integrated federal interagency environmental justice action agency

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United States Enforcement and EPA/300-R-00-008Environmental Protection Compliance Assurance November 2000Agency (2201A) www.epa.gov/oeca

Office of Environmental Justice

Integrated Federal InteragencyEnvironmental Justice

Action Agenda

WORKING TOGETHER

TOWARDS

COLLABORATIVE AND

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS


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An Integrated Federal Interagency

Environmental Justice Action Agenda

Preface

Across the nation, communities are working hard to address a range of environm ental,

public health, economic and social concerns, known as environmental justice issues. They are

struggling to better understand the complex relationships between the environment, the economy,

and equity. Through the efforts of many governmental and non-governmental organizations,

communities are beginning to fashion strategies that result in healthy and sustainable communities

which are environmentally sound and economically revitalized.

Environmental justice is a complicated issue and the concept is not yet well understood. It

is not a static concept but a dynamic process. However, important lessons are emerging. One such

lesson is the need for greater Federal Agency collaboration. Without focused and concerted efforts

on the part of m ultiple agencies, singularly directed initiatives, no matter how well intentioned, fall

short in the face of the overwhelm ing challenges presented by the combined ills of environmental,

social and economic distress. Another lesson is the need to involve all stakeholders in the

development of the solutions. All groups in a community must be mobilized to truly make a

lasting difference. While relatively simple lessons, these concepts are not easily

implementedespecially when distressed communities are burdened with so many needs.

The Integrated Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Action Agenda is an attempt to

break through the cycle of despair. It represents an important step in the implementation of

Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority

Populations and Low-Income Populations. The Executive Order focuses the attention of Federal

agencies on the human health and environmental conditions in minority and low-income

communities with the goal of ach ieving environmental justice and fostering non-discrimination in

programs that substantially affect human health or the environment. Under Executive Order

12898, Federal agencies are directed to make achieving environmental justice an integral part of

their missions. The Executive Order makes clear that its provisions also apply to programs

involving Native Americans and Alaskan Natives.

The Action Agenda seeks to build upon creative solutions emanating from communities.

This is an important principle of environmental justice. The Action Agenda seeks to create

partnerships between Federal agencies and other stakeholders to promote comprehensive solutions

to environmental justice issues. The results are inspiringdemonstrating that the forces of

environmental protection, economic development, meaningful public participation, and community

revitalization can work together for the benefit of all.

Charles Lee, Chair

Interagency Working Group

on Environmental Justice

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SECTION I

INTEGRATED FEDERAL INTERAGENCY

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTION AGENDA

GOAL

BACKGROUND

COMPONENTS

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An Integrated Federal Interagency

Environmental Justice Action Agenda

GOAL

The Integrated Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Action Agenda (Action Agenda) seeks to

build dynamic and proactive partnerships among Federal agencies to benefit environmental ly and

economically distressed communities. Increased coordination and cooperation among Federal

agencies will enhance identification, mobilization and utilization of Federal resources. Increased

coordination and cooperation also will enable distressed communities to improve environmental

decision-making and more efficiently access and leverage Federal government initiatives. The

Action Agenda will result in improved quality-of-life for minority and/or low-income populations

suffering disproportionate environmental impacts. These populations may include indigenous/tribal

communities.

The Action Agenda intends to accomplish the following:

Ensure that no segment of the population, regardless of race, color, national origin, or

income, suffers disproportionate adverse human or environmental effects, and that all

people live in clean, healthy and sustainable communities.

Create opportunities for building partnerships between specific Federal agencies to promote

comprehensive solutions to environmental justice issues.

Promote models based in an integrated approach to addressing environmental, public health,

economic and social concerns of distressed communities.

Ensure that those who live with environmental decisions (community residents; state, tribal,

and local governments; and the private sector) hav e meaningful opportunity for public

participation in the decision-making process.

Provide a lasting framework for the integration of environmental justice into the missions of

Federal agencies.

The Action Agenda will include examples of interagency environmental justice projects and

agency-specific initiatives, to be initiated or implemented by various Federal agencies during the

year 2000. The Action Agenda will seek to build the constructive problem-solving capacity of

communit ies in partnership with state, tribal, and local governments. The Action Agenda is notintended to replace or supercede exist ing federal/state/tribal/local government decision-making

processes.

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BACKGROUND

This Act ion Agenda is consistent wi th the direction set forth in the President Clintons Executive

Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, signed February 11, 1994. Executive Order 12898 calls on

17 Federal agencies and White House offices to make environmental justice an integral part oftheir mission to the extent practicable and permitted by existing law. It mandates objectives in the

following areas: (1) identify disproportionately high and adverse human health or environ mental

effects on minority and low-income populations; (2) coordinate research and data collection; (3)

conduct public meetings; and (4) develop interagency model projects. It also establishes an

Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (IWG) composed of representatives from

these agencies and offices to accomplish these objectives.

In June 1999, the IWG began to develop the concept of an Integrated Federal Interagency

Environmental Justice Action Agenda as a way of incorporating environmental justice in all

policies, programs, and activities of Federal agencies. Two environmental justice listening

sessions sponsored by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the EPAOffice of Environmental Justice (the first July 11, 1998, in Los Angeles, CA; and the second

March 6, 1999, in New York City) and a national conference entitled Environmental Justice:

Strengthening the Bridge Between Economic Development and Sustainable Communities (June

10-12, 1999, in Hilton Head, SC) provided new energy to Federal interagency efforts to secure a

healthy and sustainable environment for all Americans regardless of race, color, ethnicity, or

economic status. These events provided new opportunities for senior Federal officials to respond

directly to affected communities and for meaningful dialogue among all stakeholders

(communities, businesses, academia, public health organizations, and Federal, state, tribal, and

local governments). These efforts clarified the need to address concurrently disproportionate

environmental impacts, economic and social concerns, and community empowerment.

Experience has demonstrated that efforts to address the environmental problems of minority and/or

low-income communities without meaningful community input will result in failure. An informed

and involved community is a necessary and integral part of the decision-making process in

addressing environmental protection and its integration with the communitys economic and social

goals. Experience also has demonstrated that environmental problems suffered by such

communities cannot be fully addressed within the authority of any single governmental entity.

Therefore, within the context of this Action Agenda, environment is defined pursuant to National

Environmental Policy Act compliance and encompasses those elements that affect a communitys

quality-of-life.

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ACTION AGENDA COMPONENTS

The Integrated Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Action Agenda is an ongoing, living

framework. The key areas of the Action Agenda are:

Promote Greater Coordination and Cooperation Among Federal Agencies

Continue to support Regional Interagency Task Forces responsible for commitments made

at the CEQ listening sessions in Los Angeles and New York City.

Conduct national Federal Interagency Working Group meetings on a regular basis.

Coordinate communications among Federal agencies on national and regional levels.

Encourage regional Federal interagency strategies or action plans.

Develop new models for Federal interagency collaboration on regional, state, tribal, and

local levels.

Make Government More Accessible and Responsive to Communities

Ensure that core values and principles of the National Environmental Justice Advisory

Council Model Plan for Public Participation are incorporated into Federal environmental

justice activities.

Develop a directory of environmental justice contacts. Initially, for Federal agencies;

future editions to include state and local environmental justice contacts.

Compile a set of web-based environm ental justice success stories from Federal agencies.

Conduct interagency listening sessions in local communities throughout the nation.

Conduct ongoing dialogue w ith state, tribal, and local governments.

Ensure Integration of Environmental Justice in Policies, Programs and Activities of Federal

Agencies.

