant. ~ The City requested to use 10% of their total grant funding to explore health issues related to confirmed lead paint contamination in the brownfields target area. ~ Upon grant award, the City used $17K of their Brownfields Assessment Grant to fund lead screenings for 180 children who lived in or near the target area. The City leveraged further support for the health monitoring initiative through donated time from city employees, including administrative, health, and cartographic professionals. ~ Health monitoring results showed no specific elevation in the area, which helped ease community concerns about lead paint exposure within the target brownfields area. ~ The City's program manager for Health & Human Services indicated that the health monitoring portion of EPA's Brownfields Assessment Grant was extremely useful for furthering their knowledge of the health of the community. 3 For the purposes of EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program, "public health practice" is defined as the analysis of identifi- able health data by a public health agency. The data analysis helps to protect the health of, and identify benefits and risks to a particular community. In this context, public health practice is not considered research. 4 The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 USC §3501 et seq. (1980)) was enacted to minimize the paperwork burden for individuals; small businesses; educational and nonprofit institutions; federal contractors; State, local and tribal governments; and other persons resulting from the collection of information by or for the federal government Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (5105T) | EPA560-F-18-187 | November 2018 ------- |