CHE Partnership Call - Evaluating the Impact of Cumulative Stressors on Health Monday, April 19, 2010 Report Out from Strengthening Environmental Justice Research and Decision Making : A Symposium on the Science of Disproportionate Environmental Health Impacts A Symposium on the Science of Disproportionate Environmental Health Impacts Devon Payne-Sturges, DrPH Assistant Center Director for Human Health National Center for Environmental Research, EPA

Purpose of the Symposium  To lay the groundwork to develop a systematic and scientifically defensible approach for incorporating environmental justice concerns into EPA’s decision making process. “ How do you identify disproportionately impacted population groups and communities?” “How can we translate EJ concerns into language understood by EPA Risk Assessors, Analysts and Decision Makers?”

Symposium Themes & Structure  Understanding contributors to disproportionate environmental health impacts to facilitate their consideration in decision making Commissioned 7 technical papers on state of the science ○ Proximity to environmental hazards ○ Multiple exposures and cumulative impacts ○ Unique exposures ○ Vulnerability/susceptibility ○ Physical Infrastructure ○ Community capacity to participate in the decision making process ○ Psychosocial stress  Informing policy and decision making to protect environmental health  Informing research to advance policy

Observations  There is disconnect between what the community leaders know about what EPA does and EPA’s understanding about what policy/reg actions are/are not successful on the ground  States matters – they can make or break EPA’s good intentions – regulations  More holistic impact assessment methodologies are needed – particularly cumulative impacts, joint effects of social and physical environments.  Equity impact assessment approach is needed – borrow the best from HIA  EPA needs to engage more with the public and community-based organizations to get their input into our research agendas

Cumulative Stressors/Impacts  Need to address multiple factors and places related to the environment when addressing public health  Be aware of the other stressors in relation to stressors being considered in risk analysis and adjust for what is being left out.  Look at qualitative approaches  Cumulative impacts/risk is more of a policy problem rather than a research problem  Look for a broader definition of health

Next Steps  Development of meeting summary report  AJPH will publish a special issue on policy and science issues in environmental justice The commissioned papers will be revised per discussions at the Symposium and will be submitted to AJPH for publication Call for papers – due August 1, 2010  Development of an action agenda and will be announced this summer with input from community coalition.

Thank you Disproportionate Impacts Symposium webpage Devon C. Payne-Sturges, DrPH Assistant Center Director for Human Health ORD/ National Center for Environmental Research U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Phone: | Fax: