Season's Greetings from IKE
Indiana Chosen for the 2012 AAFA Honor Roll
Report from Pediatricians Regarding Pesticides
Survey Finds Dangerous Toys Remain on Store Shelves
IKE is Looking for an Intern

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We wanted to take a monent at this busy time to say Season's Greetings! We hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your family and friends. At this time of year we are all reminded of the joy of giving and how the perfect gift will make someone's day. Here at Improving Kids' Environment the perfect gift is showing your support for children's environmental health. With your help (Supporting IKE), IKE can continue its important work  protecting children from hazardous materials such as lead and pesticides and ensuring they grow up in safe and healthy environments. Enjoy the rest of the season and from all of us at Improving Kids' Environment, we wish you Happy Holidays and great joy in the New Year!

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Indiana was recently chosen for the 2012 AAFA Honor Roll™ by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), who assesses state-level school policies regarding asthma and allergies.

 

The report released in late October, recognizes progress where it is happening and provides a blueprint for advocates and policymakers to improve policies nationwide.

 

Overall, Indiana meets fifteen of eighteen core policy standards and ten of fifteen extra credit indicators. See the entire report at State Honor Roll™ of Asthma and Allergy Policies for Schools

 

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Children encounter pesticides every day and are uniquely vulnerable to their toxicity. A new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) outlines the harmful effects of pesticides on children and makes recommendations on how to reduce exposure. The policy statement, “Pesticide Exposure in Children,” and an accompanying technical report are published in the December 2012 issue of Pediatrics.  

 

Source

 

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Leigh DeNoon, 11/27/2012

According to a recent article on the Public News Service – Indiana, toys that make loud noises, contain high levels of toxic substances, or have small parts that pose a choking risk are the focus of this year's "Trouble in Toyland" report from the Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG).

PIRG says toy safety has improved in the 27 years PIRG has been doing its survey, but dangerous toys are still being found regularly on store shelves. Such toys with lead content above the 100-parts-per-million legal limit. They also found high levels of chemicals known as phthalates. Used to make plastic softer, phthalates have been linked in various studies to adverse developmental and reproductive health issues.

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Improving Kids Environment is currently seeking a communications/marketing intern  with an interest in environmental health, to assist with the development of a major branding and marketing effort in the new year.  This position provides an exciting opportunity to be a major player in the design of new marketing materials for IKE, assisting an experienced development consultant with branding and logo design and developing press releases and media stories.

For more information on this opportunity click here.

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Support IKE | Facebook | Twitter |Website

IKE is looking for a Communications/Marketing Intern to help us with our current and growing needs. Please see the description below:

Communications/Marketing Intern

Improving Kids’ Environment (IKE) is seeking an intern to a take on the tasks of developing and implementing a communications and marketing plan.  This person must be passionate about children’s health issues as they pertain to the environment, and be able to fulfill duties with little supervision.

IKE is a non-profit organization that works to reduce and remove environment threats to children and families. IKE works to make information about environmental threats in the community easily available, pursues special projects to reduce children’s exposure to pollution and toxic chemicals and advocates for change in public policy to improve environmental quality.

Responsibilities/Deliverables

• Assists in the writing and implementation of a marketing plan
• Design and revision of educational materials
• Assist in developing a solid “case for support” for IKE that defines the relationship between children and environmental threats
• Assist in the reorganization of the website
• Develop slogans, tag lines, catchy phrases, etc. for marketing use that depict the organization’s mission
• Assist in the ‘branding’ of IKE (logo, materials)
• Writing of Spring newsletter
• Research and write several human interest stories as they pertain to the mission of IKE
• Find/take new photos that relate to children’s environmental health
• Update IKE’s media packet and design a press release packet
• Develop a media contact book, listing all possible radio, TV, newspapers in our area and contact information
• Work with the Executive Director to develop media policy for IKE
• Attend public events that showcase the organization

Skills and Knowledge

• undergrad student; masters level student preferred
• Outgoing with exceptional interpersonal and cultural awareness skills
• Good at public speaking and working within a public venue
• Excellent writing, editing and organizational skills
• Ability to work on own with light supervision
• Excellent eye for graphic design and high creativity
• Familiar with children’s environmental health issues;
• Familiar with non-profit structure; knowledge of Central Indiana communities preferred
• Internet and social media skills
• Knowledge of publisher and other graphic design programs a plus
• Car and driver’s license required

To  apply for the position please email ike@ikecoalition.org with your resume and cover letter. This is an unpaid internship opportunity.

2012 Indiana Healthy Homes & Childcare Conference
EPA Integrated Pest Management Grant Awarded to IKE!
Lead-Based Paint: The Law in Indiana - Updated Manual Ready from IKE
Indiana Passes Smoke-Free Air Law
State of the Young Hoosier Child Environmental Health Report - 2012
Is Now Available!

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Again this year, IKE is presenting the Indiana Healthy Homes & Childcare Conference. It will be held at Marten House and Lily Conference Center on October 3rd and 4th. This year’s conference will examine many hidden health hazards found in our everyday environments. Also, the conference will continue to explore health risks such as lead, bed bugs, and asthma.

Some of our Breakout Sessions Include:

Pets and the Environment
Green Cleaning
How Heat Waves Affect Health
Child Care Directors Recalling Disasters
Safe Kids IN Program from Riley Hospital
Hear from the Bed Bug Whisperer
Sun Safety for Children
Importance of a Medical Home when Caring for Asthma
School Indoor Air Quality Rules
Preschool Recycling Curriculum in a Box
Lead Inspector Renewal Course Offered
PLUS MUCH MORE!

 Also, a pre-conference Healthy Homes Essentials Training class will be available at
 Environmental Management Institute on October 1st and 2nd.

 You can register for the conference or find additional information by going to
 www.ikecoalition.org/2012conference. 

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 Improving Kids’ Environment (IKE) is excited to announce that in May it received funding from
 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continue bringing Integrated Pest Management
 (IPM) into schools in Indiana for the next two years!  In addition, the Maternal Child Health
 department of the Indiana State Department of Health, has provided supplemental funds to
 assist IKE in this important program.  

