environmental health in colorado presentation to senate and house agriculture and natural resource...
TRANSCRIPT
Environmental Health in ColoradoPresentation to Senate and House Agriculture and Natural Resource
CommitteesApril 30, 2008
Jeff Zayach, MSVice President, Colorado
Directors of Environmental Health
Colorado Directors of Colorado Directors of Environmental HealthEnvironmental Health
“Improved health owes less to advances in medical science than to changes in the external environment, and to a favorable trend in the standard of living...medicine is in danger of neglecting what has hitherto proved its most powerful resource – the manipulation of the external environment.”
Grundy and Macintosh – from Man Adapting, Rene Dubos – Winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction.
Environmental Health Protection Defined
Environmental health protection refers to protection against environmental factors that may:Adversely impact human healthAdversely impact ecological balances
essential to long-term human health and environment
National EnvironmentalHealth Association, April 1996
Examples of Environmental Health Services Provided at the Local Level
Retail food safety inspection, licensing and training
Body art inspection, licensing and training
Water quality– Issuing septic system permits
Monitoring, testing and investigation of Plague, Tularemia, Rabies, West Nile Virus, and Hantavirus
Air quality monitoring, inspection, and education
Emergency preparedness
Expanded Environmental Health Services at the Local Level
Developing climate change policies and strategies
Asthma Indoor air quality investigations,
testing, and education Occupational health Meth lab investigation and
clean up Integrating Land Use and EH
– planning for a built environment Transportation planning Pollution prevention
Expanded Environmental Health Services at the Local Level
Confined animal feeding operations
Water quality– Ground, surface, and storm water
Hazardous waste inspections Landfills and solid waste cleanups Well monitoring Lead investigation and education HAZMAT response Policy and regulation advocacy at
the state and national level
Environmental Health as it Relates to the Oil & Gas Boom in Colorado
Colorado has roughly 25,700 active wells An additional 40,000 wells are plugged and abandoned Wells are widely distributed around the state Two thirds (2/3) of Colorado Counties (42 of 63) have
wells located in them Thirty (30)% of Colorado Counties (19 of 63) have at
least two hundred wells Weld County has the most wells at over 10,000 (40%) Rio Blanco County and La Plata County each have
over 2000 wells (10% each)
Oil & Gas Wells in Colorado
Environmental and Public Health Affects of Oil and Gas Wells
Air Quality Impacts
Fugitive Dust
Drilling Operations Create Many Emissions
Burning Condensate Off Reserve Pit
Flaring During Well Completion
Evaporation Ponds
Heavy Diesel Emissions From Fracing Operations
Water Quality Impacts
Massive Pipeline Projects
Massive Well Pads
Spills
Proximity to Main Drainages
Drainages Used for Crop Irrigation
Contaminated Soils
Sewer Lines
Emergency Preparedness
Oil and Gas WellsOther Associated Impacts
Increased truck trafficIncreased truck traffic Increased railroad activityIncreased railroad activity Development of new gravel pitsDevelopment of new gravel pits Occupational health and safety issuesOccupational health and safety issues Communicable disease issuesCommunicable disease issues Substance abuse issuesSubstance abuse issues Citizens expect local government to protect themCitizens expect local government to protect them Local resource impactsLocal resource impacts
Water Quality in Colorado
These are just a few of the many water quality challenges we face in Colorado
2006 and 2007 assessments of lakes and rivers for “fishable” and “swimmable” waters
– 230,000 miles of rivers assessed – 313,000 lake acres assessed
Rivers– 12,800 miles are impaired and will require development of
Total Maximum Daily LoadsLakes
– 43,400 acres are impaired and will require development of Total Maximum Daily Loads
Water Quality in Colorado
The total list of impaired water bodies statewide includes 160 water bodies affected by approximately 250 individual pollutants
15 fish consumption advisories for mercury on lakes, more proposed
Primary sources of contaminants are selenium and mercury– resource extraction is the most common source when a source has
been identified for selenium– mercury deposition is a global issue
Local impacts– Boulder and South Boulder Creek, Fountain Creek, South Platte– protection of public health– need for local involvement
Lead Concerns in Colorado
Public Health Affects– lower levels cause adverse effects on the central nervous
system and kidneys– blood lead levels as low as 10 μg/dL, which do not cause
immediate affects can cause: distinctive long-term symptoms associated with decreased
intelligence and impaired behavioral development, decreased stature or growth, decreased hearing acuity, and decreased ability to maintain a steady posture
long-term impacts at the population level can be significant
Lead recalls– local impact
Lead Concerns in Colorado
1995 Denver lead study– 16.2% of 174 screened had levels above 10 ug/dL– Denver percentage before the study was 3.2%– highlight the problem of lead poisoning in the city and the need to
provide resources for environmental investigation and intervention Minorities and low income are disproportionately affected Need at the local level
– expanded/targeted testing– more follow up on blood levels at 10 ug/dL and above– more focused education– local ability for follow up is limited
Environmental Public Health in Colorado
KEY:Solid Gray: These counties are served by local health departments.
White with Gray Spots: These counties are served by public health nursing services but provide additional limited local environmental health services in addition to permitting individual sewage disposal systems.Solid White: These counties are served by nursing services with no local environmental health services provided except for permitting individual sewage disposal systems.
Environmental Health Service Providers at the County Level
Environmental Health Specialists
Public Health Nurses Public Works Employees Building Inspectors Land Use Planners HazMat Teams Fire Departments Local Emergency
Planning Commissions
Water/Wastewater Treatment Plants
Soil Conservation Districts Watershed Groups Transit Authorities Housing Authorities Extension Agents State and Federal
Government Citizens Colorado School of
Public Health
Colorado School of Public Health
University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado
Only Accredited School of Public Health in the Rocky Mountain Region (2010)
Degree programs– Masters of Public Health– Masters of Science– Doctorate Program– Residency program– Certificate program– Distance learning
Colorado School of Public Health
Masters in Public Health– Applied Biostatistics Program (UCD) – Community & Behavioral Health Program (UCD) – Community Health Education Program (UNC) – Environmental & Occupational Health Program (UCD) – Epidemiology Program (UCD) – Health Systems, Management & Policy Program (UCD) – Generalist Program (UCD) – Generalist Program (CSU)
Colorado School of Public HealthCenter for Public Health Practice
Internships and practicum required for CSPH students Hub of public health training for the workforce
– short courses, certificate programs, etc.– responsive to workforce needs, including training to meet the core
competencies for public health professionals – topical training in disaster management and emergency response,
epidemiology, statistics, emerging infectious diseases, among others Provide educational and training opportunities needed by
state and local health departments as well as community based public health organizations
Links to public health practice in Colorado communities Website: http://www.coloradosph.org/
Environmental Health Challenges
Encourage evaluation of the current level of environmental health services in each of your counties
Encourage environmental public health leadership in our communities
Work with public health leaders to develop enhanced public health systems statewide
RESOURCESExamples of Environmental Health Service in Colorado Communities
Aspen:Aspen: New recycling ordinance– www.aspenpitkin.com/depts/44/waste_ordinance.cfm
BoulderBoulder: Septic Smart Initiative– www.SepticSmart.org
Denver:Denver: Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Reduction Plan
Eagle:Eagle: Frost Creek Water Quality Monitoring and
Mitigation Plan GarfieldGarfield - Air Quality Technical Work Group
RESOURCESExamples of Environmental Health Service in Colorado Communities
LarimerLarimer: Retail Food program on the web– www.larimer.org/health/food/index.asp
NortheastNortheast: Northeast Asthma Coalition San Juan Basin HD:San Juan Basin HD: Durango Silverton Narrow
Gauge Rail Road Coal Smoke Task Force Summit:Summit: Food Safety Wall of Fame Tri-County:Tri-County: Rocky Mountain Arsenal Collaborative
– http://www.tchd.org/arsenal.html Weld:Weld: “STAR” Program
Colorado Directors of Environmental Health
Resource list of phone numbers, addresses and
e-mails