Alaska Tribal Air Work Group
March 2011 Conference Call
Notes
Updates from Agencies & Organizations
EPA:
Region 10: Contacts: Mary Manous (Seattle) & Joan Tovsen (Anchorage) 907/271-1481)
· Grants: The grants for air work from EPA Region 10 and ANTHC have now closed. There were 2 applicants to EPA and 4 to ANTHC. Applicants will be contacted shortly.
· National Healthy School Day: April 11, 2011 See: http://www.nationalhealthyschoolsday.org/
· Alaska Tribal Air Toolkits
o See: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/TRIBAL.NSF/programs/tribalairalaska for the videos on YouTube and Fact Sheets to use in educating the public, schools and tribal leadership on air quality issues. There are also links to other useful sites, such as the OAR Tribal Air Webpage with Newsletters and other updates. http://www.epa.gov/tribal/
· Diesel Boiler Rules (Heather Valdez, EPA Region 10 Air Program) The new rules for boilers and engines will be published soon and now have compliance costs that are about half what they had initially been anticipated to be. They apply to biomass and oil fired boilers. “Area source” (i.e. smaller size) boilers are subject to less stringent emission standards that only require an assessment and tune up. Large boilers are for industrial use or refineries and use more than 10 tons/year of a single hazardous air pollutant or 25 or more tons/year of combined hazardous pollutions. New rules will also be released soon that will apply to incinerators (Other Solid Waste Incineration or OSWI). For more information or to be on the monthly call, please, contact: or call 206-553-6220 Also, see: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/combustion/actions.html .
Office of Air & Radiation (OAR) Darrel Harmon:
No resolution on the federal budget so there may be a delay for production of DVDs version of the AK Tribal Air Tool Kit
He is the Tribal Consultation Advisor for OAR. Guidance is still under development.
Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP): Tribal Contact: Erika Wilson, Climate Change and Green House Gas issues are within OAP’s area of responsibility. Erika will be invited to future calls to exchange information with Alaska Tribes on Climate Change, Green House Gases and other OAP topics.
New CCAP Reports on Local Climate Adaptation and Green Infrastructure Efforts
The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) recently released two new reports on improving community resilience and prosperity by incorporating climate change adaptation best practices into city planning strategies. The reports, The Value of Green Infrastructure for Urban Climate Adaptation and Lessons Learned on Local Climate Adaptation from the Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative, include examples of local government adaptation planning and discuss the multiple benefits of using green infrastructure.
The Value of Green Infrastructure for Urban Climate Adaptation provides information on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure practices, such as eco-roofs, green alleys, and urban forestry. The report provides examples of a variety of approaches as well as the benefits to urban communities, such as improvements in land value, quality of life, public health, hazard mitigation, and regulatory compliance. The report also examines how local governments can use managerial, institutional, and market-based approaches to reduce climate risks and maintain resilience.
The Value of Green Infrastructure for Urban Climate Adaptation is available at http://www.ccap.org/docs/resources/989/Green_Infrastructure_FINAL.pdf.
Lessons Learned on Local Climate Adaptation from the Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative summarizes the main findings of CCAP’s Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative. This partnership with local government leaders served to empower local communities to develop and implement climate-resilient strategies. The report concludes that effective approaches include comprehensive planning, using “no-regrets” strategies, and “mainstreaming” adaptation efforts into existing policies. In addition, the report finds that examining and communicating the multiple benefits of adaptation strategies can be especially useful for developing public support for initiatives.
Lessons Learned on Local Climate Adaptation from the Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative is available at http://www.ccap.org/docs/resources/988/Urban_Leaders_Lessons_Learned_FINAL.pdf.
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State and local officials interested in additional information about developing and implementing cost-effective climate and energy strategies that help further environmental goals and achieve public health and economic benefits may visit: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this listserv, go to: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/listservs/index.html
Alaska Dept of Env Conservation (ADEC): Cindy Williams, ADEC Fairbanks
Road Dust:
· One year ago ADEC sent out a survey to Alaska Native Villages on dust control and rural dust issues. About one third (75) responded for the initial analysis. Surveys were resent to those not responding and to date 25 responses are received. Research is ongoing with University of Alaska and DOT on types of dust reduction methods and cheap equipment. Different solutions will apply to different villages. The focus now is to network the information. or call 907-451-5172. To request copies of road dust survey, preliminary analysis, responses and more, contact Cynthia Williams, ADEC or Joan Tovsen, EPA (907/271-1481).
David Vought, HUD – Alaska HUD Office of Native American Programs
(Contact or call 907-677-9862)
· Alaska Native Housing Needs Outreach Anchorage, March 23-24
No charge to attend and a great opportunity to provide input. Frank Fox from Kwinhagak will be a featured presenter.
o HUD will do Housing Needs Assessment for Natives
o Six key components will be covered: choice of housing type and design, sustainable infrastructure, community wellness and health, finance and funding, health as an engine of economic development, energy program sustainability.
o To register for the conference copy this url into your webbrowser:
http://www.cvent.com/events/hud-onap-housing-needs-preparation-and-outreach/custom-22-091cf9c41e144776851b8fceaac4a972.aspx
ANTHC – Funding, Studies, Assistance Available, etc. Chris Fish 907-729-3600
¨ see: http://www.anthc.org/cs/dehe/envhlth/research/tribal-air-quality-resources.cfm
ANTHC has been work with the State and Tribe (Qutekcak Native Tribe) near Seward to set up PM monitors to determine the extent that coal dust contributes to dust in the community. Tribe is an active participant.
