Children's Environmental Health

Improving Kids' Environment

Advocates for Children's Environmental Health

To the relief of many, the federal court that this past summer overturned EPA’s CAIR rule has decided to leave it in place pending revision. CAIR required major reductions of air emissions from coal-fired power plants between now and 2015,. EPA will have to rewrite the rule to address the legal deficiencies found by the court, but the court’s decision not to vacate the rule while it is being rewritten means that the air quality improvements will continue and states, including Indiana, will not have to develop individual state rules.

2008 Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Conference Full of Great Information

More than 200 people attended the 2008 Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Conference in November and reported that it was an excellent opportunity to hear about the latest developments in healthy homes, lead, asthma, and children’s environmental health issues. The presentations are available at www.ikecoalition.org/Lead_Conf_2008/. The Task Force recognized six individuals or organizations for exemplary contributions to children’s environmental health:

IKE and Martindale Brightwood Environmental Justice Collaborative awarded $97,840 by USEPA to study environmental health, make priorities for action

Thanks to funding from USEPA’s Community Action for a Renewed Environment grant program, IKE will be working with the Martindale Brightwood Environmental Justice Collaborative, an inner city Indianapolis neighborhood group, to assess environmental health threats and set priorities for action. CARE grants are highly competitive national grants that provide funding for two years to assess and prioritize environmental health risks, with future opportunities for grants to address prioritized health risks. More information available at www.ikecoalition.org/CARE/.

Interest among faith communities in practicing and preaching environmental stewardship continues to grow. The Third Green Congregations Workshop will be held on Saturday, January 31, 12:30 – 4 PM at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian St. in Indianapolis. All are welcome. The agenda and registration information are available at www.ikecoalition.org/Green_Sanctuary/Green_Sanctuary.htm.

IKE has developed a fun, home-made game to play with children to teach them (and their parents) about mercury in fish and what kinds of fish are safest for kids and pregnant women to eat. We’ve posted the instructions and downloadable materials at www.ikecoalition.org/Mercury/fishing%20game.htm And wouldn’t you know, EPA had the same idea, though their game is a tad more sophisticated. Find it at www.epa.gov/fishadvisories.

There are always ways to help in its work to improve children’s environmental health. If you are interested, contact Janet at mccabe@ikecoalition.org. We welcome visitors at our quarterly Board meetings (the next one is March 13, from 1-3 PM).

Legislative News

Indiana’s Legislative Session Begins in January. Some things to expect….

While the budget is expected to command the most attention this year, we do expect legislation to be introduced on several children’s environmental health topics.

Healthy Childcare. A law passed last year directed a legislative committee to consider the issue of lead safety in childcare. The Health Policy Committee heard testimony on the issue this fall and has recommended that a law be passed directing the Family and Social Services Administration to develop rules addressing lead safety in childcare facilities.

Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention. The same 2008 law established the Indiana Lead-Safe Housing Advisory Council and charged it with making recommendations for lead poisoning prevention. The Council’s Phase 1 report was submitted on November 1, 2008, and makes several recommendations for legislative action this year. Information and related documents are available at www.ikecoalition.org/SEA143/.

Bill language, committee schedules and other information about the General Assembly, go to the website at www.in.gov/legislative/. The Hoosier Environmental Council posts information about legislative issues on its website, as well as information about how to contact your legislator and how to effectively advocate in the General Assembly at

Rulemakings of Note

Administrative rules drive environmental and health policy in Indiana. IKE monitors rulemaking by IDEM, ISDH, the Pesticide Review Board, and other agencies where children’s health may be affected. In this newsletter, we will highlight the most significant or active. You can always contact IKE for more information about these or other rulemakings.

Lead Poisoning Rules. The ISDH has begun a rulemaking to implement the requirements of SEA 143 summarized above. ISDH published its intent to develop a rule addressing lead in consumer products and several other issues in the lead case management rules on December 31, 2009, available at http://www.in.gov/isdh/19094.htm. IKE will be following this closely, so check out http://www.ikecoalition.org/SEA143/ contact Janet for information or go to the source: Dave McCormick at ISDH ((317) 233-1293 or DMcCormick@isdh.IN.gov).