Promote agency-specific initiatives to benefit environmental justice communities.

Compile summary of notable Federal government environmental justice accomplishments.

Develop and conduct national and regional environmental justice training, which are

agency-specific and interagency-focused.

Promote opportunities for community-based assessment, intervention and prevention

strategies to reduce health disparities, particularly within minority and/or low-income

communities where disproportionate environmental effects may contribute to such

disparities (To be addressed at National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Meeting,May 23-26, 2000).

Develop strategies to enhance Federal interagency efforts to address needs of

environmentally and economically distressed communities (To be addressed at National

Environmental Justice Advisory Council Meeting, December 11-14, 2000).

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Initiate Environmental Justice Demonstration Projects to Develop Integrated Place-Based

Models for Addressing Community Livability Issues. (A fact sheet on the selected projects

can be found under Section II.)

Demonstration Project Objectives: Learn how Federal agencies can better collaborate to ensure local problem-solving.

Achieve concrete beneficial results for affected communities.

Ensure meaningful participation of affected communities in decision-making process.

Enhance existing assets within affected communities.

Promote greater partnership with state, tribal and local governments.

Develop a template for integrated community-based so lutions to environmental justice

issues.

Document lessons learned to positively impact more communities.

Recommend changes in Federal policy, where appropriate.

Demonstration Project Selection Criteria: Areas selected are composed of predominantly minority or low-income populations that

face negative environmental, public health, and/or socio-economic effects.

Selected projects should be community-based w here there is a strong community interest in

participating in all phases of the project, including its conception, implementation, and

completion.

Communities selected may have existing resources sufficient to sustain the project through

completion and beyond and where the demonstration project will contribute to building

upon and enhancing existing assets within communities.

Communities selected have potentially taken steps to address and/or seriously consider

environmental justice, rural community development and capacity building, brownfield

economic redevelopment, and/or other related issues. At least two Federal agencies will commit to participating in each demonstration project

initiated; there will be meaningful participation by community-based organizations;

academic institutions; non-governmental organizations; state, tribal, or local governments;

and/or the private sector.

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SECTION II

INTEGRATED FEDERAL INTERAGENCY

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DEMONSTRATION

PROJECTS

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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DEMONSTRATION

PROJECTS

1. Greater Boston Urban Resources Partnership: Connecting Community and

Environment (Boston, MA/) Lead Agency: EPA

2. Camden - City of Children Partnering for a Better Future (Camden, NJ)Lead Agency: HUD

3. New York City Alternative Fuel Vehicle Summit (New York, NY) Lead Agency: DOE

4. Addressing Asthma in Puerto RicoA Multi-Faceted Partnership for Results (PuertoRico) Lead Agency: HHS/HRSA

5. Bridges to Friendship Nurturing Environmental Justice in Southeast and SouthwestWashington, DC (Washington, DC) Lead Agency: DOD (Navy)

6. Re-Genesis: Community Cleanup and Revitalization in Arkwright/Forest Park(Spartanburg, SC) Lead Agency: EPA

7. Protecting Childrens Health and Reducing Lead Exposure through CollaborativePartnerships (East St. Louis, IL) Lead Agencies: EPA & HUD

8. Bethel New Life Power Park Assessment (Chicago, IL) Lead Agency: DOE

9. New Madrid County Tri-Community Child Health Champion Campaign(New Madrid County, MO) Lead Agencies: EPA & USDA/NRCS

10. Easing Troubled Waters: Ensuring Safe Drinking Water Sources in Migrant

Farmworker Communities in Colorado (Colorado) Lead Agency: EPA

11. Environmental Justice and Public Participation Through Technology: Defeating theDigital Divide and Building Community Capacity (Savannah, GA and Fort BelknapIndian Reservation, MT) Lead Agency: DOE

12. Protecting Community Health and Reducing Toxic Air Exposure throughCollaborative Partnerships in Barrio Logan (San Diego, CA) Lead Agency: EPA

13. Oregon Environmental Justice Initiative (Portland and Rural Communities, Oregon)Lead Agency: DOJ

14. Metlakatla Indian Community Unified Interagency Environmental ManagementTask Force (Ketchikan, AK) Lead Agency: DOD

15. Environmental Justice in Indian Country: A Roundtable to Address Conceptual,Political and Statutory Issues Lead Agency: DOE

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Federal Interagency Environmental Justice

Demonstration ProjectsGreater Boston Urban Resources Partnership:

Connecting Community and Environment (Boston, MA)

July 2000 Project Summary Sheet

The overall goal of the Integrated Federal Interagency Environmental Justice Action Agenda is to increase efforts toidentify, mobilize, and make use of federal resources to benefit environmentally and economically distressedcommunities. The Action Agenda is building dynamic and proactive partnerships that access the initiatives andresources of federal agencies to improve the quality of life of minority and low-income communities that sufferdisproportionate environmental impacts.

MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROJECT:Improving Public Health

PROJECT PURPOSE:The ongoing partnership of 39 community-basedorganizations, universities, and federal, state, andlocal agencies acts as a liaison between community-defined needs and available federal resources inorder to respond to critical community issues. ThePartnership will focus on the restoration of ChelseaCreek, which is the most polluted tributary to theBoston Harbor; working with local residents totransform the area into a recreational, educational,and economic resource; and improving the

environment and public health of predominantlyminority and low-income populations.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?The federal agencies involved are participatingas members of the Greater Boston UrbanResources Partnership (GB-URP). The UrbanResources Partnership (URP) Initiative and theUSEPA Urban Environmental Initiative (UEI) arefederally sponsored efforts to promote

community-based planning and implementationof natural resource projects in selected under-served urban communities. The Initiativedemonstrates the value of federal agencypartnerships to effectively deliver technical andfinancial assistance and other services to thepublic, and involves low-income and minority

communities that have traditionally had limitedaccess to environmental resources. The Project

also demonstrates sustainability in recognitionthat many environmental issues may not beadequately addressed without the combinedresources of federal, state, and localgovernments and the capacity building at thecommunity level, in order to develop long termsolutions from a bottom up approach.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The main areas of emphasis will beChelsea, Somerville and Boston. In 1999,

Greater Bostons multiracial populationtotaled 574,283, accounting for 41 percentof Chelseas and 24 percent of EastBostons populations. The unemploymentrate in Chelsea is 12.1 percent, and it is11 percent in East Boston. Nearly 51percent of the residents of Roxbury live ator below the poverty level.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The activities anticipated will benefit the communitythrough the following efforts:

Encourage and create opportunities for meaningful

community involvement, serve community needs,and provide community benefits;

Foster cooperation among residents and governmentofficials for the enhancement of the urbanenvironment;

Serve and involve low-income communities andminorities that have traditionally had little access toenvironmental resources in planning and decisionmaking;

Develop a plan for long-term sustainability andimprovements that addresses communityenvironmental education and improvement needs;

Host a regional summit on as thma t itledEnvironmental Justice Childrens Initiative, designedto develop a strategy for filling the gaps in currentaction on asthma and to emphasize prevention ofexposure to known triggers in homes, schools, andthe outside environments; and

Partner with the Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG)to work with local residents to build public awareness,promote public access, clean up contaminated land,and transform the Chelsea Creek into a recreational,educational, and economic resource for thecommunities and region.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS City of Boston will provide office space, equipment,

supplies, and in-kind support. EPA will provide technical and financial assistance

with Comparative Risk Assessments, the mappingof environmental hazards, development of publicawareness campaigns, and education on permittingprocesses.