Rural CAP AJ Salkoski
¨ RurAL CAP has an EPA grant to give provide training and materials for Indoor air concerns with Americorps or VISTA. They also recruit for their VISTA Energy Project, also. Next recruitment will start in October.
¨ Green cleaning buckets are provided to communities with a RurAL CAP Americorps volunteer. If you are interested in having someone from your community become a participant in this program, contact AJ.
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals: Pat Ellsworth or 928-523-6721.
· IAQ Training in Anchorage April 26-29 with ITEP, EPA, ANTHC
· Course will include tribal presenters, tribal case studies, strategic planning, AQ in villages, work plan and budget preparation, project management after funding to accomplish goals.
· ITEP website for registration: http://www4.nau.edu/itep/air/training_aq.asp
· ITEP has a number of other trainings coming up in Alaska (3 IAQ Trainings in March (Juneau/Eric Morrison), April (Nome Health Corp- Kevin Zweifel) and Sept (Fairbanks, Michael Reed, Tanana Chiefs Council) collaborative efforts with Regional Groups in Rural Alaska. Registration will be through the Regional Contact people, not through ITEP.
MONTHLY TOPIC: Mold and Moisture in Alaska Native Villages: Leif Albertson from UAF Ext Service and Chris Fish, ANTHC, provided information on preventing mold, which is all tied to controlling moisture. Others then also contributed. See bullets for some of the information provided.
Leif Albertson, UAF YK Extension Service, Bethel (907/543-4553)
Mold is in the living kingdom of fungi; other living kingdoms include animals and plants. It needs food, oxygen, heat and moisture to grow. To control molds, it is necessary to control moisture. Mold is everywhere in the air; filtering the spores does not stop it. All mold problems are moisture problems. Prevention works as the best control. Building ventilation determines control and prevention. Flooding is often followed by mold. Keep your home dry. After 48 hours, mold begins to grow in a moist area. A few suggestions to control moisture and mold are:
1. Maintain good ventilation. Use a ventilation system or a fan or fresh 80 (hole/vent with a moveable cover). Implement weatherization measures for energy efficiency and block drafts.
2. Use source control. Ventilate cooking moistures, steam from showers, use ventilation to control human vapor from breathing.
3. Use temperature control. Move cold and warm air with a fan. Point fans toward windows, which may be cold and cause condensation.
4. Wipe and dry moisture.
5. Ventilate with an open window for control and prevention. Plan when best to open windows for ventilation and to minimize heat loss. Sometimes it may be a trade off.
Chris Fish, ANTHC ()
1. Moisture control and elimination is the key.
2. Clean window sills with detergent and warm water and dry it quickly.
3. For a serious mold growth, protect yourself by wearing rubber gloves and goggles.
4. EPA and AIHA recommend a N95 respirator, which is a paper mask.
5. EPA recommends anything over 10 square feet to be referred to a professional for remediation.
6. Resources are available from EPA, CDC, AIHA. EPA publishes materials on mold and offers a course online.
7. Mold affects people most with medical issues. One of the infant studies was retracted in 2000. Better monitoring of health effects is necessary. About five per cent of the population has an allergic reaction to mold. Those most affected by mold include those with compromised immune systems, organ transplants, AIDS, the young and the old. Mycotoxins include black molds. There is some research, but more is needed. One kind of mold growth produces penicillin.
8. Check with your physician if concerned with health effects of mold. Others cannot give medical advice
David Vought, HUD Contact: or call 907-677-9862
Mold is a symptom of moisture problems. It could also be from a leaky pipes or plumbing. Condensation in a cold spot reaches the dew point faster and mold grows. Resident involvement is necessary to resolve mold problems.
Mary Manous, EPA, Region 10 Tribal Air PRogram
1. Address mold with Outreach activities
2. Check IGAP to include training, outreach & education to raise awareness for mold control
3. Use vents, fans, wipe up moisture
4. Apply through Rural Cap for an AmeriCorp to do outreach
5. Increase awareness of value ventilation for structural integrity of home & resident health
Adrienne Fleek, EPA Tribal Coordinator. IGAP Project Officer
1. Check into mold research and how to clean up
2. Talk to your Tribal Coordinator about use of GAP grant for outreach & education on mold
3. Check with your Tribal Housing Department for assistance
4. Team up to do ventilation
Joan Tovsen, EPA Tribal Air Outreach: National Asthma Association and UAF Extension Service have research on health effects of mold on their websites.
Possible Future Presentation Topics: suggestions are welcome at any time!
o Asbestos and lead based paint.
o Top down burning for wood stoves
Next Call will be on April 12, 2011