Environmental Impact Statements. IDEM has published draft rules that give guidance to state agencies about how to comply with the state’s environmental impact review law, which requires agencies to prepare an environmental impact statement before undertaking actions that will have a significant impact on the environment. The Air, Water and Waste Boards should be considering preliminary adoption of those rules in early 2009. The draft rules are a good start, but should be improved to provide more assurance that the public will have a legitimate opportunity to weigh in on proposed actions. View the draft rules at www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20081022-IR-326080208SNA.xml.pdf and IKE’s comment letter at www.ikecoalition.org/IKE_Documents.htm.

Asthma and Clean Air

In early December, IDEM took many local officials, businesses, clean air advocates and members of the public by surprise by issuing letters to the six local governments that maintain air quality programs (Indianapolis, Evansville, Vigo County, Anderson, Gary and Hammond) stating that IDEM was either canceling or electing not to renew their contracts. These local air agencies have been providing services such as air quality monitoring, permitting, compliance assistance and inspections, and responding to citizen complaints for many years. The funding comes from federal pass-through of the state’s federal air quality grant. IDEM’s stated rationale is that it will be able to provide local air pollution control services more efficiently, but it has acknowledged that it will not provide the same level of service to these communities. IKE and others are concerned that there will be slower and less effective response to citizen complaints, reduced attention to whether local businesses are complying with air pollution requirements, and less local air quality planning. IDEM’s briefings on each local area are available at www.in.gov/idem/5334.htm. A statement further explaining IKE’s concern about this decision is at www.ikecoalition.org/documents/Local_Air_Agencies_12-2-08.pdf.

On December 22, 2008, USEPA designated 18 counties or partial counties as “nonattainment” for not meeting the federal health standard for fine particulate matter, microscopic solid particles or liquid droplets that can be inhaled deeply into the lungs and cause a variety of serious respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. The action starts a process for IDEM to develop a plan to reduce emissions for each area. Contributors to fine particles include power plants, motor vehicles, open burning and other industrial activities. More information is available at www.in.gov/idem/4654.htm.

Indiana Summit on Water and Human Health Set for May 15, 2009. The second Indiana Summit on Environmental Health will be held on May 15, 2009 at the IUPUI Campus Center. The focus of the summit will be issues related to water quality. The Summit is being organized by the IUPUI Department of Earth Sciences, Center for Earth and Environmental Science, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and Center for Environmental Health, along with Improving Kids’ Environment and the Hoosier Environmental Council. If you have questions, please contact Indra Frank at indfrank@comcast.net.

Lead and Healthy Homes

For years, federal law has required landlords and sellers of property built before 1978 and contractors who will be disturbing paint in those homes to provide the tenant, buyer or resident with a lead safety pamphlet. EPA has revised the pamphlet—it’s better! Renovate Right can be found at www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf.

The City of Rochester, NY, passed an ordinance in 2006 requiring more aggressive inspection of at risk housing for lead hazards and repair of any hazards found. The Greater Rochester Health Foundation has just released an evaluation of the first two years of implementation of the ordinance. Key findings include:

· Interior lead hazards were identified in 12% of the housing units inspected; exterior hazards in 15%

· By the end of the second year, 75% of the units with hazards had been repaired

· The percentage of children with elevated blood levels in the two years before the ordinance was implemented was 7.5%; in 2008, it was 5%.

Two articles recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives on lead poisoning are worth checking out: “U.S. Children's Exposure to Residential Dust Lead, 1999-2004: I. Housing and Demographic Factors” and “U.S. Children's Exposure to Residential Dust Lead, 1999-2004: II. The Contribution of Lead-contaminated Dust to Children's Blood Lead Levels” are available at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2008/11917/abstract.html and http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2008/11918/abstract.html

Healthy Schools and Childcare

IKE’s grant to implement the Smart Schools Don’t Idle program is ending soon, but we will continue to make resources available to any school interested in reducing air pollution by educating and encouraging (or requiring) parents, bus drivers and other visitors to turn engines off on school property. More information at www.ikecoalition.org/Schools/Smart_Schools/.