 IPM uses preventive measures to reduce pests while minimizing the need for pesticides.  Pests
 and pesticides negatively impact children’s health.  Cockroach and rodent leavings can trigger
 asthma; mosquitoes and flies can carry diseases; and bees and wasps sting.  However,
 pesticide exposure can also be harmful to our children’s health!  Most insecticides are
 neurotoxic, which means that they can alter the normal activity of the nervous system causing
 possible limb weakness or numbness, memory, vision, and/or intellect problems, obsessive
 and/or compulsive behaviors, headache and cognitive and behavioral problems. In addition,
 in both insects and humans, and some rodent poison can cause serious bleeding.

 IKE is working with the EPA as part of a coordinated national effort to develop a viable model
 throughout the nation. There are only 5 other groups who also received the EPA-IPM
 funding. In July, Dr. Indra Frank, representing IKE, attended a 2 –day meeting with the EPA
 the other grant awardees and many national experts and EPA-IPM personnel.  Efforts for
 school pest management from all across the country were discussed, and work toward the
 development of a national model began.  Indra reported on IKE’s work and returned armed with
 fresh ideas from the reports of the other groups.

 With this funding, IKE and partners at Ohio State University will work intensively one-on-one
 with 10 schools in Indiana and Ohio to safely reduce pest problems and institute preventive
 measures.  This funding will also help IKE continue the Indiana IPM Schools Coalition including a
 series of IPM workshops and newsletters for school facilities personnel.

 Anyone interested in receiving information about the workshops and school IPM can sign up by
 clicking ‘Join us’ at http://ikecoalition.org and then selecting the Indiana IPM Schools Coalition.

 For more information about Integrated Pest Management issues click here. 

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Improving Kids’ Environment is excited to announce the 2102 revision of the manual Lead-based Paint: The Law in Indiana. This manual includes knowledge and guidance regarding lead paint and children’s health, the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants and buyers and sellers as well as a section on the prevention and maintenance, repair and renovation of buildings where lead is found. The critical role of the local, state and federal government is also included.

 

The intended audience for this manual includes:

• Judges and other court personnel who may have a case involving lead paint or lead poisoning;
• Elected officials in a position to make policy decisions for their jurisdiction;
• Attorneys representing families with lead poisoned children or lead hazards in their home;
• City or county attorneys and employees of local public Health or Housing departments who work to identify and reduce threats of lead poisoning
•  Landlords, property owners and managers, real estate agents and building contractors who need to know their rights and responsibilities.

Significant updates to the manual since 2006 include:

• New case law from 2010 and 2011 involving a Decatur County landlord - tenant Dispute, regarding failure to provide notice of lead hazards and the successful application in Vanderburgh County of state nuisance law to require cleanup of lead-contaminated rental property;
• New 2010 and 2011 updates to federal Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requirements for contractors working on pre-1978 housing and child occupied facilities;
• New state and federal laws protecting consumers from lead in consumer homes, such as toys, jewelry, candy, clothing and home décor;
• New state law and rules requiring paint retailers to be trained and to provide accurate information to consumers about working safely with lead paint; and
• Centralization of primary responsibility for lead poisoning prevention in Indiana within the Indiana State Department of Health.

Preparation and publication of this manual was funded by the Indiana State Department of Health Lead and Healthy Homes Program, with financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The original 2006 version of this document was prepared by Janet McCabe, then-Executive Director of Improving Kids’ Environment, under a contract with the Indiana State Department of Health. Supplements were issued in 2007 and 2008 to provide updates on new laws. This version of the manual incorporates the supplements from 2007 and 2008 and includes additional changes in federal and state law and rules. It was compiled by Jodi Perras.

To download of copy the manual Click Here.

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As of July 1, 2012, Indiana legislators passed House Enrolled Act No. 1149 - Indiana's first addition, statewide smoke free air law, which bans smoking in nearly addition, public places in the state, including restaurants and other workplaces.

In addiition, signs are required to be posted at all public entrances of enclosed public places and places of employment. Signs must read “State Law Prohibits Smoking within 8 Feet of this Entrance” or other similar language. Signs are available online at www.in.gov/atc.

 

A new website called Smoke Free Indiana was created to help Hoosier residents and business owners understand the new law at www.smokefreein.com.  A business that is not exempt from the state law must post required signage, remove indoor ashtrays and other smoking receptacles, and direct any person who is smoking to extinguish the cigarette, cigar, or other lighted tobacco item. Smoking is still allowed in bars and taverns, tobacco retail shops, cigar and hookah bars, state licensed gaming facilities, horse track facilities and certain membership clubs. 

 

According to a statewide survey done in January, 2012, by Public Opinion Strategies they found that among Indiana voters:

•·         85 percent believe that secondhand smoke is a health hazard, including 58 percent who say it is a serious health hazard.

•·         71 percent believe the right of employees and customers to breathe clean air in restaurants and bars is more important than the right of smokers to smoke and businesses owners to allow smoking.

•·          84 percent feel all workers should be protected from exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace.

 

The purpose of the Indiana Smoke Free Air Law is to protect Hoosiers from the harmful effects of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 substances, including 200 known poisons and 43 cancer-causing agents. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a cause of cancer in humans.

Related Links:

Read the entire Bill:  www.in.gov/lesgilative/bills/2012/HE/HE1149

 

File a complaint:  The complaint form is found at: http://www.in.gov/atc/2640.htm. Only complaints concerning the state smoking law will be investigated. For a violation of a local city, town, or county smoking ordinance, please contact the appropriate city, town, or county government agency directly.

 

Quit tobacco use: http://www.in.gov/quitline/.

Indiana Joint Asthma Coalition: www.injac.org

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In 2011, Improving Kids’ Environment was asked by the Sunny Start: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Initiative to prepare a report on the environmental health of the children of Indiana, as a companion piece to the State of the Young Hoosier Child Report. Because of the many environmental health threats to children today, it became a much longer report, containing valuable information on the state of our Indiana children’s environmental health and where they grow, play and learn.

 

Some highlights of the report include:

• A review of what we know about children’s health issues and how they link to the environment (lead poisoning, birth defects, cancer);
• The quality of Indiana’s air  - both indoor and outdoor; and its effects on the health of children
• Looking at the water children drink, swim and play in;
• Reviews  of information about the quality of housing, neighborhoods, schools and child care facilities and how environmental threats exist that can be harmful; and
• Key overall findings from the Sunny Start Environmental Committee.