HUD will provide experience in reviewing grantapplications.

Massachusetts Department of EnvironmentalManagement will provide expertise in urban tree-related issues, assist in education activities, andassist with the application and management of grants.

Massachusetts Department of Fish and WildlifeEnforcement will provide technical and financialresources to conduct shoreline surveys.

Tufts University and the Watershed Institute will

provide support with GIS mapping of open space, oilterminals, and built-up areas along Chelsea Creek. USDA Forest Service will provide technical and

financial assistance for the management of forestsand related natural resources in urban areas.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) will provide technical assistance for therestoration of Chelsea Creek and other improvementsof natural resources within the urban environment,and financial assistance as appropriate.

Contacts:

Kristi ReaU.S. EPA Region 1(617) 918-1595


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Demonstration ProjectsCamdenCity of Children Partnering for a Better Future

(Camden, NJ)



MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROJECT:Improving Childrens Health

PROJECT PURPOSE:Federal partners will work with local educationalinstitutions in the distressed City of Camden,which has a high population of children, to buildthe capacity of residents, particularly youth, toaddress environmental justice issues by improvingeducational, economic development, and healthcare opportunities. Activities will include (1)Asthma and Lead Poisoning Outreach, (2) StudentAir Congress, (3) Rutgers University MastersDegree Program in Environmental Studies, and

(4) Youth Corp Training.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?The Camden project has been designed to ensurethat the health of citys children in safeguarded forthroughout all stages of their development.Manufacturing and related land use account forone-third of Camdens nine square miles, andbrownfields constitute more than half of all industrialsites in the city. Abandoned industrial sites contain

chemicals, transformers, and other contaminantsthat pose significant threats to human health.Through partnerships established as a result ofthis effort, however, school-age children are beingtargeted for the Asthma and Lead PoisoningOutreach and EMPACT program, high schooldropouts have been targeted for Youth CorpsTraining, and the Partnership for Environmental

Technology Education has been directed atcollege students. Additionally, opportunities exist

for graduate students through the Rutgers CamdenCampuss environmental sciences mastersdegree program.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

Camden is the fifth poorest city in theUnited States and has beencharacterized as the most devastatedcity in America. One out of every three

residents of Camden is living below thepoverty line, the unemployment rate is36 percent, and the city has apredominantly minority population.Almost one-third of the citys population(31,000 of the total 87,500) is children.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The goal of the Camden project is to create jobsand to protect youth from exposure toenvironmental contaminants. To achieve these

goals, the project will: Sponsor 57 Camden students for a summer youth

environmental education program and create jobs foryouths by offering a 150-hour brownfields assessmentand cleanup job training program;

Improve screening and follow-up care for children atrisk of exposure to lead and asthma-inducing allergensand train mothers of children with lead poisoning orasthma on abatement and control strategies;

Establish ef fective government, private, andcommunity partnerships for environmentalassessment and planning;

Complete an inventory of brownfields using ageographic information system in order to provideone-stop shopping - for community groups anddevelopers on site conditions and reuse potential;

Monitor the completion of all site assessments,make preliminary assessment and site investigationreports readily available, and prioritize Camdensbrownfields for redevelopment;

Identify, compile, and disseminate information onlead issues for inner city New Jersey schools withRegion 2, the New Jersey Interagency Task Force onthe Prevention of Lead Poisoning, and the Universityof Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in

collaboration with Ramapo College; Increase public awareness of the hazards of lead

poisoning and asthma and build the capacity of thecommunity to address the problems of exposure;

Develop mechanisms to facilitate the provision ofhealthy home environments for all communitymembers, but especially for children at risk from leadpoisoning and asthma;

Facilitate recommendations for policy that effectivelyprotect children from lead and asthma hazards; and

Work with EPA Region 2, EPA Region 3, and RutgersUniversity in Camden to establish a masters degreein environmental studies.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS DOL will co-sponsor the summer youth employment

program. HHS/Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) will provide health

intervention for children with asthma. HHS/Center for Disease Control (CDC) will be the

primary agency on lead initiatives. HUD will take the lead for new brownfields initiatives

including economic development loans for the city.

OTHER PARTICIPATING PARTNERS New Jersey Department of Environmental

Protection New Jersey Economic Development Association New Jersey Housing Mortgage and Finance

Agency New Jersey Redevelopment Authority

Contacts:

Maureen ONeill Denise Notice-ScottU.S. EPA Region 2 HUD(212) 637-5025 (212) 264-1401

Dr. Margaret Lee Dan MahoneyHHS/HRSA HHS/CDC(212) 264-2571 (215) 685-2784


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Demonstration Projects

New York City Alternative Fuel Vehicle Summit, New York, NY




PROJECT PURPOSE:A partnership of federal agencies, local officials, andcommunity organizations will conduct a series ofmeetings culminating in an Alternative Fuel VehicleSummit. The project goal is to accelerate theconversion of vehicular fleets operating in NYCmetropolitan area to cleaner fuels. This is intendedto result in better air quality for heavily congestedenvironmental justice neighborhoods.

WHY IS THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT INVOLVED?As a member of the White House Interagency TaskForce on Environmental Justice Issues in New YorkCity, the Department of Energy (DOE) met in Springof 1999 with the White House Council onEnvironmental Quality. Through the Office of EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE agreed tolead the efforts of the federal government andcommunity representatives in organizing analternative fuels summit, focusing on acceleratingthe conversion to cleaner fuels of fleets operating in

the New York City metropolitan area. During theSummer of 1999, DOE formed a planning committeeof partners to determine the content of the summit onalternative fuels.

The existence of a planning committee on this issuehas allowed the city to talk to community groupsabout current projects on alternative fuels and has

given the community groups the opportunity toexpress their concerns about poor air quality and theneed to do more. The planning committee has giventhe federal participating agencies the ability to rallytogether to try to change the bus purchasing plans ofthe Metropolitan Transit Authority.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The communities involved with thisproject are located in heavily

congested environmental justiceneighborhoods areas of Manhattan,the Bronx, and Brooklyn which havebeen affected by high concentrationsof diesel burning vehicular traffic.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The planning committee recommended holding adesign charette to gather additional neighborhoodand local and state government input on the issueof alternative fuels. Following that meeting, the

planning` committee put together an action plan for2000 and 2001 based on input from participantsand included the following tasks:

Hosting neighborhood meetings to encourage localheavy-duty fleets to switch to alternative fuels;

Sponsoring a city workshop on alternative fuel schoolbuses;

Sponsoring an airport meeting to encourage morefleets to use alternative fuels;

Assisting with an alternative fuels workshop for localgovernments;

Holding an alternative fuels summit to showcase

successes and build on this work to lead to greaterpenetration of alternative fuel vehicles in heavy-dutyniche markets located in designated environmentaljustice neighborhoods; and

Identifying heavy-duty transportation fleets andestablishing contacts or conducting outreach torepresentatives in order to get their participation inplanned meetings.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS DOEwill serve as the project lead and co-coordinator

of the Interagency Task Force on EnvironmentalJustice in New York City that supports the AFV

project. DOE will also provide project coordination atthe Headquarters level, program resources andtechnical assistance through the Office of EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy, and logisticaland in-kind support to projects activities.

DOI, working closely with local officials, communityorganizations and other federal agencies, will helporganize meetings.

GSA will help develop markets. HUD will provide logistical and facilitation support.

