EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection PlnMj f tW.fM 1 i m rJj i . _ i Children's Environmental Health Newsletter November 2018 Learn How to Keep Kids Safe from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning This Winter Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. How we cope with severe winter conditions can cause unintentional environmental problems, indoors or out. For example, the use of unvented kerosene and gas space heaters can lead to carbon monoxide exposure. Children along with pregnant women, the elderly and those with certain pre-existing conditions are more susceptible to the health effects associated with carbon monoxide exposure. If your child or anyone else in your family starts to feel sick, dizzy or weak or experiences a headache, chest pain or confusion, get to fresh air immediately and seek medical care as soon as possible. Your child's skin under the fingernails may also turn cherry-red if he/she has been exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide. Fetuses and infants are especially vulnerable to the life-threatening effects of carbon monoxide. Click here to learn more about CO exposure and how to reduce health risks to children. The Office of Children's Health Protection at EPA has developed this newsletter to get you engaged in children's environmental health activities occurring throughout the agency. Here, you can access information on opportunities for public comment on EPA rulemakings, risk assessments, upcoming outreach events, grant opportunities, and other federal children's environmental health announcements. For past newsletters and more information on children's health efforts at EPA click here. In This Month's Newsletter Announcements & Updates Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler Reaffirms the Agency's Commitment to Protecting Children's Health Highlights from the Annual NIEHS/EPA Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Centers Meeting & Social Media Workshop, October 22-23, 2018 New EPA Booklet: Protecting Children from Lead Exposures ------- Public Comment Opportunities Draft Human Health Risk Assessment Pesticides (atrazine, simazine, and propazine): Public Comment by November 23, 2018 EPA Seeks Public Input on Draft Toxicity Assessments for PFAS Chemicals EPA Grant Opportunities EPA Announces Availability of $1.5 Million in Environmental Justice Small Grants CERCLA Grant: Funding to Establish and Enhance State and Tribal Response Programs for FY2019, $50 million available, accepting requests through December 14, 2018 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act Grant: Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water, $20 million in funding available submit letters of intent to EPA by January 11, 2019 Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA). All applications are due by February 1, 2019. Upcoming Webinars, Workshops & Events Webinar: Examining the Evidence: How School Buildings Affect Student Health, Thinking and Performance: November 29, 2018,1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST Webinar: Engaging Health Professionals in Environmental Public Health: December 7, 2018, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST Workshop: EPA IRIS to Hold Workshop on Systematic Review for Mechanistic Data: December 10-11, 2018 Federal Partners' Children's Environmental Health Announcements HUD Awards $6.7 million in Research Grants to Reduce Lead and Other Housing-Related Health Hazards Announcing: HUD's New Healthy Homes Youth App U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF): Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children and Pregnant Women: Screening; Seeking Public Comment by December 3, 2018 Announcements & Updates Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler Reaffirms the Agency's Commitment to Protecting Children's Health "Children in all stages of life, from infancy through adolescence, as well as pregnant women, face environmental health hazards in both the natural and built environments. I am reaffirming EPA's commitment to protecting children's health and to the Agency's 1995 Policy on Evaluating Health Risks to Children (Policy) to consistently and comprehensively address children's unique vulnerabilities. This reaffirmation encourages the continuation of important research to provide child- specific data, new methods, models, risk assessment tools, and Agency guidance necessary for evaluation of children's environmental health risks." ------- Click here to read the full memo: Highlights from the Annual NIEHS/EPA Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Centers Meeting & Social Media Workshop, October 22-23, 2018 Raising the Visibility of the Science was the theme that guided the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2018 Annual Meeting. The Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Centers were asked to describe their work using the new NIEHS translational research framework. This meeting provided attendees with the opportunity to review the framework and determine how their efforts and accomplishments align within this new method. Click here to learn about additional highlights from the annual meeting. New EPA Booklet: Protecting Children from Lead Exposures Since the 1970s, EPA and its state, tribal, and local governmental partners have made tremendous progress in reducing children's lead exposures and lead-related health risks. EPA efforts to reduce