A few of the key findings of the state of environmental health for children in Indiana include:

• Young children between the ages of 0 – 5 are the most susceptible to environmental health hazards;
• Even though lead poising rates have dropped since 1970, they are still very high in neighborhoods where older housing is not well maintained due to poverty.
• In the past 5 years, the number of children in Indiana with asthma has increased, and is now higher than the national average!  Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization in Indiana.
• Young children who eat fish caught form Indiana’s lakes, reservoirs and ponds have a high risk of exposure to lead and PCBs.  Of lakes and ponds monitored by the state, over 80% showed high levels of these toxins in the fish.
• Policymakers must be made aware  of the fact that young children are being exposed on a daily basis to environmental toxins in their air, soil and often in their own houses.

To download the entire report click here.

You can also find the report at www.sunnystart.in.gov/eh

 

The Sunny Start: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Initiative is a comprehensive, collaborative, statewide effort to support a coordinated system of resources and supports children from birth through age five in Indiana.  The goal of the project is to ensure that Indiana’s children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn.

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We have been challenged by a generous donor to Match the Donation!

You Can Help!

By donating money to IKE and selecting Match the Donor, you are helping us reach our goal! Donate Now!

Improving Kids' Environment is excited to announce that we are currently looking for a full-time Project Manager. See below for the description, qualifications and how to apply.

Job Description

 

The Project Manager will

• Oversee a team to organize IKE’s work for IPM in Indiana schools, including managing a major grant for school IPM from the Environmental Protection Agency;
• coordinate and grow the Indiana IPM Schools Coalition;
• plan and produce IPM workshops for Indiana school personnel;
• assist with planning IKE’s annual Healthy Homes and Childcare Conference;
• work with the Indiana State Health Department (ISDH) on the Sunny Start Program and the Healthy Homes Task Force.

The project manager will report to IKE’s executive director.  Travel to schools in different parts of Indiana and some in Ohio is required.  The starting annual salary is $43,000.  Benefits are negotiable.

 

Qualifications

 

IKE is seeking a project manager with excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as a personal commitment to children’s environmental health.   Candidates should possess the following essential qualifications:

 

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in environmental studies, public health or other related field
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well in a team setting
• Demonstrated writing skills
• Knowledge of or experience with environmental health issues
• Successful grant-management and/or project management experience

The following qualifications are preferred:

 

• Experience working in a non-profit organization
• Experience working with state, city and county governments and agencies
• Experience working in schools
• Experience working with diverse populations
• Experience in pest management especially IPM
• Demonstrated ability to build and work with a coalition
• Experience organizing conferences, seminars, or workshops

Application Process

 

Applications must be received on or before  August 1, 2012.  Applicants should provide a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, and a list of three references.  The materials should be sent to IKE by email to jtornatta@ikecoalition.org.

 

 

Improving Kids’ Environment is an equal opportunity employer.

 

From our friend at Indiana CAFO Watch, Barbara Sha Cox, and Kim Ferraro of the Hoosier Environmental Council:

Alerting you to concerns about House Bill 1091, which is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow, Jan 10th at 8:30 am in Room 156C at the State House. The bill will be heard by the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. Rep. Friend is the author of bill and Rep. Lehe is co-author.  

Here is the link to the bill:

http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2012&request=getBill&docno=1091 

If enacted, this bill will have a chilling effect on communities and individuals affected by factory farms – preventing them exercising their legal rights against a nuisance caused by the farm. If a neighbor loses in a nuisance lawsuit, they run the real risk of having to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in punitive damages and the farm’s legal fees, as well.

The Indiana Trial Rules already allow claims for bringing frivolous lawsuits and attorneys are already bound by professional ethics rules that prohibit them from filing frivolous lawsuits. Therefore, HB 1091 is completely unnecessary and serves only to provide further liability protections for industrial agriculture.

Please contact your legislator about this bill. The members of the Agricultural and Rural Committee are as follows:  

Rep Lehe  h15@in.gov    Chr.    Rep Bacon h75@in.gov   Members are Rep Baird h44@in.gov Rep Davisson h73@in.gov   Rep Friend h23@in.gov  Rep Frye h67@in.gov   Rep Gutwein h16@in.gov   Rep Knollman h55@in.gov  Rep Pflum h56@in.gov  Rep Battles h64@in.gov  Rep Cheatham h69@in.gov    Rep Goodin h66@in.gov   Rep Grubb   h42@in.gov

Do not have time to email?  Call 1-800-382-9842 or 1-800-382-9841

   

New_Changes

Children’s Environmental Health Newsletter – January 2012

In this Issue:

• New Changes to Indiana’s Lead-Based Paint Program Rules
• Congress & CDC Slash Funding for State & Local Lead Programs
• Comings and Goings at IKE and ISDH
• Federal Rules Place Ticking Clock on Aging Power Plants
• EPA Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for Power Plants
• EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule & Indiana Power Plants
• Indiana Commission for Higher Education Endorses IU Request to Create Public Health Schools

Research News:

• Panel Concurs that Effects of Lead Poisoning Are Seen at Lower Blood-Lead Levels
• The Science of Disproportionate Environmental Health Impacts
• Endocrine disrupting chemicals and disease susceptibility
• New Version of Pediatric Environmental Health Available
• The Children’s Environmental Health Network Conference

Children's Environmental Health Resources:

• Locate Certified Renovation Firms
• Fact Sheet for Bed Bug Prevention
• EPA Launches Child Care Resource Website 
• Webinar: Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma Available On-line
• FDA Guide on Risk Communication
• New APHA Film Provides History of Public and Environmental Health in the US

New Changes to Indiana’s Lead-Based Paint Program Rules

In 2011, the Indiana State Department of Health promulgated a revised rule for the Lead-Based Paint Program (410 IAC 32). This rule is expected to be published in the Indiana Register in January, and will take effect 30 days after publication. The revised rule:

• Adds definitions for lead-water hazard, lead clearance examiner, renovation, maintenance and remediation
• Creates a dust lead hazard level for window troughs: 400 micrograms per square foot based on wipe samples.
• Requires that soil lead levels over 5000 parts per million (ppm) must be abated
• Provides an option for on-line training classes for the lecture portion of initial and refresher classes for various lead-related disciplines
• Requires all risk assessments, lead inspections and lead hazard screens and clearances be submitted to the state

Once this rule is fully implemented, Indiana will be able to determine the total number of inspections done for lead hazards, what kind of lead hazards are being identified and what properties are remediated.  All housing authorities and weatherization programs should already be reporting this information, so the rule will capture the work of private inspectors.  Housing professionals will have access to all of the inspection results in their area, which will hopefully eliminate duplication and encourage collaboration.  Licensed individuals that fail to comply with this new provision will be subject to having their license suspended or revoked. You can view the revised rule by searching for LSA document number 10-734 in the Indiana Register (found online at www.http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/irtoc.htm). Congratulations to ISDH’s David McCormick for his work on this rule.