New York City Department of Transportation willserve as a contributing member to the summitPlanning Committee and the Interagency Task Forceon Environmental Justice in New York City thatsupports the AFV project; will provide assistance inorganizing community-based informational meetings;

will assist by providing contacts with local vendors,equipment manufacturers and utility marketingpersonnel; will provide information concerningfunding opportunities; and will offer assistance indeveloping approaches to develop model projects.

The following partners will serve as contributingmembers to the summit Planning Committee, beresponsible for identifying heavy-duty transportationfleet operating within their designated communityarea, establish contacts or conduct outreach torepresentatives of targeted fleets to get them involvedin project activities, and provide meeting locations,

as required: Lower Washington Heights Association New York City Environmental Justice Alliance The Point Community Development Corporation United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park West Harlem Environmental Action

Contacts:

Marcy Rood Omar FriellaDOE Environmental Justice Alliance(202) 586-8161 (212) 239-8882


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Demonstration ProjectsAddressing Asthma in Puerto Ricoa Multifaceted

Partnership for Results




PROJECT PURPOSE:A partnership of federal agencies, local healthdepartments, community groups, foundations, anduniversities will seek local community input to gain abetter understanding of what accounts for the highprevalence of asthma in Puerto Rico. The project willresult in a geographic action plan that maximizesasthma prevention and augments current interagencyefforts to develop a community asthma interventionprogram for children in Puerto Ricos low-income,under-served populations.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?A study conducted by the Puerto Rico Department ofHealth (in collaboration with ATSDR) found that 30percent of Latino Puerto Rican children aged 13-14and more than 40 percent of children aged 6-7 hadbeen diagnosed with asthma, a serious andsometimes life-threatening respiratory condition. Thisproject will take a collaborative approach to implementa comprehensive strategy to improve childrens health

by reducing the incidences of asthma. To this end,an asthma summit led by HRSA and cosponsored byEPA, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and Roberts Wood JohnsonFoundation is being convened in New York City May31 to June 1, 2000 to develop geographical actionplans. The summit covers New York, New Jersey,Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A specialbreakout session on Puerto Rico will be held.

Professional health providers and community activistswill hold a dialogue to facilitate multiagency andcommunity efforts toward next steps. This summit

will complement and augment efforts currentlyunderway by the sponsoring partners to develop acommunity asthma intervention program for PuertoRico.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The main population that this effort isintended to address is children in PuertoRico. In the United States, Latinos aredisproportionately impacted by asthma.Although within the Latino population there

are variations in asthma rates depending onan individuals national heritage, a studyconducted by the Puerto Rico Departmentof Health (in collaboration with HHS/CDCand HHS/ATSDR) found that asthma wasfairly prevalent among children living in thePuerto Rico.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY? Contacts:The activities anticipated will benefit the communitythrough the following efforts: HHS/ATSDR HCFA

Dr. Henry Falk (212) 264-3772

Facilitate participation in the Puerto Rico breakout (212) 264-2571

session at the asthma summit; Develop a Puerto Rico Action Plan to address asthma; Maureen ONeill Dr. Luz Claudio Build upon existing sc ientific research and U.S. EPA Region 2 Mt. Sinai Hospital

community-based work on asthma as well as explore (212) 637-5025 (212) 241-7625financial and technical partnerships in order toadvance in new directions; and Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Santana

Develop and implement a community asthma Pediatric Pulmonary Clinicintervention program for Puerto Rico to reduce the (787) 754-8500incidence of asthma in children.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS)/Agency for Toxic Substances andDisease Registry (ATSDR) will assist in presentingfindings from asthma summit to community groupsin Puerto Rico.

DHHS/Health Resource Services Administration(HRSA) will sponsor the asthma summit.

EPA will co-sponsor the asthma summit. Mt. Sinai Hospital will host the asthma summit and

offer technical assistance.

The following partners will provide support to thisinitiative when the follow-up asthma conference is

held

in Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Community Groups Puerto Rico Department of Health Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board Puerto Rico Lung Association University of Puerto Rico

OTHER PARTICIPATING PARTNERSDHHS/Health Care Finance Administration

(HCFA) HUD NIH


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Demonstration ProjectsBridges to Friendship: Nurturing Environmental Justice in

Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C.



MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROJECT:Economic Development

PROJECT PURPOSE:The well-established Bridges to FriendshipPartnership will focus on environmental justiceconcerns related to the revitalization of Southeastand Southwest Washington, D.C. neighborhoodsnext to the Washington Navy Yard. Efforts willcenter around turning environmental liabilities intoopportunities by better orchestrating job trainingand employment and entrepreneurial opportunities,identification of community assets, and strategiesto address gentrif ication and community

displacement.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?Bridges to Friendship is a community-based,sustainable development partnership of communityorganizations, businesses, D.C. government andfederal government organizations that have cometogether to contribute to the revitalization of thesouthern quadrants of Washington, D.C. Thisalliance is focused on enhancing the quality of life

and preserving the natural and cultural heritage ofthe area by promoting economic development andenvironmental protection. In particular, thepartnership strives to use existing resources in newways and support existing community efforts withnew allies.

Environmental justice, capacity building, andbrownfields redevelopment are driving forces behindthe project since it began in response to community

concerns related to the Anacostia River, federalcleanups of contaminated sites, and contaminationof other sites in the community.Much of the value added by the partnership comesthrough capacity building, such as linking youthoutreach and job training resources to providers atall levels to create employment opportunities forarea residents.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The Bridges to Friendship areaincludes Southeast and SouthwestWashington, D.C., where theWashington Navy Yard is located.This area includes communitiesdominated by public and low-incomehousing and is predominantly AfricanAmerican.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY?This project will benefit the Washington, D.C.community through the following efforts:

Increase the variety, quality, and quantity of jobtraining and career development opportunities for

local residents; Increase the number of quality businesses operating

in Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C. orowned by local residents. Bridges to Friendship willtarget three businesses for start-up in or relocation toSoutheast/Southwest D.C. and will co-sponsorbusiness development seminars;

Increase the availability of quality educational,employment, and recreational opportunities for youthliving in the target area;

Deliver career readiness seminars in public housingand other community locations, foster thedevelopment of additional internship programs, andsupport community youth activities;

Create a highly effective, efficient, and sustainablemanagement infrastructure; and

Ensure that other Bridges to Friendship goals andarea planning efforts in general (zoning, housing,etc.) incorporate community vision and needs.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Alice Hamilton Occupational Health Center will

provide environmental and occupational Health &Safety training and Life Skills, Job Readiness andIntellectual Enrichment training, and support for

employer interest and job placement. Covenant House Washington will provide youthoutreach and job readiness assistance, internshipand leadership development for youth, and partnerwith the Navy to provide Day Care provider on-thejob training.

DOE will conduct energy education and job trainingprograms, provide alternative fuel vehiclemaintenance, and supply additional resourcesthrough its brightfields and sustainability programs.

DOI will provide assistance and expertise in design,development, and implementation of green spacebeautification and landscaping projects; youth and

job training/mentoring programs; and work with theD.C. metro bus system to prevent storm water runoff from polluting waterways.

DOL will provide expertise in training and laborexchange activities, advise partners in the workforcedevelopment system, and facilitate coordination ofDOL programs and projects.

DOT will conduct community outreach through itstransportation planning and assistance programs,and provide relevant job training opportunities.

District of Columbia Department of EmploymentServices will provide management infrastructuresupport, job training resources and employment

networks. Ellen Wilson Community Development

Corporationwill prepare area low-income residentsfor employment opportunities associated with theredevelopment of the commercial corridor andresidential neighborhood south of the SE-SWFreeway.

