EPA Awards Over $9.3 Million to Clean Up School Buses

 

 EPA Awards Over $9.3 Million to Clean Up School Buses

WASHINGTON (May 2, 2019) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded more than $9.3 million to replace 473 older diesel school buses. The funds are going to 145 school bus fleets in 43 states or territories, each of which will receive rebates through EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding. The new buses will reduce pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma and lung damage.

"Children's health is a top priority for EPA, and these grants will help provide cleaner air and a healthier ride to and from school for America's children," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "This DERA funding reflects our broader children's health agenda and commitment to ensure all children can live, learn, and play in healthy and clean environments."

Applicants replacing buses with engine model years of 2006 and older will receive rebates between $15,000 and $20,000, depending on the size of the bus. Regional, state or tribal agencies including school districts and municipalities, or private entities that operate school buses under contract with state, tribal or local agencies were eligible to apply.

Over the last seven years, EPA has awarded approximately $39 million in rebates to replace almost 2,000 school buses. Bus replacements funded through the rebate program reduce emissions and exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides for children at schools, bus stops, and on the buses themselves. 

School buses travel over 4 billion miles each year, providing the safest transportation to and from school for more than 25 million American children every day. However, exhaust from diesel buses can harm health, especially in children, who have a faster breathing rate than adults and whose lungs are not yet fully developed.

EPA has implemented standards to make newer diesel engines more than 90% cleaner, but many older diesel school buses are still operating. These older diesel engines emit large amounts of pollutants, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage and other serious health problems. 

The 2018 DERA school bus rebate recipients can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates

 

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EPA Awards $3.9 Million to Research PFAS Challenges, Reducing Health Impacts

 

EPA Awards $3.9 Million to Research PFAS Challenges, Reducing Health Impacts

WASHINGTON (MAY 1, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding approximately $3.9 million through two grants for research that improves understanding of human and ecological exposure to per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. This research is expected to help provide additional information about PFAS to federal, state, tribal, and local officials, as they work together to address these chemicals and protect public health. The research will also promote a greater awareness of how to restore water quality in PFAS-impacted communities.

"These grants will help fulfill a key goal in EPA's PFAS Action Plan: strengthening science and research in order to better understand the characteristics and impacts of PFAS," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "This funding will also help researchers develop new strategies to further protect our communities and environment from harmful PFAS exposure."

PFAS are a large group of synthetic chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. PFAS are found in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. PFAS manufacturing and processing facilities, facilities using PFAS in production of other products, airports, and military installations are some of the potential contributors to PFAS releases into the air, soil and water. Due to its widespread use and persistence in the environment, most people in the United States have been exposed to PFAS. There is evidence that continued exposure above specific levels to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health effects.

The following universities are receiving grants:

• Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, to research the fate, transport, bioaccumulation, and exposure of a diverse suite of PFAS in nationally representative PFAS impacted communities.
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, to study the toxicity of a large collection of PFAS and PFAS mixtures with the zebrafish assay and mice studies to identify toxic PFAS that require prioritization for risk management.

These grants support ongoing Agency efforts related to PFAS—most notably, EPA's PFAS Action Plan, which includes a long-term research approach to understanding and reducing the potential human health and environmental risks associated with PFAS.

Learn more on the grant funding at: 
https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.display/rfa_id/640/records_per_page/ALL

Learn more on PFAS at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas

 

 

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Observing Asthma Awareness Month, EPA Honors Leading Community-Level Asthma Care

 Observing Asthma Awareness Month, EPA Honors Leading Community-Level Asthma Care

Chicago, Omaha, and Rhode Island Programs Recognized as National Models

WASHINGTON (May 1, 2019) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the winners of the 2019 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management. Each year during Asthma Awareness Month, EPA honors programs delivering excellent environmental asthma management as part of their comprehensive asthma care services to improve the lives of children and families with asthma. The 2019 award recipients are Mobile Care Chicago (Illinois), the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance (Nebraska), and the Rhode Island Department of Health.

"I am honored to award and congratulate the winners of the 2019 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management on behalf of EPA," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Bill Wehrum. "These outstanding programs are on the front lines of asthma care, improving lives, delivering real solutions, and helping the many Americans who battle asthma. We are proud to recognize leaders in the field who are providing comprehensive, in-home care and education every day, while setting the standard for asthma care and management." 

Asthma is a major public health issue, affecting nearly 23 million people, including six million children, and disproportionately affecting low-income and minority communities. The economic impact of asthma has been estimated at more than $56 billion annually from direct medical costs and indirect costs, such as missed school and work days. In partnership with other federal agencies and nonprofit organizations, EPA delivers a national, multi-faceted education and outreach initiative to increase public awareness and action to manage environmental asthma triggers as part of comprehensive asthma management. 

Through AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org, EPA supports an online network of more than 1,100 community-based asthma programs with powerful, innovative tools and technical assistance to drive best practices, learning, and ongoing improvement of asthma care. EPA is committed to improving the lives of people with asthma by integrating sound science into effective public health programs around the country.

2019 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management Winners: 

Mobile Care Chicago (Chicago, Ill.) provides free access to specialty medical care, including for asthma, for children across Chicago. Started in 1998 by four physicians wanting to address cost and transportation – two of the most commonly cited barriers to asthma care – the program began offering free care in the highest need neighborhoods from mobile clinics in converted camper vans.  The program has since grown from a partnership with two Chicago public elementary schools to 45 Chicago public schools, parochial schools, and Head Start programs operating state-of-the-art mobile health clinics. The Mobile Care's Comprehensive Asthma Management Program provides in-home asthma assessments and a wide-range of supplies tailored to address in-home asthma triggers including furnace filters, cleaning supplies and integrated pest management. The program has seen a 50% decrease in school absenteeism and emergency department visits and a three-fold return on investment. The reduction in hospitalization rate alone has saved the local health care system at least $156 million during the past 13 years.

Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance (Omaha, Neb.) is a children's environmental health organization dedicated to improving children's health through healthy homes. Their Asthma In-Home Response Program serves children ages 18 and younger with asthma and partners with community-based organizations, hospitals, and Managed Care Organizations to deliver free home visits, asthma education, environmental assessments, supplies and remediation. They have a significant referral network, referring families to other organizations for emergency, legal and employment services, as well as food pantry access and more. Participants have shown a significant decrease in symptom days, missed school days, emergency department visits and hospitalizations – and for every $1 invested Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance realized a return on investment of $1.83.

Rhode Island Department of Health Asthma Control Program (Providence, R.I.) serves children with asthma ages 0-17 in high poverty, urban cities throughout the state. The program partners with organizations including Hasbro Children's Hospital, St. Joseph Health Center, New England Asthma Regional Council, United HealthCare and the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative to deliver care. The evidence-based Home Asthma Response Program (HARP), which uses certified asthma educators and community health workers (CHWs), conducts up to three intensive in-home sessions, including tailored environmental services. HARP's CHWs reported reductions in environmental triggers including mold, pests, dust, pets, tobacco smoke and chemicals. In addition, using hospital claims data, the program was able to show a 75% reduction in asthma-related hospital and emergency department costs for HARP participants. And, for every $1 invested in HARP participants, the program realized a $1.33 return on investment. The program recently expanded to provide HARP home visiting services statewide for Medicaid-enrolled children.

A national webinar with award winners will be held on May 23 as part of Asthma Awareness Month and more information on it will be available on: http://www.epa.gov/asthma.

To learn more about asthma and environmental triggers, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/asthma.

 

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