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Subject: Attachments:
Claire Barnett [cbarnett@healthyschools.org]
7/9/2018 6:41:21 PM
Wehrum, Bill [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=33d96ae800cf43a3911d94a7130b6c41-Wehrum, Wil]; Lewis, Josh
[/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=b22dld3bb3f84436a524f76ab6c79d7e-JOLEWiS]
Rowson, David [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=d4dlal72dcf84d88acc207123dl5316a-DROWSON]; Edwards,Jonathan
[/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=3715bc4dfc---3--e---4--d--6---c--a--f-3---a--f-l-b---f-2---f-c--5--c--a--7, 7-JEdwar02];iI.____________E__x_.__6_____________;
alexnaidoo@healthyschools.org; Nse Witherspoon|_
Ex. 6
]Elleka Yost [eyost@asbointl.org]; Elisabeth
Krautscheid [ekrautscheid@chps.net]; Smith, Alisa [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=6e7718c94bfc4910beef8ea049175d42-asmith03];
cbarnett@healthyschools.org
Bill Wehrum, what EPA can do RE: requested - what EPA can do
NHSD 2018 recap 1 pager.pdf
Dear Bill and cc to Josh and all,
Thank you again for partnering with us for National Healthy Schools Day in 2018. Attached is our recap of the event, in case it did not make it through your email system.
I am writing to ask if we might re-meet soon on EPA's agenda for schools/child care. I felt that our brief meetings in the spring this year were positive and constructive.
It should not be surprising that we are puzzled and dismayed by the President's FY 19 proposal for EPA, particularly those items proposing to eliminate Indoor Air, eliminate Reducing Lead Risks, eliminate Pollution Prevention, and slashing kids' health. Is there time on your agenda for us to get our bearings on next steps?
Thank you for your consideration,
Claire L. Barnett Healthy Schools Network
(m) [IZJxjCZj
From: Claire Barnett <cbarnett@healthyschools.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2018 3:48 PM
To: Wehrum, Bill <Wehrum.Bill@epa.gov>
Cc: Rowson, David <Rowson.David@epa.gov>; Edwards, Jonathan <EdwardsJonathan@epa.gov>;
Ex. 6
ialexnaidoo@healthyschools.org; Nse Witherspoon <L
Ex' 6
>; Elleka Yost
<evost@asbQintl.org>; Elisabeth Krautscheid <ekrautscheid@chps.net>; Lewis, Josh <LewisJosh@epa.gov>; Smith, Alisa
<Smith.Alisa@epa.gov>
Subject: Re: requested - what EPA can do
Thankyou!
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And many thanks for EPA participation
We are still collecting NHSDay event and participant data and will be happy to share soon. We are also distributing partner recognition
I am currently at the EPA Children's Advisory Cmte mtg. I was once a member and now just try to stay in touch
Lead on the agenda C
Claire Barnett Healthy Schools Network
(M)j Ex. 6 ! i________________________________
On Apr 19, 2018, at 2:50 PM, Wehrum, Bill <Wehrum.Bill@epa.gov> wrote:
Dear Claire, Thank you for your notes following up on our meeting on March 9. I appreciate the investment you made to travel to Washington, DC when our first meeting was canceled with late notice and then your graciousness in our conference call on March 9.
Thank you for outlining the concerns you and the Healthy Schools Network have with regard to the condition of America's schools and child care facilities and their impact on children's health, as well as the policy initiatives you are promoting to address these issues. I also appreciate your ideas about things EPA could do to help address these issues. I plan to discuss those ideas with my staff to see which ones are most appropriate for EPA's role, could have the most impact, and are doable within our budget constraints. Personally, I am very pleased that we stepped forward this month (April) as a partner with the Healthy Schools Network on Healthy Schools Day. I plan to look for additional opportunities to highlight the importance of healthy school facilities with effective indoor air quality management plans to promote the health and productivity of children and staff in schools.
Sincerely,
Bill
Bill Wehrum Assistant Administrator Office of Air and Radiation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (202) 564-7404
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From: Claire Barnett [mailto:cbarnett(Shealthyschools.org1
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2018 10:08 AM
To: Wehrum, Bill <Wehrum.Bill@epa.gov>: Rowson, David <Rowsan.David@epa.gov>; Edwards,
Jonathan <EdwardsJonathan@epa.gov>
Cc: i_______ Ex. 6............... |alexnaidoo@healthyschools.org; cbarnett@healthyschools.org; Nse
Witherspoon 1
Ex. 6
s>; Elleka Yost <eyost@asbointl.org>; Elisabeth Krautscheid
<ekrautscheid@chps.net:>; Lewis, Josh <LewisJosh@epa.gov>; Smith, Alisa <Smith.Alisa@epa.gov>
Subject: requested - what EPA can do
Friday, March 23, 2018 Bill Wehrum Assistant Administrator, EPA/OAR
cc
J. Edwards; D. Rowson (A. Smith)
Dear Bill,
I am writing to thank you again so very much for stopping by Friday, March 9th to catch up on a meeting I had with your staff. It was a pleasure to see you, and then last week, an honor to have a half hour of your time to share our interests in EPA's successful programs that improve school and child care facilities. As I mentioned, the Indoor Environments Division (IED) is one of the few offices at EPA that I am aware of that, early on, actively engaged HQ staff with thousands of local school leaders and personnel on EPA's tools and guidelines.