EPAwill provide management infrastructure support,leverage its commitment and extensive resourcesdevoted to the Anacostia Ecosystem Initiative, ensurethat environmental concerns and safeguards areintegrated into partnership efforts, provide SuperfundJob Training Initiative and community involvementexpertise and resources, and provide deconstructionexpertise and resources.

Friendship House Association will providecommunity resources, access to residents, and social,educational, training, and economic developmentservices.

GSA will provide opportunities through the Smalland Minority(8A) Business program, provideopportunities for facility deconstruction, and providefacilities for meetings and instruction.

HUD will provide community building, facilitation andtechnical assistance and enhance community

revitalization through continued funding of locallyresponsive housing and community developmentprograms.

USDA, Forest Service will utilize existing expertisein providing consultant service in promoting urbanreforestation through the Urban and CommunityForestry Program.

US Navy, Naval District Washington will supportthe management infrastructure of the partnership;actively develop opportunities for local residents totrain in marketable job skills; and identify jobopportunities for community members at Navy Yardbusinesses.

Contacts:

David OuderkirkBridges to Friendship, Naval District Washington(202) 442-4020


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Demonstration ProjectsCleanup and Revitalization through Collaborative Partnerships,

Arkwright and Forest Park Community (Spartanburg, SC)




PROJECT PURPOSE:The project will assist Re-Genesis, a communitybased organization in the Arkwright/Forest Parkarea of Spartanburg, South Carolina, in involving abroad variety of stakeholders to foster identification,inventory, assessment, cleanup and redevelopmentof contaminated sites. The project will also helpbuild a community-based partnership to includelocal and state agencies in a dynamic process ofstakeholder education, structured dialogues, andplanning charettes to create short- and long-term

development strategies.

The project is designed to involve a variety ofstakeholders working together to foster identification,inventory, assessment, cleanup, and redevelopmentin the Arkwright/Forest Park area of Spartanburg,South Carolina. Through a collaborative effort, thegroups will be able to avoid redundancy and maximizethe use of private monies and public grant dollars tobest help this environmental justice community.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?The target community is within a one-quarter-mileradius of two Superfund sites. Other local areas ofconcern include an abandoned textile mill, anoperating chemical plant, two dumps, and severalsuspected illegal disposal areas. These propertieshave brought concerns about public safety, blight,

health, and the environment for some time. The areahas not enjoyed any substantial commercialdevelopment for years, and the vast majority of

normal retail needs are not within close proximity.

Re-Genesis, an active, community-based group with1,400 members, has taken the lead in establishing

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The City of Spartanburg, South Carolinahas a population of 43,687.Approximately 53 percent of thepopulation is white and 46 percent is

African American. The targeted area Arkwright/Forest Park on the south side of

the cityhas a 96 percent AfricanAmerican population.


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partnerships to address local environmental andhealth issues as well as revitalization. Althoughthese partnerships focused initially on cleanup issues(two abandoned toxic sites have beenenvironmentally assessed since 1998 and one site

has undergone a $1 million voluntary cleanup),current plans represent renewed hopes forrevitalization. The county has recently applied a$20,000 environmental justice grant and a $100,000EPA Superfund Redevelopment Initiative grant, andplans to apply for a DOE Bright Fields grant. A recentforum on Responsive Revitalization was held withmore than 60 diverse stakeholders in attendance.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?

Expected benefits to the community includecreation of housing, a technology center, asoutheastern regional clinic, and a job trainingcenter. The Arkwright and Forest ParkCommunity partnership will benefit as the result ofactivities which will:

Educate stakeholders in the fundamentals andimpacts of brownfields cleanup and redevelopment;

Build local commitment and partnerships for beneficialcommunity redevelopment;

Educate the partnership on sustainable reuse tools

and cleanup funding mechanisms; Lay the foundation for re-examining future

development and growth; Facilitate job training efforts; Continue developing recommendations for a

revitalization process through structured dialoguesand facilitated charettes;

Host a series of meetings with community,developers, and state and federal representatives toreview a proposed development plan for the area;and

Host meetings with the community, state and DOT todevelop a transportation plan for the area.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS DOT will partner with the State of South Carolina to

determine the impact on the Arkwright community ofa proposed connector between State Highway 295and either State Highway 221 or Collins Avenue.The value of this connector to the community will be

to provide access to the community for futurecommercial development. EPA will offer technical information in relation to

development of environmentally compromisedproperties.

HUD will partner with the county through thecommunitys consultant to develop one or morehousing subdivisions.

OTHER PARTICIPATING PARTNERS City of Spartanburg County of Spartanburg (Community and

Economic Development Division, Transportation

Planning) First Federal Bank First South Bank Re-Genesis South Carolina Department of Health and

Environmental Control South Carolina Economic Development

Administration Spartanburg Development Council University of South Carolina Vigindustries/International Minerals and

Chemical Corporation Wachovia Bank

Contacts:

Jewell Harper Rosalind BrownU.S. EPA Region 4 U.S. EPA Region 4(404) 562-8629 (404) 562-8633


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Demonstration ProjectsProtecting Childrens Health and Reducing Lead Exposure through

Collaborative Partnerships (East St. Louis, IL)




PROJECT PURPOSE:Community groups, local hospitals, federal, stateand local agencies in East St. Louis and St. ClairCounty will collaborate to implement a comprehensivestrategy to improve childrens health by reducinglead poisoning. The project will address both leadbased paint hazards and uncontrolled lead releasesto surface soil. Removal actions, where necessary,will promote opportunities for redevelopment inneighborhoods and eliminate illegal dumping.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?The St. Clair County region of Illinois is an area thatis littered with idled smelters, junkyards, and defunctindustry. It has numerous abandoned, contaminatedlots that serve as play areas for the communitiesyouth and as illegal dumping havens. This projecttargets East St. Louis and other communities in St.Clair County, Illinois, including Brooklyn, Alorton,Centerville, and Washington Park. Air pollution hasbeen a major problem due to the fact that St. Louis

Metropolitan Area exceeds EPAs limit on the amountof smog in the air. In addition, when children livingin East St. Louis were tested for lead poisoning,there were four times as many children with leadpoisoning than in the surrounding communities, andthe rate of lead poisoning was four times higher thanthe national average.

Another recurring and severe problem in the regionis flooding. The drainage systems currently in placewere originally constructed to drain agricultural land,

not to convey runoff from stormwater in residentialand urbanizing areas. The region has a combinedsewer and stormwater system that is deteriorating.Impermeable surfaces (e.g., roads and parking lots)have increased the volume of water running intostreams and rivers, and pollution from lead, oil,gasoline, and other products on these surfaces iscarried directly into local water bodies. As wetlandsand forested areas are paved, flooding continues tobecome even more severe.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

Sixty-five percent of the populationof East St. Louis is low-income

compared with a state average of27 percent, and 98.6 percent of thepopulation is minority compared toa state average of 25 percent. Thesurrounding communities(Brooklyn, Alorton, Centerville, andWashington Park) have similardemographics.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?This project will take a collaborative approach toimplement a comprehensive strategy to improvechildrens health by reducing lead poisoning. It willaddress both lead-based paint and uncontrolled

lead releases to surface soil. East St. Louis willbenefit from the following activities:

Conducting blood lead screening of children 0-12years old and pregnant mothers;

Providing appropriate medical care service referralsfor cases of high lead blood content;

Conducting lead-based paint hazard controlthroughout the county;

Assessing uncontrolled lead releases to surface soiland homes with lead hazards;

Conducting housing rehab ilitation along withlandscaping efforts and weatherization;

Conducting site assessments on abandoned lotsand following up with removal actions and demolitionactivities when necessary;

Assisting in building community capacity to recognizelead hazards and ways to reduce the threats tochildrens health as well as avenues to bettercommunication and environmental decision-making;

Promoting a hea lthy en vironment for theenvironmental justice community by offering a greateravenue for residents to become more involved inenvironmental issues in their community; and

Hosting public meetings and availability sessions

and distribute a quarterly newsletter to discuss theprogress and next steps of the project.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Army Corps of Engineers will assist with project

coordination, technical assistance and conduct siteassessments at abandoned lots when necessary.

