During October, EPA has joined with the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children to celebrate Children’s Health Month to help educate the public, parents and teachers about how to protect children from environmental health risks.

EPA Reaches Out to Physicians: Pediatricians and general practitioners in Pennsylvania will receive information from EPA Region 3 during October in recognition of Children's Health Month.

They will be introduced to the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment (MACCHE) as a regional resource to increase the knowledge and awareness of children's health issues among pediatricians and other health care providers and to provide clinical consultation and evaluation of children with health problems that may be related to their environment.

There will be an invitation to view the Powerpoint presentations from MACCHE's 2nd Annual Children's Environmental Health Conference as part of the region's effort to educate physicians.

New Awards Program: Applications are now being accepted for EPA's first Children's Environmental Health Awards which will recognize individuals, organizations and businesses on an annual basis that are engaged in activities to protect children from environmental health risks. Applications are due December 15.

There are two levels of the Children's Environmental Health Awards. The Recognition Award (level one) is designed for groups or individuals who have demonstrated commitment to protect children from environmental health risks. The Excellence Award (level two) recognizes applicants who have demonstrated leadership and a track record in the protection of children from environmental health risks.

Applicants must show that they have initiated outreach, education or intervention activities and have a track record of results.

Award winners will be invited to an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., in the Spring of 2005. They will also receive use of the children's environmental health awards logo and recognition on EPA's Children's Health Web site.

Go to the Children’s Environmental Health Awards application webpage for more information or call the Office of Children's Health main number at 202-564-2188.

Upper Darby School District Gets Clean Bus Grant: EPA this week announced that Upper Darby School District, the largest school district in Delaware County, will receive a $485,000 grant to reduce pollution in approximately 61 diesel- powered school buses.

The new pollution-control equipment to be installed will reduce the exposure of school children to diesel exhaust by substantially reducing soot and other pollutants emitted from school buses.

The retrofit project is among 20 proposals selected by the EPA for funding from more than 120 applications nationwide under EPA’s Clean School Bus USA Program.

“The Upper Darby School District deserves a standing ovation for putting together a project that will help eliminate air pollution from diesel-powered school buses in Delaware County,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator of EPA’s mid-Atlantic region. “With childhood asthma rates increasing across the country, projects like this will help provide our children with cleaner air to breathe and healthier learning environments. It is part of our goal to protect children where they live and learn.”

The grant will be used to install particulate matter filters on 61 buses and to fuel its entire fleet of 115 buses with cleaner diesel fuel. The equipment, in combination with cleaner fuel, will reduce pollutant emissions from the diesel buses by 60 to 90 percent.

In October, 2003, 17 clean school bus projects totaling $4.7 million were funded, including two in Pennsylvania: North Allegheny School District and Erie’s General McLane School District.

Children’s Hospital Receives Asthma Grant: EPA Region 3 Administrator Donald S. Welsh presented a large, symbolic $248,500 check to the Philadelphia Children's Hospital, for its community asthma prevention program (CAPP). The primary goal of CAPP is to increase knowledge and understanding of asthma and asthma management.

CAPP has added environmental tobacco smoke (ETS/Second hand smoke) to their asthma prevention program and will work with parents of asthmatics to eradicate ETS/Second-hand smoke from the child’s environment. This component complements EPA's nationwide Smoke-free Home (SfH) pledge campaign which encourages parents and caregivers to take the SfH pledge to abstain from smoking in home and car.

EPA Works With Maryland on Health Schools Education: EPA Region 3 is piloting an integrated strategy for schools to reduce and prevent potential health and environmental hazards to students and school personnel, in conjunction with the Maryland Department of the Environment and Maryland State Department of Education.

As part of the program EPA developed a workbook and CD for Maryland schools, including information on how schools can come into compliance with environmental regulations.

In addition to the workbook, the Maryland State Department of Education requested four half-day training sessions for administrators, teachers and facility maintenance personnel that would focus on requirements to comply with AHERA, and mold in schools.

This week, the training sessions were presented in Baltimore and Hagerstown, Md. There will be two additional training sessions next week at two other locations.

10/8/2004