[H+T--Friends] CA Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool

This was passed on to me by a colleague of mine. It ill be interesting to learn more about this as it rolls out. ------------------------- California Proposes Methodology to Evaluate Impacts of Pollution on Communities LOS ANGELES—California regulators unveiled a proposed methodology July 30 for evaluating the cumulative impacts of multiple sources of pollution on communities. Called the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen), the draft methodology employs existing environmental, health, and socioeconomic data to identify areas of the state most vulnerable to cumulative impacts of air pollution, pesticides, contaminated water, waste sites, and other types of pollution. State and local officials can use the screening tool, once it is finalized, to prioritize cleanup and abatement projects and direct grants and other resources to communities with the greatest needs, the California Environmental Protection Agency said in a written statement. “The draft screening tool is meant to present a broad picture of the burdens and vulnerabilities different areas face from environmental pollutants,’’ said George Alexeeff, director of Cal/EPA's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). Chemical-by-chemical, source-by-source, route-by-route risk assessment approaches are not well-suited to assess community-scale impacts, according to OEHHA. The agency said it has developed “a workable approach’’ that can incorporate multiple factors to reflect community impacts not included in traditional risk assessments. ‘A Work in Progress.' OEHHA called the draft document “a work in progress.’’ The proposed methodology is not designed to precisely predict or quantify specific health risks or even the effects associated with cumulative exposures for a given community or individual, the agency said. Also, it does not directly correlate the potential impacts of exposure from different types of pollutants, like particulate exposures from vehicle emissions and exposures from pesticides or hazardous materials. CalEnviroScreen is part of an effort to implement a statewide environmental justice plan, officials said. “Our objective is to provide state and local decision makers with information that will enable them to focus their time, resources, and programs on those portions of the state that are most in need of assistance,’’ Cal/EPA Secretary Matt Rodriquez said in a written statement. Cal/EPA's Cumulative Impacts and Precautionary Approaches Work Group will review the proposal at its Aug. 7 meeting in Sacramento. Five public workshops are planned to discuss the proposed methodology—Aug. 21 in Los Angeles; Aug. 22 in San Bernardino; Aug. 23 in San Diego; Sept. 5 in Fresno; and Sept. 6 in Oakland. Public comments on the proposal are due Sept. 18. Cal-EPA also is seeking peer-review of the document. The draft methodology and related materials are available at http://oehha.ca.gov/ej/cipa073012.html -- Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 600 Matteson, IL 60443