East-West Gateway Coordinating Council willconduct lead soil sampling in approximately 30residential yards in the city. The Council will workwith homeowners to implement landscaping activities.

EPA has provided a $75,000 grant to conduct leadsoil sampling in East St. Louis near many defunct,bankrupt industrial areas. EPA will continue toprovide technical assistance, potentially fundcommunity education/awareness and facilitate theproject collaboration.

East St. Louis Community Development BlockGrant Office will assist in providing the $10,000Home Repair Grants to homes identified through thepartnership. The office will also provide prevention,education and awareness assistance.

E. Side Local Health District will assist in the bloodlead screening, providing appropriate medical carereferrals, and conducting prevention and education/awareness information workshops and distributingmaterials throughout the community.

HUD has provided a $2.8 million dollar grant to St.Clair County through their Lead Hazard ControlProgram and will continue to provide technicalassistance and lessons learned from other granteeswith similar challenges.

Illinois Department of Public Health will continue

to implement the US EPA grant to conduct lead soilsampling to characterize the uncontrolled releasesof lead in the soil. Historical blood lead data will bemapped and a temporal evaluation of blood leadtrends in the area will be performed. The Departmentwill also continue to support/facilitate lead bloodscreening.

Neighbors United for Progress will provide lead-based paint assessments and assist with communityoutreach and education.

St. Clair County Intergovernmental GrantsDepartment is the recipient of the HUD Lead BasedPaint Hazard Control grant and will provide fundingto several community organizations and contractorsto implement the blood lead screening, casemanagement, assessment, prevention/education,lead hazard control and landscaping activities.

St. Marys Hospital Corporate Health Center willprovide blood lead screening, case management,prevention/awareness and education assistance.

Contacts:

Noemi Emeric Richard MarkU.S. EPA Region 5 St. Marys Hospital(312) 886-0995 (618) 482-7025


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Demonstration Projects

Bethel New Life PEM Fuel Cell Deployment in a GreenBuilding and Power Park Assessment (Chicago, IL)




PROJECT PURPOSE:Federal partners will work to assist Bethel New Life,a faith-based community development corporationlocated in the West Garfield section of Chicago,Illinois, to fulfill its vision of turning the neighborhoodsenvironmental liabilities into assets. The project willdesign, develop, install, field test, and monitorperformance of a 20-kW Proton ExchangeMembrane (PEM) fuel cell power system as part ofthe Lake/Pulaski Commercial Center buildingdevelopment. Bethel is developing the building as

a green, energy-efficient, affordable, commercialretail center. The deployment of a PEM fuel cellsystem in a mixed-use commercial building will beon the leading edge of demonstrations of advancedPEM fuel cell technology in building applications.The fuel cell power system will provide approximately27 percent of the estimated 75-kW peak powerrequirement of the building. Waste heat from thefuel cell will also be used to supplement thebuildings heating and/or hot water requirements.The project will also conduct a feasibility study todetermine the opportunities for incorporating energy-efficient technologies. This will enable the designand construction of a mixed-use development thattakes advantage of existing rail links and convertsan abandoned industrial area into a revitalizedeconomic center to provide much needed housing,jobs, and commercial and industrial development.

WHY IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTINVOLVED?Bethel New Life, a faith-based community

development corporation in Chicago, Illinois, isseeking to demonstrate the significant benefits thatgreen development and distributed energyresources can provide in addressing the need foreconomic redevelopment and critical infrastructure

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The target community the West Garfield Parksection of Chicago is a mostly African-American community (98 percent) with 40percent of the residents living on incomes belowthe poverty level. The proposed mixed-usedevelopment would provide this community witha convenient location for resources such as a

child development center, a medical clinic, abank, a drug store, and other commercialspaces. The community also anticipates theavailability of Welfare to Work training andemployment through building and landscapingcontractors at the site.


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issues, such as electricity reliability, air quality, andtransportation. By working with the Department ofEnergy (DOE) and federal, state, local, and privateand nonprofit partners, Bethel New Life hopes toredevelop an area in the West Garfield Parkcommunity of Chicago along Lake Street and LakePulaski into a power park, which utilizes energy-

efficiency technologies. A feasibility study for theproposed project will examine the incorporation ofdistributed energy resources (including on-sitepower generation) and whether development as apower park would address summer air coolingneeds without further taxing the citys power grid orgeneration capacity.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY?Bethel New Lifes objective is to use the existing railsystem links and convert a devastated abandoned

industrial area into a revitalized economic centerthat provides much needed housing, jobs,commercial, and industrial redevelopment. Thecommunity will benefit from the following tasksassociated with the project:

Demonstrate the excellent energy-efficiency andenvironmental benefits of PEM fuel cells used inbuilding applications;

Assess the energy opportunities that could enablethe design and construction of a mixed-usedevelopment in the target area;

Conduct a feasibility study to look at how the BethelNew Life property could benefit from its developmentas a power park (in the long term, this study couldbe used to attract government grants and privatedevelopment money for investment in this site);and

Redevelop the area to include a commercial centerat a major transit stop that will provide the surroundingcommunity with comfortable access to the local rail

line.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Argonne National Laboratory will provide overall

project coordination, technical assistance andprogram resources to project development, use ofresearch facilities, and project planning anddevelopment assistance.

Bethel New Life, Inc., will co-coordinate projectactivities and team development, contribute staffand resources, plan and organize buildingdevelopment project construction phases,collaborate with other partners to assemble projectteams, and pursue grant funding and other financialinstruments.

City of Chicago Department of Environment willprovide support to demonstrate the use ofphotovoltaics on the roof construction.

Commonwealth Edison will provide project fundingsupport through the City of Chicagos Department ofthe Environment.

DOE will serve as the project lead, provide technicalassistance, and program support through the Officeof Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, andsolicit grant proposals.

Farr Associates will serve as the building architect

and as a member of the project development team. HUD will provide Bethel New Life with an Enterprise

Zone grant award. Illinois Department of Commerce and Community

Affairs will demonstrate the use of photovoltaics onthe developments roof construction and assistBethel New Life in assembling project teams.

Illinois Energy Office will prepare and submitproposals to provide for the design, development,installation, field testing, and performance monitoring

of fuel cell power system to support the projectscommercial center. Institute of Gas Technology will contribute to the

design and development of the fuel cells to beemployed in the project and serve as a developmentteam member.

Mantaky Realty Group will provide assistance inland development and use and serve as adevelopment team member.

Mosaic Energy will serve as a member of theproject development team.

