Children’s Environmental Health Issues in Indiana

February 2007 Edition

                                               PDF Version

IKE Highlights

IKE and Sierra Club batting 1 for 2 in petitions to control lead in toy jewelry

When a metal charm that came with a pair of Reebok sneakers killed a child in Minnesota because he swallowed it (as kids do) and it was 99% lead, IKE and Sierra Club decided enough was enough.  The organizations filed petitions with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the USEPA, asking each agency to take action under its statutes to address the problem of lead in toy jewelry.  EPA denied the petition (we are appealing), but CPSC has announced its intent to develop regulations on this issue!  Comments on their Advance Notice of Rulemaking are due on March 12.

Children’s Environmental Health Summit Coming April 13!

IKE has joined with the Center for Health and Environment at the IU Medical School, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI and Hoosier Environmental Council to present Indiana’s first Environmental Health Summit (we hope the first of many) on April 13, 2007.  The Summit will bring together physicians, academics, advocates, government policy makers, business and other interested parties to discuss three environmental issues of concern to children’s health:  fine particle pollution, environmental hazards in the home, and endocrine disruptors.  Nationally recognized speakers will set the stage for practical discussions about what Indiana should be doing to protect children’s health from these threats.  More information is available here.

Green Sanctuary sparks interest at Central Indiana Workshop

45 people representing more than 20 Central Indiana congregations attended the Green Sanctuary workshop put on by IKE and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis last November to learn about how to “green” their places of worship.  Amazing energy and commitment to environmental stewardship among faith communities is popping up around the country.  How-to and Why-to materials are available from Janet, and IKE and UUI are available to help your congregation get started.  Click here for more information. 

Legislative News

Many Bills, Many Issues

The Indiana General Assembly is off and running, with more than 1400 bills filed.  I will highlight a few items here.

Process Information

Check the General Assembly website for information on upcoming Senate and House Committee meetings.  The time, place and bills to be heard should be posted. Unless a special session is scheduled, Senator Gard’s Committee on Energy and Environment Affairs meets on Monday mornings at 9:30 in room 233.  Representative Dvorak’s Environmental Affairs Committee meets regularly at 10:30 on Wednesdays in Room 156C.  The public is welcome to attend committee meetings and testify.  The rooms get full so plan to get there on time or early, and fill out a form if you want to speak on a bill.  The Hoosier Environmental Council website has lots of other information on how to participate in the legislative process.  It is important to check the website for updated information—things change quickly!

Bills of Special Interest

There is not enough space, and things move too fast, for this newsletter to provide comprehensive information.  If you are interested in any of these bill or others, contact Janet for more information.

SB 102:  Lead-bearing substances addresses lead in consumer products that may get into the hands (and mouths of children) and other lead-poisoning related issues.

SB 286:  Environmental Crimes completely rewrites Indiana’s environmental crimes statute, but appears to make prosecution extremely difficult and raises several other concerns.

HB1122:  Renewable Energy Standard requires electric utilities to provide an increasing percentage of power from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and others.  There are several bills dealing with energy issues.

Birth Problems Registry.  Several bills would eliminate the sunset provision that currently exists for the Birth Defects Registry maintained by the Indiana State Department of Health.  A good thing.

Confined Feeding Operations.  Several bills address confined feeding operations, some pro and some con.  This will be a contentious issue this year.  (HB 1279, SB175,  SB570)

SB432:  Increased Environmental Fees would provide needed increases in IDEM fees for a variety of permits.

Asthma and Clean Air

Statewide Asthma Coalition Adopts Resolutions on Smoke-free Ordinances and Idling

The Indiana Joint Asthma Coalition has adopted two resolutions, one supporting the adoption of Smoke-Free Ordinances and the other supporting the adoption by local government, business, schools or other organizations of Idle Reduction policies that prohibit idling by employees and/or at specific locations.  These two resolutions are available at Smoke-free and Idling.  INJAC hopes that they will provide support for organizations considering similar policies or ordinances.  And check out INJAC’s new website at www.in.gov/isdh/programs/asthma/InJAC/index.htm.

