EPA awards $422,000 to Virginia for lead testing in drinking water in schools

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA awards $422,000 to Virginia for lead testing in drinking water in schools

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 19, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a $422,000 grant to the Virginia Department of Health to test for lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities.

“Ensuring access to clean drinking water and protecting children from exposure to lead are critically important to EPA,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Cosmo Servidio. “This funding will support Virginia’s efforts to keep children in schools and childcare programs safe from the adverse health impacts of lead in drinking water.”

Virginia will use the funds to continue its drinking water testing in 132 school districts, which includes 1,852 schools that educate about 1.3 million students.  The program also includes an estimated 5,500 facilities that care for about 370,000 children. 

Once the testing is completed, Virginia is required to notify the public about the results, and then use EPA guidance to determine the level of any remediation needed to repair/replace fixtures that had elevated levels. 

In addition to testing, the program includes outreach to the school and childcare communities regarding information about the testing results and how to reduce lead levels in drinking water.

EPA’s funding was provided under Section 2107 of the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act (WIIN).

For more information about the dangers of lead in drinking water, visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water

For more information about the WINN Act, visit: https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/water-infrastructure-improvements-nation-act-wiin-act-grant-programs 

 U.S. EPA News Release:

Administrator Wheeler Kicks Off Region 6 Visit in Texas

Contact Information: 

EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

DALLAS (November 19, 2020) — While in Texas, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler viewed an American Airlines disinfecting demonstration thanks to EPA’s first-ever long-lasting antiviral product for use against COVID-19. While in the Lone Star State Administrator Wheeler also visited the Region 6 office in downtown Dallas.

“EPA had to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak by creating a new permitting process that could allow innovative new products to be quickly and effectively tested and deemed safe for use,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This long-lasting disinfectant is a great innovation and could help the aviation industry in the coming months.”

“At EPA, we are committed to combatting the spread of the coronavirus through innovative solutions, and expedited approvals of disinfectants that kill the virus so more Americans and businesses can have greater access to EPA-approved solutions,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ken McQueen. “It was an honor to welcome Administrator Wheeler to Region 6 to see first-hand one of the latest examples of the tools being used to protect human health.”

During the demonstration, Administrator Wheeler viewed electrostatic spraying of SurfaceWise 2 in the galley and first-class cabin of a 737 plane.

In August, EPA announced a groundbreaking development in the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the novel coronavirus. In a first-of-its kind step, EPA issued an emergency exemption to the state of Texas permitting it to allow American Airlines and Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine to use a new product that kills coronavirus like the SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces for up to seven days. After carefully reviewing the available data and information, the agency has determined that the product helps to address the current national emergency. This product is expected to provide longer-lasting protection in public spaces, increasing consumer confidence in resuming normal air travel and other activities.

EPA approved the emergency exemption requests submitted under Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). SurfaceWise2 — a product manufactured by Allied BioScience completely in the United States — is a surface coating that inactivates viruses and bacteria within two hours of application and continues to work against them for up to seven days. EPA's approval allowed Texas to permit American Airlines airport facilities and planes at specific locations and two Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine Clinics to use SurfaceWise2 under certain conditions.

In October, EPA released a draft guidance  to ensure that Americans have access to as many tools as possible to clean and disinfect surfaces and protect their families against the novel coronavirus. Through the draft guidance companies will now be able to demonstrate that their products have “long-lasting” or “residual” effectiveness on surfaces against viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

While traditional disinfectants only kill viruses and bacteria that are on the surface at the time they are used, surfaces treated with residual antimicrobial products kill pathogens that come into contact with the surface days, weeks, or years after the product is applied. EPA will begin expediting the registration process for these products immediately and may revise the guidance after the 60-day public comment period ends.

The guidance specifies scientific testing requirements for two different types of products: supplemental residual antimicrobial products and residual disinfectants. Supplemental residual antimicrobial products work within two hours of a virus or bacteria coming into contact with a surface and can remain effective for weeks to years. These products can supplement, but do not replace, routine cleaning and disinfection using products from EPA's List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (List N). Approved supplemental residual antimicrobial products are not eligible for inclusion on List N but will be added to a separate List N appendix.

U.S. EPA to Support Farmworker Safety Training in the Pacific Southwest Through Funding National Farmworker Programs Association

 U.S. EPA News Release:

U.S. EPA to Support Farmworker Safety Training in the Pacific Southwest Through Funding National Farmworker Programs Association
$2.5 million to be awarded nation-wide

SAN FRANCISCO—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pacific Southwest Regional Office is excited to promote farmworker safety through new support for the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), which will receive up to $500,000 annually to conduct pesticide safety training over the next five years. With EPA funding, AFOP will administer this grant to provide occupational health and safety trainings to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in more than 25 states including Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada.