lead exposures and prevent lead poisoning include a wide range of activities such as funding for community interventions and outreach, education and training, surveillance, and regulation and enforcement. EPA is committed to reducing lead exposures from multiple sources including: paint, water, ambient air, and soil and dust contamination, especially among children who are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead. Click here to access the booklet and learn more about what EPA is doing to protect children from lead exposures. Public Comment Opportunities Request for Nominations of Scientific Experts to be considered for the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) by November 13, 2018 The EPA requests public nominations of scientific experts to be considered for ad hoc participation on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) through membership on the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) Science Review Board (SRB). All nominees will be considered for ad hoc participation providing independent scientific advice to the EPA on health and safety issues related to pesticides. The FIFRA SAP is comprised of biologists, statisticians, toxicologists and other experts and is assisted in their reviews by members of the FQPA SRB. Individuals nominated should have expertise in one or more of the following areas: Biochemistry; chemistry; epidemiology; human health risk assessment; pathology; PBPK modeling; aquatic modeling; pharmacology; ecological risk assessment; environmental exposure and fate; environmental toxicology; occupational, consumer, and general exposure assessment; toxicology; dose response modeling; environmental engineering; statistics; water quality monitoring; hydrologist; GIS specialist; computational toxicology; entomology; veterinary entomology; medical entomology, insect ecology, allergenicity, research veterinarian; inhalation toxicology; volatile organics; ------- endocrinology, alternative testing methods, high throughput testing approaches, adverse outcome pathways, cross species extrapolation, and systematic review. Nominees should be scientists who have sufficient professional qualifications, including training and experience, and can provide expert comments on the pesticide health and safety related issues for a FIFRA SAP meeting. Click here for more information and to submit nominations by November 13, 2018. Draft Human Health Risk Assessment for Pesticides (atrazine, simazine, and propazine): Public Comment by November 23, 2018 EPA has released draft human health risk assessments for the pesticides atrazine, simazine, and propazine. EPA has also released a draft cumulative human health risk assessment for these pesticides as a common mechanism group, chlorotriazine herbicides. Since the last human health assessment, new scientific literature has been published which includes epidemiological and toxicity studies on development effects. Epidemiological studies can be found in the Appendices of each risk assessment, and toxicity studies can be found here. Atrazine What is it? Atrazine is an herbicide used on agricultural crops and turf, including residential lawns and golf courses. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? The assessment found that children who crawl and play on lawns sprayed with atrazine can potentially be at risk. How EPA proposes to reduce these potential risks to children: By reducing the amount of atrazine permitted to be applied to lawns and gardens, the risk to children can be mitigated. Next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted until November 23, 2018. Click here to provide comments and to see the Atrazine Draft Human Health Risk Assessment for Registration Review. Click here for more information on atrazine from EPA. Click here for additional documents and more information [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0266] Simazine What is it? Simazine is an herbicide used on agricultural crops, nursery crops, Christmas trees, turf, including residential lawns and golf courses. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? The assessment found that children who crawl and play on lawns sprayed with simazine can potentially be at risk. Additional potential risks to children can come from spray drift after simazine is applied to grapefruits and oranges. ------- How EPA proposes to reduce these potential risks to children: The potential risks to children can be mitigated by reducing the amount of simazine permitted to be applied to residential lawns and gardens, and by adding a 10-foot buffer from the field edge for agricultural use of simazine. Next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted until November 23, 2018. Click here to provide comments and to see the Simazine Draft Human Health Risk Assessment for Registration Review. Click here for additional documents and more information [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0251] Propazine What is it? Propazine is an herbicide used on sorghum fields and greenhouse ornamentals. What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? The assessment did not identify any potential risks to children from the relevant exposure routes (dietary, spray drift). Next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted until November 23, 2018. Click here to provide comments and to see the Propazine Draft Human Health Risk Assessment for Registration Review. Click here for additional documents