Pennsylvania (PA) has a long legacy of diverse industries. Currently, PA ranks third in the nation for the total number of National Priorities List (NPL) sites, behind only California and New Jersey. The potential for chemical contamination of soil, air, and water is not limited to communities surrounding NPL sites. In PA, there are numerous historical and current industries that are potential sources of environmental contamination. Examples include steel production, mining and smelting, oil refining, oil and natural gas operations, and agriculture, as well as Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) locations, responsible party/NPL deferral sites, and formerly used defense (FUD) sites. These sites are scattered across PA, especially in and adjacent to environmental justice communities, that may be sources of environmental contamination and of public health concern. Further, with the over 500 air emissions plants in PA, environmental pollution, especially air quality, will continue to be a significant concern for Pennsylvanians for years to come. To address environmental health concerns related to NPL and non-NPL hazardous sites and to educate communities about environmental health, the PA Department of Health (PADOH) Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology (DEHE) is requesting funding for Component 1 Strategy A and B, option 2, and Component 2 under this Notice of Funding Opportunity to maintain and expand DEHE ATSDR's Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE) activities in PA. As part of our grant, under Component 1 Strategy A, DEHE will conduct site-specific health assessments, educate community members, stakeholders, and health care professionals about site-specific health risks and provide recommendations. Our site assessments will evaluate the site-specific public health impacts on disproportionally burdened communities. Our efforts will also focus on establishing and maintaining interagency and
external stakeholder relationships to support site-related activities. In Component 1 Strategy B, option 2, DEHE will build upon the previously funded PA Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education (CSPECE) program to evaluate new ECE facilities for safe siting, strengthen relationships with stakeholders, and ensure program sustainability. Component 2 activities will (1) engage and educate stakeholders and communities about non-traditional sources of lead exposure and other harmful environmental contaminants (e.g., consumption of game meat and sportfish and sporting activities that have a risk of incidental exposure) and (2) coordinate an environmental health resource data integration to address community cancer concerns. The efforts proposed under Components 1 and 2 will enable and empower DEHE to reduce or eliminate harmful environmental exposures and improve health of PA residents, especially in disadvantaged and disproportionately affected groups, such as low-income, people of color, and refugee populations who have historically been left out of environment-related conversations.