USEPA Recognizes Indianapolis Asthma Alliance as Exemplary Program

Congratulations to the Indianapolis Asthma Alliance, which is being honored by USEPA as a program of distinction at the 2007 Midwest Asthma Forum!  Well deserved recognition for a program that provides extensive education and outreach to thousands of kids, parents and teachers year-round in Central Indiana.  Check out their resources at www.asthmaindy.org/ .  And thanks to Marcie Memmer at the Indiana State Department of Health for nominating this worthy program.

Home Contractors Aware of Asthma, but Have Lots to Learn

IKE and the Indiana Builders Association surveyed 313 home contractors to find out what they knew about how home renovation work could affect residents with asthma.  While most who responded were aware that asthma can be triggered by specific environmental stimuli, few said they did anything differently when working in a house where asthmatics live.  One of the most promising outcomes of the survey is that the vast majority of builders expressed interest in learning more about the issue.  View the full report here.

Evansville is second Indiana City to ban Outdoor Wood Burning Boilers;  Policy Under Consideration in Northwest Indiana;  EPA and States issue Model Rule;  IDEM rulemaking starts moving again

·         Kudos to the City of Evansville, which recently passed an ordinance banning any new outdoor wood fired boilers within the city limits.  These boilers are used to provide heat and hot water to homes.  They run 24 hours a day, all year long, and emit substantial amounts of pollution. 

·         Save the Dunes Council has adopted a resolution calling for a ban on the devices and the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission is considering developing a model ordinance for communities in Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties.  IKE supports local bans or restrictions on these devices—impacts on neighbors simply cannot be avoided.  Read Save the Dunes’ Resolution and  IKE’s comments.

·         On January 29, USEPA and several states issued a model rule for outdoor wood boilers.  The rule includes emissions requirements, operational requirements (such as setbacks and stack heights) and other standard language states or municipalities can use.  The rule can be viewed here.

·         IDEM has started a rulemaking to address emissions from these facilities.  Its next step is to review the model rule and develop language.

 CDC Asthma report  

The CDC’s December 2006 report on asthma reports that asthma incidence in Indiana is 8.4%, on the higher end of the 4.4%-12.1% range nationally.  It concludes that while asthma deaths have declined, prevalence rates continue at historically high levels, and asthma puts a tremendous strain on families.  The report makes for interesting reading. 

Mercury

Comments on Indiana Utility Mercury Rule Due on February 16

IDEM’s draft rule requiring power plants to reduce their mercury emissions is out for public comment.  The draft rule matches the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), which will result in a 66% reduction by 2025.  IKE and many others believe that Indiana power plants can do better, without jeopardizing the power supply or increasing prices unreasonably.  Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) has asked for a 90% reduction by 2010.  9 states, including coal-based states like Illinois and Pennsylvania, have already adopted rules requiring greater reductions on a faster timeline than CAMR and 11 others are considering similar programs.  The good news is that active advocacy by IKE, Hoosier Environmental Council and others prompted the Indiana Air Pollution Control Board to ask for alternatives in between the HEC and IDEM proposals and IKE is working on a small group to develop information that will help the Air Board sort through all the input they are getting.  While that effort continues, IDEM and the Air Board need to hear what you think about the draft CAMR rule.  Information to help you with comments is available from Janet (mccabe@ikecoalition.org) and on HEC’s website (click here).  IDEM will formally respond to all comments received prior to the Air Board considering proposal of a rule, which will probably happen in April or May. 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Second-hand or environmental tobacco smoke is the most significant environmental threat to children’s health, especially children with asthma. IKE strongly supports efforts to reduce children’s exposure to tobacco smoke. 

Smoking Fact:  Household contamination and infant exposure from secondhand smoke was 5-7 times higher in homes of smokers that smoke outdoors compared to households of nonsmokers.  SOURCE: Matt GE. “Households contaminated by environmental tobacco smoke: sources of infant exposures”. Tobacco Control. 2004; 13:29-37.