“EPA is pleased to continue working with the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs as we work toward our common goal of protecting our farmworkers and their families,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. “This exciting partnership complements our Agricultural Worker Protection Standard perfectly and will develop national pesticide safety training, education, and outreach for farmworkers and their families in rural agricultural areas.”

“This cooperative agreement will fund training to educate pesticide applicators, handlers and farmworkers on working safely with, and around, pesticides,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “This longstanding partnership has allowed EPA to access AFOP’s national farmworker network and make a positive impact by enabling the farmworker population to protect themselves and their families.”

“AFOP is delighted to continue working with EPA to provide pesticide safety instruction to the nation’s farmworkers. Together with EPA, we touch real lives by empowering agricultural workers with the knowledge they need to better protect themselves, their homes, and their families from pesticide exposure,” said AFOP Executive Director Daniel Sheehan. “Agriculture is ranked consistently as one of, if not the, most dangerous of occupations. Through EPA’s support, AFOP is able to help make that job a whole lot safer.” 

As the recipient of the cooperative agreement, AFOP will continue to enhance safe working conditions for agricultural workers at local, state and national levels, with targeted outreach to low-income, low-literacy, and non-English speaking farmworkers.

AFOP partners with local pesticide training providers to address the needs of farmworkers and facilitate access to pesticide safety education. In the new cooperative agreement, AFOP expects to expand their reach and partner with the following participating organizations in the region:

Arizona         

• Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc.

California      

• California Human Development
• Center for Employment Training
• Central Valley Opportunity Center
• La Cooperativa Campesina de California
• Employer’s Trainings Resource
• Proteus, Inc.

Hawaii

• Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.

Nevada

• Oregon Human Development Corporation

Through its previous 2015-2020 cooperative agreement with EPA, AFOP trained 184,000 farmworkers and 30,000 children on pesticide safety. This work was made possible through

EPA’s National Farmworker Training grant program which focuses on training educators to teach agricultural workers and their families how to reduce the risks from pesticide exposure.

For more information, visit EPA’s Pesticide Worker Safety Cooperative Agreements webpage.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

EPA awards $2.5 million to the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs for farmworker pesticide training

 U.S. EPA News Release:

EPA awards $2.5 million to the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs for farmworker pesticide training

 

DENVER (Nov. 18, 2020) —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mountains and Plains Regional Office is excited to work with the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), which will receive up to $500,000 annually to conduct pesticide safety training across the country over the next five years. With EPA funding, AFOP will administer this grant to provide occupational health and safety trainings to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in more than 25 states, including Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

“EPA is pleased to continue working with the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs as we work toward our common goal of protecting our farmworkers and their families,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Alexandra Dapolito Dunn. “This exciting partnership complements our Agricultural Worker Protection Standard perfectly and will develop national pesticide safety training, education, and outreach for farmworkers and their families in rural agricultural areas.”

“AFOP is delighted to continue working with EPA to provide pesticide safety instruction to the nation’s farmworkers. Together with EPA, we touch real lives by empowering agricultural workers with the knowledge they need to better protect themselves, their homes, and their families from pesticide exposure,” said AFOP Executive Director Daniel Sheehan. “Agriculture is ranked consistently as one of, if not the, most dangerous of occupations. Through EPA’s support, AFOP is able to help make that job a whole lot safer.” 

As the recipient of the cooperative agreement, AFOP will continue to enhance safe working conditions for agricultural workers at local, state and national levels with targeted outreach to low-income, low-literacy and non-English speaking farmworkers.

AFOP partners with local pesticide training providers to address the needs of farmworkers and facilitate access to pesticide safety education. In the new cooperative agreement, AFOP expects to expand their reach and partner with the following participating organizations in the region:

Rocky Mountain Service Employment Redevelopment (Colorado)

Rural Employment Opportunities (Montana)

Motivation, Education & Training, Inc. (North Dakota and Wyoming)

Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (South Dakota)

Futures Through Training, Inc. (Utah)

Through its previous 2015-2020 cooperative agreement with EPA, AFOP trained 184,000 farmworkers and 30,000 children on pesticide safety. This work was made possible through EPA’s National Farmworker Training grant program, which focuses on training educators to teach agricultural workers and their families how to reduce the risks from pesticide exposure. For more information, visit EPA’s Pesticide Worker Safety Cooperative Agreements webpage.

Drive around the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act