Congress & CDC Slash Funding for State & Local Lead Poisoning Programs

In December, the House, Senate, and Obama Administration agreed to a spending plan for FY12 that provides only $2 million for CDC’s Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.  This means that CDC has no funds for the renewal of the current funding for states; the current funding, for the first year of a three-year cooperative agreement for each funded state, runs through August 2012. 

The managers’ report accompanying the appropriations bill reads:  “The conferees intend that the funds provided for the CDC lead poisoning program be used to maintain expertise and analysis at the national level and to provide a resource for States and localities.” The report rejected the CDC Director’s proposed merger of asthma and lead-healthy homes programs.

What does this mean for Indiana? ISDH and local health departments are guaranteed funding through August 2012, but CDC-funded grants to local health departments will end after that. Losing CDC funds and the lack of Medicaid reimbursement for federally mandated activities closes down programs that have been champions in the fight against lead poisoning in Indiana for almost 15 years. ISDH is looking at options for the Lead & Healthy Homes Program, but drastic change seems inevitable. Many local health departments depend on CDC funding for the lead poisoning prevention programs, while others are self-funded. IKE will be monitoring the effects of these cuts on Indiana’s lead poisoning prevention programs and the children they serve.

Comings and Goings

IKE Executive Director Jodi Perras has announced that she will be leaving IKE in 2012 to return to her communications and public relations business, Perras & Associates. Jodi is staying on until IKE’s Board of Directors completes its search for a new executive director. Watch the IKE website and Facebook and Twitter feeds for news about the job posting.

IKE was disappointed to learn that David McCormick is leaving the ISDH Lead and Healthy Homes Program, but congratulates him on becoming director of the ISDH Immunization program as of Jan. 9. David, an IKE Advisory Board member, has helped Indiana become a nationally respected leader in lead and healthy homes programs. We wish him well in his new job and hope to continue our partnership with him on children’s environmental health issues.

IKE congratulates Dr. Judith Ganser, medical director of ISDH, on her planned retirement from the State Department of Health after many years of service. Dr. Ganser will be leaving the agency in February. IKE has enjoyed working with Dr. Ganser under the ISDH Sunny Start Initiative, which seeks to ensure that all children are healthy and ready to learn when they arrive at school.

Federal Rules Place Ticking Clock on Aging Power Plants

Two federal air pollution rules are causing utilities to evaluate the future lifespans of their aging coal-fired power plants. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will place long-overdue restrictions on pollution from power plants in Indiana and other states. Although a federal appeals court has placed a hold on the cross-state rule, Indiana utilities must see the writing on the wall when it comes to aging coal-fired plants.

Mercury and Air Toxics Standards: Until U.S. EPA announced its final rule on Dec. 21, there were no federal standards that require power plants to limit their emissions of toxic air pollutants like mercury, arsenic and metals - despite the availability of proven control technologies, and the more than 20 years since the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments passed. The new rules will start requiring emission reductions in 2015. 

As many as one in ten U.S. women of childbearing age have mercury levels high enough to put their developing children at risk, according to a U.S. EPA study.  The rule was supported not only by environmental and public health groups, but also by civil rights and faith-based organizations such as Interfaith Power & Light, the Evangelical Environmental Network and the NAACP.

Indiana ranks 4th in the nation in mercury emitted from coal-fired plants, the biggest source of mercury in our state. Mercury and other toxic air pollutants emitted from these plants fall from the sky in the air we breathe, ending up in our lakes and streams and contaminating fish. 

The best thing we can do to protect our children from mercury is to find cleaner sources of energy. IKE applauds the new U.S. EPA standards that will cut 90 percent of the mercury from coal plants and cut other toxic emissions.  Retiring or cleaning up older coal-fired power plants, switching to cleaner energy sources and conserving electricity will reduce mercury emissions in Indiana. As seen in neighboring states such as Illinois, mercury can be reduced significantly without threatening our electricity supply and reliability, if we have the will to do it.

Congratulations to EPA’s Gina McCarthy and IKE’s former executive director Janet McCabe in the EPA Office of Air and Radiation for shepherding this much-needed rule through the process. EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/airquality/powerplanttoxics/index.html provides a very helpful summary of the rule and what it will do to improve public health. It also includes a map of power plants affected by the rule, including quite a few plants in and around Indiana.

Cross-State Air Pollution Rule: On July 6, 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that protects the health of millions of Americans by helping states reduce air pollution and attain clean air standards. This rule, known as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), requires states to significantly improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and/or fine particle pollution in other states.

The rule requires significant reductions in sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NO_X) emissions that cross state lines. These pollutants react in the atmosphere to form fine particles and ground-level ozone and are transported long distances, making it difficult for other states to achieve national air quality standards.

On Dec. 30, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, leaving an existing air pollution reduction program in place for at least several months (EME Homer City Generation L.P. v. EPA, D.C. Cir., No. 11-1302). The Clean Air Interstate Rule will continue to regulate interstate transport of power plant emissions.

IKE attended an IDEM stakeholder meeting on the cross-state rule on Oct. 19. The rule will allow utilities to buy and sell pollution credits for nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, but utilities at the meeting seemed to indicate that it would be difficult to find pollution credits on the market. The general consensus: units in Indiana will either have to shut down, operate less or buy credits from out-of-state companies. According to IDEM staff, they don’t know where the 18,000 credits needed by Indiana power plants will come from. 