Senate Bill 503 (Healthy Indiana Plan) proposes an increased cigarette tax to help fund health insurance for those currently uninsured.  Research shows that increasing the cost of cigarettes will result in more smokers quitting and fewer children smoking.  And getting currently underserved people into the healthcare system is a great thing

Find out more at smokefreeindy.org and www.lungin.org.

Sewage

IKE Withdraws Civil Rights Complaint;  Indianapolis Long-Term Control Plan Approved by IDEM and USEPA

With the approval of its long-term control plan by IDEM and USEPA, the City of Indianapolis is moving forward with improvements that will significantly reduce sewer overflows in its neighborhoods and IKE has withdrawn the civil rights complaint it filed in 1999.  The complaint was resolved in October 2006 when USEPA, the US Department of Justice and the City of Indianapolis announced that they reached agreement on a long-term control plan.  IKE and other parties to the complaint were involved in discussions that led to the agreement.  The plan has been made enforceable through a Consent Decree.  See www.indycleanstreams.org for a copy of the city's plan and consent decree.

Lead and Healthy Homes

Lead Dust as a Solid Waste:  a Strategy for Cleanup In the March-April 2006 issue of Clearinghouse REVIEW Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, former IKE Executive Director Tom Neltner has an article arguing that cleanup of lead contaminated properties can be pursued as a solid waste matter under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. In two enforcement actions, USEPA declared paint waste and dust a solid waste that poses an imminent danger to the public health and ordered the property owner to abate the hazards. The article is a very good explanation of this approach and is available here.

IKE publishes the Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Newsletter on a quarterly basis.  Please check out the most recent edition (December 2006) and back issues at www.ikecoalition.org/publications.htm.  Recent articles include:

                                CPSC to Regulate Lead in Toy Jewelry

National Lead Brainstorm

Lead in Candy

NITON-XRF Concerns

2006 Lead Conf. Recap

Lead Safe Task Force

Standard Risk Assessment Tool Nearly Complete

ISDH Rules – Final!

It’s never too soon to mark your calendars!  The 2007 Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Conference will be held on October 29 and 30 at Marten House in Indianapolis.  More information coming later…..

Healthy Schools

Marion County schools and parents commit to less idling, better air quality 

32 schools in Marion County have signed up for IKE’s Smart Schools Don’t Idle program, which provides comprehensive education on the link between vehicle idling, air pollution and asthma, and encourages kids, parents, teachers and others to Turn the Key and Be Idle Free.  Through this project and with our partners, we have:

·         Produced a video about vehicle idling and children’s health

·         Signed up school nurses at 19 schools to receive Air Quality Action Day alerts via email

·         Developed a Parent Pledge to encourage reduced idling

And more….See if your local school is part of the program and find out more.

Upcoming Meetings and Events                                                                            

February 15:                  Lead Elimination Advisory Committee, 10AM, 151 N. Delaware Street, Suite 1200, Indianapolis

March 6:                       6:00 PM IDEM hearing on petition to redesignate Indianapolis and surrounding counties to attainment status for ozone, Indiana Government Center South Conference Room 6

April 13:                        2007 Summit on Children’s Health and the Environment, Indianapolis       

October 29-30:              2006 Indiana Lead Safe and Health Homes Conference, Marten House, Indianapolis

Thanks for improving kids' environment!   

If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter or Improving Kids’ Environment, contact Janet McCabe at mccabe@ikecoalition.org , 317-902-3610 or 1201 N. Central Avenue, #9, Indianapolis, IN  462020.  Please let us know if you do not want to receive this newsletter.  You may get enough emails and faxes already.  We do not want to add to the burden if you are not interested in receiving the materials. 

IKE also publishes the “Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes” newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force.  This newsletter deals with issues and events involving lead-poisoning and healthy homes in Indiana.  Let Janet McCabe know if you want to get copies of that newsletters. 

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