EPA Awards More Than $32,000 for Clark County Schools Indoor Air Quality

Press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2012

EPA Awards More Than $32,000 for Clark County Schools Indoor Air Quality

Part of $1.2 Million Awarded Nationwide

                                               
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it will award $32,339 to the University of Tulsa to assist the Clark County, Nev. School District develop an indoor air quality management program for their schools.

With this funding, the University will help the school district develop a program consistent with the practices of the EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program. Those practices include controlling moisture and mold; maintaining quality heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; integrated pest management, and effective cleaning and maintenance.

 “EPA is proud to be working with our awardees across the nation to improve the air we breathe at school, work and home,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. This effort gives us an opportunity to improve indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks.”

 Today’s funding is part of a combined $1.2 million in funding to 32 state and local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations to improve indoor air quality, which will better protect the health of Americans in classrooms, communities and homes across the country.

 Education projects, training and outreach efforts supported by the funding will help reduce the environmental health risks of indoor air contaminants such as radon and asthma triggers. From organizing and training speakers on how to educate parents of children with asthma, to providing technical assistance that will help school districts develop indoor air quality management plans, these projects will help protect children and families. EPA emphasized selecting projects that assist low income and minority families that are disproportionately impacted by poor indoor air quality.

Indoor air pollutants in homes, buildings, and schools can negatively impact the health of occupants. Some pollutants cause health problems such as sore eyes, burning in the nose and throat, headaches or fatigue. Others can worsen allergies or cause respiratory illnesses (such as asthma).

October is Children’s Health Month. EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment requires us to continue to pay special attention to the vulnerabilities of children, and especially to children living in disadvantaged communities.

More information about Indoor Air Assistance Agreements: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/regional_funding.html

For more information on Children’s Health Month, please visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/chm-home.htm

For more information on Indoor Air Quality tools for schools, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools

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