For more information on the cross-state rule, see EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/crossstaterule/

Other Indiana News

Indiana Commission for Higher Education Endorses IU Request to Create Public Health Schools:  The Indiana Commission for Higher Education approved Indiana University's request to establish two new schools of public health; one at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and the other at IU Bloomington. The establishment of the new schools, which must be approved by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the public health accrediting body, is part of the IU Public Health Initiative, an effort by the university to address pressing health needs across a state that traditionally ranks poorly in major public health benchmarks such as obesity, tobacco use, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This also will open significant new research opportunities for the university and its faculty.

IKE Board Member Colleen J. McCormick, has been named director of the new IUPUI Office of Sustainability. Colleen will be working on a number of goals for the new Office of Sustainability, which include helping develop a coherent, campus-wide sustainability program by coordinating academic, research, operations, and student activities; developing and managing a program of environmental stewardship, energy conservation, applied environmental science and policy research, environmental literacy, and community outreach; and promoting a culture of sustainability throughout campus and, when possible, connecting with the local community to educate and enrich it.

Research News

Panel Concurs that Effects of Lead Poisoning Are Seen at Lower Blood-Lead Levels: For many years, local governments have used a threshold of 10 micrograms per decileter as the action level for stepping in to help lead-poisoned children with case management services. Now, evidence and expert opinion suggests that action threshold should be lowered. A nine-member independent peer review panel, convened by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), reviewed the Draft NTP Monograph on Health Effects of Low-level Lead.  The panel concurred with the overall NTP conclusion that “there is sufficient evidence for adverse health effects in children and adults at blood Pb levels below 10µg/dL [micrograms per deciliter] and below 5 µg/dL as well.” The panel agreed that lead exposures below 10µg/dL are associated with cardiovascular, renal, and immune health outcomes. The reviewers suggested changing the draft summary conclusions of sufficient evidence for associations with neurological effects in children, and reproductive effects in adult women, including reduced fetal growth and lower birth weight, from 10µg/dL to 5µg/dL. The draft monogram that the panel reviewed is available at: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/NTP/ohat/Lead/DraftNTPMonographonHealthEffectsofLowLevelLead.pdf.

The Science of Disproportionate Environmental Health Impacts: On March 17-19, 2010, EPA held a symposium on environmental justice research and decision making called: Strengthening Environmental Justice Research and Decision Making: A Symposium on the Science of Disproportionate Environmental Health Impacts. The Symposium examined factors that help explain why some populations, particularly minority, low income, and tribal populations, are exposed to greater environmental pollution. The Symposium also focused on why some populations experience greater environmental health risks from environmental pollution. Discussions at the Symposium also focused on how this knowledge can be considered in the governmental decision-making process. Following the Symposium, EPA commissioned fourteen scientific reviews that are now published in the American Journal of Public Health at this link: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/101/S1. EPA also developed an update report (PDF) (73 pp, 1.69MB) to highlight ongoing and future actions by the agency in response to suggestions by Symposium participants and environmental justice advocates.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals and disease susceptibility: This study by Thaddeus T. Schug, Amanda Janesick, Bruce Blumberg, Jerrold J. Heindel in the The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  (Volume 127, Issues 3-5, November 2011, Pages 204-215) focuses on chemical exposures during early development of children. Some highlights of the study:

• Chemical exposures during development can alter disease susceptibility later in life.
• Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic and immune effects in humans.
• EDCs interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, activity, or elimination of natural hormones.

Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096007601100166X

New Version of Pediatric Environmental Health Available:  The new 3rd edition of Pediatric Environmental Health, the landmark American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guide to the identification, prevention, and treatment of pediatric environmental health problems is now available.  The new edition has been completely revised and expanded, addressing topics such as birth defects, global climate change, plasticizers, the precautionary principle, and more. From asbestos to radiation, ultraviolet rays, pesticides, asthma, lead, tobacco, and child care and school environments, this new edition includes current information on an exhaustive range of environmental health issues.  The publication is available in print or eBook at the AAP online bookstore: https://www.nfaap.org/netFORUM/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=aapbks_productdetail&key=76bae074-b6dd-433d-b9db-d28de809a13b

The Children’s Environmental Health Network Conference: The Children’s Environmental Health Network has announced “The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health” conference will be held Wednesday, May 30, 2012 Friday, June 01, 2012  in San Francisco, California.  The conference will highlight the role of epigenetics in determining the impact of the environment on pediatric disease and children’s current and future health.  This conference is intended for research scientists in the fields of environmental health, epidemiology, and environmental toxicology, as well as for public health professionals. Students in these disciplines are encouraged to register.  Abstracts are currently being accepted through March 2, 2012.  For more information see http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=982260

Children’s Environmental Health Resources

Locate Certified Renovation Firms:  The EPA is making it easier for consumers to identify renovation, repair and painting firms certified by EPA. To locate Certified Renovation Firms in your area, see http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_firm.htm

Fact Sheet for Bed Bug Prevention: The University of Minnesota developed a fact sheet for the public on how to protect themselves from bed bugs during the holidays. Although the holidays are over, the precautionary tips are still useful and can be used for Super Bowl parties or any gathering of family and friends. You can access this holiday bed bug web site at this link: http://www.bedbugs.umn.edu/holidays/index.htm

EPA Launches Child Care Resource Website: U.S. EPA has launched a healthy child care web-based resource directory at: http://epa.gov/childcare/. This website was developed for childcare providers, parents, and state and local agencies. On the web site you will find links to various resources on asthma, chemical hazards, environmental tobacco smoke, green cleaning, indoor air quality, lead, mercury, mold, pesticides and plastics.  

Webinar: Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma Available On-line: An archived version of the Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma webinar is now available on the National Environmental Education Foundation's (NEEF) website: http://www.neefusa.org/health/asthma/index.htm. The webinar, which was held on November 9, 2011, was co-hosted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Asthma Control Initiative (NACI) and NEEF, a NACI Strategic Partner, and presented by Joel Forman, M.D. of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The webinar includes an overview of asthma triggers, how to take an environmental history for a child with asthma, and intervention strategies pediatric health care providers can offer to their patients.