IDEM has announced that it is suspending for at least a year its Recycled Marketing Development Program, along with several other recycling grants, which is the source for grants to childcare facilities that have been recognized through the Five Star program. This is unfortunate, but hopefully will not discourage childcare providers from seeking recognition under the program which is a great way to get free technical assistance on how to provide a healthy and safe environment for our youngest Hoosiers. Contact Karen Teliha at kteliha@idem.in.gov for more information.

The State of Michigan has developed a guide to healthy schools. For a copy on CD, download at

Other News and Notes

IDEM Disbands Office of Environmental Enforcement, Revises Compliance Guidance

IDEM has recently announced its decision to disband its centralized Office of Enforcement and put enforcement personnel into the program areas of Land, Water and Air. At the same time, it is revising its guidance that explains when the agency will take enforcement action and what kind of action it will take, depending on the type of violation (available at

www.in.gov/idem/files/nrpd-enf_0006.pdf ). IKE shares the concerns of many that this organizational change will result in less thorough enforcement of environmental laws—a concern which is supported by language in the revised policy.

The Legal Environmental Aid Foundation of Indiana (LEAF) celebrates 1^st anniversary

Founded in 2007, LEAF provides pro bono legal representation to Indiana residents on environmental matters. It is the only group of its kind in the state. LEAF gets involved when litigation becomes necessary to address environmental issues and provides a needed additional tool for environmental advocates and residents concerned about a decision they feel will affect the environment or public health. More information about LEAF is available at http://www.leafindiana.org/page1.aspx.

Great Sources of Information

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change is keeping track of state level activities related to climate change. Find out what Indiana and others are doing at http://www.pewclimate.org/states-regions.

EPA has released a report identifying the common uses of mercury in products and alternatives that do not contain mercury. The report is available at www.epa.gov/chemrtk/hpvis/ and a database listing alternatives at www.epa.gov/mercury/database.htm.

The teenager in your life might want to check out EPA’s new webpage on climate change issues for middle and high school aged kids. Kids can calculate their carbon footprint, get information about the issue and learn about things they can do. www.epa.gov/climateforaction/.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

INJAC meets quarterly on the 8^th floor of the ISDH building, 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis from 1:30 - 4. The 20090 meetings will be on Wednesday, March 18, Thursday, June 18, Thursday, September 16, and Thursday, December 17. Check http://www.in.gov/isdh/17269.htm for more information. All are welcome.

This group of health care and other professionals works to reduce the asthma burden in Indianapolis through education and development of policies and programs to reduce asthma triggers. More information is available at www.asthmaindy.org/. Meetings for 2009 will be held at the Marion County Health Department, 3838 N. Rural St., Indianapolis from 8:30 – 10 on Jan. 28, March 25, May 27, July 22, Sept. 23 and Nov. 25.

Staff from local health departments, state agencies, and others who seek to improve environmental conditions for children in their homes meet quarterly to discuss issues, challenges and projects. Meetings are held at the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield facility at 2425 N. Meridian St., Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46208 and there is telephone participation available. The 2009 meetings will be on the first Tuesday of every other month, beginning in February (Feb. 3, April 7, June 2, August 4, October 6 and December 1). Contact Janet McCabe at 317-902-3610 or mccabe@ikecoalition.org to confirm meeting dates or for the call-in number.

January 31, 2009, 12:30 – 4 at Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis. See note above.

Mark your calendars now! November 4 and 5 at the Marten House, Indianapolis. More information coming at www.ikecoalition.org.

Changing Faces

Carey Hamilton has become the Executive Director of the Indiana Recycling Coalition….Marcie Memmer is changing jobs at ISDH, moving from the Asthma program to Nutrition and Physical Activity….Tom Reel has retired from his position in the Lead and Healthy Homes Program at ISDH….Karen Sullivan Haley is the Director of the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability.

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 3951 N. Meridian St., #160 Indianapolis, IN 46208. 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.

YOU CAN BECOME A SUPPORTER OF CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BY MAKING A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION

Donations are gratefully accepted to help the organization achieve its mission. Please donate!

Please make checks payable to: Improving Kids’ Environment and mail to 3951 N. Meridian St. #160, Indianapolis, IN 46208.. IKE also accepts payments by personal or corporate credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, or American Express). Or donate on-line through the DONATE button on IKE’s homepage.

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Sewage and Clean Water