Contacts:

Martin Kurtovich Norm PetersonDOE National Laboratory(202) 586-5196 (630) 252-7229

Mary NelsonBethel New Life, Inc.(773) 473-7870


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Demonstration ProjectsNew Madrid County Tri-Community Child HealthChampion Campaign (New Madrid County, MO)




PROJECT PURPOSE:An EPA-USDA partnership works with state andlocal agencies to address three areas that impactchildrens health: lead, asthma/allergies, and waterquality. The projects came about when three ruraltowns in New Madrid County, Missouri, saw thepotential benefits of working together. A subsequentrequest to federal and state agencies for assistanceresulted in this project. While community educationand capacity building is an ongoing part of thisproject, efforts will include proactive actions such

as planting trees to decrease dust contaminantsand improving stormwater drainage.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?EPA Region 7 and the Natural ResourceConservation Service Midwest Region havefostered partnerships based on their commitmentto ensure that all communities receive the benefitsof their programs and that no portion of the populationbe disproportionately impacted in a negative way

by their policies, programs, and procedures. Thefirst area in which these two organizationsconcentrated their efforts was in three small townslocated in the bootheel of Missouri. The projectbegan by identifying environmental hazards thatmight place community members (with an emphasison children) at a health risk. Data were also

collected to evaluate whether there wasdisproportionate risk in these three communities

compared to the rest of the state to considerenvironmental justice.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The City of Lilbourn, City of Howardville,and Village of North Lilbourn are ruralagricultural communities located in thebootheel region of Missouri,approximately 175 miles south of St.Louis. These towns do not have the typesof businesses or industry established thatmight make them sustainable, and theyare characterized by gross poverty andsubstandard housing conditions. This

project will benefit the community byproviding a safer environment forchildren, greater community awarenessregarding health hazard prevention, anda greater capacity to address needs andconcerns on a local level.


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The resulting New Madrid County Tri-Community(NMCTC) Child Health Champion Campaign is acommunity-led initiative with a variety of local andregional partners. Community development,leadership, and capacity-building skills are integralparts of this project and essential to the sustainability

of any efforts undertaken. Data collection,communication, and coordination by all of the partnersresulted in the completion of an Action Plan in 1999.Implementation of this plan is expected to take placebeginning in 2000 and continuing through 2001.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The activities anticipated under the action plan willbenefit the community through the following efforts:

Screening/testing of children in the target communitiesfor lead poisoning;

Providing appropriate medical care service referralsfor cases of high lead blood content; Providing education and awareness regarding the

environmental health hazards of chemical products,tobacco smoke, home insect allergens, and field andagricultural dust;

Planting evergreens, and long-lived trees and shrubsin areas around schools and childrens playgroundsto decrease dust contaminants;

Providing educational materials and trainingworkshops concerning safe drinking water, stagnantwater, water sampling and also the signs/symptomsof the ill health effects due to contaminated water;

Building capacity in the community to recognizeenvironmental hazards and ways to reduce thosethreats in drinking water, stormwater drainage, andstagnant water;

Improving stormwater drainage in the targetedcommunities;

Taking drinking water samples and constructing atemplate for a drinking water consumer confidencereport; and

Facilitating the participation of community membersin technical training provided by the state.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Bootheel Lead Nurseswill provide health screening

and information and referral services. Delta Area Economic Development Corporation

will conduct educational workshops. EPA Region 7 will provide financial, compliance,

and technical assistance in the areas of lead, asthma/allergies, and water quality.

Great Rivers Alliance of Natural Resource Districtswill assist with project coordination and technicalassistance.

Headstart will support/facilitate health screening. Lincoln University Cooperative Extension will

provide technical assistance, information, and referral

services. Missouri Department of Conservation will providetechnical assistance with a design topography planto address blowing dust and pesticides.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources willprovide technical and drinking water complianceassistance as well as provide operator certificationtraining.

Missouri Department of Public Health will providetechnical assistance and conduct health educationand information workshops.

New Madrid County Health Departmentwill providehealth screenings and assistance referrals.

NMCTC Community Team will assist with projectcoordination, communication efforts, and education. USDA/Natural Resource Conservation Service

(NRCS) will provide technical assistance forexcavating drainage ditches, surveying, anddesigning a stormwater drainage system. They willalso provide leadership, grant writing, andmanagement training.

Contacts:

Althea MosesU.S. EPA Region 7(913) 551-7649

Great Rivers Alliance of Natural Resource Districts(314) 830-3790


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Demonstration ProjectsEasing Troubled Waters: Ensuring Safe Drinking Water Sources in

Migrant Farm Worker Communities in Colorado



MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROJECT:Ensuring Safe Drinking Water

PROJECT PURPOSE:A new partnership has been created amongenvironmental and community groups, educationalinstitutions, and government agencies to identifythe location and assess the safety of drinking watersources for Colorado migrant farm worker camps.The network created by these partnerships will beused to more effectively deliver human health andenvironmental services in the future.

WHY IS THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT INVOLVED?Although many health problems found in the generalpopulation also affect migrant farm workers, in manycases the frequency or intensity of the problem isgreater within the migrant population than in thepopulation at large. Migrant farm workers in theUnited States represent a diverse group of people.About 85 percent are from minority groupsHispanics (65 percent), African Americans,Jamaicans, Haitians, Laotians, and Thais. Whilecontributions made by migrant farm workers are

essential to the U.S. economy, an estimated 61percent of farm workers live in poverty. Additionally,migrant farm workers are often found to be livingwith a number of health problems related to theirworking environments, yet fewer than 20 percentare served by accessible health care centers.

A 1997 report issued by the U.S. Department ofLabor (DOL) found that more than 300,000 workersa year are poisoned by pesticides. A variety of

contaminants may affect drinking water sources inthese areas, including organophosphates and otherpesticides from agricultural runoff, chemicals fromnearby industrial facilities, and lead and biologicalcontaminants resulting from structural sourcessuch as defective plumbing and sewer lines. Inaddition to the direct exposure facing workers,children may also be affected. They come into

WHERE IS THEPARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

This project will address thedrinking water concerns of migrantfarm workers in various parts ofColorado.


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contact with pesticides through residue from theirparents clothing, dust tracked into their homes,contaminated soil in areas where they play, foodbrought directly from the fields to the table, andcontaminated well water.

Federal agencies, like the USEPA, are committedto bringing together the expertise, resources, andattention needed to address the human health risksfacing this disenfranchised population.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The community will benefit through the followingefforts:

Developing geographic information system (GIS)

maps of migrant farm worker camps and watersources; Assessing available water quality data for these

camps; Conducting additional water testing for identified

sites; Recommending changes to federal policies regarding

testing of migrant worker water sources as a result ofdata analysis and interagency/worker dialogue;

Developing an interagency and community plan toaddress communication and education needs;

Developing a database to track issues such asmigrant farm worker camp locations, water source

location and types of contamination, and the numberof workers at specific sites to ensure the provision ofsafe drinking water; and

Building a sustainable support network to implementpolicy and communication changes.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS Colorado Department of Labor will assist with

information for database development and helpassess potential programmatic and/or policy changesregarding worker camps.

Colorado Department of Public Health andEnvironmentwill assist with information for databasedevelopment, clarify drinking water regulations andinspection process for Colorado, and help assesspotential programmatic and/or policy changesregarding regulation of drinking water sources in

worker camps. Colorado State UniversityHigh PlainsIntermountain Center for Agricultural Health andSafety will assist with information for databasedevelopment.

Cooperative Extension Service will assist withdatabase development and help develop andimplement a communication plan.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Serviceswill assist with providing information for databasedevelopment.