FDA Guide on Risk Communication: Communicating environmental risk is difficult. The Food and Drug Administration has developed a new resource, "Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence Based User's Guide," from its Risk Communication Advisory Committee and consultants. The guide shares pointers on communication design, summaries of scientific foundations of risk communication techniques, and tips for evaluating communications in a range of budgets. This book is available as a free PDF download at: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/UCM268069.pdf

New APHA Film Provides History of Public and Environmental Health in the US:  APHA’s Environment Section has produced a new short film that presents a historical overview of public and environmental health in the U.S. over the past century. Through key milestones in history, the video illustrates how taking the public health approach to improving the environment has reduced the risk of infectious disease, improved occupational standards and created policies that keep us, our families and our communities healthy.  The video can be seen here http://vimeo.com/32226544

Donate to IKE: Support this newsletter and IKE's work with a donation today. Now more than ever, we need support from you to continue protecting children from environmental threats.

 

Dear Friend of IKE,

All of us at Improving Kids' Environment wish you a very Happy New Year.

Looking back at 2011, we saw progress on some key children's environmental health issues, but there is much work ahead in 2012, and your support will help us achieve even more success. Our accomplishments in 2011 include:

• Working with the Indiana State Department of Health to prepare a report on the state of environmental health for Hoosier children, ages 0-5.  Young children are most at risk from environmental threats, and this report will highlight those issues and how parents and policymakers can protect children.  
• Improving environmental conditions in Indiana's child care facilities.  The Indiana General Assembly has blocked attempts to strengthen requirements, so IKE took action to educate child care providers.  More than 60 child care providers attended our Healthy Homes and Child Care Conference in October to learn about bed bugs, lead poisoning prevention, asthma, and general health and safety.  IKE and the Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force are working with the State Department of Health and Family and Social Services Administration to develop additional outreach materials and on-line training for child care providers.
• Advocating for environmental justice in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood in Indianapolis.  IKE is working on lead poisoning and air pollution issues with the neighborhood through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Also, IKE's efforts to increase awareness in the community and encourage police involvement have helped to deter illegal dumping, long a source of frustration to community residents.  Neighborhood complaints about illegal dumping are down 25 percent compared to last year.  Thanks to the Indianapolis Foundation for supporting this work.
• Working to reduce children's exposure to pesticides.  U.S. EPA has selected IKE to receive a two-year grant to work with Indiana and Ohio schools on smarter, safer pest management.  IKE is also monitoring legislation proposed by the Indiana State Chemist to repeal a law concerning registration and training of retailers who advise customers on pesticide use.
• Partnering with several organizations and individuals to gain passage of the first rules governing the sale and use of outdoor wood boilers in Indiana. Our efforts persuaded the Indiana Air Pollution Control Board to strengthen rules proposed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
  

In 2012 we will also be saying goodbye to our Executive Director, Jodi Perras, who has served IKE ably and well.  Jodi has decided to move on, and we wish her well.  The IKE board has already begun the search for our next executive director, and Jodi has graciously agreed to stay on until a replacement is found so IKE's work will continue uninterrupted.

 

In this time of uncertain funding from government and private foundations, we need your help more than ever.  You can help IKE continue its work to reduce children's exposures to lead, pesticides and other harmful substances.

 

Please help by clicking the "Donate" button below and making a contribution today:

 

Donate

 

IKE is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so your contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Thank you for all you do to improve kids' environment!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Indra Frank

President

An impassioned plea for young children followed by a lack of real action was the story this week at the final meeting of the Indiana General Assembly’s Interim Study Committee on Child Care.

Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, talked about doing Christian missionary work in Haiti, where the superstitious voodoo culture and power of witch doctors leads to superstitions, fear and damage to Haitian’s health. He compared the power of the witch doctors to lobbyists who have fought against regulation of child care ministries in Indiana.

In September, committee members had visited a child care ministry where 56 children age infant to sixth grade were in the care of two adults. The floors were sticky and mouse feces were found in drawers housing utensils used by the children. That childcare received more than $10 million in state funding in the last five years, Sen. Holdman noted.

Sen. Holdman said lobbyists spread lies in Indiana churches about the effects of Senate Bill 56 (2011), which he sponsored to require child care ministries to meet minimum health and safety standards. The bill was the product of a summer study committee in 2010. The bill would have required criminal history checks, drug testing, caregiver education and supervision, nutrition, immunizations, and fire and hazardous safety standards. Opponents of the bill included Advance America and the American Family Association of Indiana. Here’s an example of a misleading Advance America alert during the last session: http://www.advanceamerica.com/pdf/SB56Alert.pdf.

Opponents told Indiana churches that grandparents would not be able to take care of their grandchildren if SB 56 passed, Sen. Holdman said. “That’s not true. It’s nothing more than Hoosier voodoo. When Jesus tells us to care for the least of these, it has nothing to do with intervention of government into churches. If you’re taking government money, you’re allowing government into the church.

“If you take government funds, you need toe the line to make sure kids have a foundational level of care and sanitation,” Sen. Holdman told the committee. “To say anything else is a lie and nothing more than Hoosier voodoo.”

Senator Holdman said he could not vote for the committee’s draft report because its recommendations "missed the mark" by failing to address unsanitary and dangerous conditions that the committee witnessed. After a brief discussion, the Committee removed the following finding from the report:

(1) The Committee finds that registered child care ministries are not required to teach universal precautions or provide staff training concerning symptoms and reporting of child abuse.

The Committee recommends that the Bureau of Child Care:

(a) provide, free of charge, the resources (OVO or online) to teach universal precautions and staff training concerning symptoms and reporting of child abuse to all child care providers in Indiana; and

(b) contact each child care provider at least once annually to encourage the providers to utilize these resources.

Important to note: Not all child care ministries are unsafe. Many are doing a fine job of caring for Indiana’s youngest children. But others are putting children in danger, and state officials can do nothing to prevent it because their hands are tied. Some of these “ministries” are not even affiliated with a church.

Result: The committee’s final report contains no findings. It recommends only that the Bureau of Child Care establish a child care ministry advisory committee (a committee that already exists). Once again, thanks to powerful and misleading anti-regulatory forces, Indiana officials ignored the safety needs of young children in Indiana.

