New York State is a densely populated state with a long history of industry. New York has many Federal and State Superfund sites, other identified environmental contaminated sites, and a well-educated, environmentally conscious citizenry. New York State has 85 federal National Priority List (NPL) sites, 528 non-NPL Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System sites, and 2668 sites in the New York State Inactive Hazardous Waste Site program. Under the ATSDR’s Program to Promote Localized Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE), the New York State Department of Health (DOH) will prepare Public Health Assessments, Health Consultations, and technical assistance reports, and will interact with impacted communities and will provide health education to communities near NPL sites, petition sites, other federal sites, selected state sites, Brownfields and other redevelopment sites, and facilities or locations where releases have occurred (Component 1). The documents and activities will identify pathways for human exposure and human health effects, identify appropriate interventions and recommendations, and monitor progress in carrying out public health action plans. DOH will use a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to responding to releases from hazardous waste sites and other environmental contaminant releases. DOH will also implement and sustain a safe siting program for child care facilities in New York State. DOH also proposes to build environmental health and medicine capabilities for translating science into tools and actions that are useful for individuals, communities, and organizations in order to identify, reduce and prevent health effects from exposures to hazardous substances (Component 2). DOH proposes to fund a program manager, two health assessors, one toxicologist/health assessor, one epidemiologist/health assessor, 55% of one community involvement health education specialist; and o
ne public health nurse.
DOH will coordinate and collaborate with our ATSDR Technical Project Team, staff at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York City and county departments of health, the Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, NYS Children’s Environmental Health Centers and NYS Occupational Health Clinic Network, as well as other stakeholders to identify and prioritize sites and issues that should be on the cooperative agreement work plan. DOH will develop an annual plan of work and identify and assess site and community needs. DOH will develop a strategy to match site needs with a mix of site and community related activities. This will include plans for community involvement, health education and promotion, and written health assessment documents. Health education activities will include conducting community assessments, developing fact sheets, meeting with community groups, and providing environmental health education materials to local and public health professionals. DOH will participate in local, state, and federal health and environmental workshops and community meetings and participate in ATSDR-scheduled training classes or workshops, regional meetings, and partners’ meetings. The ATSDR/DOH partnership program will provide an opportunity for DOH and ATSDR to formally recommend public health actions that are based on environmental data, identified exposure pathways and sound science. The program will help to determine and provide documentation to support DEC and EPA actions to take exposure-reducing actions. Working with ATSDR’s Technical Project Team, DOH will establish a robust program of evaluation and performance measurement to help demonstrate achievement of program outcomes and identify areas for program improvement.