and more information [Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0250] Chlorotriazine Herbicides Cumulative Risk Assessment What potential risks to children has the EPA identified? Aside from any potential individual risks these three pesticides pose to children on their own, a cumulative risk assessment has found risks of concern to children from granular application. How EPA proposes to reduce these potential risks to children? By requiring the minimization of the use of these pesticides, as proposed above, the risk to children can be mitigated. Next steps: EPA will consider public comments submitted until November 23, 2018. Click here to provide comments and to see the Cumulative Risk Assessment for Atrazine, Propazine, and Simazine. EPA Seeks Public Input on Draft Toxicity Assessments for PFAS Chemicals The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on draft toxicity assessments for GenX chemicals and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), members of a larger group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are man-made chemicals used in a wide range of products because of their ability to repel water, grease, and oil. The draft toxicity assessments are part of ------- EPA's efforts to increase the amount of research and information that is publicly available on chemicals in the PFAS family. Once final, states, tribes, and communities can use the information the agency is providing to assess risks, which will help them develop risk management plans and protect their residents. Click here for more information. EPA Grant Opportunities EPA Announces Availability of $1.5 Million in Environmental Justice Small Grants EPA's Office of Environmental Justice just announced the availability of $1.5 million for Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG). These funds will be distributed to approximately 50 community-based organizations nationwide that will work to address environmental justice issues in local communities. Each recipient will receive up to $30,000 for one-year, community-driven projects that engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand local environmental and public health issues and to identify ways to address these issues at the local level. Given projected increases in extreme weather events and the vulnerability of underserved populations, this opportunity will emphasize projects that address emergency preparedness and increase resiliency, as well as projects that include the needs of US military veterans and homeless populations. With support from EPA's Urban Waters program, the program will also support projects that reconnect urban communities with their waterways while encouraging community stewardship. The application period for the 2018 EJSG will remain open until January 31, 2019. All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply. Click here for more information about EPA's Environmental Justice Small Grants program. Notice of Grant Funding Guidance to Establish and Enhance State and Tribal Response Programs for FY2019, $50 million in funding available, accepting requests through December 14, 2018 The amended CERCLA [Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act] has authorized a noncompetitive $50 million grant program to establish and enhance state and tribal response programs to address the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfields sites and other sites with actual or perceived contamination. The EPA will accept grant requests through December 14, 2018. Click here for more information and to see the Federal Register Notice. Water Infrastructure and Improvements to the Nation (WIIN) Act Grant: Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water, $20 million in funding available; submit letters of intent to EPA by January 11, 2019 Authorized under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, the Lead Testing in School and Child Care Program Drinking Water Grant creates a program to assist with voluntary testing for lead in drinking water at schools and child care programs. The grant will include a total of $20 million in funding for states, including $1.2 million set aside specifically for tribal schools. EPA has requested that states interested in participating in the grant program submit letters of intent to EPA by January 11, 2019. ------- To support the new grant program, EPA has updated its 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water. The updated document will assist schools and childcare facilities with developing lead in drinking water prevention programs through EPA's 3Ts - training, testing, and taking action. Together, EPA's new grants and the 3Ts, will provide states and schools with the tools they need to help protect children from lead in drinking water. Click here to learn more. PEYA Application Period: Applications Now Being Accepted for K-12 Student Awards Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA). This program recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects by K-12 youth, promoting awareness of our nation's natural resources and encouraging positive community involvement. EPA will select up to two winners in each of EPA's 10 Regions - one regional winner for Grades K-5 and one regional winner for Grades 6-12. All student projects must be sponsored by at least one adult over the age of 21. The application and eligibility information are available at: https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-vouth-award. Applications