On behalf of our many state and national partners, I thank you for the invitation to suggest steps EPA might take now.
However, for our part, understanding that the condition of America's learning environments is a very long standing issue that resists quick solutions, understanding there is a robust body of literature documenting effects on children, and understanding that EPA's lack of adequate, targeted resources for key programs has been and continues to be a barrier to success, we will continue to press {and EPA should as well) for adequate funding for EPA to address children's learning environments and children's health. As described we are seeking an appropriation for EPA of $l/child enrolled in school and child care facilities, or $65M, to be allocated to specific office programs. The amount is less than a rounding error at EPA. It is worth noting that EPA could act today on an Omnibus Appropriations item.
As you know, in view of President's Trump's stated interest in rebuilding school infrastructure, we and our partners prepared and shared a white paper with the Transition Team and others. Today, we generally support the Senate and House bills for school infrastructure funding (S 1674; HR 2475 which is more EPA/child-supportive), and we look forward to seeing an updated interagency lead poisoning strategy this spring.
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What can EPA do?
Facilities and occupant health are big interconnected issues. EPA has the tools to tackle a longignored and very large set of problems: the dire conditions of children's learning environments and how to promote child health, thinking and learning by reducing environmental stressors in those environments. No other agency has the tools or EPA's track record.
The challenges are equally large. First is the scope: there are 130,000 public and private K-12 facilities enrolling about 55M children nationwide, and in addition, some 11M children are in a variety of licensed and license-exempt child care facilities. Second is how EPA can stay connected and influential, and able to educate states, districts, communities, and other relevant entities, given how those entities already engage with the siloed and much larger grants from CDC and ED that do not reference EPA's programs.
What are the top three problems facing educational facilities for children (lead, PCBs, IAQ)?
The biggest threats to school children's health, thinking, learning and behavior are from IAQ/IEQ problems and legacy toxics embedded in facilities and present in instructional materials.
Lack of appropriate facility siting, design, construction, and maintenance and the
presence of toxic/hazardous materials and products all affect IAQ/IEQ, and all derive from the
lack of a priority on facilities and on children's environmental health.
No priority means a lack of awareness and training among child care and school
leaders and staff and their communities on how facilities impact children. Healthy People 2020
has reported the proportion of schools with IAQ management plans is below the 2010 baseline;
similarly, school Haz Mat and IPM goals are both below baseline.
Lack of state oversight and benchmarking of facilities and child health. Based on
EPA's guidance materials, some states have adopted facility management policies, but in EPA's
absence due to lack of funding, states and districts are pulling back (HP2020). There are also no
public health systems that address children at risk or with exposures in these settings, yet EPA
has an unmet congressional authorization to provide guidance (EISA) on how health agencies
and pediatric environmental health specialists can collaborate to reduce risks to school
children.
The top 3 things - and more - that EPA can do now.
EPA can help bridge disciplines to address learning environments and children's
health, and bridge work across the states and communities, to stimulate or accelerate the
adoption and use of preventive policies.
You can be a visible advocate: in remarks, quotes, active participation in activities and
events that lift the profile of the issues of facility construction, design, and maintenance that
promote healthy places for children.
You could be an advocate with other agencies: for example, how EPA's proven tools
complement programs at CDC, ED, FEMA, DoD, Interior, and GSA, each of which has some
role regarding educational facilities, but none with EPA's specific tools and expertise.
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EPA could be a presence in compatible activities led by NGOs such as Public Health
Week, Natl Healthy Schools Day, and Children's Environmental Health Day.
EPA should re-open its lAQTfS technical list serve that has served a wide community
of interest.
EPA must update its existing publications on how learning environments impact
children's health, learning, thinking, and behavior, based on current research, and should also
update its Design Tools for Schools to address preventing violence by design and resiliency to
weather.
Sincerely,
Claire L. Barnett
cc N Obot Witherspoon/CEHN; Elleka Yost, ASBO-I; Elisabeth Krautscheid, CHPS
Claire L. Barnett, MBA, Executive Director Healthy Schools Network ...for children ... health ... environm ent... education ... and communities ... since 1995 ... (w) 518-462-0632
(in) j Ex. 6 |
www.llealtlwSchools.org -- who we are. what you can do, help for parents and others www.Cle3s1iiigibrHealtliv Schools.org - green and healthy products for schools www.NatioiKilHealthySchool8Pay.org - since 2002. join us on April 3, 20 IS
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