DOL currently performs inspections to enforce theMigrant Seasonal Protection Act to ensure workers

receive promised wages, transportation, and housing.They will also be assisting with database developmentrelated to these inspections, including camp locationand, potentially, water quality information.

EPA Region 8 will facilitate dialogue among partnersand help define needed programmatic/policy changes.Region 8 will provide outreach support and legal andtechnical expertise.

National Center for Farmworker Health will provideinformation on relevant studies.

Plan de Salud del Valle (Salud Family HealthCenter) will assist with database development andhelp with additional water sampling and help assess

potential programmatic and/or policy changesregarding farm worker camps.

Contacts:

Jean BelilleU.S. EPA Region 8(303) 312-6556


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Federal Interagency Environmental JusticeDemonstration Projects

Environmental Justice and Public Participation Through Technology:Defeating the Digital Divide and Building Community Capacity

(Savannah, GA and Fort Belknap, MT)



MAJOR FOCUS OF THE PROJECT:Community Education and Capacity Building

PROJECT PURPOSE:This partnership of federal, tribal, and local agencies,community organizations, and historically blackcolleges and universities will work to help communitiesgain access to information technology and gaincapacity to participate in environmental decisionmaking. Federal agencies will provide bothcomputers and technical assistance to establishcommunity technology centers. The project willtarget two communities: the first in Savannah, Georgiaand the second at the Fort Belknap Indian

Reservation. These will serve as models for eventualreplication by other communities and tribes. Alongwith federal agencies, Howard University will providetraining and ongoing technical support.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?In 1992, the EPA chartered the Federal FacilitiesEnvironmental Restoration Dialogue Committee(FFERDC) to examine issues surroundingenvironmental cleanup at federal facilities. The

committee made a series of recommendations thatwere designed to improve environmental cleanupdecision making at federal facilities. One suchrecommendation stated that federal, state, tribal,and local governments need to make special effortsto consult with groups that have been commonlyexcluded from this process, such as minority, low-

income, rural and inner-city residents, and NativeAmerican communities. The committee further statedthat these groups need assistance to expand and

develop their capacities where needed to participatein cleanup decision-making processes.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The project will target two communities: thefirst in Savannah, Georgia, and the second atthe Fort Belknap Indian Reservation inMontana. A partnership of federal, tribal, andlocal agencies, community organizations, andhistorically black colleges and universities willwork to help these communities gain access

to information technology and gain capacity toparticipate in environmental decision making.These activities will serve as models foreventual replication by other communities andtribes.


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The development of community technology centersto provide access to computers and the Internetfor these underrepresented groups is one way toempower them in environmental decision-makingprocesses. These technology centers will enablethe target communities to participate in information

exchanges and policy-formation dialogues. Theproposed community technology center three-year project will allow federal and nonfederalpartners to combine resources to develop modelcommunity technology centers in an environmentaljustice community and a Native Americancommunity that will have applicability across similarstakeholder communities.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The objective of this effort is to help targetedcommunities gain access to computers and the

Internet in order to expand and develop capacity toparticipate in environmental decision making. Specificactivities associated with this objective which willbenefit the community are as follows:

Create community technology centers to givecommunities access to federal agencies and a widerange of environmental information on the Internet;

Conduct training programs that include computer-based and Internet research and tools; toxic release,chemical, and risk assessment information; andcommunity economics;

Supervise community use of the training and tools

received; Create and implement youth development programs; Provide economic development tools,

entrepreneurship training, and other resources suchas proposal writing and grant management to makethe technology centers self-sufficient;

Provide continuous technical assistance fromhistorically black colleges and universities and othersources via the Internet and e-mail;

Develop a technical assistance Web site (TechNet)and listserve;

Conduct a research meeting with the targetedcommunities and others to discuss experiences,lessons learned, and implications for the future; and

Conduct a research project to evaluate the resultsand examine the implications for programmodification and replication.

PARTNERS AND THEIR COMMITMENTS DOE Office of Intergovernmental and Public

Accountability will provide surplus computers,environmental training, and public participationassistance.

EPA will provide surplus computers and

environmental training. Urban Environment Institute will provide trainingand ongoing technical support.

OTHER PARTICIPATING PARTNERSThese partners will provide support as appropriateto this technology project: AOL Center for Environmental Justice City of Savannah Fort Belknap Indian Community Council International Institute For Indigenous Resource

Management

National Urban Internet

Contacts:

Dr. Mildred McClainCitizens for Environmental Justice(912) 233-0907

John RosenthalUrban Environment Institute(703) 922-7653

Mervyn TanoInternational Institute for IndigenousResource Management(303) 733-0481

Melinda DowningDOE(202) 586-7703

Ben SpeakthunderFort Belknap Indian Community Council(406) 353-2205


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Demonstration ProjectsProtecting Community Health and Reducing Toxic Air Exposure

through Collaborative Partnerships in Barrio Logan (San Diego, CA)




PROJECT PURPOSE:Federal, state, and local agencies will work withlocal partnerships led by the Environmental HealthCoalition to conduct a model project on ways toimprove air quality in the predominantly Latinocommunity of Barrio Logan. The project will provideinformation to the community by utilizing an airmonitoring station in a local high school recentlyestablished by California Air Resources Board(CARB). CARB envisions the project providing amodel for the new Neighborhood Impacts Programand plans to duplicate this community involvement

and participation effort in other low-income, minoritycommunities in California. The project also willinvolve clinical studies to substantiate the high rateof asthma and will work to improve health caredelivery.

WHY IS THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT INVOLVED?The Barrio Logan community is a low-incomeLatino community plagued by substandardhousing, over crowded schools, a lack of healthcare and social services, and high unemployment

rates. Criss-crossed by two major freeways, thiscommunity is subject to the release of threemillion pounds of toxic air pollution each yearfrom numerous small industries, large shipyards,naval installations, and waste storage facilitiesadjacent to the area. Poor air quality has beenattributed to the high incidence of asthma (28percent compared with a national average of 7percent) and other respiratory illnesses in the

children living in these communities. Therespiratory health hazard index for the area is100-200 times above acceptable levels and is

rising, however, there are no air monitors in theimmediate area to assess the kinds of toxinsimpacting these communities.

Federal, state and local agencies will work togetherto create a model project that examines ways toimprove air quality in this community. The projectwill provide information to the community by utilizingan air monitoring station in a local high schoolrecently established by the CARB, and will alsoinvolve clinical studies to substantiate the high rateof asthma and work to reduce health risks in this

community.

WHERE IS THE

PARTICIPATING

COMMUNITY?

The community of Barrio Logan andsurrounding areas have a populationthat is 85 percent Latino. Forty percentof these residents are living below thestates poverty level. The communityborders an industrialized portion of SanDiego Bay and is considered to be oneof the most polluted communities in thecounty.


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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TOTHE COMMUNITY?The Barrio Logan Air Monitoring Workgroup is studyinghow to improve air quality in the Southeast SanDiego County community of Barrio Logan andsurrounding communities. This project will provide

a range of benefits to the Barrio Logan community bydoing the following things:

Building community capacity and skills to understandenvironmental impacts on their health and how toeffectively deal with local, state, and federalauthorities to change their communities andenvironment;

Encouraging local, state, and federal authorities tomore aggressively inspect, regulate, and enforceenvironmental laws in small businesses that arelocated right next to residential areas;

Identifying major pollutant sources in Barrio Logan

and helping the community/local authorities reduceor eliminate these sources. For instance, BarrioLogan is

integrated federal interagency environmental justice action agency

Documents