Children's Environmental Health Newsletter - October 2011

In this Issue:

• News about EPA Lead-Safe Renovations Rule
• Problems Continue with Medicaid Reimbursement for Services to Lead Poisoned Children
• Federal and Local Funding Cuts Threaten Lead Poisoning Programs
  
• New CDC Guidelines for Pregnant Women
• 2011 Award Winners
• Legislators Shocked at Conditions of Child Care Ministry with No Ties to a Church
• Coalition Calls for Mercury Controls on Power Plants
• IKE Continues Work in Martindale-Brightwood
• Bed Bug Cure Can Be Worse than its Bite
• Support IKE
  

2011 Conference Draws 218 People to Work Toward Healthier Homes & Child Cares

Thanks to all who attended our annual Healthy Homes & Child Care Conference in Indianapolis last week. Some news coming out of the conference:

• The Indiana State Department of Health and State Sen. Patricia Miller (R-Indianapolis) indicated they will not seek 2012 legislation for Indiana to administer the U.S. EPA renovation, repair and painting rule (RRP rule). Legislation to bring the program to Indiana has failed to pass the General Assembly the past two years. ISDH staff indicated they may consider legislation again for the 2013 session.
• U.S. EPA has begun inspections and enforcement of the RRP rule in several Indiana communities. Fines can be up to $37,500 per day. Most cases begin with a tip or complaint, with many tips coming from certified renovators who see uncertified firms using unsafe practices. If you see residential work in pre-1978 homes that is not lead-safe, contact Julie Morris at U.S. EPA in Chicago: (312) 886-0863 or morris.julie@epa.gov. Learn more about the requirements at www.ikecoalition.org or www.leadfreekids.org.
• ISDH and local health departments continue to have trouble receiving Medicaid reimbursement for case management and investigations for lead-poisoned children, more than three years after this issue was supposedly resolved. Local health departments are losing $614.01 per Medicaid eligible child with an elevated blood-lead level. State Medicaid officials say they are waiting for approval of a State Plan Amendment. However, federal law requires Medicaid to reimburse for these services. Still waiting for this to be fixed.
• Meanwhile, proposed FY12 funding cuts to the federal Centers for Disease Control threaten to zero out the CDC’s Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention program. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is seeking to shift lead poisoning prevention to the Maternal & Child Health home visiting program. It’s unclear how this will affect the families of lead-poisoned children in Indiana. State and local health departments get a significant amount of funding from CDC to identify and provide help to lead-poisoned children.  Contact Senator Lugar or Senator Coats to express your concerns about maintaining services for lead-poisoned children and their families.
• Local funding cuts are also affecting services provided by local health departments. All Delaware County offices are cutting back to a four-day work week and will be closed on Fridays, including the county health department. According to news reports, county commissioners are also trying to collect rent from the health department for its use of the county building.
• Many pregnant women are exposed to lead and never know it, passing that lead on to their unborn child. New CDC guidelines urge health care providers that serve at-risk populations to routinely test pregnant women for blood-lead levels. In low-risk areas, providers should use risk assessment tools to determine whether testing is warranted. Action steps are recommended for any pregnant woman or newborn infant with a BLL at or above 5 µg/dL. Click here for more details.

Many presentations from the conference are now on-line at www.ikecoalition.org/2011conference

Congratulations to 2011 Healthy Homes & Child Care Award Winners

The Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force presented awards to the following organizations and individuals during the conference:

Asthma Safe Award:

• Barbara Sha Cox of Indiana CAFO Watch, for her work promoting clean air and healthy environments in rural communities. Barbara monitors activities of larged confined animal feeding operations (factory farms) in Indiana and organizes communities to demand better enforcement and stronger regulations to protect neighbors’ health and the environment.
• Danette Fariss of St. Vincent-Peyton Manning Children's Hospital for her volunteer work on behalf of the Asthma Alliance of Indianapolis.

Lead Safe Award:

• Vigo County Health Department for its efforts to improve blood-lead screening in the county, identifying children at an early stage when lead poisoning can be better addressed.
• Cathy Shaw and Jane McIntyre of Howard County Health Department for their volunteer work at the annual conference and for their efforts to educate child care facilities and health care providers in Howard County about lead poisoning and its effects.
• Office of Attorney General Greg Zoeller for pursuing legal action against an Evansville landlord for refusing to address lead hazards in a rental home. This case serves as a template that local governments can use for addressing environmental conditions in housing under existing state laws.

Healthy Homes Award:

• Indiana Community Action Association for emphasizing the importance of lead-safe work practices in its training programs for contractors, who provide assistance to qualified homeowners with weatherization and energy efficiency improvements.

Senator Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, also helped distribute awards from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s 5-Star Child Care recognition program to the following facilities who have taken extra steps to provide a safe environment for young children:

• Little Saints Child Care & Preschool Ministry
• Monroe County United Ministries
• Robin's Nest Childcare Center
• Humble Beginnings Childcare

Special recognition was given to Lynette Brown, who recently retired from the Wayne County Health Department, for her years of service ensuring healthy homes for children. The task force also honored Bruce Jennings of Bloomington, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. We will honor Bruce’s memory by holding a fund-raiser each year to raise funds for a family in need. If you have suggestions, contact Jodi Perras at jperras@ikecoalition.org.

 

Child Care News from the Indiana Association of United Ways:

On Sept. 27, members of the state legislative Committee on Child Care toured four child care programs that accept taxpayer-funded Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) money. They wanted to understand the care and requirements related to different types of programs--licensed child care centers and homes and unlicensed registered ministries. 

 

Legislator and committee members saw firsthand and commented on the range of quality. They described being impressed by some organizations devoted to their "mission" and "calling" to be "change agents" for children and their families. 

 

They described being alarmed by what they observed at one child care ministry: 28 children with 1 adult, mouse droppings and unsanitary food preparation. They expressed concern with the idea that children would be put at risk by "commercial enterprises" describing themselves as "ministries" and that parents simply trust the organizations because they have "ministry" in the name and a state designation.

 

Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) was so alarmed with what he experienced in one facility that he stated he would resign his seat from the Senate to babysit his 15-month-old grandson, rather than allow him to be cared for in such deplorable conditions.

 

Read the minutes from the meeting. The Committee on Child Care holds its final meeting on October 25 to discuss any legislative recommendations and its final report. 

Like IKE, IaUW supports standardizing health and safety standards across all child care providers--especially those that are funded with taxpayer-supported CCDF. See IaUW’s Policy Options document presented to the Education Committee.