are due February 1, 2019. Upcoming Webinars, Workshops & Events Webinar: Examining the Evidence: How School Buildings Affect Student Health, Thinking and Performance: November 29, 2018,1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST Join EPA and experts from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in a discussion on student health, thinking and performance. Register for the webinar here. Click here for information from EPA about creating healthy indoor air quality in schools. Webinar: Engaging Health Professionals in Environmental Public Heath: December 7, 2018,1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. EST The Engaging Health Professionals in Environmental Public Health webinar (sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH)) will focus on the importance of working with healthcare professionals to address environmental health issues. Presenters will also discuss strategies they are using to build the environmental health literacy of healthcare professionals. Presenters include Mark Miller, M.D., M.P.H., UC San Francisco and Nicholas Newman, D.O., M.S., Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and are experts in the field of children's environmental health. Registration is required. ------- Workshop: EPA IRIS to Hold Workshop on Systematic Review for Mechanistic Data: December 10- 11, 2018 EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) is convening a workshop titled, "Strategies and Tools for Conducting Systematic Reviews of Mechanistic Data to Support Chemical Assessments/' in Washington D.C. In order to assist the EPA with developing guidance on conducting systematic reviews of mechanistic data when supporting chemical assessments, this workshop will explore relevant strategies and tools being developed and utilized across the systematic review and risk assessment communities. By developing guidance/methods for systematic reviews and evaluation of mechanistic data for particular chemicals, the agency can better understand the mechanism of action, including the potential for a chemical to cause developmental effects. Click here for more information, or contact Dahnish Shams at shams.dahnish@epa.gov Federal Partners' Children's Environmental Health Announcements HUD Awards $6.7 million in Research Grants to Reduce Lead and Other Housing-Related Health Hazards To help protect children and seniors from exposure to lead and other home health hazards, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $6.7 million to seven universities and public health organizations to improve methods for identifying and controlling residential health risks including lead-based paint, mold, secondhand tobacco smoke, and other indoor contaminants. Click here for a complete project-by-project summary of which programs were awarded grants. Announcing: HUD's New Healthy Homes Youth App The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture Healthy Homes Partnership have released a new app to help middle-schoolers learn about potential household contaminants. These range from lead and mold to radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs- pollutants in air at levels that threaten health). This App helps kids learn about their home's indoor environment, focusing on actions they can take to have a heathy home. Learn about common hazards and what to do. Content is in a fun and easy to understand format. Parents, caregivers and teachers can also benefit from this app. Click here to learn more and to download the app. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF): Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children and Pregnant Women: Screening; Seeking Public Comment by December 3, 2018 The USPSTF is seeking public comment regarding their recent 1) Draft Recommendation Statement, 2) Draft Evidence Review: Children & 3) Draft Evidence Review: Pregnant Women regarding Screening for elevated blood lead levels. ------- Draft Recommendation Statement Children: The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for elevated blood lead levels in asymptomatic children. Pregnant women: The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for elevated blood lead levels in asymptomatic pregnant women. Click here to learn more and to provide public comment on these draft recommendations by December 3, 2018. Draft Evidence Review: Children In 2006, the U.S. Preventive Task Force found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for elevated blood lead levels in asymptomatic children aged 1 to 5 who are at increased risk for lead poisoning, and recommended against routine screening for those at average risk. The objective of this review is to update a prior systematic review on screening for elevated blood lead levels in childhood for the U.S. Preventive Task Force. Click here to learn more and to provide public comment on this draft evidence review by December 3, 2018. Draft Evidence Review: Pregnant Women In 2006, the U.S. Preventive Task Force recommended against routine screening for elevated blood lead levels in asymptomatic pregnant women. The objective of this review is to update a prior systematic review on screening for elevated blood lead levels in pregnancy for the U.S. Preventive Task Force. Click here to learn more and to provide public comment on this draft evidence review by December 3, 2018. About this newsletter: https://www.epa.gov/children/childrens-environmental-health-newsletter ------- |