In the News:

Coalition Calls for Mercury Control

The Sierra Club's Hoosier Chapter, IKE, Hoosier Environmental Council, and the Indiana NAACP on Sept. 27 called for federal officials to support controls on mercury pollution from power plants. In April, the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter took hair samples from 38 people in Indianapolis, most of whom were local residents. All 38 samples showed traces of mercury; three samples were above the EPA’s health guideline for mercury. These results show that mercury is pervasive in our environment.

"When a bridge falls or a stage collapses and kills or injures innocent people, we get upset, and rightly so," said IKE Executive Director Jodi Perras. "These dangers are easy to see, and we want solutions. Yet every day invisible hazards fall from the sky and damage the brains of our infants and children, and it doesn’t get much attention because we can’t “see” it. Let’s be clear, these test results come from adults, but we’re really talking about the damage mercury causes to our infants and children, to infants still in the womb when their brains are still developing."

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can harm the brain, spinal cord, kidnes and liver. It is especially dangerous to unborn babies and young children, whose brains and nervous system are still developing.

Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Health Department, and Dr. Gabriel Filippelli of IUPUI also spoke at the news conference about the dangers of mercury and its pervasiveness in Indiana's environment. Dr. Filippelli's research on mercury will be featured this weekend on the public radio program Sound Medicine.

IKE Continues Work with Martindale-Brightwood Neighborhood

IKE is continuing its work with the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood in Indianapolis to help improve environmental conditions. Responding to complaints from the neighborhood, city officials have started employing police officers to catch illegal dumpers who have made Martindale-Brightwood a favorite dumping place. City staff say dumping on public property has fallen dramatically since the police got involved. Dumping on private property, however, remains a problem.

The Martindale-Brightwood Environmental Justice Collaborative and Improving Kids’ Environment are hosting a Community Picnic and Call for Environmental Justice on October 27 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at 37 Place Community Center, 2605 E. 25th Street. Food, drink and entertainment will be provided, as well as testimony from neighbors about environmental justice issues they face. We will announce the winners of our children's poster contest. All are welcome to attend. Register here.

Bed Bug Cure Can Be Worse than Its Bite

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that 111 people have been sickened and one North Carolina woman died after improper use of pesticides to try to control bed bugs. "The poisonings serve as a warning, experts said, that people could do more damage to their health by misusing pesticides than they would suffer from the bedbugs, which are upsetting and unpleasant, but not known to be carriers of disease." See recent story in the New York Times for more information.

Support Our Work: You can designate Improving Kids’ Environment to receive automatic contributions through your workplace’s charitable giving campaign. If you participated in the Central Indiana United Way or State Employees Community Campaign, consider a donation to IKE throughout the year. You can also donate on-line through our website: www.ikecoalition.org.

Proposed Rules (and Readoptions)

 

Title 326:  Air Pollution Control Board

 

·        LSA Document #09-493:  Amends 326 IAC 2-1.1-1, 326 IAC 2-1.1-3, 326 IAC 2-1.1-6, 326 IAC 2-1.1-8, 326 IAC 2-1.1-9, 326 IAC 2-5.1-3, 326 IAC 2-5.5-6, 326 IAC 2-6.1-1, 326 IAC 2-6.1-2, 326 IAC 2-6.1-6, 326 IAC 2-7-1, 326 IAC 2-7-8, 326 IAC 2-7-10.5, 326 IAC 2-7-12, 326 IAC 2-7-17, 326 IAC 2-8-10, 326 IAC 2-8-11.1, 326 IAC 2-9-2.5, 326 IAC 2-9-3, 326 IAC 2-9-4, 326 IAC 2-9-11, 326 IAC 2-9-13, 326 IAC 2-9-14, 326 IAC 2-10-1, and 326 IAC 2-11-1 concerning the air permit review rules. Repeals 326 IAC 2-6.1-3. Effective 30 days after filing with the Publisher.

 

More information can be found at:

http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20110831-IR-326090493PRA.xml.pdf

 

Title 410:  Indiana State Department of Health

 

·        LSA Document #10-734:  Amends 410 IAC 32-1-12, 410 IAC 32-1-24, 410 IAC 32-1-28, 410 IAC 32-1-43, 410 IAC 32-1-47, 410 IAC 32-1-54, 410 IAC 32-1-56, 410 IAC 32-1-66, 410 IAC 32-1-72, 410 IAC 32-1-77, 410 IAC 32-1-81, and 410 IAC 32-1-83 to update definitions. Adds 410 IAC 32-1-28.5, 410 IAC 32-1-52.5, 410 IAC 32-1-60.5, 410 IAC 32-1-65.5, and 410 IAC 32-1-84.5 to add new definitions. Amends 410 IAC 32-2-3 and 410 IAC 32-2-5 regarding license qualifications and renewals. Amends 410 IAC 32-3-2, 410 IAC 32-3-4, and 410 IAC 32-3-8 concerning training courses. Amends 410 IAC 32-4-1 through 410 IAC 32-4-10, 410 IAC 32-4-13, and 410 IAC 32-4-15 regarding work practices for remediation activities. Effective 30 days after filing with the Publisher.

 

More information can be found at:

http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20110824-IR-410100734PRA.xml.pdf

 

Final Rules

 

Title 326:  Air Pollution Control Board

 

·        LSA Document #05-330(F) :  Amends 326 IAC 3-4-1, 326 IAC 3-4-2, 326 IAC 3-4-3, 326 IAC 3-5-1, 326 IAC 3-5-2, 326 IAC 3-5-3, 326 IAC 3-5-4, 326 IAC 3-5-5, 326 IAC 3-5-6, 326 IAC 3-5-7, 326 IAC 3-6-1, 326 IAC 3-6-2, 326 IAC 3-6-3, 326 IAC 3-6-4, 326 IAC 3-6-5, 326 IAC 3-7-1, 326 IAC 3-7-2, 326 IAC 3-7-3, 326 IAC 3-7-4, and 326 IAC 3-7-5 and adds 326 IAC 3-5-8 concerning compliance monitoring. Amends 326 IAC 7-2-1 concerning sulfur dioxide compliance requirements. Effective 30 days after filing with the Publisher.

 

More information can be found at:

http://www.in.gov/legislative/iac/20110907-IR-326